tylerh Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice.I just got a GH4 for mainly video use, now i don't own ANY glass at all. So the two options I'm looking at is either getting the Metabones Speed Booster along with the Samyang 10 mm F2.8, Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS Lens and Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8, which would cost a total of $2,896 .... OR i could go with MFT lenses, the Voigtlander 10.5 f/0.95, Voigtlander Nokton 25mm f/0.95 and the Voigtlander Nokton 42.5mm f/0.95. Assuming the 10.5 Voigtlander will cost at least $999, that would make the MFT lenses come to $2,998. That is $102 more than the Speedbooster and the 3 EF lenses.Which option would you go for ?? Would you advise the speed booster for someone who doesn't have any lenses or would you suggest getting Voigtlander glass? even with the speed boosters help, none of those EF lenses i listed will drop to 0.95 like the MFT lenses.Your advice would be really appreciated, thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivar Kristjan Ivarsson Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I have a gh2 and the Voigtlander 17.5mm and 25mm.I highly recommend them, really nice lenses. I don't know anything about the speed booster combo.It was most difficult to change to A7s because I'm going to miss my Voigtlanders. Oh well, maybe a used Gh4 as my second cam. Or wait for the next big thing in m4/3 cameras. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inazuma Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Another option you might want to considerSpeed booster (maybe even the cheaper knock offs)Samyang/Rokinon VDSLR 24mm 35mm & 85mm T1.5Each of those lenses costs about $500 and will come to T1 or about f0.9 with the speed booster. So you have a set of three super fast lenses with cinema housings for less than $2000.I'm planning to buy that combination at some point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tylerh Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 There seems to be a lot of options. I was hoping for a simple MFT Voigtlanders are better or EF glass is better.... never that easy is it lol :-)Those lenses are available in MFT format, but the 0.95 voigtlanders seem to have better reviews than the Samyang t1.5s. Then again they are more expensive. Inazuma 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronChicago Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Get Nikon glass with speedbooster or adapters. Nikon has manual aperture in the lenses. EF does not. Just my 2 cents. IronFilm 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitfabryk Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Or canon FD's with a 'normal' FD to M43 or a RJ (speedbooster) FD to M43 for around 100,- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikkor Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Speed booster plus all the manual focus glass you like. f1.4 with speed booster is almost the same as 0.95.Just for example.old nikon ai-s 24 2 , 35 1.4 , 50 1.2 will cost less than 999$ and will keep their value forever. They are also very nicely build and you can use them on fullframe.There are many options, thats just one example. You could also buy modern sigma art 24,35,50 1.4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tylerh Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 Get Nikon glass with speedbooster or adapters. Nikon has manual aperture in the lenses. EF does not. Just my 2 cents.The reason i was looking at EF is because EF metabolise speed booster gives you image stabilisation as long as the EF lens has it. I did see the ART lenses by Sigma and heard very good things about them. Is the Sigma art aimed at videographers ? Seriously considering the Sigma 18-35 f1.8 lens. It seems like it would blow the Panasonic 12-35 f2.8 away. Anyone tried this lens on a GH4? AaronChicago 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiodc Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 @Tylerh, welcome to the forum.There is a lot on this forum about the 18-35 f/1.8 lens and even some about that lens on a GH4 - definitely do some searching and you'll find a bunch of videos and comments. I own it, I love it. I also own a set of Samyangs (in EF mount, with an EF speedbooster) and the Voightländer 17.5mm. I love them all, for different reasons. The sigma is usually on my lens on a run'n'gun shoot, because of it's (limited but still useful) zoom and it's still a very good low light performer. The Voightländer I tend to use more for photography - stopped down past 1.2 it's an almost clinical, zeiss-like lens. I don't find it has much character but it does give a very clean image and opened all the way up, if you can get past the purple fringing (which I can) it does actually gain some slightly vintage-ish qualities. The Samyangs are my mainstays for special purposes. Take a look around, do some searching, and you'll see videos made with each of these lenses.They'll all do very very well on the GH4, as will any of the lenses suggested by others here. And take a good look through the Lenses topic, there is a wealth of knowledge particularly on lower-budget or vintage glass which you may find valuable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agolex Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 The reason i was looking at EF is because EF metabolise speed booster gives you image stabilisation as long as the EF lens has it. I did see the ART lenses by Sigma and heard very good things about them. Is the Sigma art aimed at videographers ? Seriously considering the Sigma 18-35 f1.8 lens. It seems like it would blow the Panasonic 12-35 f2.8 away. Anyone tried this lens on a GH4?The Sigma 18–35 is one of the first choice speed booster zoom lenses for the BMCC, doubt it will be any worse on the GH4. I tried the Panasonic with the GH4 and I kinda didn't like the plasticky feel of the lens (but it's probably one of the best built non-metal lenses). Course the Sigma is much heavier with over 800 grams. If you don't care about stabilization and AF, it's the most versatile lens imho. I do have the Voigtländer 17.5 and I think