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Wide angle legacy lenses

Would be good if we could compile a list of wide angle legacy lenses that come close to covering the 4/3 sensor. Main interest is in focal lengths shorter than 14mm. Out of curiosity, has anyone been able to get rid of vignetting on such lenses when using the 16:9 aspect ratio (on a G1, G2 etc)? Yes, I know that I could crop further if need be but my plan would be to take a whole bunch of stills and create a time lapse HD video and I would prefer to have the composition finalised in the EVF instead of doing it in post. Even so, I realise that the selection of short focal length lenses with decently sized image circles would be pretty limited.
 
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ekoe

New member
You're right, the selection is very limited. The Kinoptik Tegea 9.8mm/f1.8 for instance is large and prohibitively expensive.
My Fujinon-TV 12.5mm/f1.4 modification is an affordable solution, with near full coverage of the m4/3 sensor with just a touch of vignetting in 4:3. Depending on shooting conditions (and the extent of the modification), there can be little to no vignetting in 3:2 and 16:9 modes.
You can view some full res sample photographs of my 12.5mod and others on my website: ekoe camera
 
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Vivek

Guest
The Fujinon-TV 12/1.4 regardless of whatever modification will not even illuminate the whole m4/3rds frame. The coverage is much smaller.

Olympus has a fantastic 12/2. Panasonic has a decent 14/2.5. Both are light weight as well.
 

ekoe

New member
Hello Vivek.

This Fujinon-TV 12.5mm modification of mine originated and evolved from your experiments with that lens here:
http://forum.getdpi.com/forum/4-3rds-cameras/12689-year-end-topic-1-a.html#post234790

However, it's not entirely true that the Fujinon-TV 12.5mm/f1.4 will not illuminate the entire m4/3 frame regardless of modification. My most recent modification has only slight darkening in the very corners of the 4:3 full m4/3 frame. It doesn't come easily. I'll post a sample photograph shortly.

The sample photos on my site (ekoe camera) are from an early modification, which has several fewer adjustments than my most recent Fujinon 12.5mod.
 
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Vivek

Guest
Hi ekoe,

When things were bleak (in the lens front) for the m4/3rds it was fun trying to patch things up. Not anymore. :)
 

ekoe

New member
Legacy lens modifications are not for everyone, particularly if one prefers autofocus, low distortion, compactness and tack sharp corners of the Olympus 12mm/f2.

But on the other hand, some of us (particularly those of us shooting video or from motion picture backgrounds) prefer an aperture ring on the lens body, manual focus, stepless aperture, offset marks for focus pulling.

There's also the character of legacy glass, which varies widely from one model to another, and which some cannot tolerate while others find cinematic. A matter of personal aesthetic, really.

Then there's the consideration of cost... the Olympus 12mm/f2 at $800, the SLRMagic 12mm/1.6 at $500 (although I'm unclear whether or where it's available), and the Fujinon-TV 12.5/1.4mod that I offer as a bespoke modification to user preference for much less than the SLRMagic.

That has to sound sort of fun... No?
 
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Vivek

Guest
A couple of things:

1. If you increase the illumination area, the speed drops. It isn't an f/1.4 lens anymore.

2. That particular lens suffers from enormous flare problem.

Yes, it was fun for me to try and do the mod but I would rather have a proper working lens even if it costs a bit more (or a lot more) than having to worry about how make images within the constrains of a specialty lens.

If you or anyone derive satisfaction out of doing such things for whatever purpose, sure, all the more power to you! :)
 

ekoe

New member
If you increase the illumination area, the speed drops. It isn't an f/1.4 lens anymore.
Testing my Fujinon12.5mod against a pristine Fujinon-TV 25mm/f1.4 on a Minolta FlashMeter IV, it rates at f/1.38. Slightly faster than f/1.4, but not fast enough to be called anything but f/1.4.

I can see how it would make sense that we'd lose speed if all I did was move the focus group closer to the diaphram as in your initial modification. However, I've also widened the light path through the lens and made adjustments elsewhere to gather more field of view, which results in slightly more volume of light.

Re: flare, it is prone as is any wide angle. It can be very present at times, and also quite dramatic and colorful. But the SLRMagic 12mm/1.6 has worse flare from what I've seen.

There's some bare bulb scenes in this video by Gekopaca (at 1:10 and 2:50) which may help to demonstrate the flare of the Fujinon 12.5mod: Belvezet By Night on Vimeo

Compare that to this demonstrative video comparison by Richard Che of the Olympus 12mm/f2 and SLRMagic 12mm/f1.5 flare: SLR Magic 12mm f1.6 vs Olympus 12mm f2.0 - Quick Comparison #01 on Vimeo
 

Photomorgana

New member
Would be good if we could compile a list of wide angle legacy lenses that come close to covering the 4/3 sensor. Main interest is in focal lengths shorter than 14mm. Out of curiosity, has anyone been able to get rid of vignetting on such lenses when using the 16:9 aspect ratio (on a G1, G2 etc)? Yes, I know that I could crop further if need be but my plan would be to take a whole bunch of stills and create a time lapse HD video and I would prefer to have the composition finalised in the EVF instead of doing it in post. Even so, I realise that the selection of short focal length lenses with decently sized image circles would be pretty limited.
Obviously no Super Wide lenses made for 16mm or oven S16mm format (like those in C-mount etc) will give you full coverage and decent distortion. So you can do the following 2 things:

1. Shoot with very $$$ Cine 35mm lenses like 10mm or 14mm Zeiss Ultra Primes or Cooke 12mm or 14mm S4 lenses; or try much less expensive but still pretty pricey Distagon 16mm f2 great lens, but will only give you about 32mm equivalent. (on GH2 in 16:9 actually closer to 30mm)

2. If you have GH2, you can activate ET-Conversion function, which will crop your sensor to 2.8x (medium 16:9) or 5x (native 1920x1080) then you can mount lets say Schneider Distagon 10mm (only version in C-mount with very large front element, not the one for RX) which will become about 28mm equivalent.
Or use Kinoptik 5.7mm or Angenieux 5.9mm in 5x mode, which will give you about the same. Speaking of 5.7mm it might even work in 3x, I'm not sure since I just sold my GH2 and GX1 did not come yet. (it actually might work even better in GX1 because crop is a bit more, so 5.7 might become about 17mm in Medium ETC) (remember those lenses are hyperfocal)

Regards,
 
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