GH2 Just got a GH2! This camera is just R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S !!

[Barry_Green]

What wider than 18mm primes, new or old, do people recommend? Doesn't need to be Lumix ones. Can be anything from Canon, to Nikon to any lens, as long as it's sharp and of decent speed, at least F3.0.

Zeiss 15mm is supposed to be exquisite, but at $3k for the ZF I haven't bothered to get it.

If you want wide on a GH2, there's only one outstanding choice -- the Lumix 7-14. That's WIDE. Wide wide wide wide wide. No it isn't fast, so you'll have to boost the ISO up a little bit, but it's wide. Real wide.

 

[Adamsenoj]

Zeiss 15mm is supposed to be exquisite, but at $3k for the ZF I haven't bothered to get it.

If you want wide on a GH2, there's only one outstanding choice -- the Lumix 7-14. That's WIDE. Wide wide wide wide wide. No it isn't fast, so you'll have to boost the ISO up a little bit, but it's wide. Real wide.

What about a prime? As I said it doesn't need to be Lumix or even M4/3. I would rather have a faster prime than a slower zoom.

Yeah, I didn't bother to get the CP 15mm for the same reasons. 18mm is plenty wide for 99% of what I do, at least in super 35.

 

[J.F.R.]

Can the GH2 control the lens? If so, what advantage is there in having a native M4/3 version besides not needing an adapter?

You can use the lens with an adapter, but it's not the same ( at least not for me) I like to know what aperture I am, with adapter it just opens and closes the iris. If it were native you would not need the adapter and you would have electronic control of the lens. This is good for image stabilization and auto focus features. Panasonic has some really nice wide lenses but they are more expensive than Sigma/Tokina.

 

[TheDingo]

So the AF100 and GH2 have diffente factors even though they are both M4/3 and many say they share the same sensor?

The GH2 uses a multi aspect sensor which enables it to be a little wider when shooting in 16:9 mode. The Full Frame 35mm Still Photo crop factor for the GH2 is 1.82x.

I hope you mean get the most out of it concerning wide angle and not image quality.

In terms of absolute image quality, many of the higher end M4/3 lenses are designed to exhibit close to maximum performance when wide open, and they out-resolve standard DSLR lenses when used with a M4/3 sensor. Some examples of high performance M4/3 lenses would be the Olympus 12mm f/2.0, Olympus 45mm f/1.8, Olympus 75mm f/1.8, Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 zoom. Both Zeiss and Schneider M4/3 lenses are in the works, so I'm hoping to hear more when Photokina 2012 starts next week.

 

[Barry_Green]

Well, fast and prime and wider than 18mm, there's the Voigtlander 17.5mm f/0.95, barely wider than 18mm but way fast.

Or there's folks who like the SLR Magic HyperPrime, it's 12mm and f/1.6. Reviews I've seen don't put it as highly as the Olympus 12mm f/2, but it's faster and all-manual.

 

[Barry_Green]

So the AF100 and GH2 have diffente factors even though they are both M4/3 and many say they share the same sensor?

Well, there's what "many say" and then there's "the truth", and those are frequently not the same thing. No the AF100 and the GH2 don't share the same sensor. The AF100's is slightly smaller (17.8mm wide, vs. 18.8mm wide for the GH2), the AF100's allows for 1080/60p whereas the GH2's doesn't, and the AF100's sensor has an OLPF attached to minimize aliasing.

They are both m43 in that they both use the m43 lens mount, yes. But both of them use oversized sensors as compared to the m43 standard, which calls for a 17.3mm wide sensor.

 

[Barry_Green]

Can the GH2 control the lens?

GH2 can only control native m43 lenses. For something like the Tokina, you'd need a Nikon G adapter which would be a manual way to control the iris ring.

If so, what advantage is there in having a native M4/3 version besides not needing an adapter?

Lots. First of all, you wouldn't have an adapter involved, so you'd have more secure native mounting. Second, for lenses that allow control, you'd have on-camera and automatic control of focus and iris. But third and somewhat of a biggy, the m43 cameras have sophisticated processing engines in them that let them extract better performance from a lens than the native glass gives. They have built-in barrel distortion correction, pincushion correction, and chromatic aberration compensation. That allows the lens designer to build less-expensive lenses that perform better than they have any right to, through the use of the digital compensation. Obviously having a supremely-engineered lens that is optically perfect will deliver better results, but -- well, put it in context, the 15mm ZF is $3,000. The Olympus 12mm is, what, $800? It's wider, it's faster, it's probably sharper with less chromatic aberration, and it's 1/4 the cost.

 

[Kholi]

This literally just showed up today... I'll do my own report on it, but in the first five minutes of having it and toying around... it may not be Olympus 12/2, but it sure is freakin' sick (first impressions.) It also doesn't cost Olympus 12/2 money and IMO, I like having manual control--read:smooth focus and iris transitions, across the board.

ANyway, there are options. I'll start a new thread on it later.

 

[Adamsenoj]

In terms of absolute image quality, many of the higher end M4/3 lenses are designed to exhibit close to maximum performance when wide open, and they out-resolve standard DSLR lenses when used with a M4/3 sensor.

I don't have any DSLR lenses. My current glass set are CPs.

Some examples of high performance M4/3 lenses would be the Olympus 12mm f/2.0, Olympus 45mm f/1.8, Olympus 75mm f/1.8, Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 zoom. Both Zeiss and Schneider M4/3 lenses are in the works, so I'm hoping to hear more when Photokina 2012 starts next week.

