GH4 Which GH3 or GH4 and lens combo would you choose for this budget

J

JamesL

Member
I already have a gh2, a Panasonic 20mm and Olympus 45mm (love them both). I now have a budget approved to get another camera as my main, and use the GH2 as my second angle.

Details: I shoot mostly interviews, with some corporate b-reel.

Initially I had planned on a GH3 with NICE lens, but soon learned about the GH4. So what seemed to be an easy decision has become difficult, mainly because I've researched myself crazy!

Here are some packages - which would you go with based on my situation?

GH3 $799
Voigtlander 25mm .95 $999
$1798

GH4 $1697
Olympus 25mm 1.8 $399
$2096
(This might be too much for my approved budget)

GH4 $1697
Just use my existing lens combo, or an old 25mm with adapter for now...


I think there are a few problems making it difficult:

- I've lusted after that Voigtlander .95 for years because of all the damn low light shots on youtube. I'm guessing it's going to produce beautiful interview shots.

- I keep telling myself, "Don't push the budget, you don't need 4k," but damn the footage looks sharp and the fringe focus and better audio is nice.

What the heck do I do? What would you do? I know I won't every get the Voigtlander later if I pass now, but I also know I won't get the GH4 (or something similar) for a long time if I pass now.

(has anyone used the Voigtlander for interviews? Should I be lusting after it?)

Thanks for the input. Appreciate it.

JL
 
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Opinion from a long-time 'Pan-handler':
In your situation, I'd get the GH4. Some reasons:

- GH4 can do everything the GH3 can do and more
- you have 2 lenses, and can't use both on one camera at once
- the Panny 14mm isn't a great lens; if you want that focal length, buy one used for ~$125
- if you already have the 20/1.7 and don't hate it, you don't need a 25 badly
- if you use the 20 with a GH4 in 4K/UHD crop (2.3x), it will have nearly the same FOV as a 25 on your GH2
- You can use the 4K to shoot 'two angles at once,' cropping a MCU angle from your wide in an interview situation, for instance
- The GH4's WiFi operability with the Panasonic Image App is really dang impressive
- I have a 25/f1 equivalent lens (SpeedBoosted Leica Summilux-R 35) and usually have to stop down to ~f1.6-2 in interview situations anyway unless the subject stays perfectly still; the Voigtlanders are nice (17.5 is my favorite) but I think you gain more in this situation buying more camera.
- Cheap legacy lenses are half the fun of any MFT camera! Start combing yard sales and experimenting.
 
I also vote for the GH4 and advise you don't really need the Voigtlander. You can pick up the 25mm f1.8 Olympus later. Should you occasionally need wide angle you can pick up the latest version of the 14-42, it is mechanically improved over the original version and is pretty good optically. Or even the Olympus 9-18mm, it's a pretty good lens when you can afford it.
 
I have never been a big fan of native M4/3 lenses, since you are locked in using M4/3 cameras. If you want to shoot with a S35 sensor camera for example, you then need to purchase new lenses. I am on the other hand, a big fan of using SpeedBoosters with M4/3 cameras like the GH4 along with lenses which cover a FF sensor. That way one set of lenses can be used with any size sensor camera I choose to use.

If it were me, I would first purchase a GH4, and then purchase a SpeedBooster in the lens mount of your choice, followed by a set of vintage manual focus lenses one at a time as budget allows.
 
+1 to a speed booster. You can find some great glass for pretty cheap from both major brands of Canon and Nikon (Nikon being the better quality for $, imo)
I found an imitation speedbooster for $100. Feels solid and preforms just as well as our $400 version. Make sure you research and get a return guarantee.
On a side note, Metabones is coming out with a version 2 of their speed booster... which means Craig's list/eBay/Amazon probably will have V.1 for cheap soon.
 
I don't know if you know this but the original version of the Voigtlander 25mm goes for around $600-700 on ebay. This would be a viable option for the GH4 which would price your budget around $2300.

