Lumix 20mm f1.7 for night shoots?

J

Jonathan12uiz

Well-known member
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/651751-REG/Panasonic_H_H020_Lumix_20mm_f_1_7_Aspheric.html

I was wondering if this lens would be adequate for my night shots (stills, still video, and rapid moving night video)

I was thinking of this vs getting a canon 50mm f1.4 + adapter since all that will be about as much as the panasonic lens.

but I am wondering if this lens had any good feedback in the community.

Which do you think would better suit my needs for night shots?

nikon 50mm f1.8 $125.00 + adapter
canon 50mm f1.4 $350.00 + adapter
panasonic 20mm f1.7 $400.00

Also, I'm a total noob, so what kind of photos could I use this lens for during the day?
 
50mm on gh1 is 100mm equivalent in 35mm format which is good portrait telephoto. 20mm on gh1 is 40mm equivalent in 35mm format which is good standard multi purpose.
 
The main problem with using the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 is that the auto focus is slow, noisy, and that it hunts while you are filming. So if you want good movies, you will be forced to manually focus that lens.
 
noirist said:
The main problem with using the Panasonic 20mm f1.7 is that the auto focus is slow, noisy, and that it hunts while you are filming. So if you want good movies, you will be forced to manually focus that lens.
Click to expand...

Just like every video camera I've ever used, if you leave your camera in auto-focus-continuous while recording, you're pretty much going to ruin the shot anyways. So, you might as well stop recording between shots, and use the GH1's laser-beam auto-focus assist with a half-press of the shutter. Then, either press the shutter button fully to start recording while continuing to half press to lock the focus. Or after locking focus, swith the focus knob to MF to hold it there...then record.

This way, auto-focus is instant even in zero lighting, and way more accurate than what I can do manually using the tiny LCD screen. The 20mm f1.7 rocks at AF-S! I use my 20mm f1.7 at weddings every week, at dimly lit receptions, and get about 150-200 shots that focus instantly and are spot on...and rarely do I attach my camera light anymore. The GH1+20mm f1.7 is absolutely amazing when it comes to wedding/reception video.
 
I'm also a total noob to this, but here are a couple of videos shot at night with the 20mm f1.7. There were just for family and friends so ignore the production quality, but it will give you an idea of what a noob can do at night with the lens:

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I AGREE


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I AGREE


The above advice on focusing is excellent by the way, thanks for that.
 
Here’s a very good example on how the 20mm lens performs at night. It also proves that when theirs other noises around, you can hardly hear any noise from the auto focusing.

Aperture f/1.7
ISO 400
Shutter 60


It's starting to get dark in this particular clip but I was able to shoot with an ISO of 100. The auto-focusing was also enabled.

Aperture f/1.7
ISO 100
Shutter 60


For both clips, I had nothing but the GH1 in my hands.
I wrote Native File for a good reason. You can actually download the originals that came directly off the camera.
 
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Can someone take a video of the 20 1.7 in a silent room to hear how loud the auto focus is.

Really thinking about picking this lens up.
 
This may be a dumb question but, is there a way to use the "laser beam auto focus assist" where it doesn't continuosly keep auto focusing? Basically, whenever you need focus you can half press the shutter but it doesn't keep auto focusing. Do I have to keep switching back and forth between auto and manual to do this or is there another way?
 
i would pick up both. The Canon FD lenses are so cheap (1.4 for around 50$ on ebay) that you may as well get one as well as the pancake. I've been using the F1.4 50mm at night and i love the look (its quite telephoto so gives nice depth to the image). The Pancake lens is a great run and gun lens, its quite wide so if your're shooting faces/people you need to get close to your subject, but the autofocus is very good, not that noisey and it takes the trouble out of focusing very well.
 
JerryB said:
This may be a dumb question but, is there a way to use the "laser beam auto focus assist" where it doesn't continuosly keep auto focusing? Basically, whenever you need focus you can half press the shutter but it doesn't keep auto focusing. Do I have to keep switching back and forth between auto and manual to do this or is there another way?
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This, IMHO, is where Panny dropped the ball with this camera....they disabled AF-S while recording video. I guess since it's a "consumer" level camera, they didn't want people screwing up their home videos by accidentally being in AF-S instead of AF-C and then blaming their focus problems on the camera.

But yeah, you have to fake AF-S by switching it to MF to lock it in, or just continue to half-press the shutter release...which is how I shoot all the very short "candid" scenes at a wedding reception. I figure if anything physically breaks on my GH1, it will be the shutter button or the focus knob. :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
 
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