Personal View site logo
Best wide lenses
  • 120 Replies sorted by
  • Are you guys sure that you are not losing any quality with these converters? I've never tried them except a 2X converter for my Canon. Losing the f-stop and some sharpness with that particular converter. Buying a 7-14 still makes more sense to me then buying a 14 w/converter.

  • @shian, That's good news. I just ordered a converter: Raynox HD 6600 Pro .66x in a 58mm mount for my voightlander 17.5 nokton. It's an experiment. Never used these before. But the 12mm range of lenses is very limited. I'll post the results here if and when it works. Thanks. And thanks for your online grading lessons. Very giving of you.

  • I use this on both my pancake 20mm (using 46-58 step-up adapter ring) and my Nikon 50mm (using 52-58 ring) and it turns my 2 sharpest workhorse lenses into a 14mm and 35mm respectively. I love it.

    http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=256058&Q=&is=REG&A=details

  • Rambo, where did you get the converter lens, B&H don't list it, I can't find it available in Australia anywhere..

    cheers

  • Yes i do, filter size is the same so i see know reason it won't work on 20mm unless Panny just don't want it mounted on a lens that is external focus, the 14mm is fully internal. Soon know.

  • @Rambo Lucky you!! Do you have 20mm 1.7, too?

  • The NEW Panny wide angle converter DMW-GWC1 is due to arrive on my doorstep any day, it's designed for the 14mm pancake, so will be interesting to see what difference attaching it to the pancake will make. Stay tuned. http://personal-view.com/talks/discussion/1978/panasonic-conversion-lenses#Item_32

  • Interesting results indeed. I wish there was a Panny 7mm prime. I think the 7-14 is still ideal with a 14-140. Great results with the pancakes.

  • That proves 14mm 2.5 is a nice lens sharper than 7-14 @14mm.

  • Very interesting tests:

    • Voigtlander 17.5mm 0.95 Nokton and
    • 25mm f/0.95 Nokton
    • Panasonic 14mm f/2.5
    • Olympus 17mm f/2.8
    • Panasonic 20mm f/1.7
    • Olympus 12mm f/2.0
    • Panasonic/Leica 25mm f/1.4 ASPH
    • Panasonic 7-14 f/4,
    • Olympus 9-18 f/4-5.6
    • Olympus 14-42 f/3.5-4.6 II R
    • Olympus 12-50 f/3.5-6.3 EZ

    http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/05/wide-angle-micro-43-imatest-results

  • @matthere, where did you find info about this new adapter for the 14mm? All I found about wide adapter for the 14mm is dmw-gwc1. Kinda consider the sony ECU1 that @Mimirsan mentioned above

  • @SuryA I don't currently have an adapter for the 14mm so can't help with footage, but it might be worth noting that there is a new adapter coming from Panasonic for the 14mm lens, it is due out very soon (April/May), so might be worth holding off for a quality comparison.. supposed to be around the £130 mark when it arrives :)

  • Hey, I'm interested in the 14mm with and adapter to go very wide/fisheye, and I already have the 14mm. Can't seem to find any footage though, anyone have some? Also there seems to be quite a few sony adapters that are recommended, is there a particular model that's better quality, or is it just a question of thread diameter?

  • If you look above this topic, you'll find such alternative. 14mm cheap pancake + Sony converter.

  • Looked everywhere for a affordable 12mm lens (from M42 mount to FD or whatever), that cover the entire sensor. Looks like there don´t exist in all the world a affordable alternative to the SLR Magic 12mm?? Any suggestions? Someone know if it possible to attach a pentaflex mount to GH2? A lens like the one in the Photo..

    170827715196_1.jpg
    96 x 72 - 4K
  • @rozroz the Rainbow 8-48mm or Pentax 8-48mm are para focal and decently wide they cover fully in ETC tele mode.

    The rainbow is easier to mod than the pentax (requires machining), the Pentax is a bit better lens. doesn't get as soft at f1.0.

    Pentax 8-48mm modification:

    shows coverage in etc and full frame:

    footage in low and bright light shows its zoom range etc.

  • @rozroz I´m looking for c-mount lenses too. I will a 12mm c-mount lens that cover the entire sensor. Have looked at: http://www.goyooptical.com/ They also produce 4/3 c-mount lenses but the 12mm code:GMHR61220MCN cost: 1.175,43!!! Eur :( They also have 1" 2/3, 1/2.

