Lenses

[dvcrn]

Hi! I'm currently using the Canon EF 16-35mm F4.0 lens and it's very nice, just a bit too chunky and the autofocus motor is kinda loud. If I have a topmounted mic, it picks up that noise and ruins the audio whenever it adjusts focus. 

I know the AF motor of these old lenses is just how this works, but now I'm considering switching to something else. Main points are: IS, has to be very wide (16mm-20mm), works well with DPAF and more importantly, has to be completely silent when it focuses. 

Looking at the EF 20mm f2.8, but it doesn't have IS, and my EOS R doesn't have IBIS. 

The 16-35mm RF looks really good, but it's damn expensive and I can't use the filter mount adapter to slide-in ND. 

[mercer]

Happy Holidays!

Since Covid-19 has made shooting possibilities pretty limited, I've decided to shift to micro short films. Here are some test frames using the Canon FD 50mm 1.2 L...

 

[PannySVHS]

@mercer Happy holidays too, dear Glenn and everybody! Black magic micro. You are one brave man.:) A perfect setup for this is tricky and pretty expensive. The original Pocket has risen in price again, running around 500USD, the Micro for much more. Would love to see your gem coupled with some of your c-mount lens treasures!

[PannySVHS]

So, here goes a Musikvideo to our shortfilm we shot this summer, Christmas in summertime:) I was DP with a friend of mine. Additionally I did the lights and my buddy will hopefully exchange the favour in doing a splendid edit. Nothing interesting about lensing in this video, besides one lens I had mentioned before and which Andrew bought afterwards as well.  We filmed with C300II and Walimex lenses and my S1 with the beautiful Unitor 35-70 2.5-3.5. Really love this lens only thing to dislike is the vari aperture. Soe even filming in 3.5 it will change on the long end. S1 was running the slim 10bit h265 codec with 420 colour and 75mbit. The lens is a real keeper. Used in FF and APSC crop.

It has nice resolution and colour and a soft quality to it, very nice mechanically. It was pretty high regarded back then under the labe of Soligor. You can find them also under the Hanimex and other labels. So here we go and Merry Christmas, dear friends!

 

[kye]

Very cheap 50/1.2 APSC lens that seems to not be rubbish..  CA is its weakness, but for under $100 you can't have everything!

 

[kye]

So, why are there no 16-50+ F4 lenses?

Everyone makes a 16-35/2.8 and a 24-70/2.8, but lots of people slowed the aperture by a stop and made 24-105/4 and there's even a Nikon 24-120/4, but no-one seems to have slowed the aperture of the 16-35 and extended it's zoom range.

A 24-120 is 60% longer than 24-70, but even if they could only add 50% more range to the 16-35 that would still make it a 16-52mm lens.

Then you could get an extra prime in there.  For people who like to shoot wider than 24, this would be a big improvement.

[noone]

4 hours ago, kye said:

So, why are there no 16-50+ F4 lenses?

Everyone makes a 16-35/2.8 and a 24-70/2.8, but lots of people slowed the aperture by a stop and made 24-105/4 and there's even a Nikon 24-120/4, but no-one seems to have slowed the aperture of the 16-35 and extended it's zoom range.

A 24-120 is 60% longer than 24-70, but even if they could only add 50% more range to the 16-35 that would still make it a 16-52mm lens.

Then you could get an extra prime in there.  For people who like to shoot wider than 24, this would be a big improvement.

FF, APSC or M43 or other?     There are KIT lenses close to that (Sony APSC 16-50 3.5-5.6) Fuji makes a 16-80 f4 APSC lens that seems very nice from reviews.

[noone]

5 hours ago, kye said:

So, why are there no 16-50+ F4 lenses?

Everyone makes a 16-35/2.8 and a 24-70/2.8, but lots of people slowed the aperture by a stop and made 24-105/4 and there's even a Nikon 24-120/4, but no-one seems to have slowed the aperture of the 16-35 and extended it's zoom range.

A 24-120 is 60% longer than 24-70, but even if they could only add 50% more range to the 16-35 that would still make it a 16-52mm lens.

Then you could get an extra prime in there.  For people who like to shoot wider than 24, this would be a big improvement.

Kye, Great question.     Ok I took that as a challenge to see if there ARE any and the two that DO fit that (16mm start and longer than 35mm and constant f4) are the Fuji I noted above and also the Sony Zeiss 16-70 f4 again though it is an APSC lens.   You can USE it on a FF camera but i would think there would be black borders at some (if not all) of the range....

