Hello,

I need a wide angle/fast lens for my GH-2.

I'm considering the Noktor (SLR Magic) CINE 12mm f 1.6 for micro four thirds $549

Or, I know Voigtlander makes a 17.5mm f/0.95 for micro 4/3 that is $1,200

Just wondering if the slightly faster Voigt is worth more than twice the money. Seems like the f 1.6 would provide a very shallow DOF, and I assume the Voigt is perhaps too soft at 0.95 anyway.

I like both lenses because they offer manual control of both focus and Iris.

Thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions.

Big bucks Jerry .. sounds like you need to rent those to see if they fit your requirements .. or maybe a sale or return.

Cheers.

You can take a look at some of the stuff I shot with the 17.5 and compare it to the SLR Magic. I've never used the SLR Magic lens, so I can't fairly compare it to the Voigtlander. The only experience I have with SLR Magic lenses is the "Toy Lens" 25/1.4, which really does feel like a toy... and probably isn't in the same league as their 12/T1.6

There is a lot of difference between 17.5 and 12mm.

How wide do you need to go?
I have the 17.5 and the Olympus 12mm f2 - both are great bits of glass.
The Oly 12mm remains sharp wide open - some reviews say the SLR Magic needs to be closed down to stay sharp so the extra 2/3 stop isn't that much use but it is cheaper.

The Voigtlander is very usable at f0.95 - back it off to 1.2 and it's great (as is the 25mm f0.95)

Jerry,

The SLR Magic isn't that much cheaper than a refurb'ed Oly 12mm f2 from Amazon for $699. And the Oly is in stock, while the SLR Magic is back ordered, at least at Adorama: http://www.adorama.com/SLR1216MFT.html


And Rohan is right, there is a big difference between 17.5mm and 12mm:

Voigtlander Nokton 17.5mm F0.95 - Field of View (FOV) Comparison and Clickless Aperture on Vimeo

Good luck with your decision,

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution (http://hybridcamerarevolution.blogspot.com)

Great tip on the refurbed Oly.

Or not. I really dont' need yet another lens.

Thanks for all the information. To clarify... the Olympus lens is not full manual, correct? I really like having manual control over both the focus and Iris. Also, I'm looking for a lens I can use on my slider and steadicam. I think the wider the lens the better, as this seems to really make slider footage come to life.

The Oly 12mm can be set to manual focus but only has an electronic iris that is controlled by the camera body.

The auto focus on the 12mm could come in handy for steadicam shots if you are tracking in from a wide.

The manual iris on the 17.5 is wonderful - can switch between smooth for video work or traditional click stops

I'll vouch for the 12mm F/2.0. No manual iris, but $699 is a great value for the lens, it is a superb lens.

Don't forget about the Panasonic 14mm f2.4 pancake or the New 12-35mm X lens. It is $200 more thant the Olympus. This changes Everything » FrugalFilmmakers.com (http://frugalfilmmakers.com/2012/05/20/this-changes-everything/)

Alan, the 12-35 is not slated to ship until August. 12-35 will be a great lens to own.

One nice thing about the 12-35 it will probably match with video cameras like the XA10 very, very well, possibly better than any other lens in the M 4/3 lineup, particularly in low light.

All,

I greatly appreciated everyone's feedback regarding this topic.

I have one more question:

As I mentioned, I'd like to use this wide lens on my GH-2 for some steadicam shots. Someone mentioned that the auto focus on the Olympus might be an advantage for this type of work. However, the auto focus only works if I'm holding the shutter button down half way, correct? Therefore, I would need to touch the camera in order to use the auto focus, which does not work when used with my Blackbird.

Please let me know if I'm misunderstanding how the Lumix/Olympus lenses work, as I've only been using Nikon lenses which allow me to control everything manually.

Otherwise, I may just purchase the Tokina 11-16mm f 2.8. I can use this with my existing Nikon adaptor.

Thanks again for everybody's feedback.

Jerry - you don't have to press the button to hold focus with continuous AF. And according to Panasonic's GH2 lens compatibility chart (http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/connect/gh2.html), the Olympus m.Zuiko 12mm F2.0 is capable of auto continuous AF with the GH2. It is now $680 at Amazon.

Hope this is helpful.

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution (http://hybridcamerarevolution.blogspot.com)

There is auto focus with the camera, and there is continuous auto focus, separate functions Jerry. As Bill says, continuous auto focus is automatic. I personally wouldn't be sure it would be the way to go for steadycam shots as your focus would drift, etc as you moved. Instead I would think you'd instead learn how to set your focus with enough dept of field that you could fly keeping ideal distance from your subject to maintain focus, and then use the shutter button to reset your focus as needed for changing conditions.

Just food for thought. Overall I think the Olympus is a much more logical choice, but that is only because I prefer to control all functions through the camera. when possible.

The 12mm is an excellent walk around lens, and for casual photography the auto focus is nearly instant and a joy to use. It is a real fun lens, as is the 45mm F/1.8. You take those two lenses out for a walk or on a trip and they take up almost no room, will fit in your pocket if necessary, and they are so sharp and crisp.

I use the 12mm to shoot photos at weddings of the exterior of the church, the interior, cake shots, etc etc, and the auto focus makes it an absolute breeze. Perfect photos almost every time, and amazing video as well. I have sold all of my manual lenses, and am happy to be done with them.