Lenses

Cheap wide angle solution for older 50mm primes?

einstein7 — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 14:01:11 +0000

Just wondering what would be a cheap wide angle adapter around 0.5x for older 50mm lenses to effectively get 25mm view angle but with more DOF. I've seen everything from $10 to $200 but just want decent glass and not to much barrel distortion/color aberration.

Angenieux 12-240mm - Arriflex mount - Ex tele GH2 -

imaitland — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:05:38 +0000

Pre-Hacked GH2:

Also Pre Hacked:

I have two of these lenses spare. One C-mount. One Arri Bayonet... I've listed the arri-mount here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190738390728?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Noobie here with a few questions

cam_boy — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 12:50:45 +0000

Hello all, I am a bit new to this forum. While I have been tracking driftwood/cbrandin progress with the recent GH2 Apocalypse patches, I haven't been quite vocal.

Anyway, being a student studying film/animation, I found that the GH2 was the perfect choice for me to experiment with cinematography and filming my own short stories. I bought this wonderful camera back in July and I absolutely love it.

Now, I have been searching around the forums reading up on many different types of lenses, filters, etc, and have took in quite a bit of knowledge over the past few months.

Recently I purchased a Century Optics 1.33x adapter (focus through), and from what I have read up on this lens, it is wonderful for run-and-gun type work. Now here are my questions pertaining to this anamorphic; I understand that this adapter combined with a Tokina achromatic diopter is an absolute gem, however, I cannot find this diopter anywhere, and I understand it is incredibly hard to find.

I have however, found a few achromatic diopters manufactured from Century Optics, but I cannot find much reviews or opinions on this diopter in conjunction with there anamorphics. Would the two make a good fit in terms of image quality? Or should I invest in some other achromatic diopter?

I am sorry if this has already been covered, but all I seem to find is information pertaining to diopters with a LA7200 and other lenses, nothing specifically about the Century Optics.

La7200 distorted image?

amblyopia — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 15:12:59 +0000

Hi All. I obtained a la7200 a couple of months ago. Just tried it on my 14—140, it seems that all the images are stretched vertically ,which gave me taller thinner human body. I rotated through it seems that there will be more distortion at other angles. Can someone tell me is that the lens or my possible wrong installation causing the problem. thanks for all your help.

Seeking definitive calcs of T-stops v F-stops on 14-140 and other Pana lenses

cp_from_oz — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 00:17:01 +0000

[Usual disclaimer ... I hope this is not replicating info, but have not been able to find relevant thread elsewhere].

These questions can easily apply to other digital Panasonic lenses, but I have the 14-140 ... ( So, weigh in with other lenses if you like)

Is there an OFFICIAL figure on actual light loss through the 14-140? (i.e. T stop correction factor?)
Is the lens callibrated to F-stops or T-stops? (i.e. what are we actually setting "in-camera"?)
What method do people recommend for DIY verification of light loss, on Pana or manual lenses?
(e.g. spot meter on through back of lens onto grey card? waveform and grey card somehow? other???)
Could the "known issue" of the GH2 under-exposing by 2/3 stop be (partially?) explained by it failing (or attempting?) to compensate for the T-stop light loss factor? ... Or does the metering system work around this somehow? (I guess this could be verified by comparing the light loss and resulting under-exposure factor on Pana prime v. Pana zoom but I don't have primes). I read somewhere that the GH2 is callibrated for 40% grey not 50% grey, but I am not sure how this interacts with the T-stop issue. Maybe the 40% and T-stop issue compound each other giving the -2/3 stop result???

Hope to hear from you, oh learned GH2 tribe ....

Cheers!

What is the best portrait lens for m43

simurg — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 17:32:16 +0000

What is the best portrait lens for Gh1 - 2 ?

what are your favorite old lenses?

woodybrando — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 05:28:52 +0000

Hey, I've had the Pentax Takumar 50mm f1.4 for over a year now and it's just starting to sink in how much I like that lens. Plus it's only about $100 on ebay. Got me thinking what other cheap old classic lenses are out there. Let me know if there's any forgotten old lenses that you still love to use despite manual focus and no i.s.

