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Video-Friendly Lenses for Lumix DSLRs
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  • qwerty123qwerty123
    $28K ... Yikes! Say RRRR, how is the focus throw of those FD lenses? Does adding a focusing gears for a follow focus increase the throw at all?
  • RRRRRRRR
    @Raoul cheers for that!

    They're beyond my personal reach also, but then again, lenses like these should be used so it makes for a very good "community package".. Or for your business if you can manage the cost. A far better investment than a similarly priced camera!
    I mean, if you don't live next to a rental shop and know them personally / can pick up high quality lenses for next to nothing.

    For my own personal use, I have a bunch of FD, MD, Konica glass and some c-mounts.
  • RRRRRRRR
    @qwerty123 I'm not sure it was luma tech (I recall the housings looking differently), but the optical blocks must have been the same (same t rate e.t.c). So I guess in terms of optical performance they are identical.
    If I remember correctly a set started from about 28 000 USD or thereabouts.
  • qwerty123qwerty123
    Where exactly is Luma Tech advertising on ebay? I can't find it. Curious about the pricing...
  • raoulraoul
    There is a discussion on reduser.net on the luma tech illumina lenses vs. Cooke Panchros. A lot of talk talk talk over there but Paul Nordin, who started the thread actually tested them.

    http://reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?59647-Luma-Tech-Illuminas-vs.-the-new-Cooke-Panchros...a-review

    These lenses are beyond my reach, I just bought some Canon FD primes, but for anyone interrested in cine primes they may be a good choice. They seem to have been co-developed by Lomo St Petersburg who should have the necessary background and experience.
  • RRRRRRRR
    Anyone managed to try out the ekran-style rebuilt Lomo cine lenses that some US company are advertising on ebay? This looks to be made out of the same optical elements: http://www.lumatechinc.com/S35.html
    (not sure it's the same company that I saw on ebay)

    A whole (new) range of t1.3 lenses costs 10-20% of a set of (new) similarly specced zeiss or leica cine primes.
    Looks like a superb deal to me, although I have no possibility to try them out / order.
  • alcomposeralcomposer
    Sorry @LPowell for the barrage! Just so many names for the same lens! :-D
    (EDIT: was meant to write: Bower, Rokinon, Vivitar - not Tamron - my bad)
  • LPowellLPowell
    @alcomposer
    Samyang is a Korean lensmaker that markets its products under the Rokinon brand name. Tamron, Tokina, and Sigma are independent third-party lensmakers, well known for many decades.
  • alcomposeralcomposer
    @LPowell no difference between Samyang/Rokinon/Tamron etc...
  • LPowellLPowell
    @alcomposer
    Rokinon 35mm f1.4 - moderate breathing
    Rokinon 85mm f1.4 - very little breathing
  • alcomposeralcomposer
    @LPowell
    I did see on this thread that Samyang/Rokinon have quite a lot of breathing though... :-(
    Let me know if you haven't found this. (If not- Ebay time!)
  • LPowellLPowell
    @alcomposer
    Depends on how well they work for you. Most manual-focus primes are relatively short and compact, with 52-55mm front filter threads. Using them with a follow focus and matte box on 15mm rails can be a tight fit. For my purposes, the Samyang/Rokinon f1.4 primes are a more convenient size.
  • alcomposeralcomposer
    @LPowell... so I shouldn't throw my wide nikon primes out just yet?
  • qwerty123qwerty123
    @LPowell So in that case some legacy Nikon AI(s) and Canon FDs would be fine with respect to extension since they extend less than an inch when focusing.

    I think two more ideal things in a lens would be: (1) LONG FOCUS THROW and, less importantly, (2) as @Gabel mentions, having the aperature in T-stops.
  • LPowellLPowell
    @qwerty123
    A lens whose front barrel extends when either focusing or zooming can be awkward to use with a traditional, rail-mounted matte box. While a small amount of extension can be covered by a donut, an inch or more extension will collide with the back of the matte box.
  • GabelGabel
    @qwerty123: Leica R's would be a top contender. Great quality and no breathing! I didn't think I'd mind so much, but breathing has really become a deal breaker for me.

    But personally, at that cost I'd just get some Lomos instead.
  • qwerty123qwerty123
    I'm curious what some good video-friendly lenses for the GH2 (or other lumix cams) would be ideal for a Duclos Cine-Mod.... interesting option.

    Also @LPowell : can you be a bit more specific about the problem with a lens that has a focus ring that extends in relation to a mattebox? I'm a little new to learning about matteboxes.
  • GabelGabel
    So, let's compare these to a set of cine primes... I use Lomo OCT-19 primes. Believe it or not, not even real cine primes perform 100% on this!

    * Manual aperture ring: Yes and without click stops.
    * Direct-coupled focus ring: Of course. With distance marks that are correct.
    * Proper focus ring rotation: Counter-clockwise.
    * Non-rotating outer barrel (internal focus): Yes. The barrel does rotate when adjusting the aperature though (like on Zeiss Superspeeds).
    * Non-extending outer barrel (internal focus): No, same with Zeiss Superspeeds. The extension is very minor though.
    * Constant field of view: Yes.

    As you see, while these are VERY video-friendly, even they lack some features. What you do gain however is:
    * Much better tightness between lens and adapter. Nothing loose here!
    * Large focus throw, for more precise focusing.
    * All marks are located on the side of the lens, allowing your AC (or you) to see them.
    * Correct distance marks.
    * Circular aperature. Bokeh won't be much different when stopping down.
    * Aperature in T-stops.
  • p_hawksp_hawks
    I just got a helios 44-2 (58mm f2), and I love it so far. I heard that on these lenses oil on the aperture blades also isn't an issue, as many soviet lenses came from the factory that way. Anyways:
    Manual aperture ring: yes (very cool 2 ring system, allows you to open the lens and have a completely step less aperture if you wish)
    direct couple focus ring: yes
    proper focus ring rotation: counter-clockwise to infinity
    non-rotating outer barrel: yes
    non-extending outer barrel: no, extends about 1cm, maybe a little under (just from eyeballing it)
    constant field of view: no, appears to zoom out slightly when focussed towards infinity, thought I haven't tested this thoroughly
  • nomadnomad
    Minolta MD VFC 24mm 1:2.8 extends only by 3mm and has excellent optical quality. But it ain't cheap any more these days.
  • alcomposeralcomposer
    Anyone have notes on fast wide angle lenses with non-extending front elements?
    (<50mm)
  • alcomposeralcomposer
    Hi @LPowell,
    (I've seen video of this lens on a Phantom! This one is 'totally' on my to get list. Just the way it is! (Nikon G -> m43...)
  • nomadnomad
    I hope the Kipon will work for you. If not, try Novoflex (German) or MTF (British). Much more expensive – and much more precise.
  • actact
    I have trouble with EF-M43 adapters from eBay.
    I bought 3. Every zoom lens I attached after focusing and then I change zoom became out of focus.
    I tried Tokina 11-16, Canon 17-35.
    A metering ring also shows wrong value of distance. On Canon 5DmkII the lenses work precisely
    Now I'm waiting for another (4th) finally not cheap adapter - Kipon EF-M43 with aperture.
    I hope this one will be the right.
    I have thinking get rid Tokina, it was useless for me.
    I glad to read here that folks use zoom lens without problems.
    May be with Kipon adapter I will lucky.
  • qwerty123qwerty123
    @LPowell : this is a great thread, and needed.

    @Vitaliy_Kiselev any word from Cinematics on their generic CP_2 models, pricing, availability? :-)
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