Still getting started with my gear.. feeling more confident.. help me grow.

[crashprime]

I am coming from a Canon Rebel XT that got lots of use for non-artistic photography. Lots of family photography, lots of sports shots. I got by with just a 15-55mm kit lens and a 75-300mm telephoto. Both of those lenses (as I am sure most of you all are aware) are the very basic canon stuff. Lower tier build quality, marginal quality glass (but miles better than a P&S).

Well, I passed down the Rebel XT to my little brother who always had an affinity for my little canon that could, and I picked up a bunch of stuff in a whirlwind pocket emptying spending spree. I am pretty happy with what I ended up with.

What I have:

GH2 Body (/w battery)
G5 Body (/w battery)
2 extra batteries (apparently they work for both cameras, yay)
14-42mm Kit Lens
Canon FD to M43 adapter
Canon FD 50mm f1.4
Canon FD 35-105mm f3.5
C Mount to M43 adapter
Cosmicar Pentax C Mount 25mm f1.4

I know it's sort of excessive to have 2 bodies when I am still just learning videography, but when I purchased the GH2 I got the body only, and the G5 ended up having the 14-42mm kit lens for barely more than the kit lens alone would've cost (got a great deal on it if I do say so). Remember, I am coming from a still background in which I was satisfied with the kit for a LOT of stills. I wanted something that could autofocus and take decent photos in a p&s situation, so that kit was always something that interested me. Also, having both bodies gives me two angles to film from, and the G5 allows 1080p/60 (nice for 40% slow motion 24p), which the GH2 is unable to do.

Here's my issue. First of all, I still do some still photography, and there is a part of me that would like a telephoto auto focus lens. I've looked at the 14-140mm, which is geared a lot more towards video, but it seems overpriced when I look at what can be achieved with primes for video. I also have looked at the 45-200mm because it fits into my budget so well, but I think it'd be a "still only" type lens for me which .. is ok if I can find something just a tiny bit longer to add to my vintage lens collection.

So, panasonic 45-200mm ~$200, what vintage lens would get me a little further than 105mm that makes sense when paired with the rest of my gear? I know I can get a Canon FD 70-210mm f4 for next to nothing (sub-$40), but I don't see a lot of folks talking about that lens for video work on the GH2. I know the Nikon "beercan" 70-210mm f4 is in surplus and can be had sub-$100. What would you guys suggest?

Also, having done stills, I have a couple of chinese tripods for still work ... but obviously for pans they're for the lack of a better work .. s*%t.

So, I want something to shoot stills longer than 42mm, I want something to film longer than 105mm, I want to spend peanuts, and I need a fluid head/tripod to top it off. Most of you are sitting back in your chairs going "pfffft this guy ..." while biting your thumb at me. That's just fine, I am not trying to impress anyone.

I understand a lot of you are coming on this forum as a professional, or close to it. I am an amature and I don't pretend to be anything close. I can't justify a Sachtler because I am not making any money on this. I am just a bit of a gear head and I like playing with this stuff and seeing how close to professional looking stuff I can come up with while spending a fraction of what the pros do (heck that was my main draw to the GH2 and its associated hacks). If it turns out like dog, so be it. I just like the journey and the hobby of capturing stuff to watch back later.

Anywho, now that I have a blog entry written up ... if anyone made it this far and has some advice/suggestions I would very much appreciate it.

tl:dr version: $600 to spend on a lens/lenses (around 200mm both still and video) and a tripod.

Thanks guys!

 

[Bruce Foreman]

Here's my issue. First of all, I still do some still photography, and there is a part of me that would like a telephoto auto focus lens. I've looked at the 14-140mm, which is geared a lot more towards video, but it seems overpriced when I look at what can be achieved with primes for video. I also have looked at the 45-200mm because it fits into my budget so well, but I think it'd be a "still only" type lens for me which .. is ok if I can find something just a tiny bit longer to add to my vintage lens collection.

So, panasonic 45-200mm ~$200, what vintage lens would get me a little further than 105mm that makes sense when paired with the rest of my gear?

I'd go for the Lumix 45-200, for the price it's a very good lens with good "reach". More reach than most of us can handhold but in my opinion a very useful focal length range.

I have one and use it for both stills and motion picture, past 150mm out to 200mm it should be on a tripod with a "healthy" pan head or some kind of serious "shoulder" rig for stabilization. Plus you have all the GH2 and G5 features that the lens supports. The 14-42 "kit" lens and this one can make a simple "travel kit".

Also, having done stills, I have a couple of chinese tripods for still work ... but obviously for pans they're for the lack of a better work .. s*%t.

