[fuent104]

Thanks! I really appreciate the compliments.

I agree about the gh2, but panasonic has decades of expeience making high-end cameras, so I'm not surprised pentax hasn't released anything as nice. I'd like it if they would try, though.

[metaphiston]

I have used the pentax M 1.4, M 1.7 and M 2 for many short films and they all have smooth focus rings. I suspect the A series would be similarly smooth as they are dedicated manual focus only lenses. I got my 1.4 for $70 and my 1.7 for $50, which isn't a lot for such quality lenses.

Regarding comments on 1.4 being not-so-sharp wide open, using a lens hood really improves contrast from light getting onto that big bit of glass side-on, which makes images look much sharper - but stopping down to f2 improves things a great deal too.

[fuent104]

Thanks. I can't wait to shoot some short films and and interviews using my current set of lenses. Can you share some of the short films you've shot?

[metaphiston]

Absolutely

You Tube

You Tube

The Shot - fictional short

Shot on Pentax K-5 on Pentax-M 50mm 1.4, Sigma (manual focus, auto aperture) 24mm f2.8, Pentax-A 100mm f4 macro, DA 16-45mm f4.

You Tube

You Tube

Etoile - music video

Shot on two Canon 550Ds with Pentax-M 50mm 1.4 and Pentax-A 100mm f4 macro (using an $10 adapter) and some canon lenses (EF-s 28mm 2.8 and 18-135mm f3.5-5.6).

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You Tube

You Tube

No Sane Man Will Dance - fictional short

Shot on Canon 7D with Pentax-M 50mm 1.4 and Pentax-A 100mm f4 macro ($10 adapter), a $60 unbranded 400mm f6.3 (for one very long shot!) and a Canon EF-s 17-85 f4-5.6 (for the wides!)

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I also use a lot of different cameras! The K-5's mine, but a lot of my film making friends have Canon and I find it generally preferable to shoot on as it has full manual control. Come on Pentax, release a patch...

[fuent104]

Great work! Manual control, of course, is crucial.

How do you find the experience of manually focusing the Canon zoom lenses?

Also, do you use the Technicolor Cinestyle profile? If not, I would highly recommend it it.

Finally...I think the first video you posted highlights the importance of a good makeup artist.

[metaphiston]

Haha, agreed! Coincidentally, I have a make-up artist lined up actually for my next short film project, I find asking on actors to do it themselves leads to some interesting and variable results...

I used the technicolor profile recently - though not for these - and agree, it gives you much more shadow detail and crucial color correction latitude. I used to just use neutral picture profile with contrast and saturation set a little below the default, and that also gives better results than standard picture profile.

I usually don't use manual focus on Canon lenses (during recording) as they have a slightly jerky, plasticky motion to them – but they usually are only used for wides so I don’t need to pull focus.

EDIT: On Canon’s L lenses it’s a different matter, they are beautifully smooth and work excellently for manual focus while recording – I just don’t get to use them very often

[bricamry]

i tried video with broken A 50/2 (wide open) but i will buy A 50/1,7,bercause A50/2 is too smooth
see there unedited with A50/2

You Tube

You Tube

and there is video with A28/2,8 ... i was interested how good it is for video... there stopped down and edited(sony vegas- color, contrast, sharpnes)

You Tube

You Tube