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Video-Friendly Lenses for Lumix DSLRs
  • 211 Replies sorted by
  • markussenmarkussen
    @LPowell
    great overview, I do a lot with my Contax CarlZeiss 28/2.8 50/1.7 135/2.8 and I am impressed by the performance, but I do have no comparizon to other vintage lenses... these lenses are NOT in your list?!?

    IMHO compared to Lumix G 14-45 and 14-140 contrast and sharpness on the Lumix lenses is more appearent especially for Photos, for Video the CarlZeiss lenses bring more "reality", less plastic look.... for Portraits the 50mm 1.7 gives great DOF/blurr and gives the object more "identity"

    any professional experiences??

    thanks in advance

    Kurt
  • kazuokazuo
    I use legacy primes extensively on the GH2, and I concur with Markussen that the Contax Zeiss 50mm f1.7 does yield tremendous images - creamy, visuals are very sharp in the centre only to taper off in lovely bokeh. I compare this with the Canon FD f1.4, another very fast lens; both have very thin DOF, but I like the Zeiss quite a bit better.

    I also use Leicas, and Voigtlanders and they blow me away despite all the cropping. There's also the venerable Nokton 25mm f0.95, the one lens you must have in yr kit if you disregard all the rest. I use this as a general lens, and almost always stick to it as much as possible. Just vary my focal distances, until of course I am forced to go really wide, like shooting landscape or buildings.

    Speaking of 50mm lenses, check out also the Noktor Hyperprime. Another very fast lens that you would use to make films of cinematic quality.

    When you pair a Nokton or Leica, or Zeiss, with the hacked patch, you do get something that far exceeds the 5D, IMHO. I have shot more than 20 projects on the 5D; in fact i was amongst the first to adopt it when it was still shooting only in NTSC (I live in PAL land). But I have since traded it for the GH2, and never looked back. The 5D may be a full frame camera but many pp don't realise that its sensor actually functions at half its optimal value when recording video (thus all the issues with moire et al).

    I can't wait for the day when Zeiss or Leica finally starts making m4/3 lenses.
  • kazuokazuo
    I read on another forum how some of these techkies tried to argue about the diameter of the Nokton, and whether it gives a true 25m when fixed on m4/3.

    At the end of the day, any lens is just a piece of ground glass crafted to certain levels of perfection. How well it performs in reality is really up to the user.

    So stop splitting hairs, go get a life, and a lens, even a $50 one, and start getting creative!
  • pingpongcomputerpingpongcomputer
    Has anyone picked up the samyang/rokinon/bower 14mm2.8?
    right now I'm using all olympus zuiko om mount primes, mainly the 24/2.8 and a 55/1.2, working great, but I lack a wide lens
  • kazuokazuo
    Voigtlander has a 15mm ultra wide prime. It's on Leica M mount. Check it out
  • stoneystoney
    Many SLR lenses are great. But mostly not video friendly. e.g. Try to use the Nokton 25mm 0.95 with a matte box and 4x4 filters. Of course you could use a Fader ND filter and a hood. It works. But this topic is about "readily" video friendly lenses.

    When a maker claims for video optimized lens, it's gotta have a fixed length barrel.
  • kazuokazuo
    For that matter, are Carl Zeiss CP lenses video friendly? I remember they don't come cheap, but filmmakers seem to like using them for some reason.

    There are always alternative ways to shade the lens. I have seen pp fix on matte boxes but there are no lenses or filters in the grooves. Posers?

    I guess when you really need to get a job done, you will find a way
  • stoneystoney
    +1. I totally agree with you.

    It's useful to know which lenses are readily video friendly. That's all ;)
  • stoneystoney
    BTW Zeiss CP.2 lenses are readily video friendly. It meets @LPowell's criteria list.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    @stonebat

    Btw, Cinematics are making Zeiss conversions making CP2 like housings for Zeiss lenses :-)
  • stoneystoney
    Really? Show me a photo.
  • stoneystoney
    It should be relatively easy for lens makers to implement fixed length barrel.

    e.g. Nokton 25mm 0.95 could have a "male" filter thread around outer barrel. Screw in a 77mm "female" housing. That housing should cover the max barrel length of the lens.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    image

    image
    lens-1.jpg
    1000 x 667 - 166K
    lens-2.jpg
    1000 x 667 - 144K
  • pingpongcomputerpingpongcomputer
    I use all my lenses and a zacuto matte box with no problem, just have a 77mm step-up ring and slip the elastic from the matte box over the ring
  • LPowellLPowell
    @markussen
    @kazuo
    Contax Zeiss primes are superb still photography lenses, but as with Nikon AI-S, Canon FD, Pentax K, Minolta MD, and Konica AR primes, they are not really well-suited for use on a rig with follow focus and matte box. Image quality is not the issue here, it's primarily a matter of ergonomics, with cost a secondary factor. The lenses I listed above are all available new or used for less than $500.

    @Vitaliy_Kiselev
    Thanks for posting the detailed images of the Zeiss CP.2 prime lenses. These are designed explicitly for video use and are ideal examples of the type of ergonomics that's required. They currently retail for bit less than $4000 each.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    @LPowell
    >Thanks for posting the detailed images of the Zeiss CP.2 prime lenses

    This is not Zeiss CP.2 if you look carefully :-)
    This is special housings and conversion done by Cinematics, much cheaper than original CP.2.
  • LPowellLPowell
    @Vitaliy_Kiselev
    Ah, I see: "Cinematics CT.2". Very nice work.
  • stoneystoney
    @pingpongcomputer Zacuto Universal Donut?
  • stoneystoney
    Where to buy those Cinematics CT.2?
  • pingpongcomputerpingpongcomputer
    @stonebat yeah, sorry, Zacuto universal donut w/Petroff matte box
  • B3GuyB3Guy
    @Vitaliy_Kiselev how much do those re-housed Zeiss lenses ,and what's the benefit over a mod by Duclos? (his look very good, but are not "re-housed". He adds Delrin focus gears, declicks, and standardizes the front thread.) http://www.ducloslenses.com/Duclos_Lenses/zf.html
  • kazuokazuo
    yeah, this CT2 looks like it will fit nicely with the Contax Zeiss Planar f1.7 50mm as well.

    Where to get one? How much? Googled but couldn't find info.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    @kazuo

    I'll ask them.
  • GabelGabel
    @stonebat: The idea of a "cinevised" lens filter is something I've thought of for a long time! The only hard part is that each needs to be made for each model of lens (to fit them) and for the focus marks to match... For new lenses it's ok, but I'd love to see that for my Nikons!
  • sohussohus
    Do the Panasonic lenses work with a FF system?

    I understand that the Voigtlander doesn't work with a FF system?

    I have the 14-140mm lens and am looking to buy 3 lenses. Which ones do you recommend that offer a consistent color range (different lens brands have different characteristics). Do the Olympus/Panasonic MFT lenses match?
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