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Kowa m43 cine lenses lineup
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    Some good news for the format (including an 8,5 mm f/2.8)

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  • 69 Replies sorted by
  • ok... how much is this gonna hurt my bank account

  • Interesting. Good to see Kowa in the game. This m4/3 market is getting deeper and deeper. Gotta say it's really good to see. I'm worried about the price but they do look sweet and if they can manage to price them affordably it might be a success. More choices is always better in my book.

  • That's a sweet 8.5mm lens, at least from perspective rendering POV. Nice too see small metal family and huge diaphragm ring, but hard-click cine lens, WTF?!!!

  • I think we're going to see some really great and affordable wides in M4/3 in the near future! Some people are already using Kowa industrial lenses on the BMPCC with success, so it's cool to see these guys recognizing the market and going for it! They are a nice small size, so if the optics hold up they could be a nice little kit! I'm sure they will be de-clicked upon release. I bet they're hearing that same request at nearly every demo. The 8.5mm f2.8 looks pretty nice (through Vimeo compression, mind you), and I look forward to seeing some more test footage with these lenses in the future!

  • I have my reservations about Kowa, having used its zoom lens. To be fair, my copy was quite old, and the glass would have degenerated with time. Also, bear in mind, Kowa makes CCTV lenses, not primes. A viable alternative to Samyang, SLR magic?

  • Also, bear in mind, Kowa makes CCTV lenses, not primes. An alternative to Samyang, SLR magic

    Kowa can actually stand behind some SLR Magic lenses :-)

  • I think that this 8.5mm, plus the upcoming 17mm from SLR Magic would complete my set for good. I'll start saving money and selling shit...

  • @Vitaliy_Kiselev

    Sorry dude, "stand behind" means better or worse, or how do you mean? Didn't quite catch you there.

  • Sorry dude, "stand behind" means better or worse, or how do you mean? Didn't quite catch you there.

    I though it is clear. I mean that they can be made by Kowa.

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  • With silver accents! The horror! The horror! ;-)

  • Those are ugly. They look like lenses with WA adapters . Course....that doesn't mean I don't want one or two ...if they're reasonably priced. Isn't it rumored that's how slrmagic made the 12mm ?

  • @kurth

    No one will care how they look if they'll be good. And no SLRMagic is not made from other lens and wide adapter.

  • So they have gearing on the aperture ring but not the focus ring?

  • @Vitaliy

    And no SLRMagic is not made from other lens and wide adapter.

    yeah that was probably a rumor due to it's frontend design

  • So they have gearing on the aperture ring but not the focus ring?

    As I understand it is prototypes shown. They definitely are making changes and changing focus part is easy.

  • Kowa lenses pages are up

    http://www.kowa-prominar.ne.jp/special/wide_lens/index.htm

    Lenses will be on sale since summer.

  • I think the olympic 7-14 f2.8 announcement gives these guys some heavy competition.

  • An electronic zoom lens? C'mon.

  • How many folks have bought the 12-35 or the 18-35 instead of buying primes ?

  • 8.5mm/2.8 would be welcome. Really can't understand why someone would make another 25mm when MFT already has two 25mm f/.95s, a 25mm f/1.4, a new Olympus 25mm f/1.8, and two high quality zooms covering 25mm f/2.8.

  • AdamT, Probably for someone who wants to buy a set of lenses with the same look. Sometimes I have trouble matching my vintage glass with modern stuff etc.

  • Anyone know the price on the 8.5mm? And isn't there a guy on ebay selling a self adapted 8.5 Kowa m43 that's 1.4 instead of 2.8? Would this new 2.8 8.5mm be a variant of the original c-mount or something built from the ground up?

  • I bought that 8mm Kowa 1.4 (not 8.5) modified to MFT. Apart from massive distortion it's a very nice lens on the BMPCC, but vignettes on GH2. So the 8mm 2.8 they announced must be a different design.

  • Thanks nomad. btw your lens thread is a great resource for the bmpcc.