If your tripod legs are OK and the heads removable B&H still carries the Velbon PH 368 head. They list it as a "fluid" head but it's not, it's a "fluid effect" pan head that when the drag is properly adjusted for the camera/lens weight it gives incredibly smooth pan and tilt movements. With the GH2 and G5 you don't need as much "tripod" as you would with heavier gear so this one will do just fine. I have one on a SunPak 7575 tripod that came with a real "crappy" head and the combination works quite well. The head from B&H is $39.95. It has the female 1/4 x 20 (tripod) mount on the bottom so check that on your tripod.

(heck that was my main draw to the GH2 and its associated hacks). If it turns out like dog, so be it. I just like the journey and the hobby of capturing stuff to watch back later.

If it turns out like "dog" that will be because you couldn't adapt well to it. The GH2 is a tremendously capapble still and motion picture tool but still depends on the operator to run well. Coming from some stills background with Canon gear you should do well with it.

I'm a retired pro still photographer, operated my own studio for 10 years, got offered a staff position working for the air force at a training base and did that for 13 years. Always been fascinated by motion picture and got into this as a personal "fun" thing. Right now I've got the GH2 and in Jan got in a GH3 body. Mostly Lumix and Olympus lenses but just got a couple of Nikkors and am beginning to see what they're like on the GH's/

tl:dr version: $600 to spend on a lens/lenses (around 200mm both still and video) and a tripod.

Thanks guys!

My recommendations account for somewhere around $240 or so, which leaves some for decent tripod legs if you have to. My main tripod is a set of carbon fiber legs made by Velbon with a used Manfrotto 501 head. While made for heavier gear than the GH's that head still works well so you might look at going that route on legs, just watch the thread size, it's easy to adapt a female 3/8 thread to 1/4 x 20 but I don't know about going the other way.

 

[crashprime]

Awesome recommendations. I really appreciate it. Do you feel as tho the Velbon PH 368 head + Slik 700DX sticks would be a good combination for the money? B&H recommended the 700DX as best sub-$100 here http://www.bhphotovideo.com/insights/blogs/photography/tallest-strongest-tripod-under-100.html

PS: I picked up a canon brand 70-210mm f4 for fun, and like the other Canon FD's ... it's shocking what it can do for the price. I picked one up at a local camera shop for $30, and they had an old AT-1 with a 50mm 1.8 attached to it for $20 that I picked up just for some random still experimentational fun. Lots of fun to be had.

 

[Bruce Foreman]

Do you feel as tho the Velbon PH 368 head + Slik 700DX sticks would be a good combination for the money? B&H recommended the 700DX as best sub-$100 here

Should work very well, that set of legs seems to come with both 1/4 x20 and 3/8 x 16 threads so that would work with the Velbon PH 368 head or later on (if you wanted) with the Manfrotto 701HDV as suggested too. h3ttp://www.bhphotovideo.com/insights/blogs/photography/tallest-strongest-tripod-under-100.html

PS: I picked up a canon brand 70-210mm f4 for fun, and like the other Canon FD's ... it's shocking what it can do for the price. I picked one up at a local camera shop for $30, and they had an old AT-1 with a 50mm 1.8 attached to it for $20 that I picked up just for some random still experimentational fun. Lots of fun to be had.

My choice was to go with all Lumix and Olympus m4/3 lenses. What got me into the GH2 over the Canon DSLRs was the much improved sharpness so I'm real happy with the native m4/3 optics. I was given a Nikkor AI-s 50mm f1.8 and a Nikon mount Vivitar 135mm f2.8 last week. When I got the adapter in intitial tests show both lenses are pretty good but by modern standards also very "flary".

Right now all the people enamoured of the old cinematic look are "glomming onto" old "flary" lenses and don't understand how we oldtimers fought tooth and nail to get away from that kind of "lens defect". So I may opt for "sharp" and crisp (I can shoot soft and diffuse when I want to with sharp lenses) but I'll check those two lenses out more.

The FD lenses do have a good rep.

 

[crashprime]

Yea, I am still planning on going for that Lumix tele lens for a travel package (14-42mm+45-200mm), but I am sadly one of the enamoured haha. Plus it was a couple happy meals to check out the old stuff. Still a little left in the coffers to get something later.

 

[funkytwig]

The 14-140 is a lot of ways is a great lense for the money, it all depends on what you want to use it for. It is not fast but has a great range and the zoom is a lot smoother than the canon lenses I have used. Give some indication on what you want to shoot?

 

[crashprime]

I'm planning on doing some event shooting mostly. I have on my list; a local anime convention's costume contest, a series of outdoor concerts (local bands), a couple air shows (if they happen ... Blue Angels are grounded for the season), a friends wedding (I'm doing for free/fun .. they have a photographer hired, but it'll be nice to try my hand at it while staying out of the way of the man getting paid).

I think the 14-140mm would be pretty versatile for the outdoor stuff, but I just am unsure on how it would perform in a poorly lit convention center, or a smaller church.