Best Nikkor SLR Glass for M43

<p>Hi guys, long time reader, first time poster. I am really at a crossroads here. I have just bought the GH4 and need a lens sharp enough to complement the 4k video. I am looking to Nikon SLR lenses for best sharpness for the price. I like the AI and AIS 28mm 2.8 and the 50mm 1.2, although the crop factor on the gh4 would make that 50mm in telephoto range! And I think with the 28mm, at 2.8 doubled I would get terrible DOF when needed.<br />I can unfortunately only afford one lens.<br />I would buy a speedbooster / focal reducer to compensate but cannot afford one for at least another two months.<br />Would 100mm even be useable for a month? I feel like I'd be constantly running backwards!!! Would the DOF really be terrible with 2.8 on m43?<br />Is there a sharp Nikkor lens anyone could recommend that would work well with the GH4 under $600? maybe something 24/28 that is reasonably fast and great sharpness? I really am set on trying to get a sharp lens with low CA.<br />Thank you so much for your help guys.</p>

<p>What's your definition of "terrible DOF"? Too much or too little in focus? It's hard to get shallow DOF with m4/3 and full-frame wideangle lenses. Have you looked into native m4/3 lenses? (And be prepared to pay for "the best.")</p>

<p>Sorry if my terms are off, I am somewhat of an amateur.<br />Yes I have looked into m43 lenses, but the majority are fly by wire focus, and even the ones with hard stops are fly by wire, this doesn't work well with a follow focus and causes flickering while focusing in video, they're a no go for me.<br /><br />What I mean by terrible DOF is I think if I go with the 28mm f2.8 AI on the gh4 without a speedbooster I would likely get most everything in focus and have a lens more suited for landscapes etc, when I need something good all round, and wouldn't be able to achieve at least some DOF/ out of focus areas.<br />If I go with the 50mm f1.2 nikkor AI I could at least get some out of focus background blur I would think, even on a micro 4/3 sensor.<br /><br />Am I right thinking I would get almost no DOF/background blur with the 28mm f/2.8 on the gh4 without a speedbooster?</p>

<p>You may try getting the non-AF 35/2. Be prepared for some softness and/or coma wide-open. Calculate DOF here: http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html</p>

<p>you may consider the 28/f2 or the 24/f2 lenses, maybe the 35/1.4; the 55/1.2 is cheaper than the 50/1.2. Although I don't think there speedbooststers available, I would consider Olympus Zuikos like the 21/3.5 and their 2.8s in the 20+ mm range. Depending on your point of focus, wide open with a 28 could give you a lot of OOF areas even on m4/3s. </p>

<p>Rather than a Nikon lens, I highly recommend the excellent <a href="

12-40mm f/2.8</a>. You can probably get it below $700 if you shop carefully.</p>

<p>Naturally, it would have more DOF than a non-M4/3 lens at f/2.8. But all things considered, it's well worth it. The reason is I believe that, after you have tried all the other less expensive alternatives, at the end of the day, you would most likely want to get this lens anyway. This lens is so good that you can point it anywhere and shoot with no worry. It is equivalent to Nikon's excellent 24-70mm lens.</p>

<p>What is your budget realistically? What kind of videos do you make, and what kind of focal lengths do you think you'd need for it?<br>

The 28mm f/2.8 exist is different versions, and at least one version (with identical optical formula to the AF-D 28mm f/2.8) isn't great optically. The 50mm f/1.2 can be tricky to focus at very wide apertures (or at least, mine is) and generally it isn't very cheap.<br>

Have you considered old MF zooms, or old(er) zooms with an aperture ring? They're maybe not the sharpest ever but realistically, for video how important is sharpness? With a still image, you get all the time in the world to notice, but video is experienced in a different way, so I bet any decent sharp lens will actually do just fine (but I'm not too much into video, so I could be off, of course).</p>

<p>Nikkor is not the answer. And, being a 43 user, I understand about the AF by wire being a real challenge for serious video.</p>

<p>There are a lot of great µ43 lenses and I have used some of them for still video, but if you need manual focus for pro video, there are some good solutions out there that work well with some of the ancillary gear that is designed to pull focus and zoom for you. Not Nikkor.</p>

<p>Voigtlander, Carl Zeiss, and on a budget, Rokinon, all make manual focus lenses for your mount, some of which will interface with some of the extra gear you'll possibly be renting or using.</p>

<p>But only one lens? That'll drive you totally bonkers I expect.</p>

<p>Follow up to: http://www.photo.net/digital-camera-forum/00dfJi</p>