Let's talk glass: Lenses for the AF100!

True, definitely a lot to weight in. For me, I've been following 2 rules with my new lens.

1. No slower than F2.8
2. Constant aperature

Granted, I still have my 7D kit lens, but that is going to go. I really like constant aperature. When we pull a zoom, on many lens, it can be son nice.
 
Well, the thing about the 11-22 is it's been speculated that it may still be pretty close to 2.8 at 16. In which case, it would not be that far off of the Tokina. But that's pure speculation. Maybe it would go slow quickly like the 14-140.

+1 on constant aperture. It's the holy grail for me. Just added the 14-35 2.0 to my 35-100 (in fact, today) so I now have constant 2.0 from 14 to 100. Those two lenses are essentially a set of very sharp primes in a zoom. I may sleep with that 14-35 tonight. After all, I paid for the whole night.
 
sagedrummer said:
Hi Everyone
With purchasing one of the AF100's setting me back $5,000, would could you recommend for someone that has NO camera lenses, and doesn't want to break the bank. What would be 1 or 2 lenses to start with that would give me great depth of field, would not crop too much and could autofocus? Also, street prices or estimates would be great. I am just trying to figure out how much I need to come up with to get started.
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

So acute of Stephen Mick to respond with a recommendation for the Panasonic 14-140mm and the Panasonic 20mm f1.7.

That's good advice for Anyone, not just folks with NO lenses. I just today ordered them after days and days of searching Ebay and comparing results etc... I found them both through Amazon (via Google and Nextag searches) - the 20mm was $325 and I found a 14-140 for $615, so that's under $1K delivered.

I also got an adapter for Nikon to Micro 4/3 for my set of Nikon lenses: 24-120 zoom, (Tokina/Nikon mount) 12-24 zoom, an old 80-200 zoom, and a 55 macro that I got in 1969 and still use, plus a 50mm 1.4 that I got on Ebay yesterday for $100 for low light coverage. Sadly, I traded in an identical 1.4 along with my 24mm 2.8 and two F3 bodies a few years ago when I went with the smaller sensor digital Nikon.

The overall point is (yes, there is one in here), Even though I already had a fairly broad focal length range covered, I really felt that I could use the communication between the camera and the lens with regard to the autofocus, face recognition, chromatic correction, and barrel distortion correction that Panasonic has worked out with their own lenses... I now feel comfortable that I will be able to hit the ground running with the new body when it arrives. I can always experiment with my other lenses as I go along.

Even though there was some redundancy with the 20mm... it seems like it will be the perfect lens for the steadycam JR (yes Jerrod, it's the same one I got from you in Vancouver so many years ago) because it weighs nothing, and usually on the steadycam, I'm going with wide angle anyway. On a related note, it's really nice that we can remove some weight from the AF by taking off the handle and grip for a total weight close to the DVX or lighter with the pancake lens.
 
Last edited:
tflak said:
I've been considering the Tokina 11-16 for awhile now. Has a great rep and you can control the aperture on a GH1 with the right adapter. I don't own the Tokina, but just used one today on a Nikon mount with a Novoflex. Worked great.

Someone (think it may have been Barry) mentioned the Olympus 11-22, f/2.8-3.5. So I checked it out and it has generally great reviews. But what really has my interest is, in addition to aperture control using a DMW-MA1 adapter, it should also be able to do AFS focusing using the AF100's AUTO button. That definitely was not the case with the GH1. But Panny has released a new lens compatibility chart for the GH2 and a lot of the lens capabilities have improved in the 4/3 category - especially regarding AFS compatibility. And the 11-22 now gains AFS capability. So, hopefully, that will apply to the AF100 also. Plus you have a longer focal length (albeit slower than the Tokina when at 22). So now I'm leaning heavily toward the Olympus.

http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/connect/gh2.html
Click to expand...

