Lee Wilson
Veteran
At the moment yes, although Panasonic are about to make it three.
For the camera choose whatever you like, no need to stick to one brand, for lenses I would probably go for any lenses except for those with Canon mounts.
Which way to go?
- Thread starter jamesmallonuk
- Start date
At the moment yes, although Panasonic are about to make it three.
For the camera choose whatever you like, no need to stick to one brand, for lenses I would probably go for any lenses except for those with Canon mounts.
you're right, but many pros don't operate 100% thus what they use is not necessarily synonymous with what all "pros" use.
/matt
If your just curious about DSLRs, check out dpreview.com
Olympus makes great lenses, some of the sharpest lenses available, but their system is not as adaptable to other systems.
Pentax makes great camera bodies, don't know about their lenses.
Nikon and Canon have the largest user base, and thus a larger community.
I've shot with both Olympus and Nikon. Like them both. Although I enjoy shooting with my Nikon more. But Olympus had some awesome lenses, and I liked the built in image stabilization.
As everyone here, I'm excited to read more about the GH1 HD...
Olympus makes great lenses, some of the sharpest lenses available, but their system is not as adaptable to other systems.
Pentax makes great camera bodies, don't know about their lenses.
Nikon and Canon have the largest user base, and thus a larger community.
I've shot with both Olympus and Nikon. Like them both. Although I enjoy shooting with my Nikon more. But Olympus had some awesome lenses, and I liked the built in image stabilization.
As everyone here, I'm excited to read more about the GH1 HD...
morgan_moore
Major Contributor
"you're right, but many pros don't operate 100% thus what they use is not necessarily synonymous with what all pros "
Check out this pic..
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/images-85/photographers.jpg
Thats the gang Im talking about - you could take the same picture at any press call anywhere in the world any day of the week
S
Check out this pic..
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/images-85/photographers.jpg
Thats the gang Im talking about - you could take the same picture at any press call anywhere in the world any day of the week
S
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morgan_moore
Major Contributor
yeah, and i can assure you that at least a few of them go home and write the article too.
/matt
We are going no-where in helping the OP decide which brand to back particularly with thier lens investment
I would say nikon, not because 'they rock' but because they are widely used and have a track record of producing great products in the long term (not right now) and have a lens back catalogue that is compatible over 30 years
There is no proper solution* for DSLR video making right now so ultimately it is a gamble
S
I would define proper solution as full control with variable framrate and controllable sound and a decent codec and chip size of at least nikon APS
i'm still not sure what the question is. is he after the best equipment or the best brand, whatever that means?
/matt
Robert Altman
Active member
My guess--Nikon will be the first to capitalize on the 'right' dSLR for HD configuration because they have NO video business to protect! Imagine the Canon Video side eyeing the dSLR revolution with a lot of trepidation.
Nikon has the technology/knowhow/ and ability to do it right without hurting any of its' other businesses.
Just a thought.
Nikon has the technology/knowhow/ and ability to do it right without hurting any of its' other businesses.
Just a thought.
Uwe Lansing
Veteran
I´ll wait for a Nikon D800 - maybe D400. But don´t forget Sony. They have a lot of experience in the video + film department. And certainly they won´t relinquish completely this growing market of DSLR-Video to the competition...
hepabst
Active member
I must be an old romantic. It's been my experience, as a hobbiest I make a living as a woodworker, that every lens is different and has a strong and weak point. My roots are from black and white developing in my bathroom. I never had the money for a Nikon or Nikon lenses until I got older. (I'm 55) so I would use what ever I could afford and captured some of my best shots on some really sh*tty gear.
I have a lot of Nikon lenses but I still have my old no name(screw mount) lenses that I use sometimes with a Nikon adapter. They have a kind of spirit that I've discovered from using them. There is a difference between using them with film and video. I loved shooting with Ilford 400. I still desaturate my video in the editor just to see what my shots look like in black and white. I like using the D90 in monchrome it feels so much like Ilford 400.
So my answer is Nikon and or what ever works for you. Experiment.
When I was a kid I used to sit on my from porch with camera in hand wanting to shoot something. I still do the same thing with my video camera. Content is king and the hardest to find.
I have a lot of Nikon lenses but I still have my old no name(screw mount) lenses that I use sometimes with a Nikon adapter. They have a kind of spirit that I've discovered from using them. There is a difference between using them with film and video. I loved shooting with Ilford 400. I still desaturate my video in the editor just to see what my shots look like in black and white. I like using the D90 in monchrome it feels so much like Ilford 400.
So my answer is Nikon and or what ever works for you. Experiment.
When I was a kid I used to sit on my from porch with camera in hand wanting to shoot something. I still do the same thing with my video camera. Content is king and the hardest to find.
morgan_moore
Major Contributor
Well post one is..
"..Which brand is the best to go with for the long haul. ...
So who is the company that has the best track record as a camera/lens maker and is likely to be the best to stick with?"
The phrases "track record" and "long haul" may give some clue
Sure IMO the 5d rocks right now and is therefore 'the best eqipment' (others would disagree) but with its flaws it could become yesterdays news in a very short time its not a long haul solution
I think we need to agree that the current bodies are not for the long haul because - they are flawed and technology is developing so fast in terms of electronics
Therefore the OP needs to consider his investment in glass
It is my opinion that investing in nikon glass is a good but not infallible strategy for the long haul
My reasoning..
