GH3 Starter Lenses for the Gh3 and does an External Monitor Work With it?

J

Jonathan L Roberts

Active member
Hello. I'm looking to buy the Panasonic GH3. Me and my friend do a lot of quinceaneras & club events. I want to know if the Panasonic 14-140mm 4.0-5.0 would be a good option? That 12-35 is very expensive and I don't know anymore low-light zoom lenses that'll cover a huge range. I heard a guy mention the 28-70mm Tokina ATX pro, but I don't know what mount or lens ( Nikon or Canon ) to use. Just need some help on this. All help is appreciated.
 
If you invest in Nikon lenses you can acquire a Nikon to M43 speedbooster to go with your GH3. It will be cheaper than the Canon boosters. (Generally, I hear the wisdom is to invest in Nikon lenses, as they can be adapted to fit all sorts of mounts.)

The 12-35 is great for photography but I personally don't use it for video. It's too sharp for my taste....the only video lenses I use for the GH3/4 are primes. right now I'm using the Voigtlanders---17.5 and 25. They are stunning, but definitely on the pricier side. To wit:
 
Jonathan L Roberts said:
Which Nikon zooms are good in your opinion. I have one camera that has the 17-50mm 2.8 Tamron, which is a great lens, but I'd like a lens to use for a tighter range. So someone suggested the Tokina 28-70. Don't know if that's the only option. Like if any on this page are good? http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Nikon+24-70%2F2.8&_from=R40|R40|R40|R40&_osacat=3323&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XTokina+28.70+2.6-2.8+canon&_nkw=Tokina+28.70+2.6-2.8+canon&_sacat=3323
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The only zoom I own at the moment is the Panny 12-35, so I will let other chime in who have more experience than I do....sorry to not be of more help.
 
My issue with Nikon lenses is focus ring rotates the opposite direction of most other brands & all (true) cinema lenses. Many users don't have a problem with this, but when under pressure I need consistency.

And as for external monitors: most work fine with the GH3.
 
Have you used any of the lenses I've posted from ebay? People talk about the Tokina Lens, but I don't know which one to choose. I don't mind buying an adapter and save some money until I get a 12-35 or one of the more expensive ones.

Also, one more question about external monitors. Does the screen shrink like external monitors on Canon DSLR lenses or keep native 1080p through-out recording?
 
I shoot with the GH4 and the Panasonic 14-45 and 45-175. They are the better of the less expensive Panasonic lenses and are a good choice if you can't afford the 12-35. I would think that auto-focus would be desirable for the type events you shoot. The Tokina and the Nikon are going to be manual focus lenses.
 
I've used manual focus lenses for videography and like that better than auto-focus function ( don't know if anyone uses auto-focus with videography events/gigs ). I just wanted to know if I really need a Tokina ATX 28-70 2.6-2.8 version vs just the Tokina ATX 28-70 2.8. Because guys are saying that you NEED the 2.6-2.8 version. I just need something for lower light.
 
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Sorry for the double post, but I'm going to go with the regular Tokina ATX 28-70 2.8 with the Mitakon Lens Turbo Focal Reducer M43 Body (Canon EOS EF Lens->M43 MFT Olympus). Appreciate the help. I'll let you know how it goes.
 
ade4all said:
I believe the 2.6 - 2.8 Tokina was based on an Angenieux design and is nicer optically
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But one guy told me that Tokinas made outside of Japan were the 2.6-2.8 versions and it doesn't matter. But I'll keep looking.

One question: What about the Sigma 28-70 2.8 for Canon? Has anyone tried that one?
 
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I have shot quinceaneras many years ago and in many ways they face the same challenges as a wedding. Low light is always an issue but so is flexibility. Bright shots are only as good if you are able to actually capture them in a timely fashion.

At the Catholic service you will want a lens with a lot of range so you can get the shots. You will not always have the option to bounce around all over the church. I highly suggest the 14-140 lens. Sure it is a bit darker but I would rather capture everything with a little bit of noise than only capture 50% of the event with clean footage. That is just me but normally the families are more concerned about what you shot and not how well it looks. Missing shots will hurt your clients opinion of your work 10x more than a bit of noise. Quality is of course critically important but so is the type of shots you get. Since the GH3 and GH4 look pretty darn good at ISO1600 you can get away with the 14-140 is most church situations. The other benefit of the 14-140 is the amazing image stabilization and auto focus when you do need it. Using a long telephoto lens without stabilization is going to challenge you even more unless you have a rock solid tripod. Nothing screams amateur more than shaky footage.

At the reception things change a bit. While a zoom is a very nice tool to have, I have it isn't as critical since one can walk to just about anywhere. Instead of zooming use your feet and a good shoulder mount or at the very least a mono pod. Primes can work very well at receptions since you will likely be able to use your feet most of the time and get close to what you need to shoot. Speeches are the one exception although you should still try to get as close as possible if you can.

