GH4 Suitable M43 Lens for GH4 on a stabiliser

B

bengiles

Well-known member
Anyone regularly using a GH4 with a lightweight (Merlin-style, weighted) stabiliser/steadicam? If so, what's your go-to lens, please?

TIA,

Ben.
 
That's an interesting question. It has been suggested that you don't use lens stabilization on steadicams. Separately, it appears that the newer version of Panasonic lens stabilization, the Power OIS is much worse than the old version Mega OIS, because the lenses with Power OIS seem to exhibit microjitters extensively documented by multiple users. Until Panasonic fixes that issue, it's probably best to stay away from those lenses.

The usual conventional wisdom is to go wide on steadicams, as movement is less noticeable. That puts people in a bit of a bind, because the selection of wide lenses is worse than longer in the m4/3 system. It would be interesting to hear what people use.
 
What, seriously? 12/2, 14/2.5, 15/1.7, both f/2.8 zooms (you can disable IS) and the original 14-45 kit lens are all perfectly fine lenses. Wide has never been a problem on m4/3, it's the telephotos that are.
 
yslee said:
What, seriously? 12/2, 14/2.5, 15/1.7, both f/2.8 zooms (you can disable IS) and the original 14-45 kit lens are all perfectly fine lenses. Wide has never been a problem on m4/3, it's the telephotos that are.
Click to expand...

You got it exactly backwards. There are tons and tons and tons and tons and tons of long and tele lenses, because you can use adapters for m4/3, so you can choose from all the world's lenses (almost). The problem is always that most lenses for either full frame or ASP-C etc. will be even longer on the m4/3, which is why we all ran to the speedbooster. And even the speedbooster only helps the problem, but doesn't eliminate it. A wide FF lens will never be as wide on m4/3, even including a speedbooster. So you are really left with a handful of native m4/3 lenses - and those are pitifully few that are not only fast, but sharp wide open. Remember, on a stabilizer, unless you are super skilled operator, you don't want to go much wider than about 28 mm (FF equivalent), or you won't be able to handle the movement. Sorry, but the choices for wide on m4/3 are laughable compared to the rich possibilities of long and tele.
 
Poster wanted a light lens - that meant native, which m43 is not short on. Is there a problem with any of the lenses I've listed?
 
No problem as such - it's just that there are more long lenses than wide for m4/3, and no reason to stick to native... why? a passive adapter barely adds any weight, but expands your choice of lenses, unfortunately, almost all long. My point was that there is just a handful of wide ones in m4/3 (compared to long - see what I wrote exactly "the selection of wide lenses is worse than longer in the m4/3 system"). I personally confronted that dilemma - I have a small stabilizer and the GH3, and I want to use a 14mm. That means my options are really not many at all. How many are *fast* and 14mm? Three? Not many choices, my point.
 
Thanks. I should probably elaborate. I've owned a 12-35 with a GH2 before - nice lens. I'm looking for a lightweight MFT prime or pancake zoom - just wondering if anyone is regularly using a GH4/native lens combo that works for them, one that feels like it hits the sweetspot. I was also looking at the GX Vario 14-42 pancake - what's the general feeling about that for 4K acquisition?

We will also have an EF Speedbooster - so we can use our extensive collection of EF lenses for other work with the GH4, but it's particularly the lightweight stabiliser situation I need to crack at the moment.

Cheers,

Ben.
 
I use the Oympus 12mm 2.0 with a cheapo Hauge mini stabilizer and get great results. No IS but at 12mm a properly balanced rig will be all you need. Outstanding lens in all respects. I also use the Panny 7-14 - a lot heavier than the Oly 12 but also a lot wider and gets great results with the stabilizer. At 7mm and walking at a fair pace the camera looks to be flying through the scene. Only problems I've were in outdoor situations with some wind. The rig is so light the wind can whip the camera around.
 
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