30 year mount history
market penetration
service availability
range of focal lengths and apertures
lack of competing video in the same corporation means hope of decent camera
quality - its actually quite good !
used availability
Canon fit
4/3 rds fit
Incedentally I was pushing a simlar argument some time ago in terms of DX glass while searching for a wide solution for APS chip cameras, most of my mates got 12-24 DX lenses while I went for the fulframe 14 2.8 - those zooms are now irrelevant to thier D3 cameras whereas my 14.28 is holding value nicely - so I mean FF nikor glass preferably with an aperture ring
S
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Other glass it may be worth looking at, esp S/H:
Leica R, fits Canon and 4/3 with adaptor
Contax also fits Canon though may be a bit iffy.
in terma of quality, I would say Leica M is at the top but has a short BF so will only addapt to m4/3
Then I don't know for sure....Leica R, Carl Zeis / Contax, Canon, Nikon...who is top probably swings with the particular lens.
For m4/3 the New-ish Voigtlander lenses shouldn't be discounted, even though they're made by Cosina, who also make the modern Carl Zeiss SLR lenses.
Dave
Leica R, fits Canon and 4/3 with adaptor
Contax also fits Canon though may be a bit iffy.
in terma of quality, I would say Leica M is at the top but has a short BF so will only addapt to m4/3
Then I don't know for sure....Leica R, Carl Zeis / Contax, Canon, Nikon...who is top probably swings with the particular lens.
For m4/3 the New-ish Voigtlander lenses shouldn't be discounted, even though they're made by Cosina, who also make the modern Carl Zeiss SLR lenses.
Dave
so he means which lens mount? now that's both easier and harder. the nikon mount will probably be around forever and you can get it for many video and film cameras like the reds and so on (i have an adapter to c-mount that i use on my super 8 and 16mm cameras too), plus you can also use it on canon slr's with an adapter. i don't see what's wrong with mixing a couple of nikkors with a tamron and a sigma though, or even just sigmas, if they offer the best glass in that price range, focal length, aperture or whatever. in my experience the nikkors aren't really matched when it comes to the look anyway.
/matt
morgan_moore
Major Contributor
We dont know what he means
But I think as argued above the choice of this weeks 'imperfect for 'movie' ' DSLR offering should not lead ones long haul strategy
Those off brand lenses I dont have personal experience of apart from a Tamron 300 2.8 which fell apart - and a Stigma 70-200 - whose electronics stopped 'talking' - that was enough experience for me - and they focus the wrong way !
The Ziess nikkors however I beleive to be wonderful and particularly appropriate to cinematography with thier long focus throws and wonderful manual feel to the focus ring
S
But I think as argued above the choice of this weeks 'imperfect for 'movie' ' DSLR offering should not lead ones long haul strategy
Those off brand lenses I dont have personal experience of apart from a Tamron 300 2.8 which fell apart - and a Stigma 70-200 - whose electronics stopped 'talking' - that was enough experience for me - and they focus the wrong way !
The Ziess nikkors however I beleive to be wonderful and particularly appropriate to cinematography with thier long focus throws and wonderful manual feel to the focus ring
S
well, if he's seriously considering canon i guess he's ready for that.
tamron went from crap to great 10 years ago, don't get anything prior. tokina and sigma have always excelled in build quality as far as i've seen, although some are optically inferior to nikkors so try before you buy./matt
jamesmallonuk
Well-known member
Well if brand particularly in Lenses don't matter due to interchangability between bodies, what should we look for in a lens for videography rather than still photography. Maybe things like coatings, or how fast etc...The point is I am asking not to show my intelligence but to recognise my ignorance, the truth is I dont know what kind of lenses would be best to invest in long term. And sure each lens probably needs to be looked at individually for its merits, BUT if you could spend a lot on a lens I mean 2,000 dollars or more what would be great to own.
morgan_moore
Major Contributor
I doubt you need to spend $2000 on anything apart from a big tele or maybe a specialist wide
IMO lens coastings and MTF performance are basically irrelevant
The primary requirements is physical solidity
no wobble in the front element
smooth grit free focus travel with little backlash
a solid attachement to the camera
smooth zoom function - if you ever intend to zoom
Secondary considerations are
Long focus throw (consider macro versions)
Minimum focus distance
Maximum aperture - 2.8 is a minimum I dont think some of the faster exotica is worth the cash/weight
Followed by
vignetting on teles
barrel distortion on wides
Zeiss do good on all of these but wont talk electronically to any camera future or current
So IMO reasonably modern AF Nikkors with an aperture control are the way forward - it seems that nikon are phasing out the physical aperture control - so those lenses could actually appreciate in value
My likes (cheap and great)..
20 2.8 af
28 3.5 pc manual
50 1.4 af
85 1.8 af
not cheap..
14 2.8
200 2 ? (never owned one of these)
s
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jamesmallonuk
Well-known member
Thanks for the helpful info Morgan. I used a nikkor on an adapter once and really liked the look and old school feel of it. One of the DVX lossfest entries called the photography/model was done with a 28mm nikkor and it looked very filmic in look and framing with the D90. I was wondering a couple of things,
1 if it was possible to put a RED prime on a DSLR.
2. unrelated question, Is it best to stay away form the lenses that are like 24-50mm or 50-200mm what I mean is ones that are a variable in their focal length (if this is the term) or as I am guessing, best kept away from due to extra layers of glass?
1 if it was possible to put a RED prime on a DSLR.
2. unrelated question, Is it best to stay away form the lenses that are like 24-50mm or 50-200mm what I mean is ones that are a variable in their focal length (if this is the term) or as I am guessing, best kept away from due to extra layers of glass?