GH4 Tokina 11-16 for use on GH4?

puredrifting

puredrifting

Major Contributor
It seems that with the 2.3 crop factor when shooting 4k with the GH4, it can be challenging to achieve the equivalent of a 24mm-28mm FOV without spending a lot of money. Thinking about adding a Camera Research Blackbird system to the kit and I don't think my Panasonic 14mm 2.5 Pancake is going to cut it with it's 32.2mm FOV, I would like to achieve somewhere around the 24-28mm FOV so this means I am looking at other choices. I keep eliminating possible choices, really want a 2.8 lens so I can shoot indoor without cranking ISO:

1. Samyang 10mm 2.8 - Does not accept filters, no ND possible - Eliminated
2. Panasonic 12-35 2.8 - Too expensive, not a good value, soft everywhere except center, so-so build quality for such an expensive lens, I rented one and was distinctly unimpressed for the money - Eliminated
3. Olympus 12mm 2.8 - Nice lens, good size and weight, just more money than I want to spend for a one trick pony lens - Eliminated
4. Panasonic 7-14 - too expensive, too slow, doesn't accept filters - Eliminated
5. Samyang/Rokinon 7.5mm 3.5 - Fisheye, too distorted for shooting with people, good size, weight, I could probably live with F3.5 but can't use a Fisheye. Oh, yeah, no filter possible either - Eliminated
6. Panasonic 8mm 3.5 - See number 5 - Eliminated
7. Olympus 12-40 2.8 - See number 2 and no OIS even - Eliminated
8. Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 12-32mm / F3.5-5.6 ASPH. / MEGA OIS - Maybe I can live with F3.5 at 12mm, that gives me a 27.6mm FOV when shooting 4K? It has OIS, which is nice. But I have no idea if this lens is any good, is it sharp? Any feedback. - Maybe
9. Tokina 11-16 2.8 First Gen Used - I know this is a good lens and I can get one in Nikon mount for $425.00 used. I have the Nikon to M43 Metabones Speedbooster. But this lens is relatively heavy and pretty large, I would much rather have a small M43 native light lens for the Blackbird - Maybe

Is there anything I am missing if need 11-12mm focal length, 2.8 or possibly 3.5 minimum aperture, under $450.00 used or new, lens that can take filters? What are any of you using for flying a GH4 on a Steadicam/Glidecam/Blackbird type of stabilizer?
 
puredrifting said:
[...]

5. Samyang/Rokinon 7.5mm 3.5 - Fisheye, too distorted for shooting with people, good size, weight, I could probably live with F3.5 but can't use a Fisheye. Oh, yeah, no filter possible either - Eliminated
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Fisheye distortion? More options:

TIP: Ultra Wide Angle Lens for Panasonic GH4 Camera Defish Fisheye


"The small form factor and light weight also make it easy to carry and perfect for small stabilizers. So if you’re shooting with a GH4 and have to work with interior or tight spaces, defishing from a 4K file is an interesting option to be aware of."
 
Seems like an option but no filter = no ND = stupid F stop and shutter speeds when shooting exteriors. I am beginning to think I could live with the slow speed of the Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 12-32mm / F3.5-5.6 ASPH. / MEGA OIS, it is F3.5 at 12mm but it does have OIS, which could help on the Blackbird. And it takes filters! I would really be happy with the Olympus 12mm F2.0 but all of the other lenses I have been buying have killed my budget.
 
puredrifting said:
Seems like an option but no filter = no ND = stupid F stop and shutter speeds when shooting exteriors. I am beginning to think I could live with the slow speed of the Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 12-32mm / F3.5-5.6 ASPH. / MEGA OIS, it is F3.5 at 12mm but it does have OIS, which could help on the Blackbird. And it takes filters! I would really be happy with the Olympus 12mm F2.0 but all of the other lenses I have been buying have killed my budget.
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Add the ND on the back end:

Hack Tip: Using ND Filter Gels With Rokinon Fisheye Lenses

Another option: Rokinon 12mm f/2.0 for $399 at B&H
 
Eh, if you're not happy with the image quality of the 12-35 that means you can pretty much rule out the 12-32 as well.

At US$450 it is pretty much the Tokina though there is no IS.
 
If you have the 14mm f2.5, a cheap option would be adding the DMW-GWC1 wide angle adapter. That will give you a 22mm f2.5 equivalent with autofocus capability.

I have a ND filter (55mm I think) that I attach by simply reversing it and pushing it over the rim of the 14mm - fits very securely.

edit: oops I mean over the rim of the adapter!
 
