GH3 Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm or Sigma 18-35mm w/ Metabones?

aldolega said:
I think it's more accurate to think of the SB as changing the camera rather than changing the lens. So for the GH3, think of it as making it into a 1.4x crop camera with one stop better ISO performance.
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This makes sense and seems obvious now that you point it out. I use a iPhone app called Simple DOF to get a quick idea of where my focal plane is in any given situation. The controls include Camera Type, F-stop, Lens mm, and Distance to Subject. The Camera Type control is really asking about the sensor size and its resulting crop factor. So if I chose a Nikon DX camera like the D7000 which has a 1.5x crop factor then I'd be getting close to what the Metabones SB would do to my GH3, right?

So by my calculations (or rather my phone's) here's how my current Voigtlander 25mm would stack up against the Lumix 12-35mm and Sigma 18-35/Metabones SB.

Voigtlander: DOF 2' 25mm dist. 7' ==> f2.8

Lumix: (same as the Voigt)

Sigma/MB SB: DOF 2' 35mm dist. 7' ==> f4.0 (and if I opened that up to f1.8 then I'd have a DOF of 10"!)

So it looks like I will be stopping down the Sigma/Metabones quite a bit in order to get a medium-sized DOF. I can deal with that.

The other potential cost/benefit to the Sigma/Metabones vs. Lumix comparison is when it comes to switching between video and photography. Occassionally, a client will ask me to get some stills between video shoots on set. With the Lumix it'd be as simple as switching the GH3 camera mode and firing away with AF and OIS. But with the Sigma/Metabones I'd only have manual focus and no OIS. That's something to consider. But I'm still leaning towards the Sigma/Metabones.
 
Benjobe said:
So by my calculations (or rather my phone's) here's how my current Voigtlander 25mm would stack up against the Lumix 12-35mm and Sigma 18-35/Metabones SB.

Voigtlander: DOF 2' 25mm dist. 7' ==> f2.8

Lumix: (same as the Voigt)

Sigma/MB SB: DOF 2' 35mm dist. 7' ==> f4.0 (and if I opened that up to f1.8 then I'd have a DOF of 10"!)

So it looks like I will be stopping down the Sigma/Metabones quite a bit in order to get a medium-sized DOF. I can deal with that.
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...which, when you think about it with the SB, puts you at 'effectively' the same f-stop as the Lumix & CV25 (f4 + 1 stop from the 'booster = f2.8) with the same light gathering ability. All sorts of ways to fiddle and confusticate the math ;)
 
So I ended up getting the Lumix 12-35mm. It was a tough call but what pushed me over the edge was the fact that the Sigma 18-35mm lens isn't available yet and I didn't feel like waiting.

I also got one of those Cinevate focus gears that seemed like it would work with the lens' infinity focus ring, but it didn't. Those little spokes applied so much pressure to the lens' focus ring that the friction prevented me from turning it. So I'm returning that, and I'm disappointed that I won't be able to use this lens with my follow focus.

But the OIS is nice and so far I haven't missed the extra 2 stops of light available through my Voigtlander. My interview subjects move around so much that I need to keep the focus plane at least a couple feet deep, which means that I'm usually shooting around f2.8.

I got a variable ND filter for it and an adjustable rubber sun hood from the front of that. So far it works like a charm! I'm very happy with it.
 
Metabones now has this notice posted on their webpage for ordering the Nikon G to m4/3 Speed Booster:


News update: 18 Sep 2013

In order to satisfy the user needs, from Sep 2013, Metabones Nikon G adapter will be shipped with "CLICK-LESS" aperture ring as default version, which is good for shooting video.
 
Note: The new Metabones Nikon G to m4/3 Speed Boosters will also come with the extra parts needed to modify them so that they have clicks. In addition, Metabones has uploaded videos to YouTube to show owners how to make this modification:


If user would have "CLICKED" version, actually, users can easily modified back to "CLICKED" version by themselves. The spare parts "a click ball and a spring" are included in-the box for modification. Users may follow the online video tutorial to modified the aperture ring by themselves easily.

There are two videos (Part I & II) updated on youtube, which are

Part I (from click-less to clicked) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0RRj-46tNw) &,

Part II (from clicked to click-less) (http://youtu.be/hTYxRQz72hk).
 
You would need to shoot in crop mode (with increased noise) to avoid vignetting due to the smaller target senor size.
 
tonyt123 said:
how about using these B4 ENG lenses on a gh3...anyone know the pros and cons as compared to lumix lenses?...
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[TD="colspan: 2"]Fujinon 18x 8.5-153mm f/1.7 B4 Lens[/TD]
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It's fun to try if you can get your hands on one. They have a very vintage look to them due to pretty significant chromatic aberration. Do a youtube search and you can see other people's results. I have a Canon ENG Lens. The adapter is about $150, so I haven't gotten one, but I've just mounted it to rails in front of the camera just to see what it would look like, and in crop mode it does give a pretty good image.
 
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