Lenses

[kidzrevil]

To be honest, abberation have never bothered me much. 

+1

it adds character to the image. I was playing Aliens Isolation & grand theft auto 5 and I notice they try to mimic the effect complete with softness in the corners of the image just like an old lens

Nikkor 50mm f1.2 & a Nikkor 85mm f1.4 ais. Completely in love with these lenses

[kidzrevil]

Do you think that the problem might be the fact that the camera is downscaling 6.5k to 4k and that creates this sharpening effect which you think is being done in-camera? So using high contrast sharp lenses might just make things even worse.

Have you used a really soft lens on the NX1 yet?

I used a mir 37b and and I can't tell you it was any better. I tested a bunch of m42 lenses. Funny thing is the problems I witnessed shooting video have been non existent shooting stills. Strong feeling its the noise reduction and in cam sharpening combo. The camera is clearly optimized for how Samsung lenses render the image. Best workaround so far is to use the super 16mm grain from film onvert since it has the effect of applying a gaussian blur to the image. Very effective

please take what I say with a grain of salt because I am very anal when it comes to image quality and these qualms will not be noticed by consumers/clients

[mercer]

+1

it adds character to the image. I was playing Aliens Isolation & grand theft auto 5 and I notice they try to mimic the effect complete with softness in the corners of the image just like an old lens

Nikkor 50mm f1.2 & a Nikkor 85mm f1.4 ais. Completely in love with these lenses

They look great... It doesn't hurt that your subject is stunning. These are with the Nikkors and the NX1 Raw?

[kidzrevil]

They look great... It doesn't hurt that your subject is stunning. These are with the Nikkors and the NX1 Raw?

thank you im sure she would appreciate that comment as well lol ! This is shot with the Nx1 raw and VSCO Film 05. If we can get a firmware update from Samsung that gives us little to no processing (i.e. noise reduction) the NX1 will be even more of a beast. The RAW stills from this thing is amazing. Totally made me change my mind about the Nikkors even though the 1.4 Sigma's tempt me from time to time

[mercer]

thank you im sure she would appreciate that comment as well lol ! This is shot with the Nx1 raw and VSCO Film 05. If we can get a firmware update from Samsung that gives us little to no processing (i.e. noise reduction) the NX1 will be even more of a beast. The RAW stills from this thing is amazing. Totally made me change my mind about the Nikkors even though the 1.4 Sigma's tempt me from time to time

Is the bottom photo taken with the 85mm? I have been obsessed with f2 lenses, so I have been eyeing the 85mm ai f2 lens, but am looking to get one for around a hundred. Eventually I'll find one. I am actually in a little of quandary... I am looking to pick up another camera. I want to start shooting some stills, but I don't think I want to use the G7. As you know, I also have the NX500 which should be decent for stills, but I am really enjoying the video I have seen from the D5500 and/or the D7200. It seems like either would be good for stills... But I am also really interested in shooting Raw video on the Pocket or the upcoming Micro. I will probably sell off the NX500 to help fund my next camera. For the hybrid purposes, the Nikons seem like a more logical choice, but I'm not sure how much still work I'll actually do. Hmm. Idk. Just thinking out "loud" really. It's great to see how good the Raw stills are with the NX1 though. 

[kidzrevil]

Is the bottom photo taken with the 85mm? I have been obsessed with f2 lenses, so I have been eyeing the 85mm ai f2 lens, but am looking to get one for around a hundred. Eventually I'll find one. I am actually in a little of quandary... I am looking to pick up another camera. I want to start shooting some stills, but I don't think I want to use the G7. As you know, I also have the NX500 which should be decent for stills, but I am really enjoying the video I have seen from the D5500 and/or the D7200. It seems like either would be good for stills... But I am also really interested in shooting Raw video on the Pocket or the upcoming Micro. I will probably sell off the NX500 to help fund my next camera. For the hybrid purposes, the Nikons seem like a more logical choice, but I'm not sure how much still work I'll actually do. Hmm. Idk. Just thinking out "loud" really. It's great to see how good the Raw stills are with the NX1 though. 

yeah the bottom one is with the 85mm ! I feel your pain man ! I've been looking at everything from the blackmagic pocket, 1dc,5d3 & gh4 w 0.64 speedbooster ! Alot of options out there at this point its best to get a cam thats makes up for the weaknesses of another you own

[BrorSvensson]

Didn't bother me one bit during Hateful 8.

