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FILTER | LENS | SENSOR | MODE | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 18-35 1.8 | Panasonic G7 | Natural | TESTING. |
[UNFILTERED] | Promaster 70-300 4-5.6 | Panasonic G7 | Natural | This lens is a 1990s vintage "TELE" kit lens (for Nikon mount). One interesting thing is it seems to be exactly the same as the Quantaray (of this same focal length). I started the test using the exact same custom settings, and the resulting images look almost identical. Also, both lenses have a 1:2 MACRO spec in the same exact focal length range (the macro lock engages between 180-300mm on both lenses). |
[UNFILTERED] | Quantaray 70-300 4-5.6 LD | Panasonic G7 | Natural | |
[UNFILTERED] | TTArtisan 35 1.4 | Panasonic G7 | Natural |
FINAL NOTE:
I don't recommend this lens for professional work. At first, I was guessing the f/1/.4 maximum aperture and the fact that it's a prime lens would make this lens a good option (at the low price it comes in at). However, after testing it and working with custom settings for a few days, I can say I do NOT recommend this lens, as it has a number of different optical problems that make it very difficult to capture a realistic, professional-looking image. I could go into more detail, but of the 50+ lenses I've tested, it is one of the top 5 worst (and I would never take it on a professional shoot...which is the requirement for each of the lens-sensor settings recommendations on this website). |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.8 D | Panasonic G7 | Natural |
Wow...the final results on this lens-sensor (and speed booster) combo are great! All of the properties of contrast, sharpness, noise and color all look REALLY good (even though they're not perfectly realistic). Since the color from this camera is almost always more saturated than my other cameras (currently testing GH4, G85, GX85) I knew it would be a bit on the vivid side and turning it down any more can leave too much work for the LUT to do accurately (in post-production). Another thing I'm considering, is that while the Panasonic G7 seems to produce a lot of color saturation, it may be good to leave my settings a bit on the colorful side if you're going to upload straight to YouTube. However, most of the time I would have to run these through Davinci Resolve (to assemble multiple clips) anyway, so I could easily just add a LUT (or my "YouTube color bump" settings) to deal with the color saturation. |
FILTER: None | Leica 25-400 2.8-4.0 | Panasonic FZ1000 | Natural | UPDATE:
I’ve been working on getting my FZ1000 to look realistic, using SOOC (Straight Out of Camera) settings, and I’m pretty happy with what these settings now (and it’s REALLY EASY TO REMEMBER). These settings are mostly for 4K PHOTO mode use, so I'm also doing this so I can either use 4K PHOTO mode to grab stills, or to shoot video and be able to use it without doing color grading (though it may need a little sharpness adding in Davinci Resolve, my video editing software of choice…also super good for color grading). Note that the smaller sensor on this camera produces a little bit more NOISE than I would consider perfect, but it's not bad if you look at it as kind of an organic "film look".
IMPORTANT NOTE:
One setting that you have to be careful to not forget, is to set the "Luminance Level" to 0-255 (not the default setting of 16-255). The easy way to set it to 0-255, is simply to switch to 4K PHOTO mode (which will default to 0-255). You can set it without doing that, but it's a lot more difficult (I don't remember the exact sequence).
SHARPENING SETTINGS (Davinci Resolve):
@Full "WIDE" = .47
@Mid "TIGHT" = .46
@Full "TELE" = .43
I should also note that I've found ISO 200 to create the most real-looking image (maybe it's the "native ISO"?) So, if you can use ISO 200, I do recommend it (even over 125 and 160, even though they're lower, etc.) Also, the image degrades noticeably above ISO 400, though I sometimes go up to ISO 800 when needed but be aware that it's going to look like it has more "film grain" (which isn't always bad, but it won't match your other footage, if the other footage was shot at a lower ISO). |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 12-32 3.5-5.6 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural |
IMPORTANT NOTE: I may go back to figure out the custom settings for this lens, but I don't recommend this combination FOR VIDEO use because the GX85 body does not have a manual focus dial, or an autofocus/manual focus switch (like the GX9) so you can quickly turn off AF. The reason you need this for video use, is that the AF is not reliable so it will "hunt" if you leave it on while recording. For instance, if you're in a documentary/interview/talking head situation it may switch from foreground focus to focus on the background, and that can ruin an interview (because you can't just make a person say something over, etc.) The workaround is to set the focus (on a person's nearest eye, typically) and then turn off AF. However, to do this on the GX85, you have to use the menu system instead of a physical switch (as on GX9). This takes too long and doesn't work in real situations. So, because the lens doesn't have a manual focus dial (or an on/off switch, I don't recommend this specific (lens-sensor) combination for video/filmmaking use (it's decent for still photography). |
FILTER: Tiffen Warm Soft FX 2 | Panasonic 12-60 3.5-5.6 | Panasonic G85 | Natural |
IMPORTANT: This test is being done for a friend, for still photography use only (and I don't recommend it for video use). |
FILTER: Tiffen Ultra Contrast 1 | Panasonic 12-60 3.5-5.6 | Panasonic G85 | Natural |
NEW NOTES:
...
(BELOW IS FROM TIFFEN BPM18):
(These new settings are for using the lens with the Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8.) I started this test because I wasn't able to get this lens-sensor combo (or with G85) to work very well UNFILTERED (see my older notes below). So, while testing I noticed a number of interesting things, including that this filter (with the specific settings I use) is reducing the compression artifacts that were occurring in video (when using it UNFILTERED). Also, no surprise, but using this filter makes this lens more prone to flare (need a lens hood or matte box) and though this can reduce the contrast in certain lighting situations (i.e. pointing toward a light source) the flare doesn't look that bad. So, while I didn't like the results of this lens UNFILTERED, I now feel pretty good about using it with these settings (which include the Tiffen BPM18/Black Pro Mist 1/8).
OLDER NOTES (from UNFILTERED test):
When I started this test, I was surprised, as I had heard so many people say good things about this lens, but when compared with a lot of the vintage lenses I've been testing, this thing isn't very good...so let me explain. When I started this test (at -0-0-0-0 using the Natural profile) what immediately jumped out at me were the outlines on the edges of objects, which I'm pretty sure is due to over-sharpening...yet at the same time, the image was soft and needed sharpening! This is a problem, because to remove the outlines on the edges of things, you have to REDUCE the SHARPENING...but doing that will mean the image needs even MORE sharpening during post production, so I may have to see how far I can take the sharpening in post production (using Davinci Resolve). |
[UNFILTERED] | Novoflex 105 4 AUTO BELLOWS | Panasonic GX85 | Natural |
DAMAGE WARNING:
The copy of this lens I tested had fungus on the inside of the second element. So, these settings may not work on your copy of the lens (unless your fungus is identical...but does that ever happen?) Even with the fungus, I can see this lens had (even in a clean state) trouble with chromatic aberration, though it's not too extreme, and mainly shows up as RED and YELLOW fringing (and not the super-distracting, yet 3-D looking blue and red of some other lenses). |
[UNFILTERED] | Novoflex 105 4 AUTO BELLOWS | Panasonic G85 | Natural |
DAMAGE WARNING:
The copy of this lens I tested had fungus on the inside of the second element. So, these settings may not work on your copy of the lens (unless your fungus is identical...but does that ever happen?) Even with the fungus, I can see this lens had (even in a clean state) trouble with chromatic aberration, though it's not too extreme, and mainly shows up as RED and YELLOW fringing (and not the super-distracting, yet 3-D looking blue and red of some other lenses). |
[UNFILTERED] | Minolta MD 50 1.7 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | (Sold GH4, so only did a preliminary test...if you try, let me know what you think!) |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 35 1.8 G DX | Panasonic GH4 | Natural |
I don't like this lens-sensor combination. I am using the Viltrox NF-M43x (Nikon mount) speed booster for this test (and that is part of it) but this booster looks really good on other lenses, so I wouldn't blame it on that. It just always comes down to the combination of all the things put together, kind of a synergy if you will...and this combo looks BAD (not good). So, while I think my custom settings do help create a file that is an okay starting point, the image it produces is very un-inspiring, and I hope to make the images into something better with a custom LUT (but I really don't even want to work with this lens!)... |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 35 1.8 G DX | Panasonic G7 | Natural |
POST-PRODUCTION NOTES:
This lens-sensor combination will need some post-production work (these are my recommendations):
1. Add SHARPNESS (in Davinci Resolve)
2. Create/add a LUT (see notes above)
3. Add my "YouTube COLOR Bump" (if you're uploading to YouTube) |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 35 1.8 G DX | Panasonic GX85 | Natural |
OVERVIEW:
This lens, similar to its brother the Nikon 50 1.8G, is not easy to work with on this sensor (the Panasonic G85). When I started the test (at -0-0-0-0, HS -0-0) it had the same deep shadows that the 50mm had, and the same weird color rendering. I think these final settings make this into a lens that is a decent tool, but it will need both sharpening and color added in post-production (to look "REAL"). I might be able to correct some of the strange tonal range problems with the LUT, and I it's easy to boost the SATURATION of the color, but I don't know if I will ever get the color HUE to look accurate. This color issue is hard to describe, but it renders colors with a deeper tone than they really are, and some may like this, but my goal is realism (so this is not one of my favorite lenses).
POST-PRODUCTION NOTES:
This lens-sensor combination will need some post-production work (these are my recommendations):
1. Add SHARPNESS (in Davinci Resolve)
2. Create/add a LUT (see notes above)
3. Add my "YouTube COLOR Bump" (if you're uploading to YouTube) |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 35 1.8 G DX | Panasonic G85 | Natural |
OVERVIEW:
This lens, similar to its brother the Nikon 50 1.8G, is not easy to work with on this sensor (the Panasonic G85). When I started the test (at -0-0-0-0, HS -0-0) it had the same deep shadows that the 50mm had, and the same weird color rendering. I think these final settings make this into a lens that is a decent tool, but it will need both sharpening and color added in post-production (to look "REAL"). I might be able to correct some of the strange tonal range problems with the LUT, and I it's easy to boost the SATURATION of the color, but I don't know if I will ever get the color HUE to look accurate. This color issue is hard to describe, but it renders colors with a deeper tone than they really are, and some may like this, but my goal is realism (so this is not one of my favorite lenses).