Look into used 14-140 lenses. The older model is better in some ways and you can usually find really good deals on used copies of the older model 14-140 lens. It seems to have a little bit better optical image stabilization and from what I have read may be a tiny bit sharper. Use this lens for as long as you can while the light is good and you will be able to shoot just about anything quickly. At the reception switch to a good low light prime lens in the f2.0 range if possible.
 
Thomas Smet said:
I have shot quinceaneras many years ago and in many ways they face the same challenges as a wedding. Low light is always an issue but so is flexibility. Bright shots are only as good if you are able to actually capture them in a timely fashion.

At the Catholic service you will want a lens with a lot of range so you can get the shots. You will not always have the option to bounce around all over the church. I highly suggest the 14-140 lens. Sure it is a bit darker but I would rather capture everything with a little bit of noise than only capture 50% of the event with clean footage. That is just me but normally the families are more concerned about what you shot and not how well it looks. Missing shots will hurt your clients opinion of your work 10x more than a bit of noise. Quality is of course critically important but so is the type of shots you get. Since the GH3 and GH4 look pretty darn good at ISO1600 you can get away with the 14-140 is most church situations. The other benefit of the 14-140 is the amazing image stabilization and auto focus when you do need it. Using a long telephoto lens without stabilization is going to challenge you even more unless you have a rock solid tripod. Nothing screams amateur more than shaky footage.

At the reception things change a bit. While a zoom is a very nice tool to have, I have it isn't as critical since one can walk to just about anywhere. Instead of zooming use your feet and a good shoulder mount or at the very least a mono pod. Primes can work very well at receptions since you will likely be able to use your feet most of the time and get close to what you need to shoot. Speeches are the one exception although you should still try to get as close as possible if you can.

Look into used 14-140 lenses. The older model is better in some ways and you can usually find really good deals on used copies of the older model 14-140 lens. It seems to have a little bit better optical image stabilization and from what I have read may be a tiny bit sharper. Use this lens for as long as you can while the light is good and you will be able to shoot just about anything quickly. At the reception switch to a good low light prime lens in the f2.0 range if possible.
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I have a Canon crop-sensor with magic lantern and a 17-50mm Tamron 2.l8 lens and other low-light primees ( 50mm and 85mm ) I was just looking for a camera that'll give a close-up shot and the 17-50 to get everything else. My a-camera will be on a rig ( Gh3 ) and the B Camera will be on a tripod to catch everything else. I think I forgot to tell you that. My shoulder mount is a bulldog rig which will have an external monitor, Rode NTG ontop and other stuff. Do you know which 14-140 it is? Is it the one with HD on it? Thanks.

One more thing: Do you know a good prime. I heard the Sigma 30mm 1.4 is a good lens.
 
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Jonathan L Roberts said:
I have a Canon crop-sensor with magic lantern and a 17-50mm Tamron 2.l8 lens and other low-light primees ( 50mm and 85mm ) I was just looking for a camera that'll give a close-up shot and the 17-50 to get everything else. My a-camera will be on a rig ( Gh3 ) and the B Camera will be on a tripod to catch everything else. I think I forgot to tell you that. My shoulder mount is a bulldog rig which will have an external monitor, Rode NTG ontop and other stuff. Do you know which 14-140 it is? Is it the one with HD on it? Thanks.

One more thing: Do you know a good prime. I heard the Sigma 30mm 1.4 is a good lens.
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For the GH3? It depends on what you want to shoot with it. I prefer the Panasonic 25mm f1.4. Exceptional lens and right about at the "normal" focal length on the GH3. The 20mm f1.7 is good as well but since it is a pancake lens it can be a bit odd to manual focus. I prefer the 25mm because all around it is a bit better than the 20mm unless you really want a slightly wider lens. Rokinon makes good lenses as well. I just bought the Rokinon 12mm T2.2 cine lens and I am totally in love with it. Great for tight dance floors or cramped spaces.

This is why I said it depends on what you want to shoot. The thing with primes is they will almost always be better but you kind of need a set to cover different shooting situations. I consider a good set to a wide (12mm or 14mm) a normal (20mm or 25mm) and a portrait (45mm to 60mm). A set like this will allow you to cover a large amount of shooting situations. For example a 12mm is great when things are tightly packed and there isn't a lot of space. It is great for steadycam work and a moving around while shooting type of a lens. 25mm is a great normal lens and can be used to shoot most thing as long as you have the room. Focus starts to get more difficult if the subjects move a lot. The portrait is used for more creative shots like facial closeups or random detail shots without having to stand right on top of the person you are shooting. Focusing is very difficult at this point if the subject moves.
 
