GH2 Problem with Panasonic Leica lenses

[Bern Caughey]

This is another reason why a ND (or any filter except Hot Mirror) behind the lens can be so valuable.

In some difficult lighting scenarios we used to cut gelatin filters & attach them to the back of the lens.

 

[Bruce Foreman]

I had this same problem with my GH2 while trying to get a vari ND to work with 3 different lenses.
Filter was high quality, lenses are high quality. No one seemed to have a real solution to it. The vari NDs are two planes of glass,

Each one of those two panes has two reflective surfaces so with a vari ND we've just added FOUR reflective surfaces. I've quit trying to use mine for now and use single ND strengths.

When I use a single ND filter on the 50mm I don't have this problem. Maybe the solution is not to use the vari ND? Go all single or mattebox? I haven't played around any further to figure it out, but I also like to shoot outside and wide, so it would be nice to have it worked out where it could be done without all the refraction.

I just got the Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm f1.4 with the newer coating but haven't had a chance to test it out yet. Both the Lumix "pancakes" exhibited reflective flares from both Super Multicoated Hoya UV protective filters and with vari ND's. (I used to use the Hoya SMC on all Canon EOS lenses without any problem but the Lumix designs for the GH2 appear to be much more sensitive in this respect).

My approach is to shoot with the lenses "naked" but outdoors I often will have to use ND so I have single filters in several strengths; ND .6 for two stop reduction, ND .9 for three stops, and ND 1.2 for four stops. I'll be using these in conjunction with the deepest lens hoods I can get away with and I will also be "flagging" where I see any evidence of a bright reflection causing a problem. When tripod mounted I've become adept at holding a clipboard in the right postion to "flag" against a problem coming in from oblique angles.

 

[Bruce Foreman]

So I bought a better quality B+W 46mm UV Haze MRC 010M Filter to try on the Panasonic Leica 25mm 1.4 lens and the same problem still occurs.

I just got that same lens, but I've given up on trying to use high quality UV filters for protection. I used the $42 Hoya SMC/HMC ones and still had reflections. So now I make sure I have a clean microfibre cloth to keep the lens clean out in the field. In salt air (coastal areas) or super dusty environments I'll use the protective filter and deal with it, but most of the time I use the lenses "naked".

The aperture is wide open at f1.4 and when pointed at a light bulb or some bright light source it reflects that light bulb onto the screen.

When I take off the filter the problem is not there.

This is very disappointing.

Shouldn't be disappointing. In that kind of environment you don't need a filter. Just keep a clean microfiber cloth handy in case someone sneezes on your camera. If they do it again, tie and gag them.

I want to use filters to protect the lens and also ND filters to get shallow depth of field in bright sunlight situations. But this problem prevents me from using filters in these situations.

Shooting outdoors in sunlight and very bright daylight you'll likely be using ND filters just to get down in the f8-f5.6 range to get away from f16 and smaller where you can get softening due to diffraction. Shallow DOF will be more achievable (and look a heckuva lot better) in open shade away from direct sunlight. You'll need at least ND .9 and ND 1.2 (3 and 4 stops reduction respectively.

For the most part in outdoor working conditions you should be less likely to get reflections especially if you watch for bright reflective objects or direct sunlight hitting the front of the filter. Be prepared to have someone hold something like a clipboard to "flag" anything like that coming in from an oblique direction.

And have different deep lens hoods on hand, deeper hoods can help but test diligently so you know which lens and hood combinations you can use without vignetting. Rubber hoods are inexpensive and some get somewhat deep. I had to get a wide angle hood for my Lumix 20mm f1.7 but a "longish" standard works well with my Pan/Leica 25mm f1.4.

When I had my Canon t2i some time back I don't remember having this issue with filters and wide open apertures and bright light sources.

Can anyone with both a Canon DSLR and GH2 confirm there is a difference? Or do they both have this problem?

If the Canon doesn't have this problem I am going to consider switching back to Canon to resolve this issue.

I sold my last Canon 2 days ago ("My voyage to the dark side is now complete") but I did not have the same problem with Canon lenses. However I made the change to m4/3rds (and GH2's) to take advantage of sharper video, more compact cameras and optics along with lighter weight.

I'm not going back.

I can adapt.

 

[Bern Caughey]

A recently saw the exact same problem with 5D footage in an edit suite, & the shot was unusable. When the producers contacted the shooter he admitted to using a (high quality) variable ND.

That said I occasionally use a Heliopan variable, but always carry standard NDs just in case.

 

[Pulldownclaw]

I shoot a lot of car dealer spots, and I simply cannot avoid light kicks. They're everywhere, from windshields, chrome, etc. Frustrating.......but thinking about jumping to the FS700 with it's internal ND's and for many other reasons....

 

[jburke14]

I have the Leica 25mm and Use on every shot outside a Singh Ray Vari-Nd-DUO, basically fader and circular polarizer in one. Never have had this issue.

This whole video uses that filter. Its definitely the filter causing it for you. Certain lens filter combinations make flares... Some desired some not.

http://vimeo.com/47353243

 

[Bern Caughey]

Soft subdued lighting is rarely a problem with any filter.