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12mm f/1.6 Noktor
  • 739 Replies sorted by
  • nomadnomad

    Even the 17.5mm Voigtländer has a curved focus plane at infinity, and it's not as wide and more expensive (see the discussion in it's own thread).

  • RRRRRRRR

    @allenswrench: as a ff equivalent of 24mm, it´s not too bad IMO. Of course it wouldn´t solve a potential need for even wider lenses.

  • allenswrenchallenswrench

    @slrmagic That looks like a significant crop compared to the GH2. A shame the BMCC has a smaller sensor, especially since it will have a passive m43 mount. The Tokina and Sigma do not really work for me and I don't expect you wil design a new wide just for this one product with it's new sensor. Thanks for that comparison though, wish Black Magic put something like that out as well. Actually, as so many people have preordered, they could have put out an FF image with a comparison with some of the most common FF lenghts. I am really happy with my 12mm and will be keeping it, but for the BMCC probably the whole new (matching) set would be better, which I do not know of yet, unless Samyang releases something fast and wide around 8mm non-fisheye in their new cine set. As those are all FF lenses, I highly doubt it.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    @RRRR Thanks, I'll give it a go.

  • RRRRRRRR

    @vicharris: If you have the lens, you can just turn your gh2 to 4:3 and see how wide it will be on the bmc.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    @RRRR Well, with a larger crop, brings better edges. The downside is that it starts turning the SLR12mm from a wide to a not so wide lens, cutting off the soft edges. So yes, the lens will in theory look sharper but you're also losing the wide angle it's supposed to provide.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @slrmagic

    Please, keep a line here.

    No pushing and advertising.

  • RRRRRRRR

    @slrmagic: since the gh2 16:9 gives a roughly 1.86x crop (horizontally) which in turn makes the 12 on the wider side (than the much sought after 24mm equivalent) I think the bmc will bring the best out of this lens.

  • slrmagicslrmagic

    The image shows crops from the NEX-7 but it is quite representable. It should look fabulous on the BMCC. Just a quick note to add, some users are not using the GH2 multi aspect sensor and when using 16:9 it is a smaller crop from the 4:3 lines in the image attached in the previous post. The end result will be similar to the BMCC crop lines. GH2 users who own the 12mm 1.6 will feel the narrower angle of view but GF2 or regular 4:3 camera users who own the 12mm 1.6 and normally shoot in 16:9 will feel like home in terms of angle of view from our lens if they have plans for the BMCC.

  • RRRRRRRR

    @slrmagic, it looks like the corners will "improve" quite a bit on the bmcc!

    I will have to go and get another copy, I think. :) (I sold the last one)

  • slrmagicslrmagic

    We have recently received many emails on how our lens will work on the BMCC. Here is a simple demonstration of what to expect. Included is the crop lines for regular mFT camera such as OM-D, crop lines for the multi aspect sensor of the GH2, and the BMCC.

    A short note to add. Some say it seems the lens almost cannot cover the sensor area. Actually the crops are suppose to be lower positioned. Helge from 3D-Kraft.de bought an adapter online to try our mFT lens on his NEX-7. The problem you see is due to adapter alignment and the opening is not perfectly centered.

    BMC_12mm_CROP_3b.jpg
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  • vicharrisvicharris

    Even though I have been critical of certain aspects surrounding this lens, it does produce some great, less video images on the GH2 when you tweak it. Here's some screen grabs from another little project. I shrunk them down to save room on the server so they might be a little rough when you expand them. Just a touch of post done.

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  • fosterchenfosterchen

    I used this lens on GH2 as a 5th camera at our concert in the Sydney Opera House this past June. Check out the trailer and guess all the shots with it:

    Notice how the color completely matches the other 4 Sony HXC100 broadcast cameras...we did no grading! And No Hack!

