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Fast lens recommendation
  • http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1039950-REG/rokinon_rk12m_mft_12mm_f_2_0_ncs_cs.html

    lookin at getting that for my gh4, for first prime lens. any thoughts?

    obviously i could go with voitlander 12.5mm 0.95, sigma 18-35 sb, tokina 11-16 sb, ect but those are all well over $600-700.

  • 4 Replies sorted by
  • am also interested in that particular lens. not so many really helpful reviews and opinions out there though. you know there's a cine version, right? and it's only 30$ more: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1047004-REG/rokinon_cv12m_m_12mm_t_2_2_cine_lens.html

  • It all depends on the needs. If you need 12mm specifically I suggest to start from native lenses and after this check Samyang/Rokinon.

  • PV topic on the lens http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/9936/12mm-f2.0-samyang-lens/p1

    I had been looking to WD lenses 4 a while and finally got the normal version of the roki 12mm f2 for µFT

     
    - Very compact and quite well built, though its shell is mostly plastic OTOH keeps it practical; meaning light
    - Mount is one piece of very solid metal, 3 screws... I haven't declicked it yet so can't talk of easiness of op
    - Hood and cap are well implemented and no fuzz, 67mm filter thread is just perfect size 4 me
    - Focus is easy, 24mm equiv :P, big plastic ring (no rubber) with about 90º throw and around 20 cm minimum FD
    - I like how contrasts and renders colours, It is extremely sharp wide open; you can use it f2 with no sweet
    - Wide open it can CA's a bit but overall it's super well controlled
    - Bokeh (6 blades) is quite ok
    - Flare is ok
    - Yes it distorts noticeably, but specially for video it is not unpleasing - see Primo distortion and use in cinema
    - IMO cuts well with lumix and µFT native lenses - as reference I also have panny 14-140, 20mm pancake and oly 45mm f1.8
     
    What I don't like it is mostly related with focus implementation. It focus way beyond infinite #1 (???) - that's very annoying - also the focus ring could be nicer to the touch and a bit more loose/smooth and because asking does not cost anything double the throw. Im my opinion if cinema version fixes specially #1 it's worth it.

    Even if not this is a good bong from the brick, I mean bang for the buck =)

    Models always at hand and free, well more or less
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    100% crop screengrab of worst case
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    These images have obviously been edited (colours are not yet 100%, but as examples will do); Fuji 160 Pro style

     
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    Salu2 @VK =)

  • Just picked up a Canon FL 58MM f1.2 on eBay for £108 - need some shallow dof stuff soon and thought this might be worth a gamble....