However, if this is too much, then definitely go with the GH4 and no new lens. You have a 20 and 45 which could be used for mids and closeups so I would look into a wide angle lens before trying to get a lens with focal length between 20-45.

I personally have the 14, 20, 45, as well as an old 35mm Canon FD f2. I actually like the Canon the best because it isn't as sharp but it gives a creamier look, which is nice for skin tones.
 
Thanks everyone for the very helpful advice. I just ordered the GH4!

All the points were useful. I had never thought about being able to get "two shots in one," which could be very helpful for corporate interviews given the amount of jump-cuts I often need to do.

nathannguyen59 said:
I don't know if you know this but the original version of the Voigtlander 25mm goes for around $600-700 on ebay. This would be a viable option for the GH4 which would price your budget around $2300.
Click to expand...

I didn't know that, but in all my Voigtlander research I did read about the new version having a clickless ring, so that makes sense. Getting a lens that expensive on ebay can be scary, but it might be worth it here. Thx!

I seen a lot about speed boosters over intense few days of research. I'm going to look into them more. If they can really be had from $100 to 300, that along with an older prime could be a good start. I'll research all the related suggestions given here.


Feel free to add any other suggestions. Now I'm off for phase two of research and purchases. I'm excited. The GH2 has given me some wonderful footage.
 
I owned the Voightlander 25mm f/0.95 for more than a year and it was my least used lens that I owned. ( I sold it mainly because I'm not a fan of "normal" FOV lenses so I did not use it very often )

I would go for the GH4 and the Metabones Speedbooster if it's in your budget range. I bought 8 older Nikon AI-S lenses this year because of how good they are with and without a Speedbooster on the GHx cameras. For interviews I use the Nikon 50mm f/1.4 + Speedbooster all the time.
 
Keep in mind that if you want to buy the Metabones SB, they have new versions coming out, with much better edge distortion and sharpness - so far they've done the Sony mount, but should soon also do the Nikon and Canon mounts; about $50 more though. Personally, I'll wait on that (for the Nikon mount).
 
OldCorpse said:
Keep in mind that if you want to buy the Metabones SB, they have new versions coming out, with much better edge distortion and sharpness
Click to expand...

Reading the Metabones press-release, it states the SpeedBooster Ultra adapters are ONLY for cameras with DX sensor sizes, so very likely there won't be one for Micro 4/3 cameras. Here's the opening of the press-release...

"Metabones® and Caldwell Photographic Inc. are pleased to jointly announce the Speed Booster ULTRA series of focal reducing adapters designed for mirrorless cameras with DX-sized sensors, such as Sony E-mount and Fuji X-mount. The new Speed Boosters use an advanced 5-element/4-group optical design incorporating ultra-high index tantalum-based optical glass to achieve extraordinary optical performance with improved corner sharpness, distortion and reduced vignetting."

From what I've seen using my own Metabones Speedbooster Nikon G adapter, I don't think an "ultra" version is necessary, the performance of the standard Metabones Speedbooster is already extremely good.
 
...possibly because the Ultra's increased corner performance isn't necessary with a m43 sensor?'

Like you said, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with my NikG-MFT either... so not sure what they'd 'improve.'
 
TheDingo said:
I owned the Voightlander 25mm f/0.95 for more than a year and it was my least used lens that I owned. ( I sold it mainly because I'm not a fan of "normal" FOV lenses so I did not use it very often )

I would go for the GH4 and the Metabones Speedbooster if it's in your budget range. I bought 8 older Nikon AI-S lenses this year because of how good they are with and without a Speedbooster on the GHx cameras. For interviews I use the Nikon 50mm f/1.4 + Speedbooster all the time.
Click to expand...

Damn. You're actually managing to lower desire to grab this lens. Thanks for the advice.

OldCorpse said:
Keep in mind that if you want to buy the Metabones SB, they have new versions coming out, with much better edge distortion and sharpness - so far they've done the Sony mount, but should soon also do the Nikon and Canon mounts; about $50 more though. Personally, I'll wait on that (for the Nikon mount).
Click to expand...

