Wide angle lens choice with BMPCC + Metabones Speed booster

[Vineet Radhakrishnan]

Hi guys,

I am looking to buy an ultra wide angle for use on the BMPCC, for slider shots, steadicam and some limited handheld shots. I plan to use the Metabones SB for the BMPCC giving me a crop factor of 1.75x. I am leaning towards the Sigma 8-16 or the Nikon 10-24 though I am open to other options.

Does anyone have experience using the Tamron 10-24 on the BMPCC? I read that although range is good and the price is low the image quality isn't up to the mark?

Is there a reason the Tokina 11-16 seems to be the preferred wide angle of choice on the BMPCC and steadicams other than it being a f2.8? With the Speedbooster giving me back 1 stop, would the non f2.8 lenses be okay for dusk or indoor shooting? I find the Sigma being wider more appealing and the range of the Nikon and Tamron better. So not sure why the Tokina would be a better choice unless I am missing something?

Sigma 8-16 (With the Speedboster a 14-28):
Pros:
Very wide
Great for steadicam/glidecam type shoot (distortion?)
Can shoot handheld

Cons:
Cant take regular filters (Do you tend to use IR/ND filters for video on wide angles anyway?)
Not a f2.8

Nikon 10-24 (17-42 with SB)
Pros:
Wider range
Better image quality and distortion control

Would be great to hear from folks who have been using wide angles on the BMPCC.

Thanks!

[Jay Bratcher]

I opted for the Sigma 10-20 f/3.5. I liked the slightly extended range over the Tokina, and it is only slightly slower at f/3.5. It's also tack sharp - even wide open - likely because of the speed booster. The focus ring has a fairly decent range too, and I find focusing to be easy and accurate - much more so than my Nikon 28-105, which has about 10 degrees of turn between closeup and infinity.

If I had to do it again, I would likely get a set of Rokinon Cinema lenses. 10mm, 16mm, 24mm, 35mm and 85mm would make for an awesome set :)

[Vineet Radhakrishnan]

Thanks for replying Jay. I hadn't thought much about the 10-20 before. Will look into it.

[Vineet Radhakrishnan]

Just realized the Sigma 10-20 f3.5 uses 82mm filters while the Tokina and Nikon use 77m filters which are less expensive and more importantly for me ones I already have and in common with my 24-70.

[Vineet Radhakrishnan]

Final update from my side... may be useful to others in a similar predicament wrt the Pocket camera + SB and choosing a wide angle.

I'm down to the Sigma 8-16 and the Sigma 10-20 F3.5. I realized that with the speed booster giving back 1 stop and the fact that being a wide angle I could get away with relatively lower shutter speeds the f2.8 on the Tokina was no longer that attractive.

The Sigma gives me the option of going insanely wide for static shots of interiors or architecture ( and possibly fixing any 8mm distortion if I shoot RAW?) while the Sigma 10-20 gives me a much wider range. Both sigmas have the significant video advantage of far less chromatic aberration compared to the Tokina.

Only con with the 8-16 is the bulging front element of the lens that means I will need to be overly careful and no option to use standard filters. The 10-20 uses 82mm filters which is also a bummer since I have 77mm Fader ND, UV, IR and Polarizer (granted this one isn't too useful on a UWA) filters.

[Panagiotis Raris]

Another alternative; I bought one for under $200 shipped with an MFT adapter; also parfocal, so i can set focus and zoom right back out. Fixed, fast f1.2 aperture, iris fully closes down. Some vignetting at certain zoom/focus combos, deep minimum focus of 1 meter, and odd bokeh, but worth the compromises.

Computar 12.5-75 f1.2

[Vineet Radhakrishnan]

Thanks Panagiotis. I never knew about this lens. Sound quite interesting though with a few challenges. Will read up more about it.

[Panagiotis Raris]

Here are two quickly graded shots. 24P, ISO800, 170.2 shutter angle, 12.5mm, f3.5 (approx), focus at infinity. First is from a moving/shaking car doing 35mph; it was fairly dark out. Second same settings; upload compressed it a bit. There is some interesting light flares from it; its not the sharpest, but looks very close to 16mm film.

[Dave Allen]

Just as a heads up regarding the Metabones Speed booster. Abelcine said they tested it and it offers no increase whatsoever in speed/light gathering.

[Evan Donn]

That seems odd - do you have a link to their tests/results? Abelcine is still advertising the speed booster as giving an additional stop - and I can't see any reason why it wouldn't do so, it's concentrating a larger amount of light onto the smaller sensor.