Isco Göttingen anamorphic

beeldlab — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 07:06:28 +0000

Tested my vintage Isco Göttingen Kiptar 2X anamorphot. Attached it to a Canon FD 50mm. It's razor sharp to the edges!

md or fd lenses for gh2

einstein7 — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 13:29:04 +0000

Hey there, i'm looking to get some primes for my gh2 but not sure whether to go with the md's or the more popular fd's. Specifically not sure how the saturation of the colors compares as well as the contrast. Since ill be wanting the lower contrast and saturation for post grading.

Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12mm f/2.0 Lens Limited Edition (Black)

mee — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 15:32:08 +0000

I came across the image on one of the two largest camera shops site here in Japan. Hadn't seen it anywhere else, so thought it may be appreciated. Definitely looks better than the silver one IMO. I didn't realize it was a full metal body till just now. Purdy.

Good wide angle lens

livestrong2012 — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 13:11:11 +0000

Hey Ya'll, here is the deal. I am looking for a wide angle-ish lens for my Mirco 4/3. I want a lens that will be good for shooting concerts in venues for the most part. The venues tend to be on the darker side, so a decently fast lens would be good. I currently have a Canon FD 50 1.8, and a Canon FD 135mm 2.5. I would really like to keep the lens under a hundred bucks, would be willing to buy another adapter if necessary. I am currently looking at the Canon FD 28mm f2. But that tends to be in the $200 range, also considered the tamron 35-80mm f2.8. I honestly am decently new when it comes to knowing much about what is available in the older glass. So be sure to throw any suggestions my way! Can't wait to hear from y'all! Thanks in advance.

20mm F2.8 Canon FD

Mirrorkisser — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 10:09:29 +0000

Just got that lens via mail. When i held it in my hands and was slightly shaking it, i heard some sounds as if something on the inside was loose. A sound i dont know from my other fds. When i tested the lens though, it was working fine. Focusing, Aperture etc all worked well.

Any ideas? Its a different built than the other FDs so maybe its natural?

Edit: I just noticed, my 85mm and 200mm make the same sounds, while the 35mm and 50mm dont. Hmm so all seems to be okay?!

17.5mm Voigtländer, great lens

beeldlab — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 14:49:04 +0000

Like to share these portraits shot with the amazing Voigtländer 17.5 mm using a lightcraft fader ND.

Odd question, but do they make a m4/3 lens to c-mount adapter?

inhousegoods — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 20:42:43 +0000

Been researching if they make a m4/3 lens to c-mount adapter so I could mount my m4/3 voigtlander lenses to my bolex super 16mm, but no luck. Does this adapter exist? I figured I ask here first since it's my go to forum for answers. Thank you in advance!

Fast portrait lens with autofocus for m43

mkholod — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 08:03:10 +0000

Hi guys, I've been searching for clues in the Lens topics but couldn't find any, and it seem to be a bit mixed subject, so if a corresponding topic exist, please excuse me and please point me to it. I want to buy a DSLR style camera for stills and videos, mostly for family pictures, vacation / documentary purposes. I have narrowed it down to Canons’ 650D and GH2. Both seem to have AF capabilities in video, both of them will do fine for stills. Regarding the lens I was thinking of a zoom lens (18-135mm on 650D, or 14-140mm on GH2) and a fast, portrait, autofocus prime: 50mm F1.8 for Canon, and when searching for a lens for GH2 I couldn’t find anything other than Olympus 45mm F1.8, which costs 300$ more than a Canon 50mm. I know that there are nice old FD lens, but they lack an autofocus, which seems to make a life much easier. Am I missing a lens here? Am I over evaluating the importance of autofocus on a portrait prime lens? General thoughts about the two cameras for the purpose are welcome. Thanks.

