GH3 GH3+Panasonic 35-100mm or Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 35-100mm/f2.8 vs Voigtlander 25mm

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cuervo.taylor

Active member
So guys I just bought today my gh3 :D but now I have to decide a lens a have seen impresive footage with the Voigtlander 25mm F 0.95 .
But I have also heard marvels of the two other lenses.

What should I do?

I´m backpacking not a professional phographer, but I'm serious into it and want to start learning to take great stills and some little video now and then.
 
If you're only getting one lens, I'd recommend the 35-100 zoom lens. The 25mm .95 is great, but I'd much rather have a nice zoom like the 35-100mm to get a range of focal length options.

Plus it has image stabilization, which is great if you're taking video on the go.

But just my 2 cents :)
 
No, its aperture is f/2.8, and the Voigtlander is f/0.95. The voigtlander takes in way more light. It'll also depend on your shooting style. It's interesting you're considering the 35-100 vs. the V25, as opposed to the 12-35 vs. the V25. Also your shooting style depends on what you pick. When I travel, I like to fire-and-forget, so AF is a must. I have the 35-100 and V25, but if I were deciding on a travel lens, I'd get the 12-35. Sticking to your original question, really tough to say actually, personally speaking, I wouldn't want either for travel, lol. The V25 I guess, if I had to choose.

I brought to Europe last year the 14mm f/2.5, V25 and Canon FD 50mm. I used the 14mm the most, more than 90% of the time.

Went to the Philippines a couple months ago. Brought the 14mm, PL25 and 14-140. Used the 14mm the most, the 14-140 next. I know I would've gotten some really great shots with the PL25, but would've been "working" more, as opposed to enjoying the experience more, which is what I did.

That's just me though.
 
I'd second the 12-35. You need something wider than 35-100. If you want to go really light, the 20mm pancake is an incredible lens. It's wide enough that you can still do a lot with it and it's fast.

But really, I don't think you'll find a better complementing package than the 12-35 and the 35-100. I also have the 7-14 and the 100-300 but I find myself using them much less than the 12-35 and 35-100.
 
The voigtlander wouldn't be an error for a newbie, it's a great lens. As a newbie, the best thing to do is get out and take pictures. I think sometimes having too many lenses actually gets in the way of learning how to use a particular lens well. You have a LOT of great choices, so it can be touch to decide. None of the options thrown around on here so far are bad, they're all good. Pick one and you'll probably be happy for a while, but at some point, you'll probably also want to experiment with a different lens.
 
cuervo.taylor said:
would buying the Voigtlander 25mm be a total error for a newb?
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No.

But you are really looking at two different paradigms here. One is a low light king but with a fixed focal length and no image stabilization. It would make a great stills lens but not that good for handheld video. Also focusing when wide open does requires some skill. If you have your heart set on such a lens, you might want to check out the SLR Magic 25mm CINE. Lower cost but arguably slightly sharper optics when wide open.

The 12-35 or 35-100 zooms will also make fine choices for photography but each will offer a much greater choice of framing, coupled with decent lower light performance (nothing close to the 25mm ones) but still useful, and of course, excellent image stabilization, reliable auto focus and weather sealing to complement the GH3. Both would be excellent for handheld video work.
 
cuervo.taylor said:
would buying the Voigtlander 25mm be a total error for a newb?
Click to expand...


Lol, kind of. It just requires more work, and I think it's important to have fun first. Not that the Voigtlander isn't fun (it's a sick lens), but having AF just makes life easier. Especially if you consider yourself a newb. I'd get the 12-35, and if you're curious about what the voigtlander might feel like, in terms of functionality (NOT quality), get a cheap vintage 28mm f/2.8 + adapter and see how you'll like manual focusing in photography.
 
thanks guys. Based on what you tell me I´ll follow my hearth and I think I'll stick with the voigtlander I saw this video on vimeo almost one year and a half ago and that´s what made me want to start into photography and this video was shoot with a gh2 and the voigtlander.
 
cuervo.taylor said:
would buying the Voigtlander 25mm be a total error for a newb?
Click to expand...

