GH3 Which super wide lens shoudl I get?

I

Ianscreations

Well-known member
I need a nice wide (almost fisheye) lens. I have the 12-35, so I don't really need the 7-14. I am comfortable not having anything between the range of 8-11.
So, I have looked at the Rokinon 7.5mm fisheye, which seems like a nice lens.

Such a huge price difference between the 7-14 and the prime and I'm not sure I'd use the zoom of the Lumix.


Thoughts?
 
Right now I'm using a Tokina 11-16 with a Metabones Nikon-mount Speedbooster... not really price-competitive unless you use the booster for other lenses (which I do).

I owned a 7-14 for quite a while. It's far sharper than most other wide options (including my 11-16+SB) and the auto features are nice, and it's compact. I Sold it as I often didn't use it where it might have otherwise been useful because of its slow speed, and used it to finance the SB and Tokina. Very nice lens, and if I didn't have need of something faster in that range and had unlimited funds, I'd still own one.

The Rokinon 7.5 and 8mm are nice, but are definitely fisheye. The 8mm will work with the Speedbooster and yield a super-distorted 5.6mm. Panasonic also has a 8mm Fisheye that is so close in price to the 7-14 as to seem nearly pointless. I'm not aware of an equivalent length rectilinear prime... it seems as though for rectilinear, you're stuck with the options of the 7-14, Tokina 11-16 (+SB), Sigma 10-20 (+SB), or other CaNikon options... but I could be very wrong.
 
The 7-14 distorts, but it's a different kind of distortion (rectilinear vs. fisheye)

Here's an old mixed sample video with a mess of panning 7-14 shots: (@ :10, :50, 1:00, 1:12-~1:30)

https://vimeo.com/60703479

Like with any ultrawide, just don't put faces or midsections close to the lens or at the sides because it will stretch things out in a most unflattering way
 
The 7-14 is rectilinear, so you don't get those curved edges. But you will get "stretchy corners", which is a common attribute of rectilinear ultrawide lenses.
 
mcbob said:
The 7-14 distorts, but it's a different kind of distortion (rectilinear vs. fisheye)

Here's an old mixed sample video with a mess of panning 7-14 shots: (@ :10, :50, 1:00, 1:12-~1:30)

https://vimeo.com/60703479

Like with any ultrawide, just don't put faces or midsections close to the lens or at the sides because it will stretch things out in a most unflattering way
Click to expand...

Well, those shots sold me on the 7-14! Just wish it weren't so pricey. Thanks for both video samples...defiinitely easier to see the differences.
 
I am slightly confused. There's no "almost fisheye" lens for the m4/3, or for most systems in general. It's either one or it isn't. Closest you can get is if you mount a lens designed for a larger sensor onto a camera with a smaller sensor.

Regardless, 7 and 12 have really quite big differences on the wide end, so don't discount it. The 7-14 is also the best option for ultra wides, no other lens comes close. Just be careful with your movement, the stretchy corners can be distracting.
 
I was debating the 7-14 and the tokina 11-16 speedbooster route. I found a good deal on the 7-14 so I went for it, and now I am kicking myself for one main reason, the built in lens hood that doesn't allow threaded filters. I knew that going into it, but I didn't think it would bug me too much, until I realized how much I use my ND filters. That being said if you really like it there are solutions like this guy did with 5x5 filters.

http://the-random-photographer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/filters-on-panasonic-7-14mm-problem.html
 
Steve_Karl said:
Olympus 9-18mm

https://vimeo.com/60811697
Click to expand...

That is one SHARP lens, as are the others he used. I had an E-P3 that shot great video except the rolling shutter jello was goshawful!!!!

I've got a used OMD E-M5 body with 736 shutter actuations slated for delivery tomorrow. The 5 axis in body IS is about the best anybody has "built in". I've seen handheld video shot with the camera in motion that looked just about like Steadycam work and that's what I hope to get out of it.
 
I love my 7-14. if you close it to 8-9 you can put 62mm filter inside the plastic hood.
The lens is compact, well built and sharp.
 
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I'm always looking for ways to add filters to the 7-14, and the 62mm filter thread thing is a bit precocious: How do you keep the filter from falling out?
 
I, too, heartily recommend the Lumix 7-14mm f/4 lens. For both video and still photography. I'm not a fan of fisheye lenses, but super wide rectilinear lenses can be incredible.

 
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