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Help me to select gear. Beginners topic.
  • blacksteblackste
    Hi, I am all set to order a Rokinon 85mm 1.4 to use with my hacked GH1. Currently I have the Lumix 14-140 and 20mm pancake. I will be ordering this from USA along with some other items and using US address supplied by https://bongous.com/ to have the goods delivered to my country.

    I am accumulating as many things as possible that I need from USA, since I get to save on the freight charges.

    I would appreciate your help on things I need for using the Rokinon (this is mainly for the video) on GH1 and some suggestion on other gears.

    Here is my list

    1. Rokinon 85mm 1.4 for Canon (going Canon as I have plans to buy some Canon FD lens, however no Canon lenses with me yet)
    2. Which canon adapter would you recommend? Will the EF mount be able to take FD lens? Or you need a separate FD adapter as well?
    3. Need a Vari-ND filter. How many stops will be needed if I need to use 1.4 in daylight on ISO 100 at 50 fps? Is Fader ND from Lightcrafts a good buy? Is 77mm future proof?
    4. Would like to buy some FD macro lens. Any suggestions? This is also for video mainly. Any other FD lens that would be a nice addition?
    5. What is the secret behind the cost of the Novoflex FD adapter?
    6. Is there any focus help available for the Rokinon on a GH1?
    7. Any budget follow focus with rods etc? This is not a priority, but I just might get one.

    Any help is greatly appreciated.




  • 15 Replies sorted by
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    Canon FD and moder Canon EF mount are different things, period.

    I also do not like such topics. Forums of full of them, and usualyl they do not help anyone.
    Because it, literally means that you want someone to make homework for you.
    So, I suggest you to read different topics and choose proper components.
    And ask questions in this topics.

  • blacksteblackste
    Thanks Vitaliy for clarifying...

    For newbie, I have already done a 'lot' of homework, else I would not be able to ask these questions. It was not my intention to make other do my work. Only being a newbie in these matters, I have more work to do than others well versed in this matters. I am reading more since I posted here. Many a time I have got (and given also in my areas of strength) opinions that has saved a lot of pain or simply improved decision making. I guess this is the reason online forums are popular and why you see lot of such questions all over the internet.

    Most forums exist for the purpose exchange of ideas and to help each other. If my post is against the forum rules, my apologies and please do remove it. Else, there could be someone here who may not find it objectionable and willing to shed some insight. Please allow them. Of course, you make the call and I would not argue with you on what you feel is apt for this community.

    I respect you and I know you do not like to see unwanted clutter, which could be the reason you are not fond of posts like mine. So no offense taken and hope I have not offended you either.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    >If my post is against the forum rules, my apologies and please do remove it.

    We don't have forum rules. I don't even plan to have them :-)

    My task is to keep it manageable and useful.
    This is why I asked you to break your post and ask questions in proper topics.
    As even choosing proper topic will answer big part of your question.
  • blacksteblackste
    >This is why I asked you to break your post and ask questions in proper topics.

    Thanks, that makes a lot of sense. I thought of asking some separate questions in the sub forums, but then didn't feel like opening too many topics. Hence kept it under generic Gears forum as I need not explain the rationale behind the purchase of each item in each sub forum :)
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    OK, I made it generic topic.
    So all "I want to buy this, don't know why" will be here.
  • last_SHIFTlast_SHIFT
    This is going to be a tough road - you may just have to swallow it up and 'learn by spending'. For example...how much have we all wasted on finding the perfect '50' ;-)

    It would also help if you start by telling us 1) what you are shooting, and 1a) why you think your current tools cannot achieve it.
  • blacksteblackste
    Thanks.. Basically all I need to know is what support gears need to be paired with the Rokinon 85mm to get it working on GH1. I agree some of my questions were too generic....

    I shoot a lot of portrait videos and I like the look of Rokinon 85mm. I normally find I use the 14-140mm at its tele end a lot for the isolation and I don't quite like 20mm for shooting people. However kit lens is kind of useless when indoors. So this is the rationale for 85mm plus the bokeh. The need for Fader ND is just in case I need to have the lens wide open in day light. So it is not that I haven't faintest clue as to what what I need, but needed some learned advise to make sure I don't order something I cannot use as it will not be easy for me to return it, as I am not in USA.

