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12mm f/1.6 Noktor
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  • HillTop1HillTop1

    This lens is on my shopping list. Are most of the issues worked out? Those who just recently bought it, where best to buy, straight from Noktor or Adorama in the US. I will probably be buying it with the 58-77 focusing ring.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    @jleo I think I remember them telling us that in the tour. Pretty insane place. The guy thought he was a rock star for sure.

  • jleojleo

    @ vicharris

    looking good!

    Hearst Castle was the inspiration for Xanadu Castle in Citizen Kane, the courtyard pool was used in Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    Just for shits and giggles, I pulled up one of the first things I ever shot with this lens. We went to Hurst Castle last year and I was able to sneak in some video while we were taking a tour. Sorry for the shakiness, they really weren't too keen on me holding up the tour while I was trying to take video and I'm sure they wouldn't be stoked with a monopod or tripod either. I tried to smooth some stuff out but it just looks like you're on acid! Also, yes, I see the wonderful banding in the first shot. Not sure why it's in that on and not the rest. Oh well. It's a cool place!

  • stoneystoney

    It is one of my favorites. 12mm 1.6, 25mm 0.95, and 14-140mm.

  • MattRobertson7MattRobertson7

    Honestly I really like this lens. It is my #1 go-to "artistic" lens. I absolutely love the flares you get from the sun when using this lens, really great for b-roll cut-ins. A fantastic value at its price.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    @feha Agreed, the focus ring is in the worst possible spot but what I've learned to use it for, that isn't really a problem. I pull F Stop changes with this lens more than focus pulls. I'm sure if they make one to match their cine line, it'll do very well. It seems like they have all the kinks worked out from the early runs of the lens.

  • fehafeha

    This is a really good lens based on reviews and videos I have seen. But the construction should be better as of focus ring should be placed in better position, as it is now it's too close the camera body. Also @slrmagic, if they release version 2 than it should have the format as their "cinema" lenses with integrated lens gear. That would make me buy one :-)

  • kholikholi

    @vicharris

    So basically, it's a good lens that you paid a great price for, that you use a lot of the time. =P

    I think the step up ring helps a ton with reflections, as I get them a lot with my "5 dollar" amazon step up rings when shooting. They were never designed for video, and if you look at Duclos' step up rings they are HYPER similar in finish and build to the SLR 58-77.

    Basically, I think that maybe we just need to research a bit and expand our knowledge base before making any claims that we can't exactly prove. =B

    And of course I definitely think the 12/1.6 down to the gear is pretty fantastic, it feels close to a cinema lens experience but in a very compact form. Can't wait for the 25 and 35 hyper primes.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    I love the step up ring price. I already got in to that with Andrew before because anyone can find one of these rare and precious rings for $5 from Amazon. There's no reason they should be charging people $50 for that item. That being said I just shot a hotel promo in The Keys with this lens and it looks great. I'd say over 75% of the video is the 12mm.

  • stoneystoney

    No I'm not getting one.

  • stoneystoney
    Since September, most of the lens gears were factory installed onto the 12mm lens before selling, and once the lens gear was installed on the lens, it should NOT be removed. Uneven pressure on the lens barrel might cause the lens barrel to come loose. We had sold some lens gears to our 12mm customers, and they installed the lens gear by themselves. However, we already had couple cases where the customer found it difficult to find the most suitable spot for the lens gear, and two customers installed the gear and then took it off, and damaged the lens barrel, and had to return the lens for repair. The lens gear costs US$ 80.00 including UPS shipment. We will bear this UPS cost only one time, and we suggest that customers return their lens to us by post with tracking, and we install the gear and send back to them. We cannot be responsible for our customer's lens, and therefore you must send your lens back by post, with "tracking" number, so that both you and we can track the lens. If you do not want to send your lens to us, and want to install it by yourself, firstly you have to understand that you have to put equal pressure on the screws (not fixing one extremely tight before working on the other); and you have to try and look for the most smooth spot to fix the gear on, before you screw all screws tight (please do not screw them extremely extremely tight). And, once installed, the lens gear should not be removed. Below is the link from one of our customer installing the lens gear by himself for your reference: SLR Magic 12mm F1.6 Lens Gear test Kindly inform us whether you choose to have your lens send back to us to install the gear, or you want to install the gear by yourself. In either case, please remember that the lens gear should not be removed after installation. You can give us your day time mailing address and day time contact phone number, and we will issue a Paypal Request to you. Our address: Asian Team Development Ltd., 2 Cheug Yue Street, Ka To Factory Bldg., 1/F, Flat B, Cheung Sha Wan, Hong Kong. Tel: (852) 2310 4282 We also have a SLR Magic 58-77 step-up ring for use with filter (due to wide angle lens), and this step-up ring is made with thinner inner diameter to avoid vignette. If you order it with other items, the cost is US$ 50.00. If you order it separately, the cost is US$ 80.00 including international shipping by UPS.
  • vicharrisvicharris

    That's the most ridiculous video I've ever seen of that problem. It reminds me of this commercial that's airing in the US right now where a guy doesn't know how to use a Q tip properly and jambs his brain. Very good propaganda piece to sell product :)

  • fehafeha

    This 12mm lens have some focus gear, but i don't know if there is an to order/buy. This gear makes it easy to use with follow focus no GH bodies ... I think this leans gear would work even as 360 degree ... Check video below:

  • kholikholi

    Glad you got a new copy. Honestly, this is the funnest lens I've used (still lens) and it almost never comes off of the GH2. Can't wait for the day it first goes on Blackmagic, though. That will be killer.

