GH3 Manual lenses and mounts. Help pls.

S

Stab

Well-known member
I have a chance to buy a Samyang / Rokinon 35mm 1.4 for $299,00. That's a pretty good price if you ask me. And it's new.
It is the 'Pentax' version unfortunately.

I'm using the GH3. Should I get it? Or is it better to pay 100$ more for a Canon / Nikon version?
And will this Pentax version work with a simple PK to M43 adapter like this one?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Adapter-f-Pentax-PK-Lens-to-micro-M43-4-3-GH1-E-P1-G1-/180506210242?

Last question: Does the adapter reduce the optical quality of the lens, like sharpness or contrast? Because the lens is further away from the sensor?

Thanks guys.
 
The most important question you need to ask is "Which direction am I familiar with for pulling focus?"
Most lenses focus inwards (towards you) in a clockwise direction from an operator's point of view. (Canon, Lumix, Sony, cine lenses, etc.)

Pentax and Nikon focus the other way!
I personally find using these lenses confusing to pull focus manually, as my subconscious expectation is that they'll focus one way and they don't.

Samyang lenses are, very nicely, manufactured to focus in the same direction as one using the particular system they fit on to expect.
I bought a Samyang 85mm lens in the Canon version rather than the Nikon for my GH1, as I prefer the Canon way of focus direction.
The Nikon would have been adaptable to more cameras, but the need to nail focus more reliably was far more important, especially with a fast/long lens like the 85 1.4.


That adapter you linked is fine, as the Samyang has a manual iris control on the lens.

It won't affect the optical quality of the lens, as it is designed to hold the lens at the same distance to the sensor as it would if it were on a Pentax body.
However, with these cheap adapters, they are sometimes more likely to be machined less accurately, so the lens might not focus to infinity at the witness mark. But it's not usually a problem.

If you intend on using any of Pentax's own DA lenses, then you'll need a different adapter with its own iris ring, as DA lenses don't have manual iris rings of their own - much like Nikon G lenses.
 
Thanks Geoff!
I didn't know lenses for Pentax are turning 'the other way' like Nikon... Thanks.

The guy also has a Olympus and a Sony mount version. They turn the 'normal' way (like Canon), not? Which version would you go for?
 
Olympus Four Thirds lenses have a register distance of 38.58mm from mount to sensor.
Sony Alpha lenses - 44.6mm.

I would lean towards the Sony version, as its longer register distance means it can be (in theory) adapted to a greater variety of cameras (but maybe not so much in practice.)
But if you only see yourself using Micro Four Thirds cameras, then either will do.

The old-style Four Thirds is a bit of a dead standard for new lenses and bodies now, so there's that to consider.
But Sony SLT cameras are still going (at least for a while). So if you bump into a trusted colleague with a Sony camera, then then there's a borrowing possibility. Sometimes very useful on a busy, collaborative shoot with different makes of cameras involved.
 
Last question.

I'm interested in the Metabones Speedbooster but the only option at the moment is the Nikon G mount. Those are not the 'regular' Nikon lens mount, right?
Does anyone maybe know what speedbooster options for MFT will be released in the future?
 
I really don't see what the big fuss is about regarding lenses that focus the 'other way'. Just make a conscious efforts and pay attention to what you're doing and you'll be fine.

And if you're going to get that lens, get the Nikon version. That way, you'll maximise your chances of being able to adapt it to a lot more camera bodies in the future. I have the Samyang 24 and 85 and get on fine with the GH3.

The Canon to M43 speed booster is supposed to come out late this year but who knows when it'll actually come out. I bought the Nikon version recently and it works great with all my Samyangs and my vintage Nikkor AIS.
 
Focus direction IS important for many people, Mike. If you don't see what the fuss is about, then all the better for you.
When I'm in the middle of a shot, focusing needs to be a natural reflex action, and having to keep a mental tab on the focus direction of a particular lens is something I don't need. It's distracting and a liability.That all said, Nikon mount lenses do indeed offer the best adaptability. If using a follow focus with a reversible gear, then the focus direction issue becomes even less relevant.
Any of those mount options will work equally well for micro 4/3, but depending on one's preference, some more suitably than others.
 
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