I would be curious to see how Panasonic implements this on the GH2, I've used the 11-22mm Zuiko for about 4 months now, it autofocused perfectly and quickly on an Olympus E3, erratic and slow on the mirrorless Pen EP2, and not at all on the Panasonic GH1. To be fair, you don't need to do a heck-of-a-lot of focusing at 11mm when stopped down to 5.6 or so. I think the 11-22mm is a valid option when compared to 7-14mm Panasonic at about twice the cost.
 
"Even though there was some redundancy with the 20mm... it seems like it will be the perfect lens for the steadycam JR (yes Jerrod, it's the same one I got from you in Vancouver so many years ago) because it weighs nothing, and usually on the steadycam, I'm going with wide angle anyway. On a related note, it's really nice that we can remove some weight from the AF by taking off the handle and grip for a total weight close to the DVX or lighter with the pancake lens."


I actually think the 14mm pancake will be the one to get for steadicam. Possibly even the 7-14, I just checked and it is only 300 grams, stripped down it should come in under the weight limit for the JR. I always liked wider for steadicam. I've had a steadicam JR since they first came out and have never found a camera that balanced right since I retired my old sony Hi-8. The canon Gl1 was too lens heavy, the dvx was pretty well max weight, hvx and big hdv's were all too big. I have an hv20 on it now, and removed the monitor to get it to balance, but the whole rig is now too light and can't be used outside in the wind. The AF100 looks promising, and even has a proper composite out to feed the monitor. I can't wait to try it out. Do you think there would be demand for an experience Steadicam JR operator with an AF100 rig? It can go places that full vest rigs can't, like inside moving cars etc.
 
hi,

found this ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12 - 60 mm 1:2,8 - 4,0 SWD with a four third mount,need
to use and adapter for micro four third,wonder if i can use the iris control on the af 101
for this lens?which lenses will be supported by the iris control of the af 101?sorry,if the
answer has already been given,it's getting really big now...
 
Hi Rolf,

I've never seen a 100% confirmation that the lens compatibilities and enabled features for the GH2 shown on this linked page are guaranteed to apply for the AF101. So take that into consideration. That said, I think it's reasonable to assume that's the case since it's been posted many times without any contradiction. However, an official confirmation would be reassuring. Jan?

http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/connect/gh2.html

According to the table, the Zuiko 12-60 allows both aperture control and AFS (single focus using the shutter button) on the GH2. Assuming that would also apply to the AF101, AFS would probably be via the AF101's PUSH AUTO button for a single focus. Not sure whether that would still be available once recording starts. Once again, maybe Jan or Barry can confirm.

Note that this would be using the DMW-MA1 adapter.
 
Haven't used that lens, but I used the 14-35, and it worked the way you describe, as best I can recall. And on that chart, it lists the same capabilities for the 14-35 and the 12-60, so... I'd expect it to work that way (auto-iris, manual iris from the camera body, and autofocus through the use of push-auto).
 
As far as the autofocus issue:
In one of her on-camera trade show demos, Jan spoke about the ability of tracking to a single face in the instance of having the talent walking towards the camera and having the camera/lens autofocus following them through the shot. That was what made me get the two Lumix lenses even though I had those focal lengths covered already (12-24 Tokina, 24-120 Nikon, 80-200 Nikon, 50 1.4 Nikon, and 55 macro Nikon)... don't get me nervous now about popping for the Panny lenses! I'm sure it'll be OK.

With regard to the Steadycam J.R., It's a great unit... (with PRACTICE... you have to adopt a new, smoothe way of walking). I've been using it with the DVX for years and it can even approximate the "sweeping crane" move if you start a pan and lift it from standing on a ladder. All in all it has been well balanced and in a wind, I remove the lens hood. With the little pancake lens, it should even be better. I have been designing (in my head) a way to "hang" the Ninja below the camera mount stage and still not interfere with free movement... something simple made of aluminum perhaps... Although, depending on how the card footage looks, that may be a moot issue anyway. I've sent two emails to Jeromy at Atmos encouraging him to press forward with the HDSDI input for the Ninja... all we can do is try, right?
 
