GH3 Glass recommendation for GH3... Budget -> 1000 in total

RatLabProductions said:
The wider body also allows me to open the battery compartment with the QR plate attached on tripod or Rig. That is huge. No more sawing notches into my QR plates.
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+100000000000000000000000
One of my biggest gripes with the Gh2.

As for lenses. Why spend $1000 on lenses that just might not mesh with the Gh3? What if you want to buy the 12-35 or 35-100, which work brilliantly on the Gh3. Just a thought.

My go to lenses for the Gh3 are the:
12-35
35-100
my Nikkor set that ranges from 24, 35, 50, to 85.

The lumix lenses are used for quick run and gun with native controls (and the AF is outstanding!!!!!)
 
I just sold my 60D so tomorrow I might go to the shop and buy the GH3 :)

The only lenses I am sure of by now are the

- Panasonic 20mm 1.7
- Olympus 45mm 1.8

For the wide end I'm doubting between the Tokina 11-16 mm and the Olympus 12 mm. The latter is now in discount and is about the same price as the Tokina 11-16, but will not need an adapter nor a new variable ND filter since I have one that is larger than the filter thread of the Olympus... Or maybe still the 14mm pancake... cheaper, and still a good aperture. I only lose 2mm so should still be pretty wide and seems to get good reviews.

For my videos these wide angles will be the most used focal lengths anyway. I might add a 85mm later.
 
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What is your take on the 14mm pancake guys? It saves me lots of money if I go for the 14mm in stead of a 12mm (zoom or prime)...
 
The Lumix 14mm f2.5 was one of the first two m4/3rds lenses I purchased to begin exploring the m4/3rds system. I had a Pen E-P3 and liked the results first off. I wound up with both pancakes (14 and 20) and the Olympus 45mm f1.8 before I purchased my first GH2 body (used).

The f2.5 max aperture on the 14 is useful enough to photograph in most interiors without flash and flexible enough for night city street stills and video. It is plenty sharp and at that focal length depth of field is not critical even wide open until you focus very close to something. Of course being flexible in "light challenged" settings does not preclude using lighting for better control.

And for those times when you might not want to draw undue attention both the 14 and 20mm "pancakes" on the GH2 make a fairly inconspicuous package (Sky News recently got a correspondent, Holly Williams, into Tibetan cities where the Chinese had everything "locked down" - GH2 instead of ENG gear), those same lenses on an Olympus Pen make you even more inconspicuous.

Yet they deliver quality.

To answer your question, I have the 14mm and it does exactly what I need for it to do.

About a week ago I ordered a used Olympus 12-50mm f3.5 - f6.3 zoom primarily for the 18mm end and while I like that field of view there is not a significant difference from the 14mm pancake. But for other reasons that will replace the 14-42 "kit" lens that came with one of my GH2s.
 
I can recommend the Lumix 14mm plus the matched Panasonic wideangle adapter - gives you a pancake 14mm plus a compact 11mm f2.5 AF lens equivalent that (IMHO) is plenty sharp for video. I was able to get both for $260.
 
GrahamH said:
I can recommend the Lumix 14mm plus the matched Panasonic wideangle adapter - gives you a pancake 14mm plus a compact 11mm f2.5 AF lens equivalent that (IMHO) is plenty sharp for video. I was able to get both for $260.
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Do you have a link to that matched Panasonic adapter for the Lumix 14mm?
 
Another vote for the 14mm F2.5. It's actually the only M4/3 lens that I bought. It' so cheap and when you add the quality, how wide it is and the moderately "fast" aperture it's basically a no brainer. If I was to go with M4/3 lenses for my set the 14mm F2.5 would definitely be there. Heck, even though I have CP.2s I still bought the 14mm. It's nice to have it for shots where you need a very small configuration, and since it's wide you don't need to hack focus so regularly and the ergonomics don't get in the way that often. Great little lens.
 
Stab said:
And is it possible / easy to mount a variable ND filter on the pancakes?
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Stab - either of these will work on the Panasonic 20/1.7 if you decide to buy filters for each lens:

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-Fader-Filter-Adjustable-Variable/dp/B0085J3THO

Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/Polaroid-Verstellbarer-Filter-Neutraldichtefilter-Graufilter/dp/B004GYZ420

Personally, I bought a 72mm variable ND and use adapter rings for my smaller lenses.

Cheers,

Bill
 
Stab said:
I will buy a GH3 soon and with that I move to a new system (m4/3) and therefore new glass. It will be used to shoot corporate stuff, as wel as personal cinematic shorts.

After endless hours of searching and doubting, I dont know what to buy anymore :D

My budget is around 2000-2200 euro's. With the body costing 1200, there is at most 1000 to spend on glass. What I really want:

- Sharp! Resolution is important
- As fast as possible
- 12 mm end covered, 85mm end covered

I was tempted before to invest in old Canon FD / Nikor lenses but I'm starting to lean more towards new modern glass. Image Stabilization, autofocus, more contrast / sharpness are good things to have, although not the most important.

If you are in the mood, please think with me and share your thoughts :) Any help / insight is appreciated.
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12mm Olympus and 85mm Rokinon should be about 1000 euros give or take new or used.
 
stoneinapond said:
Thanks for the explanation. It wasn't really necessary, I was just foolin' with you. Guess you missed that. :happy:
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I didn't. I actually LOLd.

Not sure if anyone's mentioned it, but SLR 12/1.6 with the Step up ring and Focus gear. Had I known how sick it was it would've been the lens I got instead of a Sigma 20/1.8 when I first bought my GH2.
 
Parfocal?

Parfocal?

mcbob said:
Also a big 4/3 normal zoom fan. The 12-60, 14-54, and Leica 14-50 all have their advantages and are in the sweet spot of range.
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Are any of those parfocal?

People say Tamron 17-50/2.8 is parfocal, no AF on m43, but good range and fast.
 
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