Tell me why I'm wrong...

M

mcsadapted

Member
I have a GH1 arriving Friday from B&H, so I'm the exact opposite of an expert. Thanks to the knowlegeable posters here, though, I have at least a basic appreciation for the tradeoffs and limitations video DSLRs present.

What I might be wrong about is my plan to sell the kit lens and, for about $125 more, buy a TMC 700 for the sorts of "normal"use that you'd typically use the 14-140 lens for. (I have the 20mm lens coming also.)

I wanted the GH1 for a few special case uses: nature/macro and other unhurried, fairly controlled scenarios. I bought a couple of elegant old Nikon lenses (85mm 1.8 from 40 years ago; 105mm 2.8 Miicro from 1990) and an adapter, not to mention a decent low- budget tripod (Libec LS22) and a Sony digital recorder for dual sound.

This is just a hobby for me... basically it's just a matter of entertaining myself with some nice images rather than pleasing clients or otherwise trying to be productive or efficient. But it would be nice to have some extra flexibility for a trivial amount of extra money.

I guess my question boils down to whether or not swapping the kit lens for a very good consumer camcorder would take too much from the GH1's potential to be worthwhile.

(If money were no object, I guess I'd just buy both....but that's not the case for most of us and certainly not me.)
 
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If money are at stake, do not buy TM700 and go for older Panasonic or Canon camcorders.
I recommend either Panasonic SD1 (3 CCDs, so, no rolling shutter) or Canon HG10 (same chip as in HV20). They are much cheaper.
If you go to their DVD copies they can be get real cheap (much less than 20mm lens).
Save Panasonic 14-140mm lens, as it is quite unique.
In fact based on your lens choices it is quite hard to conclude that you have low money (as you have two very similar focal length lenses and 20mm is not cheap).
 
I think that answers my question, even if I didn't make myself all that clear.

I paid $250 for the 85mm 1.7 lens and I figure the 20mm 1.7 was about the same as part of the 2 lens package from B&H. The macro lens was a hundred bucks more.


I guess I was trying to maximize dual use possibilities.. normal, easy shooting on one end -- say a sporting event or performance -- and more constrained on the other, like macro videos or low light narrative.

Anyway, I'm easy to convince, so I have decided to hang onto the 14-140. In fact, I'm really looking forward to using it.

Thanks.

(It just now occurs to me that decent low aperture macro videos will be all but impossible to keep in focus on a VDSLR...oh well.)
 
mcsadapted said:
I wanted the GH1 for a few special case uses: nature/macro and other unhurried, fairly controlled scenarios. I bought a couple of elegant old Nikon lenses (85mm 1.8 from 40 years ago;
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Be careful on the 'really old' Nikon lenses. I recall reading about a subtle change, that may affect using a lens that old with modern 'nikon' mounts.

I have a couple of 'old' Nikon lenses, for the F, that have the meter linkage, but I don't think I'd use them. The one's I'd use are from the 80-90's that have the manual F-stop and focus rings.
 
He should be safe with any AI lens, but I certainly would be trying any non-AI glass. And I would be trying any home-brew AI'ed glass either.
 
j1clark@ucsd.edu said:
Be careful on the 'really old' Nikon lenses. I recall reading about a subtle change, that may affect using a lens that old with modern 'nikon' mounts.

I have a couple of 'old' Nikon lenses, for the F, that have the meter linkage, but I don't think I'd use them. The one's I'd use are from the 80-90's that have the manual F-stop and focus rings.
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with using Pre-AI Nikon on a GH1.

mcsadapted said:
I have a GH1 arriving Friday from B&H, so I'm the exact opposite of an expert. Thanks to the knowlegeable posters here, though, I have at least a basic appreciation for the tradeoffs and limitations video DSLRs present.

What I might be wrong about is my plan to sell the kit lens and, for about $125 more, buy a TMC 700 for the sorts of "normal"use that you'd typically use the 14-140 lens for. (I have the 20mm lens coming also.)

I wanted the GH1 for a few special case uses: nature/macro and other unhurried, fairly controlled scenarios. I bought a couple of elegant old Nikon lenses (85mm 1.8 from 40 years ago; 105mm 2.8 Miicro from 1990) and an adapter, not to mention a decent low- budget tripod tripod (Libec LS22) and a Sony digital recorder for dual sound.

This is just a hobby for me... basically it's just a matter of entertaining myself with some nice images rather than pleasing clients or otherwise trying to be productive or efficient. But it would be nice to have some extra flexibility for a trivial amount of extra money.

I guess my question boils down to whether or not swapping the kit lens for a very good consumer camcorder would take too much from the GH1's potential to be worthwhile.

(If money were no object, I guess I'd just buy both....but that's not the case for most of us and certainly not me.)
Click to expand...

From what you've described I see no reason not to just keep the kit lens. You'll miss the versatility if you ever just want to take your GH1 somewhere and have the best of all worlds. Seems like a second video camera really doesn't make much sense.