  • @Ebacherville the thing is i need a useful run n' gun wide parfocal zoom lens, even on ETC. if they are such a limited option to use, i'm pretty much stuck.

    i also read some more info on 1" zooms that MAY cover more of the m4/3 sensor:

    Canon’s 1″ lenses have a model number starting “PV” or “V”, the 2/3″ lenses start with a “J”. The Canon V6x17, f2 17-102mm covers the micro 4/3rds sensor pretty well with just a little vignetting at the shorter end. The Canon V6x16, f1.9 16-100mm vignettes a little more but is still useable on some subjects. There are others: Canon TV Zoom V10x15 2.8/15-150mm Canon TV Zoom V6x16 1.9/16-100mm Canon TV Zoom V6x16 2/16.5-95mm Canon TV Zoom V6x17 2/17-102mm Canon TV Zoom V6x18 1.6/18-108mm Canon TV Zoom V6x18 2.5/18-108mm Canon TV Zoom V5x20, 2.5/20-100mm

    Fujinon’s 1″ lenses begin with a “C” if I remember correctly. You may pay more for these: Fujinon-TV Zoom C10x16A, 1.8/16-160mm Fujinon-TV Zoom C10x16, 2.5/16-160mm Fujinon-TV Zoom C6x17.5, 1.8/17.5-105 Fujinon-TV Zoom 20-100 (I think) Fujinon-TV Zoom C14x25, 3.5/25-350mm

    The Schneider Kreuznach Variogon f2/18-90mm is a nice lens made for 1″ sensors but again, may cost a little more. The Carl Zeiss Jena Vario Tevidon f2/18-90mm is also a very nice lens (comes in c-mount and Tevidon bayonet), but liable to fetch a high price.

    Other budget options may be lenses by Computar, Cosmicar, Tarcus, VT, Ernitec, Navitar: Cosmicar TV Zoom 1.5/22.5-90mm Computar TV Zoom 2.0/17-102mm Ernitec TV zoom 1.8/16-160MM Navitar DOZ-10×16, 2.0/16-160mm Navitar 7000 Zoom 2.5/18-108mm (macro lens, much copied or made for other names)

    maybe the Canon TV Zoom V6x17 2/17-102mm? and i also understood that they're all pretty heavy, no?

  • @Kihlian, for CCTV lensesl I generally don't go below a 1/2" lens.. never tried a 1/3" lens, some may work but I suspect most will show vignetting.. but never really tried any 1/3"

    @rosror, I'm not sure what your asking, that footage isn't from me its someone elses footage.. If you like I can shoot any tests your like with the CCTV lenses I have. The rainbow 11.5-69 is a 2/3" lens and covers way more than the exetele coverage. the 1/2" 8-48mm may have a bit of edge or corner distortion, bit very minor, I have always wanted a b4 2/3" lens setup on the GH2 but the edge distortion onthese with the 2x doubler engaged has always killed that dream for me, these c mounts have done a better job of that, the only reason I use C mounts is if I can't pull off the shot needed in full frame.. Generally if its a parafocal fast zoom from tight to wide or need or a super wide low light shot, I'll be using primes in full frame most of the time. Tell me what you want to see in the c mounts and ill try to shoot it for you.

    I also have a Pentax 8-48mm f1.0 but need to get a machinist involved for the modifications to it to make it usable.

    I think I'll make a demo video of the C mounts I have.. They are great for specitly shots you just cant pull off with regular full frame lenses. Genera for those shots, the stuff I just cant do in full frame is when I pull out the CCTV C mounts.

  • @ttancredi The 12mm captures details well, but the images don't feel artificially sharp or abrasive. Clinical is probably the right adjective for the Oly 12mm, as it doesn't bake a cinematic "warmth" into its images like the SLRMagic 12mm does. If sharpness is an issue, it can always be dialed down in post.

  • @apriori Do you find the sharpness of the 12mm pleasant when you shoot "busy", detailed scenes?

  • @all For the 3.5mm must the lens be for 1/2 Inch image format or could also be 1/3 Inch?

  • @Ebacherville, i'm terribly sorry. somehow i missed your footage section when i watched it a few days ago :( forgive me. excellent tests!

    so you say you have to stay above f1.5, right? but still, in most of the shots the frame is only focused at the center area.. is there a way of improving the overall focus area?