Panasonic GH4 Kit & Lenses for Video

The Panasonic Lumix GH4 camera has proven to be very popular. I don’t buy cameras often – the Canon 7D has been my workhorse for years – but when the GH4 came out, I quickly grabbed one. Now, I’ve had the chance to use the camera on multiple projects and I continue to be amazed by it.

Due to the popularity of this camera, I do get a lot of questions about it, especially about the lenses. So, here’s a video where I try to address all of your questions about lenses for the GH4.

Here are the first two lenses you should get if you have the GH4 camera and you are just starting to build your kit

Lumix Vario 12-35mm f2.8 Zoom Lens

Lumix Vario 12-35mm f2.8 Zoom Lens on eBay

Lumix Vario 35-100mm f2.8 Zoom Lens

Lumix Vario 35-100mm f2.8 Zoom Lens on eBay

If you are very serious about filmmaking, I recommend getting the Rokinon (or Bower/Samyang) Cine Lenses in Canon EF Mount

The Complete Cine Lens Kit

14mm T3.1

24mm T1.5

35mm T1.5

85mm T1.5

Rokinon Cine Lenses in Canon EF Mount on eBay

Here are some other lenses that I use:

Canon 50mm f1.4

Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6

Sigma 70-300mm f4-5.6

Nikkor Manual Lenses

24mm

Nikkor 24mm lens on eBay

50mm

Nikkor 50mm lens on eBay

105mm

Nikkor 105mm lens on eBay

Lens Adapters

Metabones M43 Mount to Canon EF Speed Booster

Active M43 Mount to Canon EF Adapter

Passive M43 Mount to Canon EF Adapter

Passive M43 Mount to Nikon Mount Adapter

Here are some of the other accesories I show in the video:

Camera backpack

Tiffen Variable ND Filter

Tiffer Circualr Polarizer

Tiffen 77mm Circular Polarizer at BH Photo Video

CAMTREE GH4 Cage – you can see the links in the post where I review it.

Pelican Case for SD cards

Multitool

Cine Lens Gears for Photo Lenses

Camera Lens Cleaning Tool

Wasabi Batteries for the GH4

Step Up/Down Rings

Cokin Filter Kit

Micro Tripod

To find the best deal on Lensbaby lenses, go to my post where I reviewed it.

Here are my other reviews and tutorials that I mention in todays’s video:

CAMTREE GH4 Cage Review
Depth Of Field Tutorial
Wireless Follow Focus System
Lensbaby Kit

25 thoughts on “Panasonic GH4 Kit & Lenses for Video”

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  4. Hello Tom,

    I´m about to buy the GH4, and i decided to go for the Rokinon Lenses. Just a quick question:

    Why do you recommend buying them on EF mount instead of native mft? Thanks a lot and congratulations for all your work

    Nuno

    1. Because EF lenses are shorter / smaller and therore can be easy adapter to other cameras. So in the future if you ever get a sony camera or blackmagic camera etc you can use those lenses on those cameras using a cheap $15 inactive adapter. If you buy MTF version you will only be able to use it on mtf cameras

      1. Hello Tom, from middle east.
        Black Magic have a model with MFT lens mounts ! so we can buy MFT lense for it and GH4, if we have plan to start work with MFT cameras.
        and a question:
        Can i find adapter to mount MFT lenses to EF camera if i want to buy canon camera in future?
        thanks

        1. You can.’t adapt MTF lenses to other mounts because they are too long.

          EF lenses are short so they can be adapter easily to other mounts. That’s why EF lenses are best investment. Because you can use them on Canon EF cameras and also on MFT or Sony Emount cameras.

  5. I’m just a little confused , you mention that the Lumix 12-35 and Lumix 35-100 are great lenses that everyone should own, but then you mention if you’re a serious about filming to buy the Rokinin Cine Lenses.
    I guess what my question is, I am just getting back into cameras and filmmaking and am about to purchase a GH4. I am mainly going to be shooting music videos. Which lenses should I purchase to get me started to make my work look professional? Thank You!

    1. You work will look pro with the Lumix vario lenses or Rokinons… Lumix vario lenses allow you some of the auto functions since they’re native lenses. The Rokinons are pure manual cinema lenses so if you just want lenses for video work and don’t care for the auto functions then get the rokinons. Also with Rokinons you will have to get a few lenses since they’re all primes… the lumix vario are zoom lenses so those 2 will cover the whole range all the way from wide angle to long zoom. If you want less lenses to carry with you and also smaller lenses then get the Lumix Vario lenses.

      1. Thank you so much for getting back to me. It means a lot. I suppose I will get the lumix lense to start off and then work my way from there. Are there any other lenses that you have discovered that would be just as good, or better than the lumix? And I should I get the canon EF mount also for the gh4? Thanks again Tom!

      2. How difficult is it to match those 2 brands to each other?
        And also, I have a Rokinon 12mm f2.0, and while I like it, I find the focus wheel to way to stiff, which I guess is fine for photography but I need it primarily for video work, so it does present an issue?

  6. Hi Tom,

    Loved the article. Very informative for a little beginner like me. My question that i throw to you is this: Is the gh5 worth the extra dollars? Or is the gh4 still capable for today’s standards?

    Cheers
    J

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