oliver was it you that recommended the Vivitar 85mm f/1.4 to me? For a little over $300 seems like a good catch for a pretty fast lens. Have you used this?
Lens Recommendations for a new AF100 owner
- Thread starter Mars
- Start date
Oliver Rush
Well-known member
Apparently it is the same lens as the Bower, it is just different badging. And as I have mentioned before, I have the Bower version of it and love it. I ordered the Bower as it has an external apparence that is slightly closer looking to my other nikon glass in my kit than the vivitar, which looks more like canon glass to me, and I did not want it to look too out of place next to my nikkors... but yea, other than external appearance, there is apparently no difference between them from what I have read (well, $0.04 in price, lol). I have only used the Bower version though.
How do you like your Lumix 14-42?
I think I'm starting to get the lay of the land here. Another reminder of how much lenses have to do with quality footage.
You wouldn't believe the number of wikipedia pages I have bookmarked (ranging from Crop Format to Gaussian Optics), but this forum is where the juicy knowledge is - in the hands of practitioners.
Oliver Rush
Well-known member
It is a piece of crap. I could not live with instead of any of my other lenses. It is a lens that I paid $150 for new, and it acts every bit the part. It is slow, the zoom is the oposite of smooth, it does not match my Nikons well, and the fly by wire focus is a bit annoying... I only use it in bright conditions at like f/5.6-f/11 for some stuff where I want OIS, such as hand held, and some really quick run and gun stuff... and I wanted an electronic native lens to play with. I did not buy it till months later, and rarely use it, though I usually keep it mounted on the camera in my bag incase I ever need to break out the camera if something happens around me, it will beat shooting it with my phone. It is more of a toy for me though, I do 99% of my real paid work with my nikkors. I am not displeased with it though, I know what it was when I got it, and it is what it is, but I would not recommend relying on it as part of your kit. Basically, I got it as I wanted a CHEAP electronic m4/3 zoom with OIS, speed and quality were not part of my criteria with that lens choice.
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Two lenses that I have enjoyed using on the AF100 are the Sigma 10-20 and the Nikon f2.8 105 Micro lens. The Sigma is fun, but slow, but great for run and gun where there is light. The 105mm micro is sharp, sharp and makes shooting close ups a breeze. Also have used it for doc work; a delight.
Oliver Rush
Well-known member
The nikon 105 micro is a great lens, but for an ultra wide zoom, I really feel the tokina is such a better deal... Sure, the sigma has a bit more reach on the long end, but the Tokina is a constant f/2.8... Makes it great in most conditions. I am not bashing the sigma, I have never really used it, all I know is the constant aperture and speed of the Tokina makes it an exceptional lens and probably the best ultra wide IMHO for the AF100, and an amazing deal at $600... I mean Dulcos even rehouses them and sells them as $3500 cine-lenses!
I completely concur .. the dealer threw one in .. and I wished they hadn't ...
jeff
Oliver Rush
Well-known member
Don't knock it... It is very useful if you ever wonder if the iris wheel on the AF100 body actually does anything or if the OIS button really does something and it not just there for looks... I never got to test it till I got that lens as I shot nikons from day one with the AF100, lol.
Fernando Lino
Active member
What about the Voigtlander NOKTON 25mm?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/754598-REG/Voigtlander_BA305A_Nokton_25mm_f_0_95_Lens.html
It's out of stock everywhere but now and then you can find them on ebay.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/754598-REG/Voigtlander_BA305A_Nokton_25mm_f_0_95_Lens.html
It's out of stock everywhere but now and then you can find them on ebay.
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Oliver Rush
Well-known member
It is a great lens, and if you are only going to shoot on m4/3 cameras, would be a great lens to consider. The only thing that stops me from reccomending it or getting it myself is that it is a m4/3 lens. I shoot on a couple s35 cameras from time to time (mainly the RED MX, and soon the EPIC once they get the next shipments out...), and I would find it a real bummer to drop over 1k on a fixed focal lenght lens that only cover m4/3 and not be able to use it with other cameras when the need arrises. I see glass as a purchase that is separate from the camera... digital cameras come and go every few years, your good glass should last you longer and you should be looking down the road so you wont have to buy all new glass in 2-3 years when the next camera comes out. It is a GREAT lens, don't get me wrong, it just does not appeal to me as a worthwhile investment glass wise.
CineStill
Active member
I have ordered mine from Mainline Photographics in Sydney and will arrive this week. While I have all Nikon glass the new 24mm f1.4 is close to $2000, making the Voigtlander F0.95 look cheap. I believe the Noktor will maintain good resale value, so even if I get out of micro 4/3 I don't think I will lose much. My main reason though to buy it is I really like the idea of having a really fast standard lens. I believe I will use it 80% of the time so definitely worth while for me.
Erik Naso
Veteran
I to purchased the Voigtlander NOKTON 25mm. Haven't received it yet. I feel I will get my purchase price out of the lens very quickly, And I think the M4/3 line will grow stronger instead of go away. Its really a nice size.
I just got the 7-14 Lumix yesterday and that lens is sick! Sure if it was faster it would be even better but the size and weight is really terrific. It also helps that I have a GH2 as well.
I just got the 7-14 Lumix yesterday and that lens is sick! Sure if it was faster it would be even better but the size and weight is really terrific. It also helps that I have a GH2 as well.
tazza
Well-known member
Lumix/Nikon/Cooke comparison
Lumix/Nikon/Cooke comparison
I shot some footage with 3 different brands of lenses- Lumix, Nikon and for those of you that are old enough to remember Cooke Speed Panchros.
Not sure how acurate the stilsl will look on this site. All shot in the same lighting environment, all at 400ISO with ND3.
Hope this helps someone.
Lumix/Nikon/Cooke comparison
I shot some footage with 3 different brands of lenses- Lumix, Nikon and for those of you that are old enough to remember Cooke Speed Panchros.
Not sure how acurate the stilsl will look on this site. All shot in the same lighting environment, all at 400ISO with ND3.
Hope this helps someone.
...Any idea why the Cooke at 25mm looks a little low contrast ?
Contrast seems fine at other focal lengths.
Anyone have any experience with the Olympus 14-54? For a $600 zoom lens it's pretty fast, and has gotten some nice reviews online...
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/590390-REG/Olympus_261060_14_54mm_f_2_8_3_5_II_Zuiko.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/590390-REG/Olympus_261060_14_54mm_f_2_8_3_5_II_Zuiko.html
Jesse Brauning
Well-known member
I've got the Olympus 14-54 (non SWD version) coming in the mail tomorrow. I'll try it out on my Gh2...
Apparently eBay has new stock of the Voigtländer Nokton 25mm f/0.95 lens, so I'm hoping that this means that US orders will be filled soon...
Voigtländer Nokton in Stock for the normal price on eBay
Voigtländer Nokton in Stock for the normal price on eBay
tazza
Well-known member
Not only is the contrast low but the color temp is slightly warmer. It could be that the glass on this lens is altered from years of tabletop photography where the lens is very close to a flame or some steaming hot plate of food. These lenses are, i'm guessing, are about 60 years old. It also seems that the Lumix 40-140 is holding most foreground things in focus while keeping the background soft.
All the other lenses have significant shallow DOF and was only able to keep one forground element in focus. I guess it depends on the look you're going for.
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