Wide angle for GH4 limited budget

[DBen]

Hello to everyone!

 

I would like to buy some decent moderate wideangle for GH4 but have limited budget unfortunately.

 

I came down to these 3 options:

 

1. Used Zuiko 14-54 f2.8-3.4 MK1 4/3 mount + electronic adapter (MMF-1 or MMF-2) - 190€

 

2. New Panasonic 14mm f2.5 - 180€

 

3. Used Sigma 18-50 f2.8 EX DC Macro Nikon mount - 160€

 

wideangle needs to be useful for both outdoor and indoor shooting.

 

Since I allready have BMCC nikon speedbooster (0.64x) to me the best option seems Sigma 18-50 f2.8 but I cannot find anywhere how sigma behaves, especially on 18mm with the speedbooster attached (11.52mm).

 

There is also a used Tamron 17-50 f2.8 nikon mount for 250€, but I do not want to go that far with the price if I don't have to.

 

Advices are really welcome :)

 

Thank you all in advance!

[Quirky]

In order to make sensible lens suggestions, one should first have an idea about what you're planning to do with the lens. You say you'd like to get a decent wideangle lens with a limited budget, and two of the lenses you're listing are kit zoom lenses, one with a FT and one with a Nikon mount. So that brings up the question what is it that you wish to accomplish with those lenses? Are you going to shoot stills or video, or both? Why not going for primes?

 

From those lenses he only one that makes sense is the 14mm Panasonic. IMO, anyway. As for using the Speedbooster made for BMCC with GH4. I think you'd be wasting your money on Nikon mount lenses with that particular adapter. I'd get a proper mFT one instead, or use native mFT lenses. They'd be much comfier to use with the GH4, too.

 

I've seen other mFT primes, like a new Olympus 2.8/17mm for slightly under 100€, and no doubt you'd find other and better used ones for about the same money. Good luck with the hunt.

[DBen]

Thanks for the answer.

 

Wide angle is to be used purely for video, 4K recording, which has 2.2x crop, in all situations.

I don't care about AF or electronic aperture control, everything I do is on full manual.

 

14-54 is a highly regarded lens and on 14mm it gives me 30.8mm wideangle in FF terms at f2.8

 

14mm is a great little panckake lens which also gives me 30.8mm wideangle in FF terms but at f2.5.

 

I do not mind the size of the two above, just which gives me better quality video with less distortions and cromatic aberations.

 

While sigma 18-50 2.8 on BMCC speedbooster gives me about 25mm in FF terms at f1.8.

Sigma is very tempting for low light and wider angle, but I cannot tell how does it compare optically with the two above.

 

I allready have BMCC speedbooster and it's great with nikon mount glass (samyang 35mmm 1.4 and tokina 28-70 2.6-2.8), while my friend has the normal one for m43 (0.71x). Difference in sharpness between the two I cannot tell, but difference in light gathering is clearly visible. It's more then 1/3 of a stop, to me it seems like 1/2 of a stop.

 

I'm still hunting :)

[andy lee]

panasonic 14mm is great as is the olympus 17mm I use both regularly , both fast and Razer sharp with aspheric elements

[Julian]

Even the Panasonic 14mm isn't really wide in 4K mode on the GH4 because of the extra crop. It'll be ~33.6mm fullframe equivalent. 17mm will be ~41mm, almost a 'standard' focal length. The Oly 17mm 2.8 definitely is NOT razor sharp either. Center is fine but corners are soft.

 

If you have the speed booster I'd go with some lens for that. If you want really wide and cheap you could look for a Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 with Nikkor mount. The 18-50mm 2.8 is a nice lens too. I don't have experience with it on a speed booster though.

[andrgl]

Slightly Definitely outside your desired parameters, but this is such an awesome lens:

 

[fuzzynormal]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/CCTV-Lenses/ci/3659/N/4045021054

 

[Shane Essary]

I feel like i just watched a Terry Gilliam film.

[DBen]

Thanks everybody for answers!

 

Yes 14mm is not really wide considering 4K crop, but it's a viable choice considering my budget, while 17mm 2.8 is definitely not what I'm looking for..

 

Sigma 10-20 would be nice on a speedbooster but too expensive even used.

 

Tokina 11-18 f2.8 is the lens I was looking at, it would be perfect but it's expensive, a used one is also expensive, goes around 350-400€.

 

Regarding the Fujinon 12.5mm f1.4 from the video above, it has charm and character but too soft on the borders, maybe it gets better at f2.8 , I was interested in that lens some time ago for other reasons and also contacted the person that modifies it to work properly on m43 bodies, but he told me that he doesn't do it anymore.