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puredrifting said:
2. Panasonic 12-35 2.8 - Too expensive, not a good value, soft everywhere except center, so-so build quality for such an expensive lens, I rented one and was distinctly unimpressed for the money - Eliminated
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Soft everywhere except center??? Sounds like you had a bad copy. Almost anyone who has tried the other options agrees this is the best native mount available in this range, we really can't have everything we want to fit our budgets but things were way worse before this lens was available.

puredrifting said:
Is there anything I am missing if need 11-12mm focal length, 2.8 or possibly 3.5 minimum aperture, under $450.00 used or new, lens that can take filters? What are any of you using for flying a GH4 on a Steadicam/Glidecam/Blackbird type of stabilizer?
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Actually, no.

I agree 12 is no longer wide enough on a GH4 uhd crop. Everyone pretty much went through the entire WA thing back with the AF100 and GH2, the Tokina 11-16 is a standard but it does CA a bit and is wildly huge on a GH, I used to fly mine on a merlin and it was borderline getting it balanced (for some reasons beyond weight) but it was ok on bigger rigs. The 7-14 Lumix can be pretty easily modded to take a filter but you generally will lose beyond 9-10mm to vignetting (on the gh2 and gh3). There is also a Sigma 10-20mm f3.5 that takes filters but I personally haven't tested it, they seem to be running around $500 used. The Oly 9-18 is very compact and takes filters, no ois, maybe a hair softer towards the edges than the Lumix 7-14, it is probably the best compact solution for the money, runs around $450 used, focus noise issues if that matters to you. Manufacturers seem to really have a blind spot regarding the importance of being able to mount filters on WAs for video work, the world really needs a 10mm f2.8 that can take filters. I've also used the Tok 12-24 on the speedbooster, its a viable alternative to the 11-16 but your net-cost for that combo is going to be more. . .I almost forgot the old Olympus 11-22 4/3 2.8-3.5 not bad at all optically, it didn't AF very well on the gh2 using the 43-m43 adapter but other than that I thought it was excellent and somewhat smaller than the Tok 11-16.
 
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The Sigma 10-20/3.5 is at least as good as the Tokina 11-16, focuses in the right direction (vs. Nikon in Nikon flavor), and also works on a Speedbooster with m43. It's not as easy to find used and costs more new, however.

If you're willing to venture into 4/3 land, look into the Olympus 12-60/2.8-4. It's very large and variable aperture, but a good quality flexible lens with that just slightly wider wide end.
 
Take a look at the Olympus 9-18mm. I got mine used for $480 (buy sell forum on mu-43.com), it looked brand new and generally takes care of my ultra wide needs. It is very compact and takes 52mm filters, aperture range is f4-f5.6 but you can work with that. Yes, I'd like f2.8 but I have always been able to work with what "is".
 
My 12-35/2.8 is sharp even wide-open & (along with the 35-100mm) my primary workhorse for m4/3.

A friend used the 11-16/2.8 on the AF100 & really liked it, but retired it after the 12-35mm's release. It's still a good lens, especially when cine-modded, but a bit bulky on the GH.

Though likely out of your price range the Kowa m4/3 lenses are close to release. I'll likely pickup the 8.5mm f/2.8 when they hit the market.

http://kowa-prominar.com/special/wide_lens/index.htm

And lastly I'll sell you my SLR Magic 12mm T1.6 for $400. It's the second generation version that focuses in the same direction as cine lenses, & hasn't been used much so in mint or near-mint condition. Mine does not have the SLR Magic focus gear & the only reason for selling is I'd like to pickup the new version which is optically identical but has a built-in focus gear so matches my 17mm T1.6.

If your interested do your research. The 12mm is a bit soft near wide-open & has a characteristic flare that some love & others don't. We're both in LA so could meet in person.
 
The pictures produced by the Kowa 8.5mm look good & when I spoke to them at Cine Gear it seemed they'll offer the lens in all black as well as the dopey two tone.
 
I just sold my Tokina 11-16 as it was such a pig of a lens on the GH4. It's not wide enough for my taste with the 2.49 crop in UHD 4K either.

As OldCorpse said, the Rokinon 7.5mm fisheye defished in 4k looks like a really good option. I was just watching this sample this morning.

http://youtu.be/gVyvXCLw13g

ND's aren't very useful on a super wide like that anyway. You use the movement on your stabilizer to separate the background from the subject. F/3.5 isn't fast enough to get soft depth of field on that wide of a lens unless your subject is 2'-3' feet away at most.

Cheers,
Pete
 
Bern Caughey said:
NDs are a must for anyone who shoots in Sunlight & hopes to capture a traditional cinematic cadence.
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True if it's bright enough you can't get to 1/50th shutter. I actually think the biggest drawback is not being able to use a circular polarizer when you have that much sky in your frame.
 
I have the Tokina Nikon mount with Speedbooster and quite love it. It you set the focus in manual and then click the ring to auto, you lock in the focus - unbumpable.
 
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