POST-PRODUCTION NOTES:
This lens-sensor combination will need some post-production work (these are my recommendations):
1. Add SHARPNESS (in Davinci Resolve)
2. Create/add a LUT (see notes above)
3. Add my "YouTube COLOR Bump" (if you're uploading to YouTube) |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 80-200 2.8 D | Panasonic G7 | Natural |
(NOTES FROM BOOSTED TEST):
This lens is too sharp for this sensor, as with the SHARPNESS turned all of the way down (to -5) plus the NOISE REDUCTION turned all of the way UP (to +5, which I do to reduce sharpness even more when needed) the image still has a lot of aliasing. This sensor also renders more compression-related artifacts when a lens is too sharp (which adding NR can help with) but since we've maxed out those 2 settings, we're left with a lens-sensor combo that is bound to be a problem in certain lighting situations. This used to be a top-of-the-line telephoto zoom (it was the first AF 80-200 2.8 Nikon produced) and the build quality is excellent. However, the "focus breathing" is not good for video (image changes size as you focus, etc.) and lenses such as the Promaster 70-300 I've been using, are MUCH better for video (even though the aperture is not constant, but with this breathing, you can't zoom while shooting ANYWAY!) it's also heavy and slow to operate. It's slow because of the push-pull zoom, and because of the focus (there is a focus limiting feature that helps with that). Optically, it's a great lens, and though each lens-sensor combo usually needs some work to look its best. NOTE: With a non-optical adapter, I set the contrast to -2 (instead of -1). |
[UNFILTERED] | Vivitar Series 1 70-210 2.8-4 | Panasonic G85 | Natural |
CAMERA-SPECIFIC NOTES:
If you need to upload the video footage to YouTube SOOC, use +2 on the in-camera SHARPNESS.
If you're planning on adding sharpening in post-production, then use +1 on the in-camera SHARPNESS.
CAMERA-SPECIFIC NOTES:
After first testing this lens on the Panasonic GH4 (and writing most of the notes in the "LENS-SPECIFIC NOTES" section below) I was amazed at how much better this lens looked on the Panasonic G85 sensor! I was able to cover up that "glowy, purple fringing" easier, and it was much easier to make the color turn out looking "REAL" (the NATURAL profile in the GH4 is not super neutral, but the CINELIKE D is a lot worse). I like using this lens on the G85, and I highly recommend it...though it still does have some "character" (the purple glows are still there, somewhere).
LENS-SPECIFIC NOTES:
I will say this lens has really nice bokeh (out of focus areas) yet the glowy, purple fringing (or chromatic aberration) is very noticeable on light-colored subjects, and it shows up as mystery purple patches all over. If you WANT that effect, this is a good lens for that, but 'm trying to find lenses that retain what I call a "sense of reality" so this one isn't high on my list. In terms of overall usefulness, the push-pull zoom is surprisingly easy to use even for video, as it sort of sticks in whatever position you set it because it has an angular groove in the motion travel that keeps it from slipping too much. The copy I have was a little bit loose, but that made it fast to focus or zoom with (which I liked). I'm not going to comment much on the corrections I performed, because the lens differs so much from one aperture value and focal length to another. Let's just say "It has character" and is full of lots of surprises. In comparison to the older Vivitar Series 1 70-210 f/3.5, I prefer the optics of the older one, but the ergonomics (zoom and focus feel) of this newer one are better. |
[UNFILTERED] | Minolta AF 50 1.7 ii | Panasonic G85 | Natural | Not sure if test for v2 was done. |
[UNFILTERED] | Kiron 28-85 2.8-3.8 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural |
UPDATE:
I'm happy with the how my final Highlight Shadow compensation worked, but the notes below about lack of realism still apply.
If your goals for a lens-sensor combination include either realism or accuracy, this combination isn't good. If you're going for a vintage look however, this might be worth a try. I do add the word "might" though, as what I'm struggling with is the overall CONTRAST of the lens (it's good, it's a bit too much FOR THIS SENSOR, resulting in too wide of a dynamic range being covered; more than this sensor can handle). I'm still experimenting with Highlight Shadow compensation to see if I can remedy this, but so far doing this undercuts certain other positive traits of the lens in the process (it tones down the pretty red and blue fringing/chromatic aberrations). |
[UNFILTERED] | Vivitar Series 1 70-210 3.5 | Panasonic G85 | Natural | This lens is pretty amazing, because it's one of the few lens-sensor combos out there that actually looks really good at 0-0-0-0 (using the NATURAL photo style). I did do some minor adjustments, but they're not essential. This lens does have some issues with glowing purples (i.e. chromatic aberration) which can be distracting. Also, be aware that it's a really heavy lens (for its size) and I think it needs to be supported by the sort of adapter that has an integrated tripod mount on it (so it doesn't strain the lens mount on the camera). I didn't have a tripod mount on the adapter I used on my initial tests, and it wasn't very ergonomic, but then I found one on Ebay (Minolta MD mount) and it works much better! |
[UNFILTERED] | Vivitar Series 1 70-210 2.8-4 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural |
I will say this lens has really nice bokeh (out of focus areas) yet the glowy, purple fringing (or chromatic aberration) is very noticeable on light-colored subjects, and it shows up as mystery purple patches all over. If you WANT that effect, this is a good lens for that, but 'm trying to find lenses that retain what I call a "sense of reality" so this one isn't high on my list. In terms of overall usefulness, the push-pull zoom is surprisingly easy to use even for video, as it sort of sticks in whatever position you set it because it has an angular groove in the motion travel that keeps it from slipping too much. The copy I have was a little bit loose, but that made it fast to focus or zoom with (which I liked). I'm not going to comment much on the corrections I performed, because the lens differs so much from one aperture value and focal length to another. Let's just say "It has character" and is full of lots of surprises. In comparison to the older Vivitar Series 1 70-210 f/3.5, I prefer the optics of the older one, but the ergonomics (zoom and focus feel) of this newer one are better. |
[UNFILTERED] | Vivitar Series 1 70-210 3.5 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural |
BELOW IS REVIEW ON OTHER CAMERA
This lens is pretty amazing, because it's one of the few lens-sensor combos out there that actually looks really good at 0-0-0-0 (using the NATURAL photo style). I did do some minor adjustments, but they're not essential. This lens does have some issues with glowing purples (i.e. chromatic aberration) which can be distracting. Also, be aware that it's a really heavy lens (for its size) and I think it needs to be supported by the sort of adapter that has an integrated tripod mount on it (so it doesn't strain the lens mount on the camera). I didn't have a tripod mount on the adapter I used on my initial tests, and it wasn't very ergonomic, but then I found one on Ebay (Minolta MD mount) and it works much better! |
[UNFILTERED] | Quantaray 70-300 4-5.6 LD | Panasonic G85 | Natural |
(I will be doing 2 different tests here: One for sports action (stills) for printing to an 8x10 printer, and the second is my normal test for video purposes...starting to test now.)
PHOTO Settings:
(More SHARPNESS is needed the printing process reduces the apparent sharpness due to the substrate, inks, etc.)
TEST #1 = NATURAL -0+2+3-1 HS -2+2 (Needs more SHARPNESS, more NR, more COLOR)
TEST #2 = NATURAL -0+4+5-0 HS -2+2 (Not sure yet)
TEST #3 = NATURAL +4+5+4+1 HS -2+3
TEST #4 = NATURAL +4+4+4-1 HS -2+3 (FINAL)
VIDEO Settings:
|
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 75-300 4-5.6 DL | Panasonic GX85 | Natural |
The rubber "ZEN" coating is now so sticky I can't use the push-pull zoom/focus! (It got worse after I cleaned it, note to self.) I did finish my testing, but it doesn't zoom anymore, so it's no longer useable! Other than that, this lens is sort of impressive optically, and I stopped testing some of my other old Sigma AF lenses of a slightly newer vintage (mid-1990s) because they weren't good enough optically, but THIS one is a little bit older, and I'm impressed. |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 75-300 4-5.6 DL | Panasonic G85 | Natural |
The rubber "ZEN" coating is now so sticky I can't use the push-pull zoom/focus! (It got worse after I cleaned it, note to self.) I did finish my testing, but it doesn't zoom anymore, so it's no longer useable! Other than that, this lens is sort of impressive optically, and I stopped testing some of my other old Sigma AF lenses of a slightly newer vintage (mid-1990s) because they weren't good enough optically, but THIS one is a little bit older, and I'm impressed. |
[UNFILTERED] | Canon FDn 50 1.4 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural |
WARNING: This lens doesn't focus to infinity with this adapter!
CONCLUSION:
Due to the fact this specific lens doesn't focus to infinity when used on this speedbooster, I'm going to use this INDOORS at for the TIGHT interview shot. These custom settings also work OUTDOORS, but its usefulness is very limited because you can't focus to infinity (i.e. you can't focus on distant objects...hence, this is truly a tool for blurring the background, etc.)
ATEM Mini NOTES:
The ATEM Mini seems to increase the CONTRAST, so I may need to reduce this when using the ATEM Mini. |
[UNFILTERED] | Pentax Super-Takumar 50 1.4 ii | Panasonic GH4 | Natural |
CONCLUSION:
Overall, I don't like this lens-sensor combination. WITHOUT this speedbooster, this lens both has a lot of character AND a lot of integrity, but WITH this (Pixco) speedbooster, it feels like one of the cheap vintage lenses that nobody likes. I do like this speedbooster on other lenses though, so it's just this lens-sensor combination that is uninspiring.
ORIGINAL NOTES:
So, after testing the original (non-BOOSTED) settings with the speedbooster ON, I can certainly say that they DO NOT WORK, so I'm starting this test from scratch. (Sometimes starting with the non-BOOST settings works, but in this case, it isn't working too well).
