Blackmagic Pocket Cam lens?

[John McCully]

Would this lens, the Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-42mm f/3.5 -5.6 Asph. / MEGA O.I.S., costing all of $149.00 at B&H be OK as a starter lens for the Blackmagic Pocket Camera? At this price I have to ask what is the catch? What am I missing?

[Nate Haustein]

Plastic construction makes for difficult focus and zoom control. The range is nice but you'll be struggling for light in darker environments. Outside it would probably be just fine. It's not a bad lens, it's just not a very good lens. I got one for $65 off ebay for what it's worth. There's a million of them around.

[Ruben Kremer]

I got one of these for €50 from eBay. Personally think it'll be a nice way to get started, to play around with the camera. But for serious stuff it's not really practical. I'll probably like it because it's small, just like the camera. But for real shoots I'd probably end up using at least some of my 'big-camera-glass', like my 24-70mm f/2.8

I'll be on the lookout for wider angle lenses. Since that'll be the most troublesome for this little camera. A 12mm lens will still be 35mm effective. So to get really wide, you'd need something like a 8-10mm lens, I know Sigma makes one at a reasonable price.

Also consider the fact if you're going to stick with the BMPCC or will you eventually upgrade to -for example- the 4K BMPC - which has a Super35 (just slightly bigger than APS) sensor. You want to invest in glass that you can 'brign along' to the next camera, or stay with the smaller Micro 4/3 glass. These are at least some of the things I'll be taking into consideration.

[Bill Bruner]

John - an AUS$149 Sigma 19mm f2.8 via eBay Australia might be a better starter lens.

In addition to the great price, it will perform better in low light - and is wide enough to be useful at 57mm equivalent.

Cheers,

Bill
Hybrid Camera Revolution

[John McCully]

Thanks for the inputs, gentlemen, much appreciated. I am inclined to go with the Lumix G Vario 14-42mm f/3.5 -5.6 Asph. / MEGA O.I.S., costing all of $149.00 as it does enable a modicum of framing and in as much as framing is critical in my mind then that’s the way I should go. I understand that moving myself and the camera also enables critical framing however quite often, most often in fact, that is simply not possible.

Let me ask the question in another way if I may; given that the Blackmagic Pocket Cam is not quite as sharp as the original BMCC and given that the above lens was designed for still shooting does that mean the limiting factor regarding sharpness will be the sensor and/or perhaps the associated internal electronics rather than the lens? For example, my NEX 5n with the Sony E 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 attached delivers excellent sharp photographs however the video delivered from the same combo is soft, to say the least. In this situation I conclude the limiting factor regarding sharpness is certainly not the lens but the electronics post capture. So the question now is will this above plastic no-account throw-away piece of whatever also not be the limiting factor regarding sharpness with the Blackmagic Pocket Cam? I know I could spring for the Lumix G Vario HD 12-35mm Zoom Lens f2.8 costing 10x the el cheapo above and I am aware that I would gain slightly wider capture and better low light capabilities not to mention a better build and so on but would the captured image, under decent outdoor light conditions, be sharper, or significantly visually better in any way?

I am disinclined to invest significant dollars in MFT lenses until such time as I have established where and how the Blackmagic Pocket Cam (and the other MFT mount models) might fit into my shooting agenda.

For some strange reason there is no footage shot with the Pocket Cam available as yet, other than that shot by John Brawley which from my perspective is only just better than nothing. I wonder if the cunning Aussie cousins across the Tasman are having problems, or perhaps they have a bonzer fair dinkum killer marketing plan that is based on the mushroom treatment: feed’im bullshirt and keep’em in the dark!

I wouldn’t be surprised!
.

[Kevin McRoberts]

Kern Paillard 16mm C-mount Bolex lenses. They're sharp, great color & contrast, fast, and TINY... they'd really put the "pocket" in this camera, and they aren't too expensive.

[Jeff Troiano]

I've preordered the pocket cinema camera. The first lens I bought, and should receive tomorrow is the Panasonic's Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm f/2.8 Asph. Lens for Micro 4/3. Might also get the Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8 Lumix G Vario Zoom Lens for the Micro 4/3. Ill have 2 zooms that will cover just about everything, expect the wide end. Going to pick up the 20 f1.7 prime, and a few other fast primes.

[John McCully]

Well, talk about jumping in the deep end. You certainly have covered the waterfront. Good on you. I shall be most interested in your thoughts after taking that lot around the block a time or two.

[Jeff Troiano]

My thought is, I'd eventually like to pick up the 2.5k cinema camera. When I do, I'll get the new MTF mount version and these lenes will work with both cameras. Will probably be a few months after I receive the pocket cam, that ill look into getting the 35-100mm. But figure the mid range will be covered from the go.

[Philip Lipetz]

The Lumix lenses WILL NOT work with the passive mount MFT BMCC. Hope for an active mount.

[Jeff Troiano]

Originally Posted by Philip Lipetz

The Lumix lenses WILL NOT work with the passive mount MFT BMCC. Hope for an active mount.

Thanks for pointing that out. As I haven't looked into buying the 2.5k camera, I didn't know that. It will be sometime before I would go that route any how. Maybe by then it will. But if not, I'm sure ill be picking up some manual lenses to use with the pocket camera.

[Evan Donn]

What's the situation with the older c-mount television zooms? There seem to be quite a few that are wide (10-15mm range), fast (< f/2.0), and have a decent zoom range(5-10x) with constant aperture. I found this example shot on an m4/3, just by eye it looks like the vignetting would be completely eliminated by the time it's cropped down to s16 sensor area:

GH1 1st test with C mount CCTV zoom 17-102mm 1:2.0 on Vimeo

[Ron Coker]

My intention for BMPC WA lens.

Olympus F2 12mm + 46mm screw on .45x WA adapter (ebay) + 62-82 step ring + 82mm vari nd fader.
With GH3 edge clipping on fader is apparent, however BMPC 3.2 crop, another story, I could also machine away step ring at 4 points if required.
Focus on GH3, tack sharp.

[John Brawley]

Originally Posted by John McCully

Would this lens, the Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-42mm f/3.5 -5.6 Asph. / MEGA O.I.S., costing all of $149.00 at B&H be OK as a starter lens for the Blackmagic Pocket Camera? At this price I have to ask what is the catch? What am I missing?

I have this lens on the pocket cinema camera often.

It's a very serviceable lens and crazy cheap. The IS works well too.

Aside from the slower speed in terms of aperture it's great value if you want a *starter* lens. It's the first m4/3 zoom I've ever bought. I own lot's of m4/3 primes (for my Olympus m4/3).

jb

[Bob Hart]

John.


Have your tried any PL-Mount Super16mm lenses like Optar Illumina or CP Ultra T* on the BM pocket cam?