GH2 SO many lenses to choose from

T

tampawolf

Well-known member
So I just got my gh2. I'm new to dslr. came from hvx200 and hpx170
I got the 14-140mm lens that came with the gh2, and also got the tokina 11-16mm lens

Heres the question. What are the best lenses to get. is that 14-140mm and tokina lens worth holding on to?
Also here are some of the lenses I'm looking into
Voigtlander Nokton 25mm f/0.95
SLR magic 12mm

Like i said. I'm new. SO i'm not sure that either of those lenses would offer me something I don't have, or if they are worth the investment. These are just the lenses I see people on this forum recommending a lot. But since I'm new I'm just not sure for example do I need the SLR magic 12mm if I already have the tokina 11-16mm lens? Same goes for the Voigtlander, though I heard it has great bokeh, and I really would like a lens with insane bokeh to use every once in a while.
 
You don't need the SLR magic unless you need the extra stop. I have the Tokina and its a wonderful lens and will match the 14-140 very well.

Can't comment on the Nokton as I have never used it, but there are 2 new lenes that just came out that you should also check out if you can.

Samsung 24mm F1.4 and the Zeiss 25mm F2 ZF.2

Note: I am a lens nutcase but the truth of the matter is there is not that big of a deference in the look of modern glass when it comes to video, if you do some photography then you will see a deference but for video it all looks about the same. So what I am saying is you don't need to get too hung up on glass if you don't want to.
 
Stick with the lenses you have for a while and become thoroughly knowledgeable of their capabilities. Then you can fill in the gaps with other lenses if needed.
 
The lenses you have are great if you have enough light. If you plan on shooting anywhere dark, I would suggest some fast aperture prime lenses. The Voigtlander 25mm f/0.95 is an excellent lens (I have one and adore it) but it's expensive. The Panasonic Leica 25mm f/1.4 is also said to be great, and is cheaper. And you can't go wrong with a Canon FD 50mm f/1.4, which can be found on eBay for around $80. A couple of fast primes would complement your slower zoom lenses quite well. I wouldn't get rid of either of your zooms. They cover a great range of focal lengths and should be very versatile. Their only downfall is their slow aperture.
 
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Your lenses are a very good pair to start out with. Later down the road, you may find the need to supplement with a faster wide-to-midrange (16+) and/or telephoto zoom and any particular flavor of vintage primes - I chose AIS/AFD Nikon and Leica-R full-frame glass simply because they adapt to the greatest variety of camera bodies down the road. Having one or two very fast primes is also a good addition - seconding the recommendation of the Summilux-DG 25.

Summation and repetition - shoot with what you've got, and fill in the holes where they present themselves.
 
What is the comparison between the panasonic 25 and voigtlander? Is it with the extra 400? I ask because if the two are similar but the voigtlander blows the panasonic out, I don't want to regret getting the panasonic
 
How much is the extra stop worth to you depends on how often you run and gun in low light. The panasonic has higher contrast (and will better match your 14-140mm if you keep it) and will auto focus where the voigtlander will not af and has lower contrast. For my money I'd pony up and get the voigtlander (Which I did), it has a smoother focus and is faster than the panasonic with a better build. HOWEVER, I only ever really shoot video and not stills and I shoot A TON in low light. Don't know if this helps but try renting both and seeing what you think-Adam
 
HDkilledFILM. said:
How much is the extra stop worth to you depends on how often you run and gun in low light. The panasonic has higher contrast (and will better match your 14-140mm if you keep it) and will auto focus where the voigtlander will not af and has lower contrast. For my money I'd pony up and get the voigtlander (Which I did), it has a smoother focus and is faster than the panasonic with a better build. HOWEVER, I only ever really shoot video and not stills and I shoot A TON in low light. Don't know if this helps but try renting both and seeing what you think-Adam
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Exactly. If you're going to be taking a lot of still photographs, then the Panasonic Leica 25mm is best simply because of autofocus and the other electronic features. The Voigtlander is all manual, all the time. But the focus ring is buttery smooth (perfect for video), and it's built like a tank.

Purely from an image standpoint, they're both probably very comparable. But I have to say, being able to open up to f/0.95 is a glorious thing when you're shooting in low light. It's up to you to figure out if 1 stop is worth the $400 price difference.
 
I'm all for moderation when building your kit! Really get to know what you already have, unless you are rich - then blow it out and grab that Voigtlander by all means (I just rented it for a music video, and it was an absolute joy to use).

I do agree that you'd want a fast prime pretty quickly though.
 
I think I'll get the canon fd 50mm and voigtlander and call it a day on lenses. I feel like those four lenses cover a decent amount.

Does the tokina 11-16 cover anything the voigtlander wouldn't? Is it still worth holding onto if I get the voigtlander?

What other primes would you guys recommend?
 
I would get the SLR Magic 12mm 1.6, the voigtlander 25mm 0.95 and then any vintage 50mm 1.4 lens with a adapter.

You would be all set with this stuff and the kit lens.

If you wanted other lenses I would just look around thrift shops and farmers markets for vintage FD type glass you can use with a adapter. It's totally worth the money for the Voigtlander.
 
tampawolf said:
I think I'll get the canon fd 50mm and voigtlander and call it a day on lenses. I feel like those four lenses cover a decent amount.

Does the tokina 11-16 cover anything the voigtlander wouldn't? Is it still worth holding onto if I get the voigtlander?

What other primes would you guys recommend?
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The Tokina will cover your wide angles... with the GH2's crop factor, a 25mm is essentially a "normal" angle lens and 50mm is telephoto.

To think of it in terms of your old HVX & HPX, the 14-140 will cover about the same focal range that your HPX did (only reaching out to about 280mm equiv vs. ~360mm equiv).
Tokina will shoot wider angles (~22-36mm equiv) at a faster fstop - grand vistas, small interiors, and the like - also a very good lens for following action close-up, indoors.
Voight will be a very fast prime for general shooting
50/1.4 will be a very fast telephoto good for interviews, portraits, details, etc.
 
The Tokina is a fine lens, it covers your wide end nicely. If you have it and love it that's all that matters. BUT, if your looking for wide and fast then the SLR magic 12mm f1.6 is really nice, HOWEVER, it won't really match the panny 14-140 you have(Which I assume sight unseen *see the rest of this post* the Tokina does much like the oly 12mm f2.0 should). Keep in mind when your buying the voigtlander and the canon 50mm f1.4 fd that these lenses have different looks than the tokina or panny glass. The panny glass is sharper looking (I can't remember where but I remember reading that the panny lenses actually ADD some sharpening in cam) and higher contrast. I own the panny 20mm f1.7 and I love it and the look it gives, but I'm aware that it renders a different look from my other vintage and mf primes. Buying glass should be like choosing a musical instrument (If your a musician that is), there is NO WAY you should buy sight unseen. How do you know what it will sound like? You never know, ESPECIALLY with lower quality lenses (IE not Cooke S4's or other high end cinema glass)because the tollerances they are manufactured to can vary, maybe only slightly but it does MATTER. When your assembling a set of lenses you should test the lenses you intend to buy if you can BEFORE you buy them to see, if for nothing else if they are DEFECTIVE in anyway, but also if they seem to be a natural match to the other lenses you intend to use with them. BRAND MEANS NOTHING. THE IQ THAT THE LENSES PRODUCE IS EVERYTHING. Hope any of this is helpful-Adam
 
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