Lenses

[jonpais]

22 minutes ago, BTM_Pix said:

If you're after vintage, cheap, big constant aperture zoom range and parfocal then have a look at some B4 stuff.

I got this Angenieux for the LS300 as I needed it for the press conference stuff I do but obviously with it now being MFT mount I put it on the GX80 for a laugh!

Its 8.7mm f1.7 with a 15x zoom.

With the GX80 you have to deploy the internal doubler on the lens to get the image to fill the frame so its then 18mm-ish and f2.8 but the LS300 just laughs at that kind of behaviour and uses its VSM to scale it so you don't need the doubler. And it then makes it a 30x zoom by using its Prime Zoom function as well !

£200 for the lens, £70 for the adapter and about £50 for the battery plate, cable and Sony NP battery to power the servo zoom.

It is ever so slightly unbalanced on the GX80 obviously !

I'll put a bit of footage up of it when I get a chance if anyone is interested.

 

That's one beast of a lens!

[PannySVHS]

7 hours ago, jonpais said:

That's one beast of a lens!

Now, would be cool if GX85 and lens are powered both by a vmount, if electronic support for lens is needed. Kinda looking pretty cool!

@BTM_Pix, does the lens function without electricity, since it seems to have mechanical focus, aperture and zoom, beside the servo function?

Does it cover UHD or HD with the doubler?

[BTM_Pix]

1 hour ago, PannySVHS said:

Now, would be cool if GX85 and lens are powered both by a vmount, if electronic support for lens is needed. Kinda looking pretty cool!

@BTM_Pix, does the lens function without electricity, since it seems to have mechanical focus, aperture and zoom, beside the servo function?

Does it cover UHD or HD with the doubler?

The IBIS works well with it but of course with it being a non-native zoom lens its not ideal as you have to tell the camera which focal length you're going to be using.

Its not something you'd be wanting to handhold much though to be honest.

Oddly enough though, despite being 1.8kg and weighing 300g more than my Nikon 70-200 f2.8, it feels far lighter because the 70-200 is very nose heavy. The hand grip combines with that better balance to make it doable - especially as it has the heft to sit solidly in your palm so works well in a look down mode with a swivel up rear VF like the GX80 -  but, as I say, its not really a walkabout lens!

It does function without power but don't expect to be doing a smooth zoom as there is a fair amount of resistance on the ring. That battery plate I'm using (which is a cheapo one for the BMPCC) weighs nothing and has an integral velcro strap and tripod thread so its easy to mount it out of the way with out without additional rigging. You could probably get away with a smaller version of the Sony battery as well but its all I had around.

It covers both HD and 4K without vignetting but you must engage either the len's own doubler if you're using it in 4K mode but if its just HD then you have the option of using the EX-TELE function on the camera instead to achieve the same effect which avoids the light loss of the doubler.

[PannySVHS]

12 hours ago, BTM_Pix said:

It covers both HD and 4K without vignetting but you must engage either the len's own doubler if you're using it in 4K mode but if its just HD then you have the option of using the EX-TELE function on the camera instead to achieve the same effect which avoids the light loss of the doubler.

 

Thanks for testin this! Would prefer the optical doubler for better resolution. The light loss should be similar to the digital crop in the way that the smaller sensor area has more noise

at the same aperture and ISO, which has been reported well about the Lumix Extele mode.

[BTM_Pix]

1 minute ago, PannySVHS said:

 

Thanks for testin this! Would prefer the optical doubler for better resolution. The light loss should be similar to the digital crop in the way that the smaller sensor area has more noise

at the same aperture and ISO, which has been reported well about the Lumix Extele mode.

The advantage to using the doubler is that you can shoot in 4K and have a bit more reach on top as well. 

Not that it needs any more reach though !

[noone]

On ‎27‎/‎05‎/‎2017 at 7:45 AM, mercer said:

There's that damn 24mm f/1.4 FD that's been haunting my wallet. Do you have any videos with that lens?

I never got to a gig last night.

Went for a photo walk with the FD 24 1.4 L on my A7s early this morning and took a few short clips on the spur of the moment.     Most were too bad to show but here are probably the two "best" together.       I should have had a tripod to do this.     Any (all) problems are down to me and not the camera or lens.

 

[mercer]

2 hours ago, noone said:

I never got to a gig last night.

Went for a photo walk with the FD 24 1.4 L on my A7s early this morning and took a few short clips on the spur of the moment.     Most were too bad to show but here are probably the two "best" together.       I should have had a tripod to do this.     Any (all) problems are down to me and not the camera or lens.

 

It looks nice. Good separation and pop for a 24mm in low light. I watched the duck video earlier. Same thinking as this one. Smooth zoom too... that clear zoom is pretty slick. That's also some pretty good color... what profile are you using with your a7s?

