Suggestions to fill my gap in lenses

T

TheeDirector

Member
I shoot a lot of narrative. I have a good light kit. I'd like o be ale to work in low light situations. I'd like a good amount of range and take not consideration any crop factor issue.

Currently I have the following:
Panasonic 20mm pancake (which I love)
Photex 50mm Tilt Shift (just for fun)
Canon 50mm EF (haven't bought an adapter yet)
Panasonic 14-140mm

I'd like suggestions to fall into BUDGET, MID, or HIGH. I realize not every category can cover all my needs 100% I'm looking for your recommendations if you had 1-2k 2-3k and 3-5k.

Thanks in advance
 
If you do a lot of low-light, you also probably do a bunch of interiors. In that situation, you'd benefit from having something slightly wider, but still fast. Two great options are: the Oly 12mm f2.0, and the Noktor SLR Magic hyperprime 12mm f1.6. The Noktor is obviously faster, but the Oly is super sharp wide open at 2.0 and in addition has continuous auto focus on the GH2 that works really well according to reports, so that would be very useful if you were to use a steadicam. The hyper is about $480 or so, and the Oly is about $7-800.

Down the line a very exciting lens is coming - a 17.5mm f.0.95, though the price is going to be about $1500, or so. That sounds like a fantastic lens.
 
Another suggestion on the more tele end of fast primes is the 85mm 1.4 Samyang (also sold under Rokinon, Bower names). It is fully manual and gives a really nice bright image. I find it to be a great lens because it has the visual characteristics of a portrait lens but is approx a 170mm equiv on full frame. Best part is that it is available in many many mounts (Nikon or 4/3 probably best for GH2 w adapter) and about $300 new. You would be hard pressed to find an equiv 170mm f1.4 in other formats for that price.

I have also heard great things about their 35mm 1.4 but don't own that one so I can't speak to it.
 
Thank you for the replies. I'm all over the place with this.


Part of me wants to go HIGH
Olympus-Zuiko 12mm f/2.0 or Tokina 11-16mm Ultra-wide f/2.8
Olympus-Zuiko14-35mm f/2.0
Olympus-Zuiko 35-100mm f/2.0
Never want for any other lens (selling what I currently have and a huge portion of my budget goes to this glass)


MID
Noktor SLR Magic hyperprime 12mm f1.6
Voigtlander 25mm f/0.95
Samyang 85mm f/1.4
Photex 50mm Tilt Shift (just for fun)


LOW
Panasonic 20mm pancake f/1.7 (which I love)
Canon 50mm EF (haven't bought an adapter yet)
Samyang 85mm f/1.4
Photex 50mm Tilt Shift (just for fun)


I'm also interested in more esoteric glass when you want something crazy or different like some old Lomo lens? or those parfocal? Fujinon-TV lenses? Lensbaby?


I hate how paralyzingly I can get with so many choices and you really want the most bang for your buck.


Currently I have the following:
Panasonic 20mm pancake (which I love)
Photex 50mm Tilt Shift (just for fun)
Canon 50mm EF (haven't bought an adapter yet)
Panasonic 14-140mm
 
I wouldn't go high either. Panasonic has presented mock-ups of micro 4/3 lenses with the same focal lengths as those zuiko zooms. They won't be as fast, of course, but certainly much less expensive. Also, are you getting an adapter with aperture control for your EF lens? Those tend to be pretty pricey, so it might end up being a paper weight. The FD 50 1.4 is tack sharp and has a very filmic look to it if you want another option at that focal length. And if you choose the middle price range, I'd look into the Panasonic Leica 25 1.4 over the Voigtlander, the latter is too pricey to really consider a middle ground lens.

Based on your current setup, I think all you're missing is something between the 20 and the 50. I second the Rokinon 35mm 1.4.
 
TheeDirector said:
For the Canon EF Lens - 50 mm - F/1.4 I have I was going to get this adapter Pro Optic Lens Adapter with Adjustable Diaphragm, Canon EOS Lens to Micro 4/3 Body Mount

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...anon+EOS+Lens+to+Micro+4/3+Body+Mount&x=0&y=0

I have the EF what Does the FD have over it?

I like the sane suggestion of keeping my current setup and adding Rokinon 35mm.

Am I getting it right with any crop factor issue?
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The FD isn't quite as clean, so it produces a very filmic look. It also has a manual aperture ring on the lens. For any other benefits, I'd need to know if your 50mm is a 1.2, 1.4, or 1.8. If it's the 1.8, then the FD is better than it by leaps and bounds in terms of ease of use and even cost. If it's one of the others, then it's just down to taste, as the 1.4 and 1.2 are very sharp and very nice.

SuperSet said:
Any links to the new Panasonic fast zooms?
Click to expand...
They're still concept lenses. They've only released some images of the mock-ups to this point.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/01/11/PanasonicConceptLenses
 
Thx for the link. Bummed that they are using the term 'concept' lens so the release date is about as firm as a marshmallow.
 
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