Together those 4 lenses are perfect (only missing a really long telephoto and a fast wide angle...but you have a slow wide angle with the kit lens, and 140mm on a 2x crop is perfectly workable for telephoto, so is your 105mm.) Maybe throw a 50mm f/1.4 in there too so you have something fast between the 20mm and the 85mm.
 
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Thanks Ben... thought I remembered you saying something about having one of those beautiful old knurled-focusing-knob pre-AI jobs on your GH1. And thanks for pointing out the package deals at B&H a month or so ago... that was what inspired me to get the 20mm as well.

As for long telephotos, I actually bid a couple hundred bucks on a 180mm 2.8 Nikon ED AIS last week, but never got past the reserve price. Probably need a bigger tripod than I have to even use it, so it's just as well I suppose.

(Does anybody know off-hand if a three-and-a-half pound lens with no tripod mount is too much weight for the little GH1. Sounds stressful to me.)
 
If you want good telephoto look at Vivitar Series 1 200mm F3.0.
I believe one ending today cost only about $90 (Canon FD mount, so you need $25 converter also).
I am big fan of old Vivitar Series I and Soligor C/D lenses.
Highly recommend 70-210mm F3.5, and 28-90mm F2.8-3.5.
It is also not widely known that Vivitar 28-200mm F3.5-5.3 is possibly sharpest ultrazoom, if you slightly close it down it is perfectly comparable to primes.
Pentax guys use this lenses on current DSLR cameras without any converters and electronic chips. This is the reason why Pentax versions are always pricey.
 
I got a Vivitar 100-300mm f/5.5 for like $30...not the best lens ever but still can do some nice stuff. It is also in great condition. It's a Pre AI lens. Here's a pic from it on my Nikon FM2 (35mm film.) Vignetting is added in post (in addition to the other post work.)

4623286547_8ed4c3bddb.jpg


What I've been doing with really big lenses on my GH1 (like my friend's Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 here) is using my support system and wedging some lens bags or something else in between the lens and the rails...worked nicely, could even rack focus.

24737_1365244924622_1036590222_31026580_746336_n.jpg


Oh and here is a picture of the Vivitar on the GH1 just for fun!

31359_1395848009680_1036590222_31094761_1616020_n.jpg
 
Vivitar 100-300 F5.5 is really not good.
Good Vivitar lenses are either Series I (and early models mostly) or specific other models.
I really suggest you to try 70-210mm Vivitar 1 (it have many versions, you could find is best quite easy on internet).

As for lenses support - you could buy cheap lenses support on ebay for 15mm rails. Or next time buy long lenses with tripod mounts :-).
 
tester13 said:
Vivitar 100-300 F5.5 is really not good.
Good Vivitar lenses are either Series I (and early models mostly) or specific other models.
I really suggest you to try 70-210mm Vivitar 1 (it have many versions, you could find is best quite easy on internet).

As for lenses support - you could buy cheap lenses support on ebay for 15mm rails. Or next time buy long lenses with tripod mounts :-).
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Oh, I know it's crap...I got it for fun, I don't even keep it in my bag that I take with me. That Nikon 80-200 on the other hand is an amazing lens.
 
mcsadapted said:
(Does anybody know off-hand if a three-and-a-half pound lens with no tripod mount is too much weight for the little GH1. Sounds stressful to me.)
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Doesn't this lens have mount threads of its own?

Otherwise, I wouldn't put a heavy lens on the GH-1 body... get some sort of frame or make one.
 
Ben_B said:
Nothing wrong with using Pre-AI Nikon on a GH1.
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I looked back on this, and what it seems to be is if one wants to use the older lenses with newer Nikon bodies, and want 'some features' to work.

I'm going to look for some pictures... and perhaps excavate a closet...
 
j1clark@ucsd.edu said:
I looked back on this, and what it seems to be is if one wants to use the older lenses with newer Nikon bodies, and want 'some features' to work.

I'm going to look for some pictures... and perhaps excavate a closet...
Click to expand...

Some features would be metering (lower end Nikons don't support stop-down metering, a deliberate crippling by Nikon, and the higher ends must use stop down metering with Pre-AI Nikons...which is what you do with video anyway) and with some lenses, the back of the lens might protrude too far and shatter your SLR's mirror.
 
j1clark@ucsd.edu said:
Doesn't this lens have mount threads of its own?

Otherwise, I wouldn't put a heavy lens on the GH-1 body... get some sort of frame or make one.
Click to expand...

The 180mm 2.8 Ais ED is a great Nikon lens but it's big ol' oil-can-looking thing with no tripod mount. My problem is that I would be using it with the GH1 on a tripod. I think the first serious bump would cause some serious damage, so I've already moved on. The 80-200mm F 2.8 AF Nikkor that Ben referenced looks like something worth saving up for... has a serious tripod lug and a great reputation.

(Think of what sports photogaphers would have given for a small high-resolution 160-400 f/2.8 lens 10 years ago.)
 
Hey Pappas just saw the shots of your early Gh1 setup on your site and was wondering what the eyecup over your evf is? Is it custom or does someone make them?

Cheers.
 
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