[noone]

19 minutes ago, mercer said:

It looks nice. Good separation and pop for a 24mm in low light. I watched the duck video earlier. Same thinking as this one. Smooth zoom too... that clear zoom is pretty slick. That's also some pretty good color... what profile are you using with your a7s?

I don't use any profile.     I have tried a couple but find I like it as it is.

I am trying a few creative styles but currently have it set to standard with Contrast and saturation at 0 and sharpness at -1 though that could be changed again.

My video use isn't so serious yet.     I tend to try and get it how I like in camera as my editing skills are pretty poor.

I do love this lens for stills but I do want to use it more for video now but I do need to put it on a tripod (for video, not needed for stills).

[mercer]

1 hour ago, noone said:

I don't use any profile.     I have tried a couple but find I like it as it is.

I am trying a few creative styles but currently have it set to standard with Contrast and saturation at 0 and sharpness at -1 though that could be changed again.

My video use isn't so serious yet.     I tend to try and get it how I like in camera as my editing skills are pretty poor.

I do love this lens for stills but I do want to use it more for video now but I do need to put it on a tripod (for video, not needed for stills).

Gotcha, that makes sense. That a7s is a wicked tool. Some of the nicest 1080p video I have seen online was shot with an a7s.

I came across this video a few weeks ago. I'm already heavily invested in Canon and ML Raw, but if I hadn't been I may have picked up an a7s based on this video alone. This guy used sLog2 without any profile modifications...

He used a Minolta 35mm 1.8... which is one of my favorite lenses of all time. I had to sell it a few years back because I needed some extra cash... I still regret it. That 24mm of yours would look good under similar lighting, I would think? It may look nicer. 

[jonpais]

I still haven't seen any footage from the Leica 12-60mm f/2.8-4 that touches the Leica DG Summilux 12mm f/1.4 at any aperture. This despite assertions by reviewers that it's just at the edges of the frame that we begin to see the differences. And I've yet to see any adapted lens at the same focal length equivalent that can equal the quality of the Leica Nocticron 42.5mm f/1.2 or the Olympus 75mm f/1.8 on a m43 body. So none of these arguments that premium m43 lenses aren't worth it carry any weight with me whatsoever. I don't want to see links to YT reviews anymore. I want to see your own comparisons, proving to me that an adapted lens is superior to a micro four thirds lens.

Edit: Preferably ungraded, no sharpening added in post, of course!

[Cinegain]

Thought we cleared this up 2 weeks ago already... it's a matter of perspective... actually, more one of wallet and sensible spending.

'Is it worth it?' is so subjective. To the one: yes, to the other: no. There's no definite right or wrong here. Just whatever works for you. Depends what you are looking for. In terms of absolute quality, the Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 probably is the best thing ever to have come from the MFT system. I'd love to see someone denying it's any good. Personally, I have gladly paid the price for the Leica 15mm f/1.7, Olympus 75mm f/1.8 and Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN which are MFT lenses (see? I'm not opposed to that), because at those prices you're actually getting shockingly good value/quality in return. But that 42.5mm f/1.2 by Leica has such a pricetag, that it's just not for everybody. That doesn't mean they don't like it, or that it's not worth it for some... just not to them (made up scenario: would you pay a 80% jump up in price to get 20% better quality? Maybe you would, maybe someone else wouldn't). There's a lot of things you can do with money, so most are probably thinking twice before spending well over a thousand bucks on a single focal length lens (it's great that you are able to do it, doesn't mean others can or should). Instead of shooting the 'wildlife' that visits the garden with the incredible 42.5mm f/1.2, maybe someone would rather settle for the Sigma and buy tickets to fly somewhere for the weekend to change up what's in front of the lens, instead of the lens itself. What ends up being captured ultimately is priceless, that's a combination of light, subject, scenery, composition, timing, etc... the lens is just a supporting actor in the grand scheme of things.

So, I wouldn't say adapted lenses are superior to ones that can natively be adapted to the MFT mount... nor have a seen anyone claiming that this is the case period. The Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 is probably the best thing you can throw in front of your GH5 or whatever camera. But... there are certain benefits of adapting off-system lenses. Like: spending less money, maybe leaving more money to buy more lenses, like a set of primes in different focal lengths with matching character. Or trips... or supporting gear, lighting, audio... or just saving up money, because it's a healthy thing to do. Obviously you can use off-system lenses on non-MFT systems. E.g. I have the Nikon D5300 that takes pretty awesome stills, so a lot of my lenses are in Nikon-mount, which probably is the most flexbile mount out there, even allowing Nikon mount lenses to be adapted to Canon mount cameras (or adapters). Plus, most modern lenses need electronic adaptation with Canon lenses for aperture control, when the same lens in Nikon mount allows you to use a mechanical interlink, so a simple ring on the adapter takes care of it. You can boost f/1.2 and f/1.4 lenses beyond what's possible with a native MFT lens too. Of course there's trade-offs, either you don't get any electronic control over aperture, autofocus and stabilization or the implementation is less effective than that with native lenses. The lenses with added adapter are way bulkier, et cetera. But adapting is a dope option to have! Also, I really love APS-C/S35 performance and its look. I think in 2 or 3 years the switch is happening and then all my MFT lenses will be rendered useless.

