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Fast portrait lens with autofocus for m43
  • mkholodmkholod

    Hi guys, I've been searching for clues in the Lens topics but couldn't find any, and it seem to be a bit mixed subject, so if a corresponding topic exist, please excuse me and please point me to it. I want to buy a DSLR style camera for stills and videos, mostly for family pictures, vacation / documentary purposes. I have narrowed it down to Canons’ 650D and GH2. Both seem to have AF capabilities in video, both of them will do fine for stills. Regarding the lens I was thinking of a zoom lens (18-135mm on 650D, or 14-140mm on GH2) and a fast, portrait, autofocus prime: 50mm F1.8 for Canon, and when searching for a lens for GH2 I couldn’t find anything other than Olympus 45mm F1.8, which costs 300$ more than a Canon 50mm. I know that there are nice old FD lens, but they lack an autofocus, which seems to make a life much easier. Am I missing a lens here? Am I over evaluating the importance of autofocus on a portrait prime lens? General thoughts about the two cameras for the purpose are welcome. Thanks.

  • 13 Replies sorted by
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Canon lens cost $36?

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-100-OLYMPUS-M-ZUIKO-DIGITAL-ED-45mm-F1-8-PEN-Lens-MicroSingle-Genuine-/190684769798

    Plus 45mm Olympus is real gem, fast, sharp as hell, very light and really silent.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    IF you don't need AF this is the topic -

    http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/369/-50mm-lenses-fast-ones#Item_63

  • mkholodmkholod

    Probably missed that one :), I was looking at B&H price versions (399$ vs 109$), correction: 227$. I guess one could search for a used lens (mostly Canons') for a lower price, but since the Olympus lens is rather new, it could be hard to find a used one.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @mkholod

    Again, you are comparing different lenses, entry level cheap 50mm lens to real small gem. And this are lenses for completely different systems.

  • mkholodmkholod

    Yeah, for manual focus GH2 is just heaven, there is a vast assortment of great manual lenses, but it seems there are not many native AF lenses for m43 to choose from, and it could be a deal breaker if you want a fast run and gun shot (or am I wrong? MF is just fine?)

  • mkholodmkholod

    That's the problem, I couldn't find an entry level portrait lens for m43. But maybe it's worth the 227$ price difference.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Can you please determinate first what do you want? m43 has enough good AF lenses, including primes.

  • mkholodmkholod

    Yep, prime, portrait (around 50mm), fast (around F1.8), auto focus, m43 lens.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    In this case get Olympus. Go to it's dedicated topic and check that all owners love this lens. As for Canon, look at least for 50mm F1.4 http://www.amazon.com/Canon-Standard-Medium-Telephoto-Cameras/dp/B00009XVCZ

  • mkholodmkholod

    Thanks, I'll contemplate on that, I'm sure I'll love one of them, but just to be sure, there is no "entry level" of that kind (prime ~F1.8, ~50mm, AF) for m43?

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @mkholod

    45mm is extremely affordable, and as I said you don't need anything else.

    None of Canon lenses (except two STM ones) are made for fast, silend and video oriented AF.

  • mkholodmkholod

    Great, thanks again!

  • goannagoanna

    I needed to buy my main lens for interviews and pieces-to-camera which will occupy 75% of a doco.

    I Really wanted some Samsung glass. I mean, I was trying to convince myself that a Samsung 85mm or smaller would do what I need - clean image, nice bokeh - and that somehow I was going to be able to handle manual focus as well.

    Today I bought an Olympus Zuiko 45mm. All those reviews couldn't be wrong.

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