NON-BOOST NOTES:
This was a VERY difficult lens to come up with the set of recommended settings for. My goal is simply to make it easy to get the best original capture as possible (at all aperture settings) and that was difficult because of how inconsistent this lens is at different apertures (in terms of how it renders light, etc.) |
[UNFILTERED] | Vivitar 50 1.8 M42 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | OVERVIEW:
My first impression of this lens-sensor combination wasn't too good, but after getting these custom settings worked out, there are some good things to say about it. Overall, it's got a lot of character, and the strange thing is that it renders the image MUCH differently at different F-stops (in more ways than depth of field and sharpness). It's hard to put in words, but it just kind of makes the image look like it's from different film stocks at different aperture values. This made it difficult to decide on one set of settings, but what I'm using is working pretty well (see the above settings).
WIERD NOTES:
There's a lot of "weird notes" for this lens-sensor combination, because it behaves so differently than most of the other lenses I've tested. One thing is that it gets MORE contrasty at f/2.8 and LESS at 5.6 or f/8 (most lenses become more contrasty as they stop down). As normal, the SHARPNESS increases as it gets closer to f/8, but I find it weird that the CONTRAST is greater at 2.8. In general, I like using this combination (this lens + PIXCO speedbooster) at f/2.8, as it has just the right amount of bokeh, as well as good sharpness, and contrast as mentioned. Also, focus pulling is really nice at f/2.8, with a short focus throw, and infinity focus being pretty much right on (in my experience). The sharpness isn't good enough below f/2.8 either, so needless to say, I use it at f/2.8 almost all of the time.
SHARPENING SETTINGS:
This is a very difficult lens to give SHARPENING settings for because the sharpness changes so much at different aperture values! However, I'll start working on figuring this out after I've gathered enough footage to run it through tests (in Davinci).
FIRST IMPRESSION (OLD NOTES):
The #1 thing I'm starting to notice with this focal reducer/speedbooster, is that it causes a big flare ball (not hair ball) in the middle of the frame, no matter what lens is used. I tried shielding the lens (I put my hand about 6 inches in FRONT of the lens, and slightly above) and it removed the flare, but it's pretty bad without this. The only solution would be to use a BIG French flag above the lens. The lens flare does the normal bad things to the lens really bad flare does (reduces the contrast and color saturation) and in this case, it almost totally destroys the image. So, for now I'm not going to recommend this lens-sensor +BOOST (speedbooster) combination (and I might look into some other speedbooster brands for M42).
|
FILTER: Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8 | Panasonic 12-60 3.5-5.6 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural |
UPDATE:
I changed the Highlight Shadow settings (from -3+3) to -2+2 and now it has the same HS settings as the UNFILTERED version. This is interesting as it means that, while the LUT will still need to be different for this version (which is using the Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8) because of tonal range, but what's interesting is the SHARPNESS settings are the only difference (2 points less when using this filter). I know, it would be nice if this pattern was the same for ALL lens-sensor combinations (and I could just apply that logic, and not have to TEST each one) but I know better than to do that by now, LOL!
I came back to this test after some time, and I think the old settings looked okay SOOC (Straight Out of Camera) but I think the image would fall apart if any post sharpening was to be added, so I increased the NR (Noise Reduction) to tone down sharpness. This helps to get the image to a better starting point (before adding a bit of sharpening in post). I also increased the COLOR setting by 1 (because adding NR reduced the color saturation too). I need to test the post-production sharpening settings in Davinci Resolve (I will publish them below). |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 12-60 3.5-5.6 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural |
Wow. These settings are working really well SOOC (Straight Out of Camera) but are not what I expected at all. I will still make a LUT, but the video from these settings alone looks great. On the first day of testing, I wasn't enjoying myself and didn't know if there was hope for this lens-sensor combo. So, I switched over to the tests using a diffusion filter (Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8) because things weren't working. Strange enough, the place where I left off was a GREAT place to start with the filter on (I used the same settings) and I got the test WITH the filter done first. Then, when I returned to finish these UNFILTERED tests, I finally got these to look good too, but the settings are way different than the ones for when you're using a Tiffen BPM18.
The filtered and UNFILTERED versions will need different LUTs and SHARPENING settings for post-production for sure, but I'm pretty happy with how good of a "starting point" these two sets of settings are providing. Check my YouTube channel for some of the tests. |
[UNFILTERED] | Canon FDn 50 1.8 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural |
THE SHORT STORY:
I'm super happy with the results coming from these settings (the lens-sensor combo, including the Pixco speed booster)! What was super surprising was that these settings not only look good on the final files, but they also look good on the Panasonic GH4 flip-out screen (while you're shooting) and that doesn't always happen (it's a really good thing!)
THE LONG STORY:
I just tested this lens-sensor combination on a Panasonic GX85, so I had some expectations for this test...but I must say that it turned out a lot better than I expected! Not only does this turn the very affordable Canon FDn 50 1.8 into a great low light tool (a 35mm 1.2) but it renders quite a filmic look on this GH4 (a super affordable camera nowadays)! I say it looks a lot like film because it's doing a really good job controlling the highlight rolloff, midtones and shadow detail, and it even renders a sort of film grain look by having a bit of digital noise (but it's not too much that it's distracting). The NOISE REDUCTION settings are what I'm using to control how the "film grain" look is rendering, and the final settings I'm using are a result of a lot of back-and-forth trial and error, so I'll have to say that it's important to use these specific settings (try it and I think you'll like it).
In regard to the optical quality of this speed booster, it has flaws and imperfections, but I think what's really important is how the image it renders looks, etc. It has issues with lens flare which some people actually like, and has other issues that could normally be considered a negative (such as sharpness reduction, etc.) that are working well with this lens-sensor combination.
In the end, I think using this Pixco speed booster with this Canon FDn 50 1.8 is a very cost-effective way to turn this 50 1.8 into a 35mm F/1.2 low light tool. The aperture control is stepless (i.e. de-clicked) though it does have a couple places it seems to catch slightly.
GH4 NOTE:
One problem with the GH4 is that the sensor seems to render too much BLUE. So, the workaround I use is to shoot in "Cloudy" white balance when it's sunny outside. My "REAL" ratings rate "COLOR" as being pretty accurate, but it's when using this workaround. |
[UNFILTERED] | Canon FDn 50 1.8 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural |
This is not only a review of this vintage lens, but also a review of the Pixco focal reducer (specific to this camera) and so far, I like it! This speed booster is inexpensive, and though it DOES create lens flare, it doesn't look too bad, and can be controlled (with a lens shade) if needed. This lens-sensor combination (of the Lumix GX85, the Canon FDn 50 1.8 + Pixco speed booster) is a pretty good way to get an F/1.2 lens, for a low price. What's really weird about this lens-sensor combination is that, even with a LOT of NR (Noise Reduction) added, it is still producing a lot of NOISE. You might wonder how a specific lens could produce MORE noise than another lens (with the same SENSOR) but I think it comes down to what was done to the light before it reaches the sensor, and then the interaction of the sensor and the light affects how the sensor displays things. It sounds really simple, but each lens-sensor relationship is a little different. So, because the digital noise is not going away, what I'm attempting to do is to make it look like film grain (as much as I can). |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 14-42 ii | Panasonic G85 | Natural | UPDATE 2: I just finished the updated settings! I think it still could benefit from doing some tests with some kind of diffusion filter (like the Tiffen GG or BPM) but I have to note that this is my last test with this camera because the shutter speed dial completely stopped working (when I turn it, it only goes HIGHER). The problems with this camera started after using a Viltrox EFM2ii (Canon mount focal reducer/speedbooster) during which the screen glitched, then the camera froze. Since then, it has gotten worse, and now I can't use it at all. (I love the Nikon mount version of the Viltrox focal reducer, the non-electronic version, but now I'm going to warn people about using the Canon mount version (because it has electrical contacts, and tries to communicate, and pull power from, the camera).
One thing that is really interesting about these settings, is that the SOOC JPEG (in still photo modes) looks really good (and, in fact a bit more accurate than the video footage, because the video footage is still a LITTLE bit over-sharpened).
UPDATE: I recently talked with another photographer about this lens (as well as talking with others in the past) and most people don't like it much. I've been working to figure out CUSTOM SETTINGS that help each lens look its best (specific to each camera sensor) and haven't been able to get this combo to look realistic (it looks too "digital"). I've started testing some lenses using Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8 filters and may try that here. What the filter does is smooth the transition of light from the highlights to the shadows, keeping the light projected onto the sensor within the dynamic range of the camera. This also causes SHARPNESS to decrease, but I have it turned all of the way down right now, so I can then turn it up on the custom settings, and it should make the image look less digital. |
FILTER: Gobe ND8 | Leica 25-400 2.8-4.0 | Panasonic FZ1000 | Natural | UPDATE 2:
Now testing with Gobe ND8...and it's again interesting how it really changes things. The first thing I'm trying to fix is that the ND8 filter punches the shadows in (at any exposure) and is making them relatively darker than they should be (though this can be a good thing, if you're uploading directly to YouTube with the current compression scheme they have). Still working on these settings...
UPDATE: I’ve been working on getting my FZ1000 to look realistic, using SOOC (Straight Out of Camera) settings, and I’m pretty happy with what these settings now (and it’s REALLY EASY TO REMEMBER). These settings are mostly for 4K PHOTO mode use, so I'm also doing this so I can either use 4K PHOTO mode to grab stills, or to shoot video and be able to use it without doing color grading (though it may need a little sharpness adding in Davinci Resolve, my video editing software of choice…also super good for color grading). Note that the smaller sensor on this camera produces a little bit more NOISE than I would consider perfect, but it's not bad if you look at it as kind of an organic "film look".
