GH5 lens choice -coming from canon.

C

coutard

Well-known member
hello

I've had 2 C100's (mark I then II) that I sold before they would loose too much value, and now I'm looking to buy a new camera.

C200 is too expensive and since I won't use much RAW (I do mostly documentaries), it's 4:2:0 8 bits so NO
EVA1 looks fantastic but too expensive for me
So I'm looking at the GH5 who looks very good for the price, regarding codecs, slo-mo , anamorphic ability etc...

I'm wondering then what would be the best lens option.
I already own Canon's 24-105/4, 17-55/2.8 and Sigma 18-35/1.8.

would it be better to just buy a metabones or sell my canon glass for Panasonic Leica glass (for exemple 12-60mm which looks nice)
metabones are the same price as a new glass from panasonic...
which one is better the XL or UL with my lenses ?

depends as well as how far can you push the GH5, I'm looking at footage and 3200 iso seems to be quite noisy, with my C100 and at F4 with 24-105 I often had to go up to 4000...
if its not possible with GH5, then a F4 lens may not work for me

again, working for very fast and light documentaries : only available light, no time to add anything, very often dark locations...
and really no time to use primes. I use only one zoom 17-55 for most of the indoors and 24-105 for most outdoors so I'm looking for and equivalent...

thanks for any advice !
 
Buy a Metabones Speedbooster Ultra. It'll give you roughly the same FOV as the canon c100. The GH5 really isn't great in lowlight, I try not to go above 1600. I find that Noise is introduced at 1600 and colour noise is introduced at 3200. It is important to remember that with the speed booster your lenses get 1 stop faster, so where you might of shot at 3200 on the C100 you only have to use 1600 on the GH5. You might miss your NDs so be sure to pick some up.

Hope this helps
 
JordanWright said:
Buy a Metabones Speedbooster Ultra. It'll give you roughly the same FOV as the canon c100. The GH5 really isn't great in lowlight, I try not to go above 1600. I find that Noise is introduced at 1600 and colour noise is introduced at 3200. It is important to remember that with the speed booster your lenses get 1 stop faster, so where you might of shot at 3200 on the C100 you only have to use 1600 on the GH5. You might miss your NDs so be sure to pick some up.

Hope this helps
Click to expand...

that helps thanks !
I need to find a good variable ND that doesn't look greenish like most of them
 
I have been very happy with native glass on my GH4 and GH5. Of course you need to pick glass that matches your shooting conditions and desired look. My glass is in my signature. The only lens I desire is the Olympus 12-40 2.8.
 
I might disagree here with speedbooster as the obvious choice. Sounds like you work fast and light, and need speed. I’d vote for the lumix 12-35 2.8 zoom. It’s 2.8 all the way through, has dual IS which is a god send, weather sealed, small and light, simple with no extra adaptors. Pair with 35-100, or the Leica 50-200 coming sometime next year.

The upside with speed booster though is no extra digital sharpening from the electronic lens connection, familiar lenses that work with other body types, and you already own.

The Leica 12-60 is nice also but the vast majority of it is f/4. Olympus 12-40 mark mentioned is also nice - compare size and weight for you.

All lenses even without dual IS will stay have IBIS.
 
Oh and you want the standard .71x speedbooster the .67 was for Gh4 cropped 4K mode and will cause your sigma to vignette. The sigma lens is a very nice tool with a speedbooster and GH5; it lacks the reach of the lumix 12-35 but is significantly faster and a more organic image (no native lens electronic connection). So if you can live without dual IS weather sealing and the smaller setup and shorter reach of the native zoom, that Sigma is a tough combo to give up IQ wise.
 
I would get the Metabones adapter and one of the Panasonic kit lenses. ( Lumix 12-35m f/2.8 would be my first pick )
 
TheDingo said:
I would get the Metabones adapter and one of the Panasonic kit lenses. ( Lumix 12-35m f/2.8 would be my first pick )
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if you can afford it - this is exactly what I would do, too.

Having a native lens is really ideal on m43 and makes the system shine for many uses. Having larger glass with a speedbooster really opens up a ton of options and flexibility.
 
thanks !

