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Kowa USA - Torrance , CA ..... Road trip anyone?
  • CRFilmsCRFilms
    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? :)
  • 33 Replies sorted by
  • PerryWilsonPerryWilson
    if it is a rebranded Kowa lens then it is from the new XC line... but there 12mm isnt that fast rated at f/2 from kowa... but then again perhaps it isnt seeing as how the Kowa XC is a 4/3 designed lens, and the new 12mm hyperprime still has some vignetting
  • CRFilmsCRFilms
    @PerryWilson, @zcream posted this video:


    That's an 8mm "Machine Lens" and it almost covers the whole sensor. That lens is for 1", a lot of the other CCTV lenses posted are for 1/2 -2/3". The thrid link I posted has model numbers for 8mm-75mm but the 75mm is f1.8, all the others are f1.4.
  • PerryWilsonPerryWilson
    yeah that lens nowhere near covers... that vignette is BEYOND unacceptable... the only lenses I would EVER buy from kowa are the XC series because I know they have greater than 23mm image circle... but they are also slow at f/2... seing as how I have my LOMO prime set from 28-135 all f/2 (actually f/1.8) I wouldnt buy slower cctv lenses
  • CRFilmsCRFilms
    Ugh...I'm not talking about 4/3", I'm talking ONE INCH! That lens doesn't cover and it's 8MM - ONE INCH!! They have 12.5 and 16mm, up to 75mm.

    If the 12.5mm is the same as the Noktor 12.5mm then that means you could order a Kowa for $254 instead of a Noktor for $500. If only somebody lived near a Kowa dealer that had these lenses in stock. I already called two places near me and nobody has one.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    You can order from online shop I listed and later sell some lenses you do not like.
  • CRFilmsCRFilms
    @Vitaliy_Kiselev I'm not that dedicated or rich. If I'm going to spend that much I'm going to keep it and I want a sure thing. I also emailed a Goyo dealer to see how much they sell the F0.95 that the Noktor is supposed to be based on, but so far nothing.

    That's why I'm asking if anybody in Cali that lives near the Kowa headquarters, if they can do it.
  • PerryWilsonPerryWilson
    your basing your information on the rantings of another user... I doubt that the slr magic lens is a 1 inch kowa... because the 1 inch kowa 12.5 is NOT going to cover the GH line sensor
  • CRFilmsCRFilms
    The video I reposted above shows that at 8mm, it covers a lot.
    That video is a 12.5mm Computar on a GH2, pic below of it's crop..

    That 8mm has less vingetting than the 12.5mm no? Why? One inch lens vs smaller cctv lens. Also the 1" lens is a machine lens for industry not a CCTV lens for surveillance. That's why this topic is titled "road trip" so if someone lives close to Torrance, CA or another Kowa dealer, they might be able to attach a 1" lense or two to a gh1/2 and get some REAL evidence or sample footage. My local dealers don't have them in stock for me to test.
    Computar12.5.jpg
    1280 x 720 - 41K
  • bannedindvbannedindv
    Firstly - F2 is not slow. Secondly - yeah we should test their new XC line.
  • PerryWilsonPerryWilson
    f2 is slow... when you are used to shooting with RPP and MasterPrimes also Lomos that act EXACTLY like masterprimes... I agree that the XC line should be tested but they are just WAY too much...
  • RandyCatanachRandyCatanach
    @CRFilms a quick google search of kowa 12.5mm and i came up with this.

    http://www.mu-43.com/f40/kowa-12-5mm-f1-4-c-mount-ep2-5027/

    i understood what you were getting at by comparing the computar 8mm and 12mm (which everybody else couldn't seem to comprehend) but they're probably made for different size sensors.

    sorry to disappoint but the slr magic lens isn't a kowa.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    I doubt that here someone seriously thought that Kowa 12.5mm and Noktor are the same lens :-)
  • RandyCatanachRandyCatanach
    @Vitaliy_Kiselev CRFilms seemed quit convinced with the possibility so i thought i'd save him and any other users with the same thought some trouble
  • CRFilmsCRFilms
    I saw that, and that's a still pic...is that pic the same size as video? If so there's still 16mm, 25mm 35mm and 50mm all f1.4.
  • zcreamzcream
    @RandyCatanach That is not the current Kowa 12.5mm lens. Its an older version from a vidicon camera. That about 30-40 years old.
    Look at the posters comments.
    The new version of the 12.5mm lens - which has been discontinued too, may still cover the sensor.
  • RandyCatanachRandyCatanach
    @CRFilms hmm i think on a gh2 it wouldn't be as tall but would be wider. so that particular lens would still vignette but yeah, as @zcream pointed out i guess it's actually a different lens. might want to pursue the newer model lens still.
  • CRFilmsCRFilms
    @RandyCatanach Yeah, but with the GH2 you can do the crop, the GH1 can't that's why I'm interested in this. Even if somebody did the test and the 16mm=35mm worked, I probably wouldn't get one new. You can get a Canon FD 1.4 for around $80-90.

    Or I'd try and shoot the moon and go for a Goyo F0.95 lens(what they say the Noktor 50mm is a rebadged version of). The 50mm is around $700 and the 25mm is under $400, but don't know if it will cover since it's also a 1" lens.

    The Kowa 4/3" XC lenses are around $1000....so for that money, just go for a real Nokton. Under a certain $, I just want the cheapest that's good enough, but if I have to spend serious cash, then I'll go for the best.
  • PerryWilsonPerryWilson
    The Kowa XC lenses could be the best(no one has tested) and ETC mode sucks on the Gh cameras, unless it high noon
  • P4INKillerP4INKiller
    I was under the impression that it was supposed to be an 8mm Kowa with a tele adapter.
  • TheMonkTheMonk
    Actually, I live in Torrance. I might be able to work something out if anyone is still interested.
  • CRFilmsCRFilms
    @TheMonk Yes, if you could make a video on it, that would be awesome.
  • TheMonkTheMonk
    @CRFilms

    I just got my GH2 so I'm revisiting this thread. I looked up the Kowa location and it turns out that they are literally up the street from me.

    What C mount would you recommend?
    Is this a good option?

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003EAS5SM/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/187-3789210-0132910

    Tell me what lenses you want me to test and I'll go down and shoot it as soon as I receive my adapter.
  • CRFilmsCRFilms
    @TheMonk I have no Idea what adapter because I have no C Mount lenses. I'd like to see the F0.95 lenses. If they fit or can be made to fit, those would be the cheapest lenses of that speed.
  • zcreamzcream
    @CRFilm Buy the cheapest c-mount adapter off ebay. It will screw on over at least a couple of threads but not all the way.
    Dont worry, it will only affect focusing distance, not the sensor coverage. Take a pic of anything and post it here so we can check coverage.
  • alcomposeralcomposer
    $9 from Ebay... Maybe cheaper!
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