(FIRST) NOTE:
This current test is for when you're NOT using a filter. The settings I had posted before were for using a B+W F-PRO UV filter, and I really prefer the tests with that filter (settings still available by searching on my website) but then it occurred to me today, that some people may not be able to easily get that filter. So far, this test is coming out worse, because using the filter was improving the micro contrast (it smoothed the highlight rolloff and did other good things). These settings are pretty good, but if you can get a B+W F-PRO UV filter, I think this camera works better with one.
SHARPENING SETTINGS (for Davinci Resolve):
@Full "WIDE" = .47 ?
@Mid "TIGHT" = .46 ?
@Full "TELE" = .43 ?
I should also note that I've found ISO 200 to create the most real-looking image (maybe it's the "native ISO"?) So, if you can use ISO 200, I do recommend it (even over 125 and 160, even though they're lower, etc.) Also, the image degrades noticeably above ISO 400, though I sometimes go up to ISO 800 when needed, but be aware that it's going to look like it has more "film grain" (which isn't always bad, but it won't match your other footage, if the other footage was shot at a lower ISO). |
[UNFILTERED] | Tamron 17-50 2.8 VC | Panasonic G85 | Natural | Need to add COLOR with a LUT but have to keep it low during capture to reduce both noise artifacts and the chromatic aberrations (light green blue and red fringing). I'm noticing those aberrations at the WIDE end (17mm or so) but it's pretty clean around 50mm in this respect. It's also sharper (too sharp) at the wide end, and less sharp (but just about right with these settings) at the long (50mm) end. |
FILTER: Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8 | Panasonic 12-60 3.5-5.6 | Panasonic G85 | Natural | (These new settings are for using the lens with the Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8.) I started this test because I wasn't able to get this lens-sensor combo (or with G85) to work very well UNFILTERED (see my older notes below). So, while testing I noticed a number of interesting things, including that this filter (with the specific settings I use) is reducing the compression artifacts that were occurring in video (when using it UNFILTERED). Also, no surprise, but using this filter makes this lens more prone to flare (need a lens hood or matte box) and though this can reduce the contrast in certain lighting situations (i.e. pointing toward a light source) the flare doesn't look that bad. So, while I didn't like the results of this lens UNFILTERED, I now feel pretty good about using it with these settings (which include the Tiffen BPM18/Black Pro Mist 1/8).
OLDER NOTES (from UNFILTERED test):
When I started this test, I was surprised, as I had heard so many people say good things about this lens, but when compared with a lot of the vintage lenses I've been testing, this thing isn't very good...so let me explain. When I started this test (at -0-0-0-0 using the Natural profile) what immediately jumped out at me were the outlines on the edges of objects, which I'm pretty sure is due to over-sharpening...yet at the same time, the image was soft and needed sharpening! This is a problem, because to remove the outlines on the edges of things, you have to REDUCE the SHARPENING...but doing that will mean the image needs even MORE sharpening during post production, so I may have to see how far I can take the sharpening in post production (using Davinci Resolve).
IDEA: I may try decreasing the NR (Noise Reduction) by 1 (to +3) and increasing the SHARPNESS by 1 (to -4) to see if I can get a little bit more film grain look (the NR is wiping out all of the texture, and you could add it in post, but I prefer to save TIME). |
FILTER: Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8 | Panasonic 12-60 3.5-5.6 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | (These new settings are for using the lens with the Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8.) I started this test because I wasn't able to get this lens-sensor combo (or with G85) to work very well UNFILTERED (see my older notes below). So, while testing I noticed a number of interesting things, including that this filter (with the specific settings I use) is reducing the compression artifacts that were occurring in video (when using it UNFILTERED). Also, no surprise, but using this filter makes this lens more prone to flare (need a lens hood or matte box) and though this can reduce the contrast in certain lighting situations (i.e. pointing toward a light source) the flare doesn't look that bad. So, while I didn't like the results of this lens UNFILTERED, I now feel pretty good about using it with these settings with the Tiffen BPM18/Black Pro Mist 1/8!
OLDER NOTES (from UNFILTERED test):
When I started this test, I was surprised, as I had heard so many people say good things about this lens, but when compared with a lot of the vintage lenses I've been testing, this thing isn't very good...so let me explain. When I started this test (at -0-0-0-0 using the Natural profile) what immediately jumped out at me were the outlines on the edges of objects, which I'm pretty sure is due to over-sharpening...yet at the same time, the image was soft and needed sharpening! This is a problem, because to remove the outlines on the edges of things, you have to REDUCE the SHARPENING...but doing that will mean the image needs even MORE sharpening during post production, so I may have to see how far I can take the sharpening in post production (using Davinci Resolve). |
[UNFILTERED] | Kiron 28-85 2.8-3.8 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | While I'm still testing this lens-sensor combo, it looks pretty nice so far. Not only does it have a really nice vintage look, but it's also pretty accurate in terms of COLOR and CONTRAST. |
[UNFILTERED] | Kiron 28-85 2.8-3.8 | Panasonic G85 | Natural |
UPDATE:
I'm happy with the how my final Highlight Shadow compensation worked, but the notes below about lack of realism still apply.
If your goals for a lens-sensor combination include either realism or accuracy, this combination isn't good. If you're going for a vintage look however, this might be worth a try. I do add the word "might" though, as what I'm struggling with is the overall CONTRAST of the lens (it's good, it's a bit too much FOR THIS SENSOR, resulting in too wide of a dynamic range being covered; more than this sensor can handle). I'm still experimenting with Highlight Shadow compensation to see if I can remedy this, but so far doing this undercuts certain other positive traits of the lens in the process (it tones down the pretty red and blue fringing/chromatic aberrations). |
[UNFILTERED] | Kiron 28-85 2.8-3.8 | Panasonic G85 | Natural | [NOTE: The settings with the +BOOST (Viltrox NF-M43x) added are a LOT different (you might expect it to be predictable, but every optical situation is different) and needs custom settings.] This is a really amazing vintage lens! It is very vulnerable to lens flare (so if you want to control it, use lens shade, etc.) but it matches this sensor pretty well and it needed very few changes. The adjustments were important though, as it really helped adding a little CONTRAST, SHARPNESS and NOISE REDUCTION (each of them for controlling the micro-contrast and reducing the digital look of the image, etc.) While the final result is not perfectly "REAL" (especially the inaccurate color) I think it looks very "cinematic" and that a lot of people (who like the "film look") will really, REALLY like the image this lens-sensor combo creates. |
[UNFILTERED] | Tamron 17-50 2.8 VC | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | So far, I really like the type of lens flare this lens produces. I'm noticing chromatic aberration (red and blue fringing) at the WIDE end (17mm or so) but it's pretty clean around 50mm in this respect. It's also sharper (too sharp) at the wide end, and less sharp (but just about right with these settings) at the long (50mm) end. I would say this lens looks similar to the older Sigma (EX series) zoom lenses (in regard to the red & blue fringing) at the WIDE end, but a lot cleaner and more "REAL" looking at the long end. |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 25 1.7 | Panasonic G85 | Natural | (v2) This test is revised (from the original which didn't use Highlight Shadow compensation) and while it's a lot BETTER, I still don't really like this lens, because the color (and contrast) fall apart in non-standard, high contrast light. (When I say I "don't like" it, I'm comparing it to the other lenses I've tested, many of which are vintage lenses.) I think this could benefit from a diffusion filter, because it lacks "micro contrast"...but I will need to test it in the future. |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 12-60 3.5-5.6 | Panasonic G85 | Natural | The final settings here work pretty good, but this lens-sensor combination still has some issues...These include maybe the strangest Highlight Shadow settings I've ever used...and it still has too much contrast. When I started this test, I was surprised, as I had heard so many people say good things about this lens, but when compared with a lot of the vintage lenses I've been testing, this thing isn't very good...so let me explain. When I started this test (at -0-0-0-0 using the Natural profile) what immediately jumped out at me were the outlines on the edges of objects, which I'm pretty sure is due to over-sharpening...yet at the same time, the image was soft and needed sharpening! This is a problem, because to remove the outlines on the edges of things, you have to REDUCE the SHARPENING...but doing that will mean the image needs even MORE sharpening during post production, so I may have to see how far I can take the sharpening in post production (using Davinci Resolve). |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 12-60 3.5-5.6 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | The final settings here work pretty good, but this lens-sensor combination still has some issues...These include maybe the strangest Highlight Shadow settings I've ever used...and it still has too much contrast. When I started this test, I was surprised, as I had heard so many people say good things about this lens, but when compared with a lot of the vintage lenses I've been testing, this thing isn't very good...so let me explain. When I started this test (at -0-0-0-0 using the Natural profile) what immediately jumped out at me were the outlines on the edges of objects, which I'm pretty sure is due to over-sharpening...yet at the same time, the image was soft and needed sharpening! This is a problem, because to remove the outlines on the edges of things, you have to REDUCE the SHARPENING...but doing that will mean the image needs even MORE sharpening during post production, so I may have to see how far I can take the sharpening in post production (using Davinci Resolve). |
[UNFILTERED] | Tokina 12-24 4 | Panasonic G85 | Natural | (NOTE: Color should be reduced -1 if not uploading to YouTube...as I'm learning YouTube sucks the color, out of images. I'm planning on making LUTs that compensate for this, but this will work in the interim). Overall, I am liking the Tokina 11-16 2.8 a lot more, but this one is workable OUTDOORS if needed. INDOORS, you really need an F/2.8 + BOOST (speed booster) for it to gather enough light FOR THIS CAMERA. |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 14-42 ii | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | This latest test was in the NATURAL profile (first test was in CINELIKE D). I'm trying to get away from using CINELIKE D (when it's possible) because the colors don't look too "REAL". Also, I decided to use Highlight Shadow compensation instead of reducing the CONTRAST excessively, for a better image. This sensor produces a lot of noise and so I added a lot of NOISE REDUCTION as I usually do (for this sensor) but could not max it out because I needed to leave a little bit of definition in it's image. |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 18-70 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | I think it may need a LUT, because I need to turn the color down to remove some fringing, but it's going to make the image have too much color overall. I'm going to need to experiment with this, but if you use the current SETTINGS and are making your own LUT, you might be okay (but if you're going for SOOC, these SETTINGS may not work without a LUT). Also, I had to push up the NOISE REDUCTION quite a bit, because this sensor produces a lot of noise, but the CONTRAST looks pretty good (and realistic) as a result of this, as NR tends to reduce not only the SHARPNESS but CONTRAST as well (which this lens needed). |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 18-70 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | This is a decent lens because it has enough sharpness to be able to turn NOISE REDUCTION up a bit (helpful with the small sensor) and still be sharp enough to look "REAL". It's also a nice lens because the contrast isn't so intense that I have to turn it way down (for this camera). I don't like the color, but I think this lens is just not very color accurate, and I noticed this when testing on other cameras (sensors) as well. |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 18-70 | Panasonic G7 | Natural | This is a decent lens-sensor combo, but the propensity of this sensor to oversaturate color (in combination with a lens that's not super balanced or accurate to begin with) makes color accuracy a difficult task, which makes it tough to match other lenses/sensors to. |