Plenty that get close but all APSC.    Now SOME of those Canon APSC lens MIGHT work on FF cameras adapted (I know the cheap and cheerful Canon 18-55 APSC IS ii kit lens i have covers FF from 24mm and up pretty well.   I would love to try the Canon 15-85 3.5-5.6 APSC lens adapted to Sony FF and see what its FF range is (if any).

In FF lenses the closest I have found is the old but still sold Canon 17-40 f4 but since there is a new liking to small short slow FF zooms (IE Nikon and Sony) maybe someone will make such a thing.

The existing APSC lenses starting at 15/16/17 and 18mm all mimic 24-28mm starting FF lenses with Canon having to go slightly wider in part due to the small extra crop.

[mercer]

After a long year, I've spent the first couple weeks of 2021 reevaluating my gear and what I really need for 2021. In the process, I decided to revisit some of the inexpensive lenses in my collection.

I have some plans going forward which involves a slate of micro short films. I'd like the productions to be as bare bones as possible using humble equipment.

Luckily, I was able to get out and shoot some test shots for an upcoming thriller/mystery short entitled "Under the Boardwalk" I brought the Takumar 50mm 1.4 and an old Nikkor 50mm 1.4. Here are the results of my test...

Takumar 50mm 1.4

Nikkor 50mm 1.4

It's been a lot of fun testing out some old lenses and I must say I love the old Nikkor more than some lenses I paid 10 times more for. Are there any old, cheap lenses that you guys love more than the generic modern lenses a lot of people use?

[kye]

9 hours ago, noone said:

FF, APSC or M43 or other?     There are KIT lenses close to that (Sony APSC 16-50 3.5-5.6) Fuji makes a 16-80 f4 APSC lens that seems very nice from reviews.

Sorry - I mean FF.

There's heaps of lenses starting at 24mm FF FOV, but if you want to get the 16mm FF FOV then you're stuck with 2X zooms.  If you don't care about wider than 24mm FF FOV then you're covered, but the 16mm FF FOV is part of my trinity (16 / 35 / 85mm FF FOVs) and they're super common if you're a vlogger too.

Even on MFT there's the 6-11, 7-14, 8-18, and 9-18...  all 2X zooms.

1 hour ago, mercer said:

After a long year, I've spent the first couple weeks of 2021 reevaluating my gear and what I really need for 2021. In the process, I decided to revisit some of the inexpensive lenses in my collection.

I have some plans going forward which involves a slate of micro short films. I'd like the productions to be as bare bones as possible using humble equipment.

Luckily, I was able to get out and shoot some test shots for an upcoming thriller/mystery short entitled "Under the Boardwalk" I brought the Takumar 50mm 1.4 and an old Nikkor 50mm 1.4. Here are the results of my test...

Takumar 50mm 1.4

Nikkor 50mm 1.4

It's been a lot of fun testing out some old lenses and I must say I love the old Nikkor more than some lenses I paid 10 times more for. Are there any old, cheap lenses that you guys love more than the generic modern lenses a lot of people use?

That Nikkor is so 3D compared to the Taks.  I found the Taks pretty flat in their rendering too.

My love goes almost exclusively to the MFT Voigtlanders now, but the Helios is a true classic that can be had for almost nothing...  I've also re-discovered my Minolta 135/2.8 too, such nice rendering!!

[JordanWright]

I have been on a bit of a wide angle kick recently, my sigma 18-35 is almost exclusively staying on the wide end of the range.

i want to get a small and light prime for when I wanna be a little more nimble. Recently purchased the Zeiss Ze 25 F2 which is a phenomenal lens but not wide enough for the perspective I’m liking at the moment. Looking for something closer to the 16-21mm range, preferably manual focus but I can live without. Open to recommendations? 

[BTM_Pix]

1 hour ago, JordanWright said:

Looking for something closer to the 16-21mm range, preferably manual focus but I can live without. Open to recommendations? 

For FF or crop and what mount do you need it in ?

 

[BTM_Pix]

12 hours ago, mercer said:

It's been a lot of fun testing out some old lenses and I must say I love the old Nikkor more than some lenses I paid 10 times more for.

There are definitely cheaper vintage lenses but the Nikkors do tend to hit that sweet spot of performance to price ratio as well if not better than anything else out there.

The 105mm f2.5 is still changing hands at prices that make it one of the very best value propositions IMO. 

