Just wanting to know- is the Tokina 11-16mm one of the most outstanding lenses known to man?

To deserve Duclos treatment? http://ducloslenses.com/Duclos_Lenses/PL116.html

Trust me- I REALLY had to squint hard and long to see the 11-16 in that beast!

Following up on @Brian202020's post, here is a list of video-friendly Nikkor AF-D primes from 85mm up to 300mm. In addition to possessing excellent optics, these lenses all employ internal focus designs with outer lens barrels that neither extend nor rotate. Unfortunately, this is not the case with Nikon AF-D lenses wider than 85mm - their lens barrels all extend when focusing on close objects. The lenses below all share the following properties:

* Manual aperture ring: Yes
* Direct-coupled focus ring: Yes
* Proper focus ring rotation: Yes
* Non-rotating outer barrel: Yes
* Non-extending outer barrel: Yes
* Constant field of view: yes

Nikkor AF 85mm f/1.8 D
Nikkor AF 85mm f/1.4 D
Nikkor AF 105mm f/2 D Defocus Control
Nikkor AF 135mm f/2 D Defocus Control
Nikkor AF 180mm f/2.8 IF-ED
Micro-Nikkor AF 200mm f/4 D ED
Nikkor AF-S 300mm f/4 D IF-ED

Nikon 85mm f1.8, $430
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/84151-GREY/Nikon_1931_AF_Nikkor_85mm_f_1_8D.html
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/85AF.htm

* Manual aperture ring: Yes
* Direct-coupled focus ring: Yes
* Proper focus ring rotation: no (yes in the standard Nikon direction)
* Non-rotating outer barrel: Yes
* Non-extending outer barrel: Yes
* Constant field of view: yes

This is an amazing lens. It was the favorite out of all my lenses for years until I got the Tokina 11-16mm.

Nikkor 50/1.8 AIS - $35
Declicked aperture in a local shop while I wait 5-10 minutes - $12
Generic Chinese adjustable focus ring (haven't glued it on so I can replace it when it breaks) - $5
Generic Chinese 52-77mm step up ring - $2

Total= $54, did all of this during a lunch break.

Dulcos Cine Mod = $250 (without lens, shipping, lead-time, etc).

This is probably the best choice I've ever made in lens gear, the step-less aperture is so fucking smooth. I'm also going to do the same thing with my Nikkor 28/2 AIS - not quite ready to do this on the Nokton 25/0.95 just yet :-)

I don't understand why people are saying that the Voigtlander 25mm doesn't work with a rig. I just shot the better part of a feature with the lens (on a hacked GH2), using a follow-focus and 4x4 filters in a matte box with no ergonomic problems at all.

Do the Panasonic lenses work with a FF system?

I understand that the Voigtlander doesn't work with a FF system?

I have the 14-140mm lens and am looking to buy 3 lenses. Which ones do you recommend that offer a consistent color range (different lens brands have different characteristics). Do the Olympus/Panasonic MFT lenses match?

@kazuo

I'll ask them.

@Vitaliy_Kiselev how much do those re-housed Zeiss lenses ,and what's the benefit over a mod by Duclos? (his look very good, but are not "re-housed". He adds Delrin focus gears, declicks, and standardizes the front thread.) http://www.ducloslenses.com/Duclos_Lenses/zf.html

Where to buy those Cinematics CT.2?

@Vitaliy_Kiselev
Ah, I see: "Cinematics CT.2". Very nice work.

@markussen
@kazuo
Contax Zeiss primes are superb still photography lenses, but as with Nikon AI-S, Canon FD, Pentax K, Minolta MD, and Konica AR primes, they are not really well-suited for use on a rig with follow focus and matte box. Image quality is not the issue here, it's primarily a matter of ergonomics, with cost a secondary factor. The lenses I listed above are all available new or used for less than $500.

@Vitaliy_Kiselev
Thanks for posting the detailed images of the Zeiss CP.2 prime lenses. These are designed explicitly for video use and are ideal examples of the type of ergonomics that's required. They currently retail for bit less than $4000 each.