  • AlfaerikAlfaerik

    I was complaining quite a bit about my lens when i bought i earlier this year because it seemed too soft wide open. Finally I returned it where I bought it and got a new copy (after a month waiting). The new one is much better, still soft wide open, but not as my old one unusal below f.2. It would save a lot of people a lot of trouble if SLR Magic tested the lenses properly before selling them.

    Now I'm happy with the lens and can recommend it to anyone. Buy it from a store so that you can return it to them in case you get a faulty copy.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    An update: So I took my 12mm SLR out to get some night motorcycle scenes shot and now it seems my lens mount is loose on my body. I always had the play in the middle of the lens but now it turns a bit on the camera. Non of my Pany lenses do this. It's starting to act like a cheap adapter but like I said, I think mine is from the first or second batch and maybe this is corrected by now. I rarely use this lens as it's only great for certain occasions but it's starting to worry me in terms of how long it will actually hold together. The stuff I shot last night looks awesome though... I think :)

  • TobsenTobsen

    @vicharris I should do that. Thx.

  • meemee

    @Tobsen and @vicharris I also always had a bit too much play in my lens mount with my GH2, while sending my camera in for debris in the lens and a dead pixel, I decided to mention that it had excessive play. Panasonic replaced the mount and the new one was much tighter. I suspect it is in fact a common issue, and they have improved mounts for people like me that speak up. I actually have had quite a few little problems with my GH2, and they have so far replaced the motherboard, lens mount, and card reader. The card reader was last and to their credit the local shop was taking way too long to get it back, so panasonic hunted it down and had it sent to my door the day before I left for a vacation that revolved around my GH2. However there is a sharp piece of metal wire sticking out right above the SD card now. Perhaps a repair guy pissed at me for calling attention to the time he was taking. All the same, my warranty ended as it was in repair, but now since there is a clear issue caused by the repair I will use this time to mention the Mic port that doesn't seem the right depth for any of the adapters I use. As for Wide lenses, M42 mounts have some really wide lenses, but they are usually pretty slow. I am still on the hunt myself, but unless something great is produced for a really great price soon I think I am destined for a Nokton 17.5mm. The speed and quality is just too much to resist. I have handled this lens too. I have a lens that has the same look and feel but unfortunately it is a 200mm Tele ( Takumar f5.6). Both lenses feel perfect though.

  • disordinarydisordinary

    The 14-140 is my only MFT lens apart from this new 12mm, my other lenses are using an OM adaptor. The OM adaptor sits snugly, the MFT lenses are the only ones that are loose - its a GH1.

    I will have to wait for my BMCC MFT I guess to see if its a problem with the lens or the mount.

  • vicharrisvicharris

    @Tobsen Funny you mention this. When I first had problems with this lens I went to Pany by Universal to run my camera and the lens through tests against a lab test station AF100 they had. I was told GH2's have a common lens mount problem and this could be the cause of my unhappiness with the lens. As it turns out, my GH2 was fine and the guys at Pany said that they have not heard of a common problem with the lens mount but that could just be lip service by them. Who knows. Long story short, call up Pany and ask if they know of this. Hopefully your camera is still under warranty. I use heavy glass but all with a tripod mount to avoid anything like this from happening. Good luck!

  • TobsenTobsen

    @vicharris yes, my panny lenses have play, too. I am really talking about the mount. The SLR has no loose parts, just quite a stiff focus ring (only at one point near the 1m mark).

    Is there a way to fix a loose camera mount?

  • vicharrisvicharris

    @Tobsen Do you have play in your Pany lenses as well or just 3rd party ones? I have play in the middle of my SLR, not the actual portion that touches the body. Not sure of that what @disordinary was talking about. Mine just feels like it was not put together all the way but it doesn't leak light.

  • TobsenTobsen

    @disordinary all my lenses have play. The mount on my cam is the problem I believe since there is not a single lens without play. It is kinda annoying...

  • disordinarydisordinary

    Hey @Tobsen, do you have any play with the mount? Mine has about the same or a little more than my 14-140 and way more than any of my other lenses, it wouldn't be a problem but the focus is so stiff (same as you on the macro end of the scale).

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