Hi

This is a bit of a hard question to word but would the Canon FD 14mm wide angle charasteristics (curved sides of the buildings) be more visible then using a Panasonic 14-140 at the same wide FOV? Or do they have same amount of lens distortion on straight lines? Sorry if my terminology is off!

PS. Im looking for a good f1.4-2, 24-28mm (FF35mm equivalent) lens for my GH13 (and upcoming AF-101).
 
Neither should have much on the Af-100 or GH-1 because 14mm isn't an extreme wide for micro 4/3 and you will crop out most of the distortion on the Canon FD 14mm when mounted on the AF100, If you wan't the FOV of the Canon FD 14 mounted on a FF camera look at the Panasonic 7-14mm (its an f/4)

And to my knowledge there are no f1.4-f2 primes any wider then the 20mm 1.7, which is equivalent to 40mm in Full frame. There is the F/2 zoom that starts at 14mm, which is a 28mm equivalent, but its very expensive.
 
Essami said:
Hi

This is a bit of a hard question to word but would the Canon FD 14mm wide angle charasteristics (curved sides of the buildings) be more visible then using a Panasonic 14-140 at the same wide FOV?
Click to expand...
The Panasonic 14-140 has circuitry in it that allows the camera to do barrel distortion correction automatically. It's pretty interesting stuff. Look at the dpreview.com review on it, they show how the lens looks when mounted on an Olympus body (which doesn't have the distortion-correction feature) and then also on a Panasonic body (which does). It makes a big difference.

PS. Im looking for a good f1.4-2, 24-28mm (FF35mm equivalent) lens for my GH13 (and upcoming AF-101).
Click to expand...
The closest you're going to find is the 14mm f/2.5, which isn't out yet.
 
With regards to adapting lenses.....

I have a set of Nikon Primes, and a couple of nice Canon "L" zooms.

Will I need to get an adapter for each individual lens or just one for each manufacturer mount?

Is there any way to adjust aperture with the Canon EF glass?
 
as far as i know, yeah two different lens adapters for sure, but if you spend the money you can keep the adapter on the camera.

after doing some research it seemed that the cheaper adapters werent suitable for such expensive, precise equipment. the metal expands creating a loose lens for follow focus work, which just doesnt make sense. i just ordered the voigtlander nikon mount adapter from cameraquest.com(stephen is great and very fast responses). barry also commented on it as very solid and in the specs it states that the adapter can be left on the camera as you switch lenses. it looks much like my redrock nikon build, which is great of course. for the price it seems like a wise choice to have a solid connection for third party lenses.

thats all i can say for now, have to wait and see when it arrives. im sure many many more adapters will come out when this camera releases, but this one is the best build/price i have found.
 
Steve Kahn said:
For those of us drooling over PL mount lenses perhaps there's not so much to drool about...

http://exposureroom.com/members/RyanEWalters/blogs/post/222
Click to expand...

Am definitely not drooling when I put my Hotrod PL adapter on my GH13. Recently used it to stay "in the family" with other lenses used in a project when I took my camera out as third and crash cam. Apart from what was written at exposure room about other criteria why someone might want to use PL lenses - especially in respect to the work of the camera assistant - it is indeed a contradiction sometimes to use lenses that big and heavy and expensive with a smaller camera.

So, I guess, the decision what kind of lens to use would - as nearly all the time - depend on what you are going to shoot. To fiddle in a narrative film with DSLR lenses is a bit annoying at times. And having your leading lady getting upset because she's out of focus for the third time because with the nifty mechanics of a lens the assistant doesn't hit the mark may not be a criteria of optical quality but it can become a real problem in no time..... ;-)

Having my own set of cheaper, lighter lenses and having the adapter with me should the occasion arise to attach a (rented) PL lens is my personal rule for the moment. But then I am not a DoP.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top