voightlander nokton 25mm vs lumix g x vario 12-35

GravitateMediaGroup — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 00:50:02 +0000

any thoughts? I really like the voightlander for low light performance, but curious about the lumix 12-35 stabilizing ability I've seen amazing footage from both lenses, but I was wondering what would be best for normal everyday use. I guess i'm looking for the pros & cons

15mm F4.5 Shift lens for micro43

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 20:10:32 +0000

15mm f/4.5 shift lens for micro43

Aperture - f/4.5..22
8 lenses in 6 groups
Min foc. distance: 0.5m
Diameter: 65mm
Length: 45.5
Weight: 200g
Filter size: 52mm
Price: 999€
Availablilty: November 2012

23mm F1.7 SLR Magic lens

Vitaliy_Kiselev — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 03:21:25 +0000

Will be available in mft mount and E mount (plus Fuji mount for few fans)

Filter thread - 49mm
Maximum aperture - F1.7
Minimum aperture - F22
Optical Design - 9 elements, 8 groups (4 x Tantalum)
Lens Length - 61.3 mm
Lens Weight - 265g
Price: $399
Available - February 2013

Hardware hacking wire-focus m43 lenses

ahbleza — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:18:12 +0000

We know the BMCC will be coming out with a micro 4/3rds mount, but without the electronics. I wonder how hard it would be to hack together a shim that sits in front of the camera mount, but which includes a simple electronic controller, that can then be coupled to a large knob mounted on a cage, to provide a focus-by-wire FF kit.

Surely there is a Chinese company with the nous to try something like this? Could it work? I would certainly pay $150 for something like this. It could enable great FF usage with all sorts of m43 lenses, even if the camera has electronic focus. It could also include a simple wheel to select iris too. Forget auto-focus -- I'm just thinking electronic FF and iris adjust. This would be perfect for the BMCC.

Using cine lenses for stills photography

mlysbakken — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 16:42:05 +0000

Hi! I'm wondering how well it would work to use a cine lens for stills photography, in relation to comfort. Would it for instance be uncomfortable to turn the focus wheel manually?

I'm going to buy the Samyang 35mm and use it for both stills and video (with follow focus), so I'm unsure about which version I should choose.

Carl Zeiss lenses w/ P6 mount

inqb8tr — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 03:58:24 +0000

Does anyone have any experience with these lenses and GH2> Carl Zeiss Flektogon 65mm f/2,8 Carl Zeiss Biometar 80mm f/2,8

I found these two in mint condition for a good price, I would say, but I then must invest in an adapter. When I google them, I mainly get results for Jena versions in m42 mount version.

43mm F1.4 lens patents for Micro Four Thirds Konica Minolta

driftwood — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 23:12:12 +0000

Konica Minolta has a patent pending 43mm F1.4 lens which could end up being delivered as a Panasonic OEM. Read inside;-

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fegami.blog.so-net.ne.jp%2F2012-09-07

Kowa USA - Torrance , CA ..... Road trip anyone?

CRFilms — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:19:04 +0000

There's a lot of talk of how SLR Magic is a rebranded Kowa CCTV lens. These are links to Kowa USA dealers and Headquarters:
http://www.kowa-usa.com/frontend/contact.asp
http://www.kowa-usa.com/frontend/store.asp (select opto-electronic)
http://www.kowa-usa.com/frontend/proddisp.asp?co=10000380 -these models, 1" sensor lenses

The dealer in Kyle, TX is closest to me....it's 3:00am as I type this....assuming he has some in stock, and he lets me come down and video it, the soonest I could have a video up is around 30hrs...IF I had a c mount adapter. So, realistic best case is 3-4 days... after ordering a c-mount adapter off Amazon.