I didn't know about the Olympus 12-40/2.8 which sounds nice, but I'm thinking I'll get the same range with my 17-55/2.8 mounted on speed booster ultra...but one stop wider ! appealing...heavier though

having the metabones + one panasonic lens for exemple the 12-35mm, what then would be the scenarios for choosing either the lumix or the canon 17-55 ? is it worth having both ?
 
coutard said:
thanks !

I didn't know about the Olympus 12-40/2.8 which sounds nice, but I'm thinking I'll get the same range with my 17-55/2.8 mounted on speed booster ultra...but one stop wider ! appealing...heavier though

having the metabones + one panasonic lens for exemple the 12-35mm, what then would be the scenarios for choosing either the lumix or the canon 17-55 ? is it worth having both ?
Click to expand...
Used mk112-35's are quite cheap now and very wothwhile having as they are compact, good AF (for the GH5) and dual IS. It's not stellar in optical terms - the edges and corners are just about acceptable but you will have to put up with this on any speedbooster'd lens anyway....
Get the 12-35 and a non speedbooster adapter and you have it covered 12-105.
 
Shirozina said:
Used mk112-35's are quite cheap now and very wothwhile having as they are compact, good AF (for the GH5) and dual IS. It's not stellar in optical terms - the edges and corners are just about acceptable but you will have to put up with this on any speedbooster'd lens anyway....
Get the 12-35 and a non speedbooster adapter and you have it covered 12-105.
Click to expand...

okay.
thanks for all advices
I'll get the speed booster first and then see if I can find some orignal used lenses
 
Shirozina said:
It's not stellar in optical terms - the edges and corners are just about acceptable but you will have to put up with this on any speedbooster'd lens anyway....
Click to expand...

You might have a bad copy, because most reviewers ( including me ) find the Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8 lens to be a sharp work-horse lens for the GH5.

"The lens offers almost tack-sharp performance when used wide open at ƒ/2.8, with only a bit of softness in the extreme corners; stopping down to ƒ/4 provides solid edge-to-edge sharpness."

Imaging Resource.com : Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 Review
 
TheDingo said:
You might have a bad copy, because most reviewers ( including me ) find the Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8 lens to be a sharp work-horse lens for the GH5.

"The lens offers almost tack-sharp performance when used wide open at ƒ/2.8, with only a bit of softness in the extreme corners; stopping down to ƒ/4 provides solid edge-to-edge sharpness."

Imaging Resource.com : Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 Review
Click to expand...

I'm on my 2nd copy - the first one was much worse. Like may Panny M43 lenses edge resolution doesn't improve much when stopping down and they seem to be optimised for close focus ( good on flat test targets for reviews) Not a patch on my 43 Zuiko 12-60 2.8-4 which is sharp right in the corners wide open but it's huge, heavy, no IS and MF only.
 
arf, two news today :

**I did a job with a rented A7S II and realised that my 17-55 was NOT compatible with the speedbooster ultra (I'm guessing it'll be the same with the speedbooster for MFT) because of the extra part coming out of the back of the lens
that make it of of my choices and the panasonic 12-35mm is now something I need to have

** I need to wait to learn more about the GH5s (price, first)

EDIT
or not : https://vimeo.com/102685947
 
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coutard said:
arf, two news today :

**I did a job with a rented A7S II and realised that my 17-55 was NOT compatible with the speedbooster ultra (I'm guessing it'll be the same with the speedbooster for MFT) because of the extra part coming out of the back of the lens
)
Click to expand...
The plastic part can easily be removed - it's just a push/clip on fit.
 
Shirozina said:
I'm on my 2nd copy - the first one was much worse.
Click to expand...

For a more real-world test (based on shooting photos with this lens) you can look at Steve Huff's review of this lens, where he concludes...

"Great sharpness, contrast and color. Truly pro quality and great on the OM-D E-M5."

"Panasonic has another winner on their hands, though a pricey one and this lens can stand toe to toe with the Nikon and Canon 24-70 equivalents while being MUCH smaller."

Panasonic 12-35 f/2.8 Zoom Lens Review for Micro 4/3
 
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