I'm seriously considering the speed booster option and doing more research. $429 ain't cheap, but it does open up lots of possibilities.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...on_g_to_micro.html#pr-header-back-to-top-link

Thanks again.
 
JamesL said:
Damn. You're actually managing to lower desire to grab this lens. Thanks for the advice.
Click to expand...

When I bought mine there was no Voightlander 17.5mm f/0.95 or 42.5mm f/0.95 lenses to choose from. I generally find the 25mm focal length kind of boring, so going a little wider or a little longer would have made me a much happier camper. I was largely seduced by the f/0.95 F-Stop, which was great.

JamesL said:
I'm seriously considering the speed booster option and doing more research. $429 ain't cheap, but it does open up lots of possibilities.
Click to expand...

...But it's a hot item in the Micro 4/3 world, so if you don't like it you can easily sell it. I would start with the Nikon 50mm f/1.4 AI-S and the Speedbooster, as it's an easy to find and low cost used lens, and works amazingly well for interview shots. Combined you have a 36mm f/1.0 lens to shoot with, which is a little soft wide open from the coma of the Nikon lens, but stop it down one stop and it cleans up very nicely.
 
Is that certain? m4/3 accepts both DX and FF lenses - looking at a lot of stuff shot with the SB, I do see some slight dropoff from the center with edge softness on some lenses. Is it confirmed that they'll never do an Ultra for m4/3?
 
Of course it isn't certain.

The edge falloff that I've noticed is with DX lenses that just 'barely' don't vignette, like the Sigma 18-35 and Tokina 11-16 on the wider ends.

Also worth mentioning again that not every DX lens will work with the SpeedBooster, as some will vignette severely and you won't really know until you test it (or read something to that effect)
 
I'm sure there's always room for improvement. Whether or not they do it soon is another thing.

I am the opposite: I like native lenses because of the size - that was the whole point in m4/3 for me.
 
yslee said:
I am the opposite: I like native lenses because of the size - that was the whole point in m4/3 for me.
Click to expand...

I find the Panasonic/Olympus native m4/3 glass to be too sharp for some things, which is what prompted me to try SpeedBoosted Nikon AI-S lenses, and eventually led to buying eight Nikon lenses this year.
 
TheDingo said:
I find the Panasonic/Olympus native m4/3 glass to be too sharp for some things, which is what prompted me to try SpeedBoosted Nikon AI-S lenses, and eventually led to buying eight Nikon lenses this year.
Click to expand...

I noticed that you have both the metabones and the zhongyi focal reducers. Do you think it's worth getting the metabones over the zhongyi, if it's for Ai-S lenses (ie I don't need aperture control)? Do you notice much difference in image quality? I have the zhongyi, but I'm not that happy with it, I can't really put my finger on what the issue is. Just something in the iq seems off. I was wondering whether the metabones would be an improvement.
 
North Utsira said:
I noticed that you have both the metabones and the zhongyi focal reducers. Do you think it's worth getting the metabones over the zhongyi, if it's for Ai-S lenses (ie I don't need aperture control)?
Click to expand...

I haven't had a chance to compare them yet ( I definitely will do this sometime soon ), but mechanically the Metabones adapter is much better built. My Nikon lenses fit tighter on the Metabones adapter, and come off easier. The Metabones adapter also gives you the ability to have step-less aperture control with the older Nikon AI-S lenses, which was a nice surprise when I realized this. ( you set your AI-S lens to it's minimum aperture and then use the Metabones aperture control to smoothly move from maximum to minimum aperture )

Optically, I suspect that the Metabones adapter has less flare ( better coatings ) and will prove to be sharper than the Mitakon Zhongyi adapter, but I'm still pretty happy with the Mitakon adapter, it produces a very usable image and is a bargain at one third the price of the Metabones. ( I shot a bunch of jobs with the Mitakon adapter, before I owned the Metabones one )
 
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