Looks really nice

I would probably be ok with that.

Okay, just wanted to let you know ;)

Is there an LED in the lamp? Is it cool or warm?

its a pretty cool light

[mercer]

yeah the bottom one is with the 85mm ! I feel your pain man ! I've been looking at everything from the blackmagic pocket, 1dc,5d3 & gh4 w 0.64 speedbooster ! Alot of options out there at this point its best to get a cam thats makes up for the weaknesses of another you own

I hear ya. I really like some of your naval videos with the gh4. Some of your best work, IMO. How did you find the gh4 for stills? I've been drooling over the pocket for years, so I should just save for that and forget everything else. Raw or prores looks amazing. A good loupe and a bunch of batteries and I'm set. I already have a ton of fast c-mount lenses and adapters that will pair nicely with it. Or go with the micro for the 60p and global shutter. I'll have to pick up and evf or an external screen, though. Too many dang choices. 

[kidzrevil]

I hear ya. I really like some of your naval videos with the gh4. Some of your best work, IMO. How did you find the gh4 for stills? I've been drooling over the pocket for years, so I should just save for that and forget everything else. Raw or prores looks amazing. A good loupe and a bunch of batteries and I'm set. I already have a ton of fast c-mount lenses and adapters that will pair nicely with it. Or go with the micro for the 60p and global shutter. I'll have to pick up and evf or an external screen, though. Too many dang choices. 

surprised you said that. Sometimes I look back qt my gh3/gh4 work and it def does have a certain character to the imagery that I am missing with my a7s & nx1 work ! For stills both the GH3 & GH4 were pretty good to me when shot raw. It was sharp and the colors were amazing ! Idk if I can attribute that to the sensor or the voigtlander primes I was using but it def did look good to me. 

My work with the GH4 def stood out against the crowd in the Navy and these guys shoot with full frame Nikon's with some top tier lenses

[mercer]

surprised you said that. Sometimes I look back qt my gh3/gh4 work and it def does have a certain character to the imagery that I am missing with my a7s & nx1 work ! For stills both the GH3 & GH4 were pretty good to me when shot raw. It was sharp and the colors were amazing ! Idk if I can attribute that to the sensor or the voigtlander primes I was using but it def did look good to me. 

My work with the GH4 def stood out against the crowd in the Navy and these guys shoot with full frame Nikon's with some top tier lenses

Am not sure if it was the camera, the vision color or your grading, but one of the naval videos looks like an old, technicolor movie. A look I personally love. I am really interested in seeing what the gh5 has in store and I may just wait until they announce that before I make a decision. When I first used the G7, it instantaneously felt like I was using a basic cinema camera. So, I can imagine the gh4 or gh5 would be that much better. I think Panasonic would be really smart to introduce Raw video with the gh5. I've always seen Sony and Panasonic as natural competitors and I think Raw would be such a brilliant way to distinguish them self. Hell, they could literally keep all of the same features as the gh4 and add 1080p or 2K Raw with ibis and the 16mp sensor for better lowlight and I'd be a buyer. Hell, I would probably sell almost every lens I have to get those features. They could even crop the Raw to S16, nearly eliminating any aliasing and I'd still be ecstatic. 

[Moshimo Garcia]

Hey guys! 

This is more of a tech support issue than anything, but it is related to my new lens-- the sigma 17-35 (which I am just in love with on a side-note..) I am using it on my GH3 with this Fotodiox Adapter. The lens doesn't turn into the adapter as smoothly as attaching a native lens directly to my GH3, but I figured that was just the nature of using an adapter [my first time using one]. I was switching out my lenses yesterday, though, and to my dismay, there were some TINY little scratches on the metal of the lens (I'll take some pictures when I get home) and there were some metal shavings on the inside of the Fotodiox Adapter. 