Thomas Smet said:
For the GH3? It depends on what you want to shoot with it. I prefer the Panasonic 25mm f1.4. Exceptional lens and right about at the "normal" focal length on the GH3. The 20mm f1.7 is good as well but since it is a pancake lens it can be a bit odd to manual focus. I prefer the 25mm because all around it is a bit better than the 20mm unless you really want a slightly wider lens. Rokinon makes good lenses as well. I just bought the Rokinon 12mm T2.2 cine lens and I am totally in love with it. Great for tight dance floors or cramped spaces.

This is why I said it depends on what you want to shoot. The thing with primes is they will almost always be better but you kind of need a set to cover different shooting situations. I consider a good set to a wide (12mm or 14mm) a normal (20mm or 25mm) and a portrait (45mm to 60mm). A set like this will allow you to cover a large amount of shooting situations. For example a 12mm is great when things are tightly packed and there isn't a lot of space. It is great for steadycam work and a moving around while shooting type of a lens. 25mm is a great normal lens and can be used to shoot most thing as long as you have the room. Focus starts to get more difficult if the subjects move a lot. The portrait is used for more creative shots like facial closeups or random detail shots without having to stand right on top of the person you are shooting. Focusing is very difficult at this point if the subject moves.
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If I get the 14-140mm, would I still need a 12mm or 25mm prime lens?
 
Jonathan L Roberts said:
If I get the 14-140mm, would I still need a 12mm or 25mm prime lens?
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If you want a cleaner image in low light yes. It isn't that a f4-f5.6 lens cannot be used in darker situations but that you will have a lot more noise. f2.0 is two stops faster than f4.0 so if a f2.0 lens coulkd get by with ISO200 a f4.0 lens will need ISO800 to shoot at the same brightness. Eventually if it really gets that dark where the ISO cannot be raised anymore you will either have to live with very dark footage or switch to primes. Well hopefully you would switch to primes long before that happens but you get the point. My point is the 14-140 will work if you are ok with noise but it will eventually hit a ceiling. If you need to use ISO6400 with a f2.0 lens you really don't have much room left to increase for a f4 lens.

Now a way around the limitations of the 14-140 lens is to use a LED camera light. No production should ever attempt to shoot in the dark. High production value has more to do with lighting than it does the camera used. Sure an on camera light isn't optimal but neither is trying to shoot in the dark. There will always be trade offs when shooting in the dark and in the end the punchier details and colors will make your clients a lot happier.
 
Thomas Smet said:
If you want a cleaner image in low light yes. It isn't that a f4-f5.6 lens cannot be used in darker situations but that you will have a lot more noise. f2.0 is two stops faster than f4.0 so if a f2.0 lens coulkd get by with ISO200 a f4.0 lens will need ISO800 to shoot at the same brightness. Eventually if it really gets that dark where the ISO cannot be raised anymore you will either have to live with very dark footage or switch to primes. Well hopefully you would switch to primes long before that happens but you get the point. My point is the 14-140 will work if you are ok with noise but it will eventually hit a ceiling. If you need to use ISO6400 with a f2.0 lens you really don't have much room left to increase for a f4 lens.

Now a way around the limitations of the 14-140 lens is to use a LED camera light. No production should ever attempt to shoot in the dark. High production value has more to do with lighting than it does the camera used. Sure an on camera light isn't optimal but neither is trying to shoot in the dark. There will always be trade offs when shooting in the dark and in the end the punchier details and colors will make your clients a lot happier.
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Have you shot with an LED light? Just asking. I just don't feel like having to change the lenses on my shoulder rig like that. It'd be kind of easier to have a good zoom to offset that.
 
If you don't mind weight the Vivitar 28-90 2.8-3.5 is excellent. Really cheap, really sharp, decent in low light. I use one with a AI > Eos, Eos > m43 focal reducer. If you don't want a focal reducer you can just get normal eos > m43 adapter. They're $10.00 on eBay.
 
Jonathan L Roberts said:
Have you shot with an LED light? Just asking. I just don't feel like having to change the lenses on my shoulder rig like that. It'd be kind of easier to have a good zoom to offset that.
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Yes I have. A good LED light helps a lot. I am a firm believer in lighting trumps a low light lens. With that said you shouldn't fear swapping lenses. It is almost a must when you shoot with a DSLR. To only use a single zoom on a DSLR is to only really use half of what the camera is really capable of.
 
Thomas Smet said:
Yes I have. A good LED light helps a lot. I am a firm believer in lighting trumps a low light lens. With that said you shouldn't fear swapping lenses. It is almost a must when you shoot with a DSLR. To only use a single zoom on a DSLR is to only really use half of what the camera is really capable of.
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Thanks man. You're a big help. I'm going to buy the Panasonic 14mm and the FD 35-105 3.5 parfocal lens. I'm pretty sure that'll be a better option vs using the 14mm to 140. Everything else seems a bit expensive right now. It'll be just enough so I can save on a steady cam for a better lens option for the future.
 
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