 

With all this talk, I'm starting to convince myself that sigma 18-50 2.8 is not a bad option :) 11.52-32mm f1.8 with the BMCC speedbooster.

But numbers are one thing and how will the sigma behave on the speedbooster is another thing.

 

Still hunting :)

[andy lee]

Ive modified all my fujinon c mount lenses my self its easy to do .....if you have a lathe!

[DBen]

Ive modified all my fujinon c mount lenses my self its easy to do .....if you have a lathe!

 

Hehe I know, I bought the little Fujinon TV 25mm 1.4 from you, you told me that you've modified it yourself. Still have it, it's a great little lens.

But I don't have the skils nor the lathe and don't know anyone that can help me with that. But even if I did, Fujinon 12.5mm f1.4 doesn't convince me from the acceptable sharpness standpoint.

[ntblowz]

14mm + $12 wide angle adapter make it 10.6mm.. that is pretty wide for cheap price

[fuzzynormal]

Beggars, choosers, and all that.  When you're on a budget you make compromises.  Otherwise, you can get this lens:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Zuiko-Digital-Thirds-Cameras/dp/B0058PL9R0

 

Which I did.  It's nice and sharp.  Easy to manually focus too.

[fuzzynormal]

Fujinon 12.5mm f1.4 from the video above, it has charm and character but too soft on the borders

 

4k has more crop factor, so the edge blur on the Fujinon minimizes.

 

Anyway, I think you want something that doesn't really exist.  Fast, wide, sharp, and NEW doesn't really equal affordable.  

[Guest]

Tamron Adaptall 17mm f3.5 (Nikon Mount) with BMCC speed booster would be a 10mm f2.2. Can be found on ebay for about $150 I think. Reviews are decent.

 

If I were you I'd just go for the 14mm 2.5. It's a good lens. I sold mine after buying a Tokina 11-16 2.8 to use with my 0.71 speed booster. The 14mm is a nice lens - the Tokina is definitely a bit nicer but it's 3 times the price and 10 times the size. At the end of the day only you can decide what you want. If you want sharp and fast, the 14mm will give you that. If you don't like it you can sell it without losing more than $30

[paulraymaekers]

as you already have the speedbooster for nikon mount, adding the nikon 10-24 gives you really nice wide, even in 4k!

[DBen]

Thanks for the answers!

 

I was kinda hoping that somebody has experience with the lenses mentioned in the first post. I can see from the recommendations and also from the web that 14mm f2.5 is quite good and a viable choice...not quite wide but with my budget it's ok. Putting a wideangle adapter on this lens is a nice thought and they came quite cheap, but I don't expect great results.

 

Tamron 17mm f3.5 with adaptall2 to nikon is around 160€-200€ , a will look into it!

It gives me around 11mm f2.2 with the BMCC speedbooster, which is very very nice...thing that bothers me is that protruding front lens element. It could interfere with the ND.

 

Zuiko 12mm f2 is a great little lens, and I know it's qualities but way over my budget like nikon 10-24.

 

Again regarding Fujinon 12.5mm , edges of the frame are way to soft, but yes 4K does give you a crop but stil...how does it behave at 2.8 with the 4K  crop, that I do not know...it seems to me that it is to much work and hassle over modification for something questionable.

If someone has a video sample of a Fujinon 12.5mm f1.4 at f2 and f2.8 in 4K I would very much like to see it.

 

I'm looking for something within my budget that has decent sharpness and quality, also at least f2.8 usable aprture for indoor recording (calculated with the speedbooster where applicable),  used lenses are welcome...only Panasonic 14mm f2.5 I can find new at a low price.

 

We shall see :)

[jnorman34]

I don't understand spending $1700 on a cam to do 4k work and then thinking of the lens as some kind of afterthought. Buy a quality lens if you want to do serious work.

[DBen]

I don't understand spending $1700 on a cam to do 4k work and then thinking of the lens as some kind of afterthought. Buy a quality lens if you want to do serious work.

 

Simply priorites, wide angle is not something I need very often and do not want to invest serious money into it (and I can't at this moment), but would like to have it for some shots. So I wanted to see if there are good enough options (not great, not excellent) that fit within my budget.

 

I have everything covered from 40mm to 160mm, with good quality glass, this is the range I use the most.

 

I believe there are also others like me that seek low cost options...not everybody can afford the luxury of buying only high quality expensive lenses...we all have priorities.