It would likely be a mistake. A more appropriate lens for backpacking and learning would be one of the Lumix 14-42 or 14-45 lenses. If your budget will allow, add the Lumix 20mm 1.7. For backpacking, especially if you're new to DSLR video, you'll want minimal complications and weight. Personally, my go-to pack lens is the Lumix 12-35 f2.8 or Lumix 14-45 & 20 f1.7.

Good luck.
 
If you are really new to photo/video, you want a zoom lens.

This is why: an experienced operator sees the world in a slightly different than you do. He knows where to put his body and camera to really push every bit of power out of a gorgeous fast prime like the Voigt. As a new shooter, the goal: shoot a LOT. Learn, shoot, review, shoot more, etc. You don't want anything slowing you down.

When you are less experienced, you tend to not know where to stand to get the shot you want. Primes can be frustrating. By having a zoom, it gives you a bunch of framing/composition options without physically moving your body. (Therefore: you're more apt to shoot more.)

Eventually, you'll begin to drop into the zone -- and then switching to a prime will be a ton more fun. You can't go wrong with the Pana 12-35 (and f2.8 is plenty fast for outside, you're going to need ND filters to choke the light if you shoot video anyway), especially if you are going to shoot while hiking during daytime.

And if you want to play with a prime, try the inexpensive 14mm/2.5f folks are recommending. (And don't underestimate how useful image stabilization is, especially for video!)
 
cuervo.taylor said:
thanks guys. Based on what you tell me I´ll follow my hearth and I think I'll stick with the voigtlander I saw this video on vimeo almost one year and a half ago and that´s what made me want to start into photography and this video was shoot with a gh2 and the voigtlander.
Click to expand...

I have a sneaking suspicion we saw the same video, which also made me realize it was a lens I needed to have. Was it some random night shots tracking a person walk through the streets? Maybe not what you saw, but that's all it took for me. It was for video though that I got it though. If a video inspires you that much, I wouldn't stop you, happy shooting.
 
You can buy a 14/2.5, Leica DG 25/1.4, and any system's adapted, inexpensive 50/1.4 for less than the price of the Voigtlander and have a bit more useful kit. For any beginner, I'd very much hesitate to recommend they dump ~$1000 on a single prime lens right away.

Of course, if you're independently wealthy, then knock yourself out. Buy the whole Voigtlander set (17.5, 25, and forthcoming 42.5)
 
cuervo.taylor said:
thanks guys. Based on what you tell me I´ll follow my heart and I think I'll stick with the voigtlander I saw this video on vimeo almost one year and a half ago and that´s what made me want to start into photography and this video was shoot with a gh2 and the voigtlander.
Click to expand...

I very strongly second what both Dan Carter and bprater say. I'd put the Voight off for awhile, get the 14-42 or 14-45 and the 20mm f1.7 and shoot with those for awhile.

I shot a lot with primes before zooms came on the scene, a lot of the time it was just the "normal" 50mm that came with the camera. When I could afford other lenses I went for telephoto and ignored wides. Trying to photograph Bhuddist temples on mountain tops (without falling off the mountain!) in the Far East taught me the "wisdom of wide" so the suggestion on the Lumix 14mm f2.5 has MUCH merit.

Shoot, shoot, shoot (they used to say film was cheap, electrons are FREE) and using those two lenses will tell you more about what you need than we can now. But it will take time. The GH2 was a great camera but the GH3 is even greater.
 
Hell, do whatever you want. Just buy a used lens from the DVXuser forum and you'll find out if it's the one for you or not. If it is, just sell it at hardly any loss and get something different. I find it much easier to shop this way than going to a camera store.
 
OK Guys already bought the Voigtlander and I'm going to keep it.

What is an easier and cheap lens that would work for me to just start learning?
 
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d1rockwild said:
I have a sneaking suspicion we saw the same video, which also made me realize it was a lens I needed to have. Was it some random night shots tracking a person walk through the streets? Maybe not what you saw, but that's all it took for me. It was for video though that I got it though. If a video inspires you that much, I wouldn't stop you, happy shooting.
Click to expand...

It was this video: https://vimeo.com/28454865

can you share me the link of yours?
 
Lol, your video was much more inspiring. Can't seem to find the one that did it for me. You'll love it. It's cool too because it has a really short close-focusing distance, so you can do pretty decent detail shots, small objects, etc. Let us know how your trip goes and post stuff if you can.
 
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