And you should buy one immediately 🙂 

 

[JordanWright]

40 minutes ago, BTM_Pix said:

For FF or crop and what mount do you need it in ?

 

EF (or easily adaptable to) for the pocket 6k

[kye]

1 hour ago, BTM_Pix said:

And you should buy one immediately 🙂 

What makes you think he hasn't already got one?

....or more?

😂😂😂

[BTM_Pix]

1 hour ago, JordanWright said:

EF (or easily adaptable to) for the pocket 6k

I haven't got this particular Samyang but it might be worth having a look at the Flickr pool for it to see if it takes your fancy.

Samyang 16mm F2.0 ED AS UMC CS

https://www.flickr.com/groups/2299572@N22/pool/

The comparison tests that I've put up on here have invariably included a Samyang variant and they always punch above their weight, particularly as a used purchase.

As with most Samyang lenses, there is also the option of the cine version of it with geared focus and aperture.

For an alternative, as you don't need FF, then, whilst not a prime, this Canon EF-S 10-18mm is very compact, light and is a flexible if slower option. They are also pretty cheap used and I got mine for about £130 if memory serves.

https://www.flickr.com/groups/canonefs10-18mm/pool/

Gives you the option to go wider and the stabilisation comes in very handy with the P6K.

As an aside, I've obviously been doing a lot of AF stuff with P6K of late with numerous different lenses and the 10-18mm is definitely one of the fastest responding and quiet of all of them.

[BTM_Pix]

16 minutes ago, kye said:

What makes you think he hasn't already got one?

....or more?

😂😂😂

Because I keep trying to sell him mine.

[noone]

15 hours ago, kye said:

Sorry - I mean FF.

There's heaps of lenses starting at 24mm FF FOV, but if you want to get the 16mm FF FOV then you're stuck with 2X zooms.  If you don't care about wider than 24mm FF FOV then you're covered, but the 16mm FF FOV is part of my trinity (16 / 35 / 85mm FF FOVs) and they're super common if you're a vlogger too.

Even on MFT there's the 6-11, 7-14, 8-18, and 9-18...  all 2X zooms.

 

I think it would cost too much to make and buy and be too complex for an ultra wide- short telephoto and maybe not a huge market for such (yet).    

 Mind you, the Fuji and Sony lenses should not need to be THAT much bigger or more expensive if they made them FF. 

My ultra wide angle needs are met by my all time favourite lens (Canon 17mm tilt shift).    I could never afford to replace it if I lost it or broke it.    

My trinity is a bit more flexible (Canon 17 TS,  Sony Zeiss 55 1.8 and third varies with situation for now though if i ever get one would be something like a Sigma 105 1.4).

I guess primes and 2x zooms are some of the best lenses available.

I have been using my ancient Canon EF 20-35 2.8 L a little bit lately (I normally prefer primes).

[noone]

17 hours ago, mercer said:

 

 Are there any old, cheap lenses that you guys love more than the generic modern lenses a lot of people use?

I love the old MF Tokina 60-120 2.8 I got last year for cheap on Ebay.

The only thing about is the minimum focus distance but that is solved with a helicoid adapter.

It looks and feels as if it was a day old (probably been sitting in its case for the last thirty years or so).   

Zoom function (push pull) is a little stiff to get moving but easy after that though since i pretty much use it at 120 nothing really.      I just need portrait victims to use it still as it is a bit slow for me to use and peoples attention span has greatly reduced over the years.

A lovely young model has just moved here so maybe i will see if I can hire her to use all my portrait type lenses in one sitting but this would be the first I use maybe.

[mercer]

6 hours ago, BTM_Pix said:

There are definitely cheaper vintage lenses but the Nikkors do tend to hit that sweet spot of performance to price ratio as well if not better than anything else out there.

The 105mm f2.5 is still changing hands at prices that make it one of the very best value propositions IMO. 

And you should buy one immediately 🙂 

 

I paid $40 for the Nikkor-SC 50mm 1.4 and it's proving to be one of the best lens purchases I've made.

@kye is correct, I also have the 105mm 2.5 from the same vintage. I haven't used it yet, though. I already owned the 28mm f/2 when I picked up the 50 and at the time I was more worried about some other lens set. I think my priorities have been backwards for a while now. I'm thinking about filling in the blanks with the 35mm f/2, 85mm 1.8, and one of their wider angles. As of now, I have less than $300 invested into the 3 lenses so I'll be on the lookout for some of the other non-ai lenses. Did they make a 200mm non-ai?