Voightlander 25mm F/.95 is now available at B&H, as of an hour ago. Keep in mind the Panasonic 25mm F/1.4 made for Micro-Four thirds is coming soon too. At close to half the price, and with full electronic compatibility with the GH2, the Panasonic lens is the lens I would choose for run and gun, but that is just me.

Do you know anything about the Panasonic 25mm 1.4 Jeff?

I just got the Olympus 45mm 1.8 and it's a sharp lens but the auto focus hunts a little to much. The focus is very fast when using the shutter button but as you know I'm looking for that lens that will auto focus well, without help, for use on the steady cam.

What settings do you recommend for the best continuous auto focus? One example of the 25mm 1.7, I can put an object in perfect focus at about 10ft and as I move closer to the object it will go completely out of focus before eventually coming back in to focus.

Tim, I don't use a steadycam (plan on buying something, but as of yet no) but I just can't imagine you'd do better than the 12mm F/2.0, which I think you already have?

I also do not use continuous focus anymore, but if I did, I use it on the 12mm , but not the 20mm. It is just as you say, it hunts too much. One thing you could do to possibly reduce hunting is enlarge the focus area oncsreen. That might help. I just focus with the shutter button. With the 12mm it never gets too out of whack if I stay on it.

Re: the 25mm is supposed to be quite a lens, and I want one very much. F/1.4 is just what the doctor ordered.

Your issue with the steadycam is solved by most others, I believe, by just maintaining distance from subject, and re focusing as needed for different shots, at least that is what I gather.

Your dead on about the 12mm, it's as good as one could hope on a steady cam. My only problem with it is I have to get in the couples privacy zone to get the shot I need, which I don't like to do. The only time I used it on the first dance, I was getting one or both of my other cameras on tripods in the my shots.

Thanks for the suggestion on expanding the focus area, that might help.

Yeah, there are times the 12mm is a bit too wide, I agree, but overall the benefits outweigh the drawbacks so I don't think about it too much. I can see your issue with using it for first dances, etc, too wide at times, and you need to get close.

If you circle the couple during the first dance, could you go out to them, steady the cam, take a sec to focus w/ shutter, and then just maintain your distance as you do a circle? It would require you to be stationary for a second or two, but I don't see that would be a big deal in the scheme of things.

Or when you go out, go low, focus on the legs so your not at eye level as you focus, and them rise and do your shot? I think you can do it with focusing using shutter, you will just have to find a method to obtain focus, a system as it were.

Additionally, for couples who move around the floor you'd be screwed pretty much.

Very good ideas, thanks.

I cannot remember where I read this but basically the Voightlander gets very soft the misty below f1.4. At f1.4 but lenses were pretty good from what I remember reading. The conclusion was that while yes it could be nice to go to f0.95 chances are you would end up keeping the lens at f1.4 anywhere because thats the last place it still looks very good.

If I had to make a choice I think I would choose the Lumix instead mainly due to the full auto control and cost. I may even consider selling my 20mm. I love that lens but the autofocus is horrible and it is just too darn thin. I keep getting my fingers on the glass trying to reach to focus.

I was at a wedding recently and used my 20mm 100% during the reception. Of course I had a shoulder stabilizer which really helped. I also made my own crude focus puller so my hand wouldn't get in front of the lens when I wanted to focus. Kind of a beast but it got the job done at the time. I couldn't imagine being as wide as 12mm or even 14mm at a wedding. I already felt like I was getting too close with the 20mm. I think 25mm would be very nice although still not as good as having the ability to servo zoom.

I don't understand why B&H had it listed for $819 for many months without it being available and now it is but at $1,199. BTW I purchased my 25mm F0.95 in Dec 2010 from Photo Village in NYC for $899.

On the 12mm and Stedicam, have you considered infinity focus? I just started playing around with mine on a glidecam 2000 and focus f2.8 at 12' gives me I believe from 6' to infinity. I just jack the iso to whatever it needs to be and the images look really good to me. That way I didn't have to mess around with the autofocus. Again Im just starting to play around with it, please let me know if you have good reasons to do it otherwise.

Thanks!

I cannot remember where I read this but basically the Voightlander gets very soft the misty below f1.4. At f1.4 but lenses were pretty good from what I remember reading. The conclusion was that while yes it could be nice to go to f0.95 chances are you would end up keeping the lens at f1.4 anywhere because thats the last place it still looks very good.

If I had to make a choice I think I would choose the Lumix instead mainly due to the full auto control and cost. I may even consider selling my 20mm. I love that lens but the autofocus is horrible and it is just too darn thin. I keep getting my fingers on the glass trying to reach to focus.

I was at a wedding recently and used my 20mm 100% during the reception. Of course I had a shoulder stabilizer which really helped. I also made my own crude focus puller so my hand wouldn't get in front of the lens when I wanted to focus. Kind of a beast but it got the job done at the time. I couldn't imagine being as wide as 12mm or even 14mm at a wedding. I already felt like I was getting too close with the 20mm. I think 25mm would be very nice although still not as good as having the ability to servo zoom.

I use the 25mm .95 quite alot at really dark receptions and I don't really notice a softness at .95, but I really notice the extra brightness. I also really like the minimal focus distance for details, which I use, plus it feels very solid/professional on that little camera. I just wish I could get a battery grip to give it some substance and I would probably not use my 5d II at all anymore.

Here is a video shot by Seb Farges that he says is all at F0.95:
Life goes on... Goes to London... With Nokton on Vimeo

Joe, that's an accurate representation of what the lens can do at f0.95 from what I experience, the only softness I notice is the out-of-focus areas. But its what I would expect at f0.95 anyway.

I really like the 0.95 a lot. Its my main lens when I shoot the GH2, not to mention it feels good and substantial on the camera. Its built solid and smooth.

It's a well designed lens, but yes, it is a bit soft wide open.

I must say that I really haven't run tests on the lens in good light to see softness at low aperatures. My use is only in low or no light situations where the f0.95 really shines for me. I can say that I also use Canon 5d II with 50mm 1.4 and I like the image better on the f0.95, thats why I use it now for receptions.

John Twigt @ Workstation:

"This sequence was shot entirely with 10.000 ASA sensitivity on a hacked GH2 with 42 Mbps in AVCHD. Originaly 1920x1080 for vimeo scaled down to 720. No extra lights were used at all. All lighting is practical, i.e. street lights and the lanterns from the children and the light emitting from the houses. It was amazing how well the GH2 performed under those circumstances. I know there was some demand for high asa footage in color, so here it is. I used the film mode 'Vibrant' to get the most from the toned down color reproduction in low light situations. There is some noise but i used a mild setting from the excellent plugin from Neat video to reduce noise somewhat. I think this setting opens up possibilities for documentary shooting at night.

Lens: Voigtländer 25mm/F0.95, which I used almost the whole time fully open. "
Gh2 Color footage 10.000 ASA ISO test on Vimeo

I bought it from B&H and the aperture blades crinkled up and broke in the first day. Really disappointing, but man, it looked gorgeous while it worked. Sent it back and now its backordered indefinitely again. I'm not sure if I'll bother once it comes back in. Has anyone seen similar fragility with this lens?

WoW! I hope that was just a run of bad luck. I haven't experienced or heard any problems with the lens. Mine operates very smooth and is made like a brick. Very solid.

Good luck on what ever you choose but I would consider giving it a second chance.

Take care!

Sorry to hear that, Steev. Mine has been working great since day 1.

I just got mine, working fine. I also read a personal-view member dropped his and it didn't have a scratch. I guess you just had bad luck!