FILTER: B+W F-PRO UV | Promaster 70-300 4-5.6 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | I started this test using the settings from the Panasonic G85 + BOOST (Viltrox NF-M43x) and all I have had to change so far was to add 1 positive point to the CONTRAST (because the Viltrox focal reducer lowers the contrast a bit). |
[UNFILTERED] | Vivitar Series 1 70-210 3.5 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | This lens is pretty amazing, because it's one of the few lens-sensor combos out there that actually looks really good at 0-0-0-0 (using the NATURAL photo style). I did do some minor adjustments, but they're not essential. This lens does have some issues with glowing purples (i.e. chromatic aberration) which can be distracting. Also, be aware that it's a really heavy lens (for its size) and I think it needs to be supported by the sort of adapter that has an integrated tripod mount on it (so it doesn't strain the lens mount on the camera). I didn't have a tripod mount on the adapter I used on my initial tests, and it wasn't very ergonomic, but then I found one on Ebay (Minolta MD mount) and it works much better! |
FILTER: Neewer MRC CPL | Sigma 18-50 2.8 EX | Panasonic G85 | Natural | (NOTE: Test turning OFF Highlight Shadow for HDR still photos.) (Also, these settings are for WITH the Neewer CP Circular Polarizer filter, and WITH the filter I think NOISE REDUCTION should be set to +4, but WITHOUT, I'd put the settings at +5 because there is too much SHARPNESS without the filter). I had never heard of this lens until recently when I saw it at a local camera store (for a good deal). I've tested the Sigma 17-50 2.8 EX and the Sigma 18-35 1.8 ART, but I didn't know this one even existed! It isn't as "good" as the 18-35 1.8 ART (in a technical sense) but WITH THE CUSTOM SETTINGS I think it's doing a good job (and that's WITH a CPL/circular polarizer attached!!) |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 80-200 4 AIS | Panasonic G85 | Natural | [Vintage lens, and the condition may vary.] This is the "push pull" type of lens, and so I was initially not too excited to test, or recommend it, but this copy didn't have any issues with zoom creep (even when I was pointing the camera upward at birds!) |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 80-200 4 AIS | Panasonic G7 | Natural | [Vintage lens, so condition may vary.] (If you want SOOC, add +1 SHARPNESS, but if you're sharpening in post, leave it at -0.) When I started this test, I wasn't sure if I liked this lens, but after getting these SETTINGS right, I'm starting to like it. What was interesting was that the copy I am testing was NO WHERE near as good as my Nikon Series E 70-210 F/4 at the default settings (-0-0-0-0). This lens has problems with too little sharpness, a LOT of chromatic aberrations (blue, red and purple glows) and inaccurate color rendition, but again, after figuring out these corrective settings, I'm liking it! |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 80-200 4 AIS | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | [Vintage lens, and the condition may vary.] When I started this test, I wasn't sure if I liked this lens, but after getting these SETTINGS right, I'm starting to like it. What was interesting was that the copy I am testing was NO WHERE near as good as my Nikon Series E 70-210 F/4 at the default settings (-0-0-0-0). This lens has problems with too little sharpness, a LOT of chromatic aberrations (blue, red and purple glows) and inaccurate color rendition, but after figuring out these corrective settings, I'm kind of liking it! |
FILTER: Tiffen CP (Circular Polarizer) | Nikon 18-55 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | NOTE: This test was using a Tiffen CP (Circular Polarizer). Also note that this filter is prone to flare (so use lens shade when possible). |
FILTER: Neewer MRC CPL | Sigma 18-50 2.8 EX | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | (NOTE: Test turning OFF Highlight Shadow for HDR still photos). I had never heard of this lens until recently when I saw it at a local camera store (for a good deal). I've tested the Sigma 17-50 2.8 EX and the Sigma 18-35 1.8 ART, but I didn't know this one even existed! It isn't as "good" as the 18-35 1.8 ART (in a technical sense) but WITH THE CUSTOM SETTINGS I think it's doing a good job (and that's WITH a CPL/circular polarizer attached!!) |
[UNFILTERED] | AUTO Mamiya-Sekor 55 1.4 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | |
[UNFILTERED] | AUTO Mamiya-Sekor 55 1.4 | Panasonic G7 | Natural | It's amazing that this lens-sensor combination is almost useable at -0-0-0-0 (default settings) but I worked with the settings further because it has a strange problem of rendering a lot of colorless black in the mid to shadow areas (I know, it seems like it would just be the shadows). I'm not completely happy with these settings, and I don't know if this lens is something I'd recommend. (It also has a sharp aperture coupler that has almost cut my hand a few times). |
[UNFILTERED] | AUTO Mamiya-Sekor 55 1.4 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | This lens started out looking pretty good, because it's a lower contrast lens that still has good sharpness. It had a bit too much CONTRAST, but after correction the details are rendering really well. I did reduce the SHARPNESS a bit, and now it looks more "REAL", less "digital" though it's as technically sharp as before correction. One of the big problems of this lens-sensor combination was that it revealed a lot of noise (which is typical with the GH4) but the lens had enough sharpness to start with that I could turn NR to +5 (pretty high) and it creates an image that is MUCH easier to work with in post (not the normal Swiss cheese you normally get from the GH4). |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 18-50 2.8 EX | Panasonic G7 | Natural | |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 18-50 2.8 EX | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | (For HDR, Turn Highlight Shadow OFF) |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.8 G | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | Strange, super sharp lens, but it also has a strong bias toward making the shadow regions stay dark (my final, corrected settings even include a -0+4 Highlight Shadow correction, something I have never done before. I will need to create a LUT to finish these settings, and I'm not looking forward to it, due to the complexity its issues)! |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.8 G | Panasonic G7 | Natural | While I still need to make a LUT (for final adjustments) these SETTINGS make this lens-sensor combination (including the Viltrox NF-M43x speed booster) produce very useable results. It could use a little sharpening and color added in post... |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.8 D | Panasonic G7 | Natural | Wow...the final results on this lens-sensor (and speed booster) combo are great! All of the properties of contrast, sharpness, noise and color all look REALLY good (even though they're not perfectly realistic). Since the color from this camera is almost always more saturated than my other cameras (currently testing GH4, G85, GX85) I knew it would be a bit on the vivid side, and turning it down any more can leave too much work for the LUT to do acurately (in post-production). |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.8 AIS | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | [TESTING...] |
[UNFILTERED] | Tokina 11-16 2.8 ii | Panasonic G7 | Natural | [TESTING...] |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.8 AIS | Panasonic G7 | Natural | This lens-sensor combo is a little bit contrasty when used in the middle apertures, but because this speed booster looks pretty good with this lens wide open (and at 1/2 click down) I chose to err on the side of too much contrast, so it can be more accurate when used wide open. Also, adding a filter (or not using a lens hood) can also reduce contrast... |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.8 D | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | I was going to add +1 more color, and if you want a little more "character" and a more film grain look to the noise, try that, but I am stopping here, and it needs a LUT to finalize it (add color and remove a bit of contrast). I tested this lens-sensor combo WITHOUT THE BOOST previously, and those settings were in CINELIKE D. I'm trying the NATURAL profile out this time because it works both for stills and video...Also, I just tested the same vintage 50 1.4 D, and that lens has much better bokeh than this one. |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.4 D | Panasonic G85 | Natural | Wow! Except for adding the -2+2 "Highlight Shadow" compensation, this is looking pretty good at -0-0-0-0 in the Natural color profile! |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.4 D | Panasonic G7 | Natural | This is my 2nd test of this lens, the 1st was on the GH4, and it's interesting that I've been able to get a really accurate image without using a focal reducer, but when I tested WITH one, the image wasn't so good. So, should I even continue on to test this lens WITH the +BOOST next? Oh, the only thing that isn't getting a super good letter grade for being "REAL" is the NOISE; this lens-sensor combo has a bit too much digital noise (although it looks pretty close to film grain, which is okay). |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.4 D | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | The corrected (lens-sensor specific) settings get this lens pretty close to a perfect "REAL" rating (realistic/accurate contrast, sharpness and color). The only thing that's not real about this lens is the chromatic abberration (glow) at (the max) 1.4 aperture. |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.4 D | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | Wow! Except for adding the -2+2 "Highlight Shadow" compensation, this is looking pretty good at -0-0-0-0 in the Natural color profile! |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.8 G | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | I think this could benefit from some kind of diffusion filter (test to come later) but for now it looks acceptable. The "REAL" ratings are going to be pretty low, but I think it's the best I can get it for now... |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.8 G | Panasonic G7 | ||
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.8 G | Panasonic GX85 | ||
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.8 G | Panasonic G85 | Natural | Strange, super sharp lens, but it also has a strong bias toward making the shadow regions stay dark (my final, corrected settings even include a -0+4 Highlight Shadow correction, something I have never done before. I will need to create a LUT to finish these settings, and I'm not looking forward to it, due to the complexity its issues)! |
[UNFILTERED] | Vivitar 50 1.8 M42 | Panasonic GX85 | Need to buy an M42 adapter. | |
[UNFILTERED] | Vivitar 50 1.8 M42 | Panasonic G7 | Need to buy an M42 adapter. | |
[UNFILTERED] | Vivitar 50 1.8 M42 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | I NEED TO TEST MORE (and I really need to be using a Pixco speed booster on Micro Four Thirds, because it's only an F/1.8) I was hoping this lens would share the settings of the Vivitar 135 2.8 M42 (that was in the camera case with it when I bought) but it doesn't (I may go with using Highlight Shadow adjustments because the CONTRAST is still too great, and the COLOR is not accurate). |
