GH5 Lenses for focusing by hand for a doc shoot?

[Denny16]

Focus by wire hasmits advantages. The Panny Leica focus ring is interesting, in that it works kind of like an END Camera zoom rocker, the faster you turn it, the faster the focus travels, over it slowly... and yiu get a longer focus throw, with its added accuracy. But like anything, it takes a little practice. Most complaints come from users who do not understand how to use thos type of focus ring correctly, so those who have, love it and those who have not, hate it. Give it a go, practice a little with one, and see how you like it. However, the Oly clutch system comes closer to a manual focus feel, which many prefer.

Yes, the Panny Leica 14-50FT Zoom is an interesting lens, the larger diameter, makes working with the Les s a little easier. Just be sure to refocus after a focal length change, this bit me once on a job, where I made a small change, focus looked OK, but turned out to be soft when zoomed in in post.
Cheers

 

[KINOKS]

One thing that I dislike about wire focus rings is that they can't be used wit a FF. So in the end you have another set of lenses just for use with FF and another for hand use... I also remember one time it took us like almost 10 takes to do a rack focus, with the 14 140, from a very close subject to a subject in the BG that was something like 100m away. The variable speed of the ring just made it really hard. Otherwise, if the wire focus is well made, I agree that it is usable. But regarding the 12-50, people are saying that it's the worst implementation of wire in all of the Pany lenses. Idk, I'll try it out on monday and give you my thoughts.

Denny, can you tell me how long is the focus throw on the 14-50?

RE parfocal: I'm so used to lenses not being parfocal that I never zoom - focus - zoom out anymore. The last camera I did it with was probably the HPX171 lol And even that camera had some issues with it, but was to lazy to send it in for a backfocus adjustment.

 

[KINOKS]

I know everyone hates the fly by wire focus of the Panasonics, but I think it actually works pretty well once you work with it some. It's kind of like learning to use a vintage push-pull-focus combo zoom lens for sports. It was a b%*&! to try to keep a subject framed and in focus as it was moving. It took massive practice to learn to do it even reasonably. Don't get me wrong, the fly by wire is not perfect by any means, but the speed sensitive focus ring allows you do rather large focus changes in a very short throw once you sort out how to use it.

Fortunately I never used that. Sounds like a huge pain.

 

[icarusfilm]

Whatever you do my advice is to stick to one type of focusing quirk. What I mean is if you are going manual stick to that across the lenses you will be using - if panasonic focus by wire then to that. What you don't want is a bund of lenses of different sizes and focusing behaviors you will never develop the muscle memory that you need to operate.

Fortunately I never used that. Sounds like a huge pain.

 

[KINOKS]

Whatever you do my advice is to stick to one type of focusing quirk. What I mean is if you are going manual stick to that across the lenses you will be using - if panasonic focus by wire then to that. What you don't want is a bund of lenses of different sizes and focusing behaviors you will never develop the muscle memory that you need to operate.

Yes I know what you mean! But it looks like it's impossible to do that...