How does the 14mm 2.5 compares? Is it a particular sharp lens?

 

[Barry_Green]

The 14mm f/2.5's primary role in life is to be tiny. It can be sharp, but it can vignette too. If you're used to CP's, I would have to think you'd hate the 14mm, I mean, it's maybe -- 3/4" thick? It's a tiny lens. You're not going to be pulling manual focus on it, cinema-style. It's made for someone who wants to pocket their camera.

 

[Kholi]

The 14mm f/2.5's primary role in life is to be tiny. It can be sharp, but it can vignette too. If you're used to CP's, I would have to think you'd hate the 14mm, I mean, it's maybe -- 3/4" thick? It's a tiny lens. You're not going to be pulling manual focus on it, cinema-style. It's made for someone who wants to pocket their camera.

I think I've instantly liked the 12/1.6 because of this. look at the size of the gear, and it's pretty solid for what it is, much more than any strap on gear etc.

Feels like I can actually rely on it.

 

[Adamsenoj]

The 14mm f/2.5's primary role in life is to be tiny. It can be sharp, but it can vignette too. If you're used to CP's, I would have to think you'd hate the 14mm, I mean, it's maybe -- 3/4" thick? It's a tiny lens. You're not going to be pulling manual focus on it, cinema-style. It's made for someone who wants to pocket their camera.

I know mechanically it can't be compared to CPs, but then again what can besides Master and Ultra primes?

I just don't feel like investing much money on M4/3 glass, at least for now, since I already have great lenses. Just want a lens that will get me back the super 35 AOV of a 18mm or close to it, is sharp, at least F3.0 and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

 

[Kholi]

I know mechanically it can't be compared to CPs, but then again what can besides Master and Ultra primes?

Cp2s in same class as ZUPs or ZMPs? Not a chance in hell lol.

I just don't feel like investing much money on M4/3 glass, at least for now, since I already have great lenses. Just want a lens that will get me back the super 35 AOV of a 18mm or close to it, is sharp, at least F3.0 and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

I've never invested in M4/3 glass, I could see the 12/1.6 being the right combo of fast, solid, and affordable for someone that's used to using PLs.

 

[TheDingo]

I don't have any DSLR lenses. My current glass set are CPs.

You might want to take a look at the new Samyang 14mm T3.1 Cine Lens which B&H Photo expects to have in stock by the middle of this month. You will need to pick up a M4/3 to Nikon adapter. ( lots of different brands to choose from )

Rokinon Cine Lens Facebook Photos ( Samyang sells under different brands )

Rokinon 14mm T3.1 Cine Lens : $449 at B&H Photo

 

[J.F.R.]

The 14mm f/2.5's primary role in life is to be tiny. It can be sharp, but it can vignette too. If you're used to CP's, I would have to think you'd hate the 14mm, I mean, it's maybe -- 3/4" thick? It's a tiny lens. You're not going to be pulling manual focus on it, cinema-style. It's made for someone who wants to pocket their camera.

I just bought this lens and it is so tiny. I just found out I have a shoot and I'm going to use it, no choice..... Would Have liked to have had the Slr Magic 12mm, but you gotta do what you gotta do......

 

[Adamsenoj]

Cp2s in same class as ZUPs or ZMPs? Not a chance in hell lol.

Obviously not and goes without saying.

What I meant is that no still glass will compare to the CPs mechanically so no point in considering it from this point of view. You would have to go cinema primes to compare or beat them, and as there's nothing on the same level as the CPs I had to mention the Ultras and Masters, even though they totally surpass the CPs. But there's nothing in between. The CPs are pretty much the most affordable cinema lenses. If not that you have to go high end with Cooke, Masters, Ultras etc, unless you want to go used or the odd balls such as Ekran and the like.

 

[Kholi]

Obviously not and goes without saying.

What I meant is that no still glass will compare to the CPs mechanically so no point in considering it from this point of view. You would have to go cinema primes to compare or beat them, and as there's nothing on the same level as the CPs I had to mention the Ultras and Masters, even though they totally surpass the CPs. But there's nothing in between. The CPs are pretty much the most affordable cinema lenses. If not that you have to go high end with Cooke, Masters, Ultras etc, unless you want to go used or the odd balls such as Ekran and the like.

Ekran's are.. "fun". That's what I'd say. Haha.

I agree though, you would have to go to that price level to get that kind of functionality. What SLRMagic and Rokinon are doing is a decent compromise for price on these tiny cameras.

 

[Adamsenoj]

I just bought this lens and it is so tiny. I just found out I have a shoot and I'm going to use it, no choice..... Would Have liked to have had the Slr Magic 12mm, but you gotta do what you gotta do......

I'm just wondering if it compares to the Zeiss in image quality and sharpness. I know it's a pancake lens.

 

[Adamsenoj]

Ekran's are.. "fun". That's what I'd say. Haha.

I agree though, you would have to go to that price level to get that kind of functionality. What SLRMagic and Rokinon are doing is a decent compromise for price on these tiny cameras.

Do they have full matched sets or just odd lenses?

 

[Adamsenoj]

Searching vimeo for GH2 footage using the 14mm 2.5 but can't find any.

On a side note I got some pretty funny looks when I went outside today with the GH2 hanging from the back of the CP 50mm.