[UNFILTERED] | Vivitar 135 2.8 M42 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | REALLY needs a LUT to fine tune the image further. I think these SETTINGS are a good starting point, but it's going to need more contrast and less color to look "REAL" and the only clean way to do that is by adding a LUT (Coming Soon!) |
[UNFILTERED] | Vivitar 135 2.8 M42 | Panasonic G7 | Starting to test | |
[UNFILTERED] | Vivitar 135 2.8 M42 | Panasonic GX85 | Starting to test | |
[UNFILTERED] | Pentax Super-Takumar 50 1.4 ii | Panasonic G7 | Natural | I am amazed at how differently this sensor (camera) handles this lens (compared to the GH4). As I mentioned in other reviews of this lens, it is inconsistent in terms of how it renders light. It's really interesting how much I was able to push the COLOR with these settings, and while you could tone it down a bit, I did it to show what the lens is capable of. It's a very different type of color than newer lenses usually produce, but some tend to like the more vintage feel. If you want to start with less color, go +1 (not +2) but if you upload to YouTube, you may still need that extra color (as of 2022 anyway). |
[UNFILTERED] | Pentax Super-Takumar 50 1.4 ii | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | [Needs a "REAL" LUT to finish it.] This was a VERY difficult lens to come up with the set of recommended settings for. My goal is simply to make it easy to get the best original capture as possible (at all aperture settings) and that was difficult because of how inconsistent this lens is at different apertures (in terms of how it renders light, etc.) |
[UNFILTERED] | Pentax Super-Takumar 50 1.4 ii | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | [Note: This also is using an M42 screw mount to Nikon F adapter, in addition to the Nikon F to M43 SHIFT adapter noted.] I will have to admit this lens has a lot of character but it, like so many of these vintage lenses, is inconsistent in terms of how it renders light. |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 80-200 2.8 D | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | This used to be a top-of-the-line telephoto zoom (it was the first AF 80-200 2.8 Nikon produced) and the build quality is excellent. However, it's heavy and slow to operate. It's slow because of the push-pull zoom, and because of the focus (there is a focus limiting feature that helps with that). Optically, it's a great lens, and though each lens-sensor combo usually needs some work to look its best (this one did) I think these settings are rendering a pretty nice image, one that is "REAL" in almost every respect. |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 80-200 2.8 D | Panasonic G7 | Natural | This lens is too sharp for this sensor, as with the SHARPNESS turned all of the way down (to -5) plus the NOISE REDUCTION turned all of the way UP (to +5, which I do to reduce sharpness even more when needed) the image still has a lot of aliasing. This sensor also renders more compression-related artifacts when a lens is too sharp (which adding NR can help with) but since we've maxed out those 2 settings, we're left with a lens-sensor combo that is bound to be a problem in certain lighting situations. This used to be a top-of-the-line telephoto zoom (it was the first AF 80-200 2.8 Nikon produced) and the build quality is excellent. However, the "focus breathing" is not good for video (image changes size as you focus, etc.) and lenses such as the Promaster 70-300 I've been using, are MUCH better for video (even though the aperture is not constant, but with this breathing, you can't zoom while shooting ANYWAY!) it's also heavy and slow to operate. It's slow because of the push-pull zoom, and because of the focus (there is a focus limiting feature that helps with that). Optically, it's a great lens, and though each lens-sensor combo usually needs some work to look its best. NOTE: With a non-optical adapter, I set the contrast to -2 (instead of -1). |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 80-200 2.8 D | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | This used to be a top-of-the-line telephoto zoom (it was the first AF 80-200 2.8 Nikon produced) and the build quality is excellent. However, it's not super good for video because the "focus breathing" is so bad (the image changes size as you focus, etc.). Lower cost 70-300 lenses such as the Promaster I've been using, are MUCH better for video, as some are even parfocal. (One thing to note about those, is that even though they don't have a constant aperture, you don't normally zoom while shooting.) This lens is also heavy and slow to operate. It's slow because of the push-pull zoom, and because of the focus (there is a focus limiting feature that helps with that). Optically, it's a great lens, and though each lens-sensor combo usually needs some work to look its best. |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 80-200 2.8 D | Panasonic G85 | Natural | This used to be a top-of-the-line telephoto zoom (it was the first AF 80-200 2.8 Nikon produced) and the build quality is excellent. However, it's heavy and slow to operate. It's slow because of the push-pull zoom, and because of the focus (there is a focus limiting feature that helps with that). Optically, it's a great lens, and though each lens-sensor combo usually needs some work to look its best (this one did) I think these settings are rendering a pretty nice image, one that is "REAL" in almost every respect. |
[UNFILTERED] | Canon 50 1.8 ii | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | It works pretty well to just set the "Highlight Shadow" to -2, +2 and call it good, but I added NOISE REDUCTION to keep the sharpness (and contrast) looking more "REAL". As I mentioned in the other reviews of this lens, it has a pretty decent close focus distance, and while the manual focusing ring is very thin (probably too narrow for focus gears to be added) it's easy for me to use by hand. |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 75-300 4.5-5.6 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | This lens is AMAZING...it delivers so much contrast and color that I had to tone those down (to get a "REAL" image) and the SHARPNESS is almost a perfect match for this sensor (not to sharp, etc.) though I had to use some NOISE REDUCTION to keep things looking real. |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 75-300 4.5-5.6 | Panasonic G7 | Natural | This lens is AMAZING...it delivers so much contrast and color that I had to tone those down (to get a "REAL" image) and the SHARPNESS is almost a perfect match for this sensor (not to sharp, etc.) though I had to use some NOISE REDUCTION to keep things looking real. |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 75-300 4.5-5.6 | Panasonic GH4 | CineLike D | This lens is AMAZING...it delivers so much contrast and color that I had to tone those down (to get a "REAL" image) and the SHARPNESS is almost a perfect match for this sensor (not to sharp, etc.) though I had to use some NOISE REDUCTION to keep things looking real. |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 75-300 4.5-5.6 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | This lens is AMAZING...it delivers so much contrast and color that I had to tone those down (to get a "REAL" image) and the SHARPNESS is almost a perfect match for this sensor (not to sharp, etc.) though I had to use some NOISE REDUCTION to keep things looking real. |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 75-300 4.5-5.6 | Panasonic G85 | Natural | This lens is AMAZING...it delivers so much contrast and color that I had to tone those down (to get a "REAL" image) and the SHARPNESS is almost a perfect match for this sensor (not to sharp, etc.) though I had to use some NOISE REDUCTION to keep things looking real. |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 70-300 4-5.6 D | Panasonic G7 | Natural | [NEW] |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 70-300 4-5.6 D | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | [NEW] |
[UNFILTERED] | Pentax Super-Takumar 50 1.4 ii | Panasonic G85 | Natural | These settings are not as "REAL" as I would normally prefer, as the color is more saturated than normal, but I did this to capture the unique color this lens can render. It's also a bit light in the shadows, but this forces you to underexpose a little, which protects the highlights and just seems to bring out the magical properties of this lens. As I've said before about this lens, it has a lot of "character" and it can be inconsistent in terms of how it renders light (from aperture to aperture). |
FILTER: Promaster HGX UV | Canon 70-200 2.8 | Panasonic G85 | Natural | In the future I may try adding a Tiffen GlimmerGlass or Black Pro Mist filter to attempt to control the dynamic range, etc. |
[UNFILTERED] | Minolta MD 50 1.7 | Panasonic G7 | Natural | I had to resort to using the "Highlight Shadow" corrections (-2 Highlights, +2 Shadows) to make it work, because this is a very CONTRASTY lens, and it renders a very unique image (that is not "REAL" and therefore will not match my other lenses easily) before correction. This lens-sensor combination is rendering a lot more GREEN than it should, and therefore receives negative "REAL Ratings" because of it. |
[UNFILTERED] | Pentax Bellows-Takumar 100 4.0 SMC | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | [Note: This also is using an M42 screw mount to Nikon F adapter, in addition to the Nikon F to M43 SHIFT adapter noted.] I don't (normally) like to review lenses that are rare (because I want you all to be able to try them out) but since I found this for a good deal online at shopgoodwill.com, I thought I'd better test it. While it was difficult to figure out, I think it is looking pretty good with these custom settings. (The only thing that is off a bit is the color, and it's not bad, but is just not "REAL" and therefore won't match other lenses that get a better rating for that attribute, etc.) |
[UNFILTERED] | Canon FD 50 1.4 | Panasonic G85 | Natural | I feel like these settings are working okay for capturing what this lens is capable of, but as I mentioned in the GX85 review of this lens, the lens has optical imperfections (that give it an interesting character) but it's so inconsistent from one aperture value to the next (the contrast, sharpness and color intensity change quite a bit) that makes it difficult to come up with a single settings recommendation (as I can with most optics). |
[UNFILTERED] | Canon 50 1.8 ii | Panasonic G7 | Natural | Known as the "plastic fantastic" this lens is a decent optic, for a not much money. It has a good close focus distance, and though the focusing ring is very thin (probably too narrow for focus gears to be added) it's somewhat easy for me to use when focusing by hand. I don't think the color rendition of this lens is very accurate. |
[UNFILTERED] | Canon 50 1.8 ii | Panasonic GH4 | CineLike D | After getting these settings figured out, the lens is rendering a pretty realistic image, yet I will need a LUT to increase the contrast a bit. This lens has a pretty decent close focus distance. The manual focusing ring is very thin, and while it's easy for me to use by hand, it may be too narrow for focus gears to be added. |
[UNFILTERED] | Canon FD 50 1.4 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | Initially, I was disappointed in this lens (because of how inconsistent the color and sharpness are when changing apertures) and had a difficult time figuring out a single set of settings that would work for it. However, after more testing, I think I've figured out settings that not only match the lens to the dynamic range of the sensor (my main technical job) but also that preserve and showcase the flaws so many people love about this lens (a diffused but sharp and dreamy rendering). |
[UNFILTERED] | Canon FD 50 1.4 | Panasonic G7 | Natural | This was my second test of this lens (the first was on the GH4) and while I was not impressed with this on the GH4, on the G7 I am starting to see why some people like this lens (and I suspect they're using it on sensors with a lot more sharpness, such as Sony full-frame sensors). It is still an inconsistent and difficult lens to work with though (as the optical properties change so much when varying the aperture). |
[UNFILTERED] | Canon FD 50 1.4 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | I've heard a lot about this lens, but after testing (this copy) I'm not too impressed. It looks "dreamy" (wide open of course) but even stopped down, it doesn't render a realistic-looking image, something that is central to my goal of Realism. |