In the ideal world, we'd all have infinite amounts of money and would just get the best in everything. In the real world, we all have different situations, different philosophies, different budgets, different wants, different needs and different possibilities. Some people go to the grocery store and buy the cheapest grinded coffee there is and let their coffeemaker brew 'em a pot. Some buy expensive beans from some ethical natural brand and by hand process the beans and press 'em into a single cup of coffee. And then there's people who go to Starbucks. Hey, in the end, if everyone's enjoying their coffee, it's all good, right?

[jonpais]

23 minutes ago, Cinegain said:

Thought we cleared this up 2 weeks ago already... it's a matter of perspective... actually, more one of wallet and sensible spending.

'Is it worth it?' is so subjective. To the one: yes, to the other: no. There's no definite right or wrong here. Just whatever works for you. Depends what you are looking for. In terms of absolute quality, the Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 probably is the best thing ever to have come from the MFT system. I'd love to see someone denying it's any good. Personally, I have gladly paid the price for the Leica 15mm f/1.7, Olympus 75mm f/1.8 and Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN which are MFT lenses (see? I'm not opposed to that), because at those prices you're actually getting shockingly good value/quality in return. But that 42.5mm f/1.2 by Leica has such a pricetag, that it's just not for everybody. That doesn't mean they don't like it, or that it's not worth it for some... just not to them (made up scenario: would you pay a 80% jump up in price to get 20% better quality? Maybe you would, maybe someone else wouldn't). There's a lot of things you can do with money, so most are probably thinking twice before spending well over a thousand bucks on a single focal length lens (it's great that you are able to do it, doesn't mean others can or should). Instead of shooting the 'wildlife' that visits the garden with the incredible 42.5mm f/1.2, maybe someone would rather settle for the Sigma and buy tickets to fly somewhere for the weekend to change up what's in front of the lens, instead of the lens itself. What ends up being captured ultimately is priceless, that's a combination of light, subject, scenery, composition, timing, etc... the lens is just a supporting actor in the grand scheme of things.

So, I wouldn't say adapted lenses are superior to ones that can natively be adapted to the MFT mount... nor have a seen anyone claiming that this is the case period. The Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 is probably the best thing you can throw in front of your GH5 or whatever camera. But... there are certain benefits of adapting off-system lenses. Like: spending less money, maybe leaving more money to buy more lenses, like a set of primes in different focal lengths with matching character. Or trips... or supporting gear, lighting, audio... or just saving up money, because it's a healthy thing to do. Obviously you can use off-system lenses on non-MFT systems. E.g. I have the Nikon D5300 that takes pretty awesome stills, so a lot of my lenses are in Nikon-mount, which probably is the most flexbile mount out there, even allowing Nikon mount lenses to be adapted to Canon mount cameras (or adapters). Plus, most modern lenses need electronic adaptation with Canon lenses for aperture control, when the same lens in Nikon mount allows you to use a mechanical interlink, so a simple ring on the adapter takes care of it. You can boost f/1.2 and f/1.4 lenses beyond what's possible with a native MFT lens too. Of course there's trade-offs, either you don't get any electronic control over aperture, autofocus and stabilization or the implementation is less effective than that with native lenses. The lenses with added adapter are way bulkier, et cetera. But adapting is a dope option to have! Also, I really love APS-C/S35 performance and its look. I think in 2 or 3 years the switch is happening and then all my MFT lenses will be rendered useless.

In the ideal world, we'd all have infinite amounts of money and would just get the best in everything. In the real world, we all have different situations, different philosophies, different budgets, different wants, different needs and different possibilities. Some people go to the grocery store and buy the cheapest grinded coffee there is and let their coffeemaker brew 'em a pot. Some buy expensive beans from some ethical natural brand and by hand process the beans and press 'em into a single cup of coffee. And then there's people who go to Starbucks. Hey, in the end, if everyone's enjoying their coffee, it's all good, right?

But in three years, we'll still be able to prolong the life of those m43 lenses on the EVA2. ?