  • allenswrenchallenswrench

    @slrmagic It has been mentioned endlessly in this very thread what this lens (especially on GH2) is good at, and every fault has been brought up a million times. I can not believe that (hold that) I am surprised that people do not read and are living in dreams. I have actually spoken to someone who wants to build a "set" out of Panasonic 7-14, Olympus 9-18 and an SLR M 12! Come on! A set for what? Showing your wife? These lenses couldn't be more different. For serious users, on the other hand, I think there have been many, many stories and advices given on this thread. I have stated, and will stste again that this lens was a God-sent to me as the color matches my nFD set and completes it with a very wide and fast lens. It is a bit sharper, but that is just a ridiculous thing to complain about. Yes, it is SHIT for FF and a headache, but it is worth every cent as a half of your set, if you use it as much as I do. It is also crazy unique, with it's flares and close-up shots you can get as long as you can pull focus. Probably not so good for shooting bushes, or maybe the pincushion distortion makes your baby look fat!

  • peaceonearthpeaceonearth

    @Alfaerik it's a low priced lens, great value for the money - maybe you expect a little bit too much? Go and check the price for a super fast 12mm prime lens.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    @Alfaerik This is just other wording for soft "At open aperture, the lens renders pictures and video with extreme shallow depth of field for a dreamy and unique aesthetic" But on the GH2 that is a good thing sometimes! :)

  • AlfaerikAlfaerik

    @peaceonearth

    It is true that I don't need to play with shallow focus, but at times you might want to use wide angel infinity shots at dark locations without pushing the iso to high, that's where the -2.0 apperature sharp infinity focus would be great.

  • peaceonearthpeaceonearth

    @Alfaerik normally you don't need to play with shallow focus in wide angle infinity shots. So f 4 seems to be perfect. I shoot close-ups at f 2.0 - the where sharp at the point in the middle of the pictures

  • AlfaerikAlfaerik

    @slrmagic

    Thank you for a quick reply. Yes, my lens is quite good at close distance 1.6, it is the infinity that's lacking sharpness. I just didn't know what to expect, because below 2.0 infinity is useless but close-ups is ok. But now I understand a bit more how you made the lens. At 2.8 infinity is good.

  • slrmagicslrmagic

    @Alfaerik At 1.6 the flowers look in focus. We made this lens as a result from a discussion at dpreview.com http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1041&message=36104678

    It was general consensus that rather than making a small aperture lens we should let the lens open up to ask much as we can. It is a known issue that the lens is soft at wide open but users said they will stop down and only shoot wide open when necessary in extreme dark conditions where they absolutely need 1.6. The lens also flares at 1.6 and it is much better when used at 2.8. By 2.0 the flares go away and sharpness goes up till 2.8. As we made the lens go focus down to a few cm we sacrificed infinity performance so it is not the best landscape lens. Its a specialty lens for a special purpose and not an all purpose lens and I am sure many here already know. The close focus performance of this lens is much better than the far focus. Infinity for this lens is around 20 feet or so only due to wide angle.

    However, you can always go to the shop and try another one if you wish.

    Kind rgds., John

  • slrmagicslrmagic

    @MirrorMan they did not tell us there were any problems. When did you buy your lens? Can you PM us so we have more solid details when we talk to them? Thx

  • AlfaerikAlfaerik

    @slrmagic

    I think my lens seems way to soft (unusable) below 2.0. Maybe you could confirm if my lens is faulty or if it works like other 12mm lenses. If my copy is alright I don't think it is alright to market the lens as a 1.6 since my phone could produce sharper images than what I get at that apperture. I attached two pictures, one shot at 1.6 and the other at 4.0 so that you could compare them. I would be happy for a reply so I know if I should return it to the store where I bought it.

    1.6.JPG
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    4.0.JPG
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  • MirrorManMirrorMan

    @slrmagic The Camera Store, Calgary Canada http://www.thecamerastore.com/

  • slrmagicslrmagic

    @MirrorMan

    Which store did you go to?

  • MirrorManMirrorMan

    @slrmagic I've owned a 12mm Noktor for several months which I use almost daily. So far I have no complaints or issues with the lens. Its a great product.

    As a side note I did check 3 copies of the 12mm lens in the store before I bought one. One copy had a locked focus ring and I noticed it was somehow installed backwards. The shop owner was as surprised as I was as to how this was possible, so I think some of the complaints about quality control are valid (but I don't understand the dramatic personal attacks).

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