it's a great lens as well, you can focus extremely close with them (around 15 cm) and in conjunction with the wide aperture you get dreamlike footage, I for myself love that very much. It's said to be not the sharpest lenses, though. I'd advise you to stay away from the cheap speed boosters, I have a 1st generation RJ and the blue spot issue is present most of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flynn Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I'd go with the Voigtlanders. What do you plan on using for stabilization though? No interest in the 12-35 f2.8? Too slow for you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcs Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 For the GH4 I use the Panasonic 12-35 F2.8, Voigtlander 25 F.95, and Panasonic 35-100 F2.8, used the most in that order. IS and autofocus (for run & gun and steadicam) are very helpful. For low light with some form of rig, the Voigtlander 25 F.95 can look really nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronChicago Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 The reason i was looking at EF is because EF metabolise speed booster gives you image stabilisation as long as the EF lens has it. I did see the ART lenses by Sigma and heard very good things about them. Is the Sigma art aimed at videographers ? Seriously considering the Sigma 18-35 f1.8 lens. It seems like it would blow the Panasonic 12-35 f2.8 away. Anyone tried this lens on a GH4?Absolutely. The 18-35 is easily my favorite lens. IronFilm 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrad Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I just bought a Voigtlander 42.5mm, and maybe it's just my mind attempting to rationalise the new hole in my wallet, but oh my this lens is gorgeous. Just a pleasure to use and hold, and the rendering is brilliant. As long as you can live with the typical Voigtlander purple fringing, it even performs pretty well wide open - much better than the other Voigts in the series. By f/2 it's insanely sharp, but somehow more pleasing than the clinical Pana/Oly lenses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jase Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I have to opt-in for the Voigtländers. I worked a little bit over a year just with the 25mm and it is absolutely gorgeous - in fact, i am still busy finding an adequate counterpart now that i switched to the a7s... Ivar Kristjan Ivarsson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronFilm Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Get Nikon glass with speedbooster or adapters. Nikon has manual aperture in the lenses. EF does not. Just my 2 cents.I agree, it would be mad as crazy for a person starting out from scratch to get Canon EF lenses for a GH4.Almost any other (D)SLR lens mount would be a better idea!Personally I have a big preference for Nikon F mount, due to their ease of adaptability and thus future proofing, and their tremendously good value (as you can pick up some amazing bargains, due to their vast number that have been made over many decades). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcs Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I have to opt-in for the Voigtländers. I worked a little bit over a year just with the 25mm and it is absolutely gorgeous - in fact, i am still busy finding an adequate counterpart now that i switched to the a7s...The 25mm F.95 Voigtlander does look gorgeous. The metal build is excellent, the focus is smooth and very high quality. It works out to a 25mm*2.3(crop) = 57.5mm F2.2 full-frame equivalent. I find the Canon 50 F1.4 with an EF to E mount (I use the MB IV) looks even better on the A7S vs. the GH4 + Voigtlander. For those on an ultra low budget, the Canon 50 1.8 is optically excellent for $125 (focus ring and build quality are not the best). The Commlite Smart adapter for ~$92 looks like a good deal.Perhaps the fastest lens with top image and build quality for the price would be the Nikon 50 F1.2 AI-S for $700 and a $15 adapter. A bit less than the ~$1000 for the Voigtlander, and on FF much faster. Zeiss has a 50 F1.4 for ~$600 (Nikon mount). Used there's a lot more options e.g. Yashica 50mm F1.9 in C/Y mount for $50 used + $14 C/Y to E-mount adapter. If clean and in good mechanical condition, used older lens can have more character as optical imperfections actually help with the 'unreality' of filmed images. Such lenses can be specialty use only, however could save time in post instead of grading to look vintage/organic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jase Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I find the Canon 50 F1.4 with an EF to E mount (I use the MB IV) looks even better on the A7S vs. the GH4 + Voigtlander.Interesting thought, but what makes the Voigt so perfect for me is - next to your mentioned things - also the ability of having a relatively short focus throw (for 0.3 - infinity), the added macro mode as well as the short focus distance. Given, short focus throw and close distance is nothing what everybody needs, but for me as a run&gun guy this is quite essential. Anyways, i will have a look into the canon 50 f1.4, thanks! Does the commlite adapter has any drawbacks when compared to the metabones adapter? Ivar Kristjan Ivarsson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcs Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I have't used the Commlite- reports seem to be that it's as good or better than the MB. My MB IV (latest firmware) locks up the camera occasionally (unlike the V1 SpeedBooster!) but it's easy to deal with- just pull the battery. I'd at least try the Commlite since it's ~$300 less than the MB.If you like solid, metal focus, skip the Canon 1.4 as the focus ring isn't great (you can get used to it, but it's not like the Voigtlander, Nikon, Zeiss, etc. manual lenses). The Canon 1.4 makes sense if using a Canon body to get fast+accurate autofocus. I use it with the A7S because I have it.Sigma also makes a nice 50 1.4 for $399, and a really nice 50 1.4 ART version for $949 (some folks are comparing it to the 55mm Zeiss Otus). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.