[Cinegain]

19 minutes ago, jonpais said:

But in three years, we'll still be able to prolong the life of those m43 lenses on the EVA2. ?

MFT mount EVA2 for teh win!

I sorta get what they're going for with the EVA1 though, but it's a shame there's no interchangeable sub-$5k MFT mount Panasonic, all-in-one (grip, handle, monitor, XLR, ND, etc) up from the GH-range, that would make all the complicated over-rigging with cages, arms, clamps and cables a thing of the past. More and more, something like the JVC GY-LS300 (especially stuff like a prime zoom function!) gets more interesting... but seems the companies are fishing for the bigger fish in 6499+ waters.

[jonpais]

For those like me who foolishly blew all their cash on gear and can't buy tickets to go anywhere, here's some inspiration. Maybe this doesn't belong in the lenses thread, but Brandon does tell us which lenses he used.  

 

[jonpais]

The reason there's no longer a video in the post above is that the hotel where Brandon shot the video made him take it down, saying recording in the rooms is prohibited. Good thing I made a copy before he took it down from YT!

 

[AaronChicago]

I was doing some research to see if I could find a lens mod to the Canon 17-55 f2.8 and came across this company. They have modded Canon L lenses as well. I cannot find any reviews online anywhere. Has anyone ever heard of this before?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Customized-Canon-EF-S-17-55mm-f-2-8-IS-USM-cine-lens-for-EOS-DSLR-Cameras-Pro/262784327395?_trksid=p2481888.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3D7ff8886fc03e4866a2f4a71191fd1515%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D14%26sd%3D272543007553&_trkparms=pageci%3Aab54cf51-4cab-11e7-87e1-74dbd180ceef%7Cparentrq%3A8a47e11015c0ab15e9e4ac45fffbc265%7Ciid%3A1

[Fritz Pierre]

27 minutes ago, AaronChicago said:

I was doing some research to see if I could find a lens mod to the Canon 17-55 f2.8 and came across this company. They have modded Canon L lenses as well. I cannot find any reviews online anywhere. Has anyone ever heard of this before?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Customized-Canon-EF-S-17-55mm-f-2-8-IS-USM-cine-lens-for-EOS-DSLR-Cameras-Pro/262784327395?_trksid=p2481888.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3D7ff8886fc03e4866a2f4a71191fd1515%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D14%26sd%3D272543007553&_trkparms=pageci%3Aab54cf51-4cab-11e7-87e1-74dbd180ceef%7Cparentrq%3A8a47e11015c0ab15e9e4ac45fffbc265%7Ciid%3A1

The mod looks good....if the optics are good and the Focus scale is accurate, the price would be amazing...never heard of this company...but one of the advantages of EBay and PayPal is security...I would start with email questions via eBay to the seller, as that immediately leaves a paper trail for eBay, in case of a dispute...also check if you're responsible for the $60 shipping and return shipping if they're misrepresenting the lens.

[Cinegain]

I have. http://www.pchood.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=45

On 13-2-2016 at 9:00 AM, Cinegain said:

Yup. I know of G.L.Optics. Duclos... Cinematics/PCHood. I might've mentioned them a couple of times around here. But rehousing by third parties always ends up being super expensive (like 3500 USD expensive and it's still the same optics and coatings as the stills version, Tokina's own VDSLR/CINE versions are still based on the same optical formula, but they can optimize it for its new purpose from the ground up, which give them a great advantage over normal rehousing, making the up in price suddenly not so far fetched). Then I'd rather have the manufacturer come up with something... Like Samyang/Rokinon: VDSLR/CINE, CINE DS versions and XEEN.

Looked at them way back when for to get the Bourne lenses cinemodded. Actually those get quite the vigourous make-over, so they end up being rather pricey still. Looks pretty legit though. They do the Tokina 11-16mm which I looked at as well. Contax Zeiss too, but be careful, in that case you'll need to supply the lenses to them!

I remember them having a YouTube channel, found it: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHH2Gs7puZXUGqJPtpd7tDw/videos .

[Cinegain]

- hum, EOSHD glitched there for like half an hour -

[AaronChicago]

11 hours ago, Cinegain said:

I have. http://www.pchood.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=45

Looked at them way back when for to get the Bourne lenses cinemodded. Actually those get quite the vigourous make-over, so they end up being rather pricey still. Looks pretty legit though. They do the Tokina 11-16mm which I looked at as well. Contax Zeiss too, but be careful, in that case you'll need to supply the lenses to them!

I remember them having a YouTube channel, found it: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHH2Gs7puZXUGqJPtpd7tDw/videos .

I'm having a hard time getting an answer from them about focus throw. They say it rotates 360 with no hard stops. That's fine, but I'm curious if the distance from MIN to INFINITY increases with the gear mod.