FILTER: Promaster HGX UV | Canon 70-200 2.8 | Panasonic G7 | CineLike D | It looks pretty good, but there is still a little bit too much contrast, which makes it difficult to stay within the dynamic range capabilities of this camera. In the future I'd like to try a Tiffen GlimmerGlass or Tiffen Black ProMist to see if it will help. |
[UNFILTERED] | Kalimar 500 8 MIRROR [M42] | Panasonic G85 | Natural | This lens doesn't seem to have much hope. It just can't render a sharp image, and this is the second copy I've tested (first one had haze, but this one is clean). |
FILTER: Promaster HGX UV | Canon 70-200 2.8 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | Use -0 COLOR for sports photography shoot... |
FILTER: Promaster HGX UV | Canon 70-200 2.8 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | In the future I may try adding a Tiffen GlimmerGlass or Black Pro Mist filter to attempt to control the dynamic range, etc. |
FILTER: Promaster HGX UV | Canon 70-200 2.8 | Panasonic GH4 | CineLike D | I'm not really liking the results of these settings yet, but what's funny is I tried these settings (as of 2022-05-25) on the Panasonic G7 and they LOOK GREAT. On the GH4 there's still a little bit too much contrast, and it's difficult to maintain highlight detail in sunlit conditions. |
[UNFILTERED] | Canon 50 1.8 ii | Panasonic G85 | Natural | It works pretty well to just set the "Highlight Shadow" to -2, +2 and call it good, but I added NOISE REDUCTION to keep the sharpness (and contrast) looking more "REAL". As I mentioned in the other reviews of this lens, it has a pretty decent close focus distance, and while the manual focusing ring is very thin (probably too narrow for focus gears to be added) it's easy for me to use by hand. |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 18-35 1.8 | Panasonic G7 | CineLike D | For some reason, this lens-sensor combination, while not a "PERFECT MATCH" works really well together. Normally, this has been a REALLY difficult lens to work with (on the GX85, G85 and GH4) but this camera just has the right properties (whatever they may be) that create a very accurate image with smooth gradations through the 11 steps of the Zone System. I don't like this lens for field use (because it's too big and heavy to carry around on my multi-camera rigs) but I think it can be a great lens for INDOOR, STATIC use (for low light reasons as well)! This test was done with a straight (non-optical) adapter, but I hope to test this with a speedbooster/focal reducer in the future. |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 18-35 1.8 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | +3 SHADOWS (Highlight Shadow) |
Sigma 17-50 2.8 | ||||
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 17-50 2.8 | Panasonic G85 | NATURAL | The Panasonic G85 and GX85 tests almost always come out identical, but I tested this lens on the both just to make sure (again) and yep, they both work well with these settings (for this lens). Remember that it's always "lens-sensor specific" but because the G85 and GX85 keep coming out the same (test after test) I am going to start interpolating the results to either one (I'll explain more later). |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 17-50 2.8 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | This is the second professional Sigma lens that needed a +3 SHADOWS correction (using Highlight Shadow) because the lens is so contrasty (which is a bad thing with this specific sensor). This lens in particular had a lot of chromatic abberations which showed up as red, blue and purple fringes...so I don't really like this lens so far. |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 17-50 2.8 | Panasonic G7 | CineLike D | This lens-sensor combination was difficult to work with because the contrast and sharpness of the lens is so strong (and the sharpness isn't very even in terms of smooth gradation from highlight to shadow noticeable in detailed areas). So, I had to be quite dramatic with the settings I chose, and resorted to using a +3 SHADOW (under Highlight Shadow) which I don't normally like doing. Overall, I don't really like the result because my goal is almost always to render a real-looking image, and I think this lens-sensor combination falls short in this area. P.S. The Canon mount Viltrox EF-M2ii froze the camera several times, and I like it even less than I did before (but I highly recommend the Nikon mount version of the Viltrox focal reducer for this camera (the Viltrox NF-M43x). |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 17-50 2.8 | Panasonic GH4 | CineLike D | INDOOR test using Metabones ULTRA .64x speed booster. |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 18-35 1.8 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | [TESTING...] |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 18-35 1.8 | Panasonic G7 | CineLike D | ...Still testing (not happy with settings yet). |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 18-35 1.8 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | NOTE: I added +3 SHADOWS (by creating a custom curve within the "Highlight Shadow" menu) and this is very important, in addition to the adjustments to the "Photo Style" settings (adjustments to CONTRAST, SHARPNESS, NOISE and COLOR). |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 18-35 1.8 | Panasonic G85 | Natural | I wanted the Sigma 18-35 1.8 for quite a long time, but after testing it (this time with a speed booster, instead using the shift adapter). Even with the .71x speed booster/focal reducer, it isn't wide enough for a lot of situations, and because it doesn't need the 1.8 max. aperture OUTDOORS, I'm not sure I recommend this. It's also too big and heavy for my DUAL-CAMERA RIGS. |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 18-55 | Panasonic G7 | CineLike D | Test looks decent (so far) but I need more sample footage to get a better feel for this lens-sensor combo. |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 18-55 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural |
NOTE:
For use with ATEM Mini, I'm adjusting the settings slightly:
CONTRAST: -5
SHARPNESS: -5
NOISE: +3
COLOR: -0
HIGHLIGHT SHADOW: OFF |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 45-150 4-5.6 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | Initial tests good. Starting to test filters... |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 25 1.7 | Panasonic GH4 NO LUT | CineLike D | Test (v2) looks good (almost good enough with no LUT, but could use a bit more contrast for FINAL). |
[UNFILTERED] | Promaster 70-300 4-5.6 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | Initial test done, but need more footage... |
[UNFILTERED] | Minolta AF 50 1.7 ii | Panasonic GH4 | [NEW] | |
[UNFILTERED] | Minolta AF 50 1.7 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | [TEST STARTED, but not complete] |
[UNFILTERED] | Tamron 70-300 4-5.6 LD Di | Panasonic G7 | Natural | [TESTING...] |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 14-42 ii | Panasonic GH4 | CineLike D | Test is done (but may need to use Highlight Shadow compensation instead of reducing CONTRAST, for a better image). LUT is needed either way. |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 18-70 3.5-4.5 | Panasonic GX85 | [TESTING...] | |
[UNFILTERED] | Tamron 75-300 4-5.6 LD | Panasonic G7 | Natural | [NEW] |
[UNFILTERED] | Tamron 75-300 4-5.6 LD | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | Looks good so far... |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 70-300 4-5.6 D | Panasonic GH4 | CineLike D | Initial tests done. Need a LUT. |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 28-80 3.3-5.6 G (Silver) | Panasonic G7 | ||
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 28-80 3.3-5.6 G (Silver) | Panasonic GX85 | INDOOR test started...OUTDOOR needed. | |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 55-200 VR | Panasonic GH4 | CineLike D | Test looks GOOD! May need LUT... |
[UNFILTERED] | Vivitar 135 2.8 M42 | Panasonic G85 | Starting to test | |
[UNFILTERED] | Vivitar 50 1.8 M42 | Panasonic G85 | Need to buy an M42 adapter. | |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 25 1.7 | Panasonic GH4 | CineLike D | Works good with LUT (but want to figure out settings that DO NOT require a LUT)... |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.8 D | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | Started test with macro helicoid adapter (no optic in adapter). |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.8 D | Panasonic G7 | Natural | [NEW] |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 70-300 4-5.6 D ED | Panasonic G7 | Natural | [TESTING...] |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 70-210 4 Series E | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | While these settings may be a good starting point if I add a LUT, they are not good SOOC (not enough CONTRAST, SHARPNESS, COLOR). I used to shoot this way a lot (because it's pretty easy to color grade) but now that I'm shooting for SOOC, these settings aren't good enough anymore (though they do help to avoid overexposure, etc.) |
[UNFILTERED] | Promaster 70-300 4-5.6 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | [Needs a LUT to finalize, if I add this Highlight Shadow compensation. The highlights were a little bit too bright without the B+W F-PRO UV filter, so I'm trying to compensate with Shadow Highlight, to -1-0. This test used the settings from the Panasonic G85 + BOOST (Viltrox NF-M43x) and all I had to change was to add 1 positive point to the CONTRAST (because the Viltrox focal reducer lowers the contrast a bit). |
[UNFILTERED] | Promaster 70-300 4-5.6 | Panasonic G7 | Natural | [NEW] |
[UNFILTERED] | Tokina 11-16 2.8 ii | Panasonic G7 | Natural |
POST SHARPENING (Davinci Resolve):
(Needs sharpening, but settings not tested yet)
This test has been a real struggle, because this lens isn't that sharp when used with this sensor (Panasonic G7). The reason is that it's from the time period when the Panasonic sensors still had anti-aliasing filters over them, and that makes them less sharp than those without them. One of the problems it causes is that I usually turn the SHARPNESS down, both to reduce the contrast to help smooth the transition from shadows to highlights, and to remove the look of digital aliasing (the pixels seen in angled lines). I also turn UP the NOISE REDUCTION to reduce the sharpness more yet doing this with this lens-sensor combination doesn't create a super sharp image. So, in the end what I had to do is to err on the side of having less sharpness VIA in-camera settings, and then recommending settings for sharpening in Davinci Resolve (in post-production). |
[UNFILTERED] | Minolta AF 50 1.7 | Panasonic G7 | Natural | Tests shot. Needs LUT |
[UNFILTERED] | Minolta AF 50 1.7 ii | Panasonic G7 | Natural | Tests shot. Needs LUT |
[UNFILTERED] | Tamron 75-300 4-5.6 LD | Panasonic GH4 | CineLike D | Test done, and the tones are good, color is a little inaccurate... |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 45-150 4-5.6 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | [NEEDS LUT] |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 45-150 4-5.6 | Panasonic G7 | Natural | [TESTING...] |
[UNFILTERED] | Tamron 70-300 4-5.6 LD Di | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | [TESTING...] |
[UNFILTERED] | Tamron 70-300 4-5.6 LD Di | Panasonic G85 | Natural | [TESTING...] |
[UNFILTERED] | Tamron 70-300 4-5.6 LD Di | Panasonic GH4 | CineLike D | Test done, but needs a LUT. |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 14-42 ii | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | UPDATE 2: I just finished the updated settings! I think it still could benefit from doing some tests with some kind of diffusion filter (like the Tiffen GG or BPM) but I have to note that this is my last test with this camera because the shutter speed dial completely stopped working (when I turn it, it only goes HIGHER). The problems with this camera started after using a Viltrox EFM2ii (Canon mount focal reducer/speedbooster) during which the screen glitched, then the camera froze. Since then, it has gotten worse, and now I can't use it at all. (I love the Nikon mount version of the Viltrox focal reducer, the non-electronic version, but now I'm going to warn people about using the Canon mount version (because it has electrical contacts, and tries to communicate, and pull power from, the camera).
