GH2 and Panasonic MTF 7-14 Lens - suitable for video?

[Mark Songhurst]

Hello,

I've just finished watching (and enjoying) the LL Guide to Cinematography; video is a completely new subject to me.
The chapter about the need for netural density filters was a real eye opener.

So I'm on the waiting list for a Panasonic GH2 (primarily for video use) and I'm trying to sort out my lens choices...

Is the Panasonic 7-14 lens problematic for video use as it can't take ND filters?

Any thoughts or comments on first hand experience are welcome.

Thanks,
Mark.

[Christopher Sanderson]

No, the 7-14 works pretty well - at those wide focal lengths, pretty much everything is going to appear in focus anyway. It's a shame that screw-on NDs cannot be used. But if you need to control the aperture for shallower dof, you'll have to invest in a matte-box/filterholder system
- or buy an AF-100
Chris

[Mark Songhurst]

Thank you for the feedback, it is most useful.

I think I need to cut my teeth on the GH2 before looking at the AF-100 

Philip Bloom sings the praises of the Tokina 11-16 (in Nikon F mount) which has a constant aperture of 2.8.

Despite the loss of autofocus and the increase in size over the MTF lenses, does anyone else use it for video?

[jaapb]

I think I need to cut my teeth on the GH2 before looking at the AF-100 

Philip Bloom sings the praises of the Tokina 11-16 (in Nikon F mount) which has a constant aperture of 2.8.

Despite the loss of autofocus and the increase in size over the MTF lenses, does anyone else use it for video?

Hi Mark,

I use this lens on my GH2. It is a very nice lens but a big lump, and it is not very well balanced because the MFT-F mount adapter make it protrude a lot. It has a 77 filterthread but I haven't used any filters on it yet because of its big protruding front lens element. Furthermore, for my lens I need a MFT-F mount adapter capable of controlling the aperture, since when mounted on a Nikon camera the aperture is controlled from the camerabody. Maybe Philip's lens is an older version with mechanical aperture control.
In general it is much fun to be able to put al these nice legacy lenses on the GH2, be it Leica M/R. Nikon, Canon (old FD's are very nice), Zeiss (C/Y), etc.

Jaap