Does anyone have a possible clue what the heck is going on here? You're input would be SO appreciated. 

 

Sincerely,

 

Jordan

[kidzrevil]

May pick up a nikkor 20mm 2.8 ais today. The nikkors may not be the best optically by todays standards with all this talk of 6k resolution but...damn they have a whole lot of character !

this is from the nikkor 28mm f2.8 ais, looks like film to me

[Nikkor]

I want the earlier version, but I don't feel like paying 200€ for it. Nice lens, nice samples.

[BrorSvensson]

May pick up a nikkor 20mm 2.8 ais today. The nikkors may not be the best optically by todays standards with all this talk of 6k resolution but...damn they have a whole lot of character !

this is from the nikkor 28mm f2.8 ais, looks like film to me

love my nikkor 24mm 2.8 ais, just using the focus ring on them is worth the price alone.

[mercer]

May pick up a nikkor 20mm 2.8 ais today. The nikkors may not be the best optically by todays standards with all this talk of 6k resolution but...damn they have a whole lot of character !

this is from the nikkor 28mm f2.8 ais, looks like film to me

Nikon was making those ais lenses well into this century, the coatings may have gotten a little better, but they're essentially the same lenses as the ones made in the 80s. 

I had the 20mm and it was a really nice lens. 

[kidzrevil]

Nikon was making those ais lenses well into this century, the coatings may have gotten a little better, but they're essentially the same lenses as the ones made in the 80s. 

I had the 20mm and it was a really nice lens. 

the Nikkor ais really secures the analog look on digital bodies. May not have the zeiss otus level sharpness everyone is chasing but the minute I add grain and contrast in lightroom...dude it looks no different than the looks I fell in love with when I first got hip to 35mm photographers. Def an analog look without the horrendous analog artifacts !

 

how was your 20 wide open bro ?

[mercer]

It's been a year since I used it, but I remember it being great. I "usually" shoot wide open and use a variable ND and it was great... Stopped down it was tack sharp. A lot of people swear by the 3.5 or the 4 version but I wanted the speed.

But you're right, the Nikkors just ooze cinematic analog. I, personally, would rather have that than the clean, sterile look of new lenses. 

[mercer]

So, I have been whittling down my lenses and replacing some with faster versions. Now I have two nice sets of Nikkors and Minoltas. I have a bad case of LBA, so I have been quenching my appetite with m42 lenses. Last week I bought a Chinon 55mm f1.7 and a 28mm 2.8. This week I picked up a Yashinon DS 50mm 1.4 and a DS 28mm 2.8. They arrived yesterday, but haven't had a chance to shoot with them. Then this morning I found a great deal on the Takumar 35mm f2, so I pounced on that. 

Has anyone used any of these lenses? Or do you have any suggestions on some obscure m42 lenses that have some interesting character?

Oh yeah, if anybody is looking for a really low contrast wide angle, I bought a Soligor 21mm, in MD mount, but they made that lens in most common mounts from that time, and wide open it is the most low contrast lens I own... It almost looks like log footage. 

[kidzrevil]

Pulling the trigger on some zeiss milvus lenses by march. The rendering is undeniable. Im surprised I don't see many videos online with people shooting with em. On instagram the #zeissmilvus tag has a lot of high quality stills work on there. A sharp modern look but doesn't look all clinical I can't explain it but I want it lol

[mercer]

Pulling the trigger on some zeiss milvus lenses by march. The rendering is undeniable. Im surprised I don't see many videos online with people shooting with em. On instagram the #zeissmilvus tag has a lot of high quality stills work on there. A sharp modern look but doesn't look all clinical I can't explain it but I want it lol

Zeiss lenses really are amazing. From any era, with any manufacturer. From the Zeiss Jena to the Zeiss Milvus, there is something special in their glass. I recently bought the Contax Zeiss 50mm 1.7, I haven't had the chance to give it a good workout yet, but from the minute shot of my cat... It looks great. Uh oh... I feel a Distagon in my future... I need a second job.