Could somebody beat me too the punch? :)

Hesitations between two lenses to complete my kit

krotal — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 07:57:10 +0000

Hi guys, I know it will sound weird/stupid but I'm trying to decide which lens between Tokina 11-16 and Voigtlander 25 Nokton f.95 will better fit my needs and complete my kit... Theses two pieces of glass are totally different but both have pros that seduce me. I own a nikkor 35 f1.8 and nikkor 40 f2.8 macro. Here why I'm hesitating :

The tokina produces wide shots with a relatively fast aperture, but I'm not sure it will mix well with 35mm (transition between Tokina wide shots and nikkor "close-up" shots will be hard)

The Voigtlander's focal length fits better my actual kit, the super fast aperture gives a dreamy look that I love (I mostly shoot experimental stuffs, fictionnal shorts), this lens seems to be extremely polyvalent, some says it's a workhorse for the GH2. OTOH it's not that wide...

So I'd like to know if you guys think (considering my actual kit) it's better to go for a wide lens or for a more "versatile" lens like the voigtlander.

Thanks in advance

12-35mm X Lens - Constant Aperature throughout video zoom?

thebmillz — Sat, 01 Sep 2012 16:13:19 +0000

Deleted. See: http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/comment/81872#Comment_81872

Any recommended Lens Selections for use with GH2?

SAS — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 13:32:42 +0000

Hi again everyone.

I have been looking around for the best "bang for buck" HD video camera with an interchangeable lens system that I can build a reasonable rig for - 4 under £3,000.

In the end I decided that I could not wait and put down a hefty deposit towards the Panasonic GH2H. the one with the 14 - 140mm lens included...

After I have paid the rest of the full price it will have cost me £900.

I am interested to know which lenses you all recommend I try out and invest in for use with this camera.

I am likely to make factual documentaries, also music videos and a small number (minimum of 10) short fictional films.

Also what lighting kits are good and which rigs do you recommend?

many thanks....

28mm f2.8 Vivitar Close Focus for GH2

Shaveblog — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 09:33:16 +0000

Anyone own this lens? I keep hearing raves about the Komine-made Canon FD mount version for DSLR video in particular and whenever it comes up on eBay it sells for way more than I would think a 28mm f2.8 FD-mount would. The consensus is the Close Focus is a freak lens, way better than other Vivitars and better even than some Canon/Nikon glass.

You can pick up Canon's excellent FD 28mm f2.8 all day long on eBay for well under $100. If you've shot with this Vivitar Close Focus, is it really that much better?

Need help identifying this lens & mount!

bonanza69 — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 02:34:54 +0000

OK, I'm wanting see if anyone can help me identify what lens mount this could be and if you know who possibly could have made it and its possible uses(would just be a bonus). It has no markings whatsoever except "lens made in France". It's a zoom and has 10blade aperture(no clicks), so i assume its a cine lens considering the age. It's black but seems to be made of brass. I'm thinking 16mm or super16mm.. not sure. Any help would be appreciated!

35mm F2 Canon FD lens

CTK121275 — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 14:15:22 +0000

Does anyone know if the fd 35mm f2 (app goes to 16 not 22 as mentioned in another thread) with S.S.C written in red letters on the front is considered "magic" like the chrome nose version? Any real optical difference?

Iscomorphot 16 mm HELP

mlysbakken — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 10:28:59 +0000

Hi! I just received my new Iscomorphot 16 mm 2x, which I recently won in an auction on ebay. I haven't received my lens clamp yet, so I haven't gotten to thoroughly test it, but by simply aiming my taking lens through the anamorphic it becomes clear that its focus ring has no immediately recognisable effect. I believe common practice is to set the taking lens to infinity and rack focus with the anamorphic, but the only option I seem to have here is to rack focus with the taking lens and just leave the anamorphic be (which did seem to work allright in my initial test, but I can't be sure). Since I can't test this out thoroughly without a clamp, I'd be happy if someone could jump in with some insight! Is this common for this particular lens, or have I wasted my money here?

Thanks!