Looking for Af100 Low Light Lens

M

melodyj

Member
A fair bit of what I shoot is live performances (theater/music/dance). So far, I do not have a good lens for this and I've been stuck relying on an older HDV camera for these shoots. Right now I only have the Lumix 14-140, which is way too slow for this type of work (when I tested with it I had to really crank the ISO), and a couple of older Nikon primes that are only slightly faster.

Has anyone out there found a lens that they like for this type of low light situation?

I've considered some of the Voigtlanders --really like the idea of being able to open up to a .95 if needed.
I've also considered both cannon and nikon zoom options, since I'm a bit concerned using a prime when it's a 1-camera shoot and I'm stuck in one location.

I'm trying to decide if a Voitgtlander (either the 25mm micro 4/3s or the 50mm with an adapter) is worth the investment, or if there is a better prime or zoom for this type of shooting situation..... Thoughts?
 
The 25 .95. Don't think about it just do it, it's an amazing lens. I'll probably be getting the 50 1.1 soon.
 
Depending on how close you can get your going to need a 2.8 zoom, like a 24-70, 50-150, etc. so you can get a proper frame.
 
AbelCine and Adorama both show the Voigtlander in stock. But for $1200 I would rather get:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/768816-REG/Panasonic_H_X025_Leica_DG_Summilux_25.html
and
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/731983-REG/Panasonic_H_F008_Lumix_G_Fisheye_8mm_F3_5.html

... and keep autofocus, focus distance, auto iris, and all the other goodies that come with a native m4/3 Panasonic electronic interface. f0.95 is nice- but is it $1,200 nice? I don't know. f1.4 still 'aint too shabby in my book and for the cost of that extra stop- you can buy another lens.
 
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Bucknfl said:
Depending on how close you can get your going to need a 2.8 zoom, like a 24-70, 50-150, etc. so you can get a proper frame.
Click to expand...

Yes, it's the framing issue that has me mostly concerned with any of the primes. Although, I know if I get a Voitgtlander I'm probably not going to regret it & will be able to put to use in many situations. I guess the real question is, which one first...
 
Olympus 14-35 or 35-100 are 2.0 all the way through their ranges and give focal length flexibility the voigtlander does not. There are some compromises with the Olympus lenses but they might be right for your application.
 
melodyj said:
A fair bit of what I shoot is live performances (theater/music/dance). So far, I do not have a good lens for this and I've been stuck relying on an older HDV camera for these shoots. Right now I only have the Lumix 14-140, which is way too slow for this type of work (when I tested with it I had to really crank the ISO), and a couple of older Nikon primes that are only slightly faster. Has anyone out there found a lens that they like for this type of low light situation?I've considered some of the Voigtlanders --really like the idea of being able to open up to a .95 if needed. I've also considered both cannon and nikon zoom options, since I'm a bit concerned using a prime when it's a 1-camera shoot and I'm stuck in one location. I'm trying to decide if a Voitgtlander (either the 25mm micro 4/3s or the 50mm with an adapter) is worth the investment, or if there is a better prime or zoom for this type of shooting situation..... Thoughts?
Click to expand...
I think you'll find the .96 sounds impressive, but isn't actually very practical. It's great for drama, but for a live performance, I would think 25mm doesn't give you enough reach and the shallow depth will be a hindrance more than an asset.I'd suggest you look at a fast zoom. I have the 14-35 F2 and the 35-100 F2 olympus zooms. That way you get the reach with the longer zoom, PLUS the flexibility to change the shot size. jb
 
The Voightlander 25mm .95 is outstanding. A few weeks ago I shot an outdoor scene, sun was down and the lens gave me more than just a useable shot..the sun being down didn't affect the shot at all. Having said that, we shoot a fair amount for the music industry as well and for concerts I still use my HVX200's because of the zoom capability. I couldn't imagine being locked into one focal length for a whole show.
 
I went for it and I love it. I still need a good low light zoom, but I have shot some live performances and they look great. I've found that it's best when used in a two-camera shoot as the solid B-Cam, but the theater space has to be deep enough to get everything in frame.

Also just used it on this fun video spoof: http://vimeo.com/29276871

The first 1:30 was shot on a Flip Cam, but the main part was shot on the af100 with the Voightlander 25mm.

We were shooting at dusk and thanks to this lens, I was able to continue shooting 30minutes after the sun had set!
 
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