One thing that is really interesting about these settings, is that the SOOC JPEG (in still photo modes) looks really good (and, in fact a bit more accurate than the video footage, because the video footage is still a LITTLE bit over-sharpened).
UPDATE: I recently talked with another photographer about this lens (as well as talking with others in the past) and most people don't like it much. I've been working to figure out CUSTOM SETTINGS that help each lens look its best (specific to each camera sensor) and haven't been able to get this combo to look realistic (it looks too "digital"). I've started testing some lenses using Tiffen Black Pro Mist 1/8 filters and may try that here. What the filter does is smooth the transition of light from the highlights to the shadows, keeping the light projected onto the sensor within the dynamic range of the camera. This also causes SHARPNESS to decrease, but I have it turned all of the way down right now, so I can then turn it up on the custom settings, and it should make the image look less digital. |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 14-42 ii | Panasonic G7 | Natural | FOR ATEM MINI |
[UNFILTERED] | Olympus 50 1.8 OM | Panasonic GX85 | [NEED ADAPTER] | |
[UNFILTERED] | Olympus 50 1.8 OM | Panasonic G7 | [NEED ADAPTER] | |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 18-55 VR | Panasonic GH4 | CineLike D | WOW! So far, -0-0-0-0 is working GREAT! Take a little color out with LUT. |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 55-200 VR | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | [TESTING...] |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 55-200 VR | Panasonic G7 | Natural | LOOKS GOOD but need more sample footage to create and test the LUT. |
[UNFILTERED] | Olympus 50 1.8 OM | Panasonic G85 | [NEED ADAPTER] | |
[UNFILTERED] | Tokina 11-16 2.8 ii | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | Adjusted settings are much better than -0-0-0-0. |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.8 AIS | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | It is totally amazing how, when you get the settings right, it can almost transform a lens from something that is just okay, to being able to create an image that is really excellent. These settings make this lens awesome (with this specific camera). |
[UNFILTERED] | Tokina 11-16 2.8 ii | Panasonic GH4 | CineLike D | This lens-sensor combo is too contrasty (and may need a filter). |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.8 D | Panasonic G85 | Natural | Nice...This lens looks a LOT better (with this camera) on the Viltrox NF-M43x focal reducer (even though it "reduces" the optical quality, ha, ha!) |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 70-300 4-5.6 ED | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | [TESTING...] |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 70-300 4-5.6 D ED | Panasonic GH4 | CineLike D | This even looks good without the LUT... |
[UNFILTERED] | Tamron SP 70-210 3.5 | [NEED ADAPTER] | ||
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 18-55 | Panasonic GH4 | Natural | NOTE: In CineLike D, THIS LENS IS A PERFECT MATCH at -0-0-0-0. I am testing now in NATURAL because I need to be able to test still photo modes... |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 28-90 MACRO | Panasonic G85 | Natural | So far, this lens is not able to render a "REAL" looking image, because it has too much contrast, the color is weird, and when compensating for these things, the image becomes too soft...and is STILL too contrasty. In the future I may test this again with some sort of a filter (maybe a Tiffen GlimmerGlass?) but for now, this lens is going to look a bit off, but it's interesting if you don't mind that. |
[UNFILTERED] | Sakar 70-300 5.6 | Panasonic G85 | Natural | This lens was a surprisingly good performer (for such an old lens) and showed little to NO color fringing or chromatic abberation (something present in most 75-300 lenses). I added +2 contrast to compensate for the lack of contrast you normally see at the long (telephoto) end of this type of zoom, and added +1 sharpness to improve the lens at the same focal length (around 300mm). I really like the idea of a constant aperture 75-300 zoom lens. It really makes things easier for video production compared to having the standard F4-5.6 variable aperture (which means you need to adjust exposure when you zoom). |
[UNFILTERED] | Promaster 70-300 4-5.6 | Panasonic G85 | Natural | It is really strange how these settings are similar to the settings for the native mount Panasonic 45-150. |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 70-300 4-5.6 ED | Panasonic G85 | Natural | I'm not liking these settings yet (so will keep testing). I think it needs more SHARPNESS (to preserve the "REAL" feel, even though that can blow out the highlights) and it may need more contrast (at the expense of the same)...the low contrast is actually exposing the noise in the shadow areas (due to the detail being visible) so it's still not looking "REAL". |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 55-200 VR | Panasonic G85 | Natural | [TESTING...] |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 55-200 | Panasonic G85 | Natural | [TESTING...] |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 45-150 4-5.6 | Panasonic G85 | Natural | [TESTING...] |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.8 AIS | Panasonic GX85 | Started INDOOR test. Need OUTDOOR. | |
TIFFEN UV | Nikon 18-55 ii | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | [TESTING...] |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 18-55 | Panasonic G85 | Natural | INDOOR test shot, need OUTDOOR. |
[UNFILTERED] | Tamron 75-300 4-5.6 LD | Panasonic G85 | Natural | [TESTING...] |
[UNFILTERED] | Sigma 70-300 4-5.6 D | Panasonic G85 | Natural | [NEW] |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 50 1.8 AIS | Panasonic G85 | Natural |
NOTE:
For use with ATEM Mini, I'm adjusting the settings slightly (as shown below):
CONTRAST: -3
SHARPNESS: -1
NOISE: +4
COLOR: -0
HIGHLIGHT SHADOW: OFF |
[UNFILTERED] | Minolta AF 50 1.7 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | Reshoot? (I think I need to go to -3 CONTRAST...) |
[UNFILTERED] | Minolta AF 50 1.7 ii | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | Not sure if test for v2 was done. |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 25 1.7 | Panasonic G7 | Natural | This is a very sharp lens, and even on the G7 (which still had the optical low-pass filter over the sensor) it is too sharp! So, using the DEFAULT settings results not only in too much SHARPNESS, but this also increases the CONTRAST...so I needed to turn down a number of things to get the image to look "REAL". Also note the CUSTOM settings will allow you to expose darker (it works in less light) but I'm still testing these settings (in various lighting conditions) so I may update them in the future. |
[UNFILTERED] | Panasonic 25 1.7 | Panasonic GX85 | Natural | (v2) This test is revised (from the original which didn't use Highlight Shadow compensation) and while it's a lot BETTER, I still don't really like this lens, because the color (and contrast) fall apart in non-standard, high contrast light. (When I say I "don't like" it, I'm comparing it to the other lenses I've tested, many of which are vintage lenses.) I think this could benefit from a diffusion filter, because it lacks "micro contrast"...but I will need to test it in the future. |
FILTER: B+W F-PRO UV | Leica 25-400 2.8-4.0 | Panasonic FZ1000 | Natural | IMPORTANT UPDATE: These settings are FOR USING THE B+W F-PRO UV FILTER (and I have another test for when you're NOT using this filter). I really prefer the tests with this filter, but it occurred to me, that some people may not copy these directions exactly, so I created another test WITHOUT the B+W F-PRO UV filter as well. I think using this filter improves the micro contrast, which smooths the highlight rolloff as well.
ISO INFO:
I should also note that I've found ISO 200 to create the most real-looking image (maybe it's the "native ISO"?) So, if you can use ISO 200, I do recommend it (even over 125 and 160, even though they're lower, etc.) Also, the image degrades noticeably above ISO 400, though I sometimes go up to ISO 800 when needed, but be aware that it's going to look like it has more "film grain" (which isn't always bad (, but it won't match your other footage, if the other footage was shot at a lower ISO). |
[UNFILTERED] | Nikon 18-70 | Panasonic G85 | Natural | [TESTING...] |
[UNFILTERED] | Tokina 11-16 2.8 ii | Panasonic G85 | Natural | [TESTING WITH Viltrox NF-M43x] |
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