    So I primarily need a recommendation for:

    m4/3 adpater recommendation for the EF mount 85mm
    A good Vari-ND and required fstop levels.

    I guess I will leave the FD lens decision for later or for another post.

    Probably this topic is now fit for the Filters, Adapters, Matte boxes sub forum :-)

    All help so far is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance as well.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    Just get any proper adapter, they are cheap.
    And also think if 85mm is not too long as portrait lens on GH2.
    And you do not need it to be Canon. It is much better to get Pentax or Nikon, so you could later, if you need, mount them on Canon. Btw, Pentax version works on all modern Pentax bodies in all auto modes (except focus :-) )
    You can try 50mm, I like Pentax SMC lenses, others like Canon FD, we have topic on fast 50s.
    Also you can try Olympus 45mm. It is quite cheap and extremely good lens.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    About ND filters

    http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=JYC+ND+77mm&_sacat=0&_stpos=&gbr=1&_odkw=JYC+ND+77mm&_osacat=0

    You can try set (ND2,ND4,ND8) of JYC ND filters.
    From cheap filters this ones are best as I know.

    On 85mm they will be also sharper than any fader filter.
  • blacksteblackste
    Thanks Vitaliy..

    >It is much better to get Pentax or Nikon, so you could later, if you need, mount them on Canon.

    Can you please elaborate a bit on that? Do you mean a Nikon or Pentax would also mount on Canon with an adapter?

    >You can try set (ND2,ND4,ND8) of JYC ND filters.

    Hmm do the image suffer much compared to a Vari-ND? The Ebay lists 7-21 days shipping time, that's another hassle :(
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    @blackste

    >Do you mean a Nikon or Pentax would also mount on Canon with an adapter?

    Yes. But I still suggest to use Google, at least sometimes :-)

    >Hmm do the image suffer much compared to a Vari-ND?

    Image on ND filters is always better compared to fader filters.

  • davhardavhar
    "ND filters is always better compared to fader filters"

    Obviously correct. Faders are the lazy man's cheap remedy. Start with a .6 or .9 and/or a polarizer and go from there. What you put in front of the lens is almost as important as the quality of the lens itself. It's all about clean light hitting a good sensor. That's why primes are better than zooms; ie- less glass to go through
  • julesjules
    but the convenience of a fader can outweigh any loss.. it depends, as ever, on your needs.
  • stoneystoney
    @blackste Welcome aboard!!! Ready to burn a hole in your wallet?

    http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/575/confessions-of-a-vdslr-shopaholic/p1
  • blacksteblackste
    >@ Vitaliy > Yes. But I still suggest to use Google, at least sometimes :-)

    OK, guilty as charged :).

    Now I have to start the exercise for a Nikon adapter and read all around again :) A cursory look on Nikon to m4/3 adapter (including oh so costly Novoflex one) tells me that some lenses do not fit. So will the Rokinon fit if I get a cheaper one like, say Fotodiox one?

    @ stonebat> Welcome aboard!!! Ready to burn a hole in your wallet?

    Thanks! I have been here for some time and lurker here from the beginning. Just had to change my old id Black_Ste as I misplaced the password :(. And I have read that thread of your travails on gear obsession from the beginning :) You just put to words what many a majority here go through including wannabe gear fetishes like me :)

    As for filters - I am looking at some Marumis now. It look like almost all of them ship from Hong Kong and takes 7-20 days. So I might just get them to ship to my country direct.

    Will ND-8 filter be sufficient for Rokinon 85mm at 1.4|f/50 in bright sun light? I have a Hoya ND4 filter, it is not enough to keep f/50 on 14-140 also on a bright day. Or can you stack two of them together and not experience much quality reduction. Also do I need step up rings or step down adapter rings to use a 77mm ND on 14-140 or 20mm PC?

    Thanks everybody for the contributions and help.
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