GH2 Recommendations for normal primes; AF is necessary

K

Kit_L

Active member
Hello all,

I make YouTube clips and downloadable products. I have a pair of HMC-152 cameras for the in-studio work, but I need to be able to shoot some to-camera pieces on the road, and clips for inserting in other work.

A normal or near-normal, prime is needed (I am on the road six months of the year, and have to travel as light as possible).

So, on the GH-2, would recommendations be the Panny 25/1.4 or Panny 20/1.7? Or something else? I have to have AF on occasions (I might be moving around the room, or demonstrating something) and it needs to be able to follow me.

I have a long background in making documentaries; what I need here is far from art, but the viewers need to be able to see what I am doing without too much visual distraction. Sound is covered (radio mics, and often recording directly to other device; second system, in other words).

All suggestions gratefully received

KL
 
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If price isn't too much an issue, the 25 all the way. Faster, sharper, usable AF in video, especially if you're your own camera man.
 
(I might be moving around the room, or demonstrating something)
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Assuming you'll be always or mainly inside, I would go for an Olympus 17/f:1.7. No OIS, but AF indeed. A 25mm would seem too narrow an angle for me...
 
Have a look here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/KitLaughlin?feature=mhee

Most of the rooms I work in, there is enough space to move back far enough to get a full body shot. A body WS like this would be the widest I'd need to go. Most of the time, it will be me to camera, waist shot, so the 25/1.4 will be perfect for that.

The problem with going wider (and I owned that Oly lens, as well as the 12/2) is the facial distortion for the to-camera pieces.

Having said that, the Oly 17 is tiny and cheap, so I might end up getting that too. Cheers all, KL
 
I've run a trio of prime lenses that I've been very happy with - Lumix 14mm f/2.5, Leica 25mm f/1.4 and the Oly 45mm f/1.8. All have AF but no OIS so it's worth the tradeoff from the zoom lenses that do IMO.
 
SS, that's a great trio. When I was shooting µ4/3rds more seriously, I had the Oly 12/2, Panny 20/1.7, Panny 25/1.4 (I've owned that lens before!), and the Oly 45/1.8. Now that I am focussing on video for the GH-2, I can see that I will have to reacquire some of these! The Panny 25/1.4 is on its way.

The Oly 12/2 is an outstanding lens, and significantly wider than the Lumix 14 (but it's smaller and lighter). I will have to think on this. How have you found the AF on the Lumix? It is one of the few µ4/3rds lenses I have not owned before. I will be using all of these from a tripod, so the no-OIS is not a problem for me. I will be using the GH-2 for video, primarily.

OT, but I am shooting a Fuji X-E1 for stills, and it is stellar (as are the Fujinon lenses). If only its video was up to scratch.

Another q. What is a decent remote for the GH-2? It would be very helpful to check focus and press record remotely (think about doing pieces to camera, all by yourself).
 
I have one from "RainbowImaging" that fits the bill for me. Autofocus on half press and if you're on full manual on the GH2 finishing the press starts the video. Full press stops the recording.

The cord from the shoe mount part into the camera works only one way. Get it backwards and it seems to fit but doesn't work, so I never unplug mine from the shoe mount unit.
 
Thanks for that, Bruce. From your description, the control fits into the hot-shoe, leaving the 2.5 mini-jack free for audio input, or did I get this wrong?

I am confused by your term "shoe mount unit". Can you elaborate a bit? Or post a pic of your setup?

I need to be able to use the sound input port as well as be able to focus the camera, and start recording. Is this possible with the GH-2, I wonder? I can always record second system sound (I use the excellent Roland R-05) but if I can do all this via the mini-jack port, that would be better—one less thing to take on the road.
 
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From the GH-2 manual:

  • Record with Creative Motion Picture Mode (P105) when using for motion picture recording.
    Motion Picture Recording can be started/stopped with the remote shutter.
  • The remote shutter cannot be used while the stereo microphone (DMW-MS1; optional) is in
    use.
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Seems to suggest you can do one or the other.
 
Kit_L said:
The Oly 12/2 is an outstanding lens, and significantly wider than the Lumix 14 (but it's smaller and lighter). I will have to think on this. How have you found the AF on the Lumix? It is one of the few µ4/3rds lenses I have not owned before. I will be using all of these from a tripod, so the no-OIS is not a problem for me. I will be using the GH-2 for video, primarily.
Click to expand...

The Lumix 14mm has a very fast AF and IME, precise and doesn't hunt much. I use it primarily on a stabilizer so solely depend on the AF since I don't want to be touching the camera. I've also rented the Oly 12mm and while it's a little wider and faster, I found the image quality between them similar enough that it wasn't worth upgrading. That Oly 12mm is pretty expensive compared to the Lumix 14mm so that was a big factor in choosing the 14mm.
 
Thanks SS; the 14 it is then; and I am pretty much certain that I will only be using the GH2 for video where those small IQ differences will be very very hard to spot, anyhow.

On the X-E1, I use the stellar Voigtlander 12/5.6 on an adapter.
 
Kit_L said:
Thanks for that, Bruce. From your description, the control fits into the hot-shoe, leaving the 2.5 mini-jack free for audio input, or did I get this wrong?
Click to expand...

The "reciever" mounts in the hot shoe of the camera, it's cord plugs into the mic jack on the camera. The "control" is the wireless remote you use in the hand to focus and start recording (Camera must be in full manual motion picture mode).

Sorry, the 2.5mm "mini jack" is not left free for audio use.

Kit_L said:
I am confused by your term "shoe mount unit". Can you elaborate a bit? Or post a pic of your setup?
Click to expand...

The explanation above should take care of the confusion. This is the one I got and one of the pictures here shows it mounted on camera:

http://www.amazon.com/RainbowImagin...TF8&qid=1360389153&sr=8-1&keywords=gh2+remote


Kit_L said:
I need to be able to use the sound input port as well as be able to focus the camera, and start recording. Is this possible with the GH-2, I wonder? I can always record second system sound (I use the excellent Roland R-05) but if I can do all this via the mini-jack port, that would be better—one less thing to take on the road.
Click to expand...

You'll have to use second system sound, you just can't use the mini-jack for both at the same time. But the wireless remote works very well for me.
 
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