BMPCC - Barrel Distortion

I've been testing my BMPCC with the Panasonic Lumix G 14mm f/2.5 II lens and what's immediately obvious is the amount of barrel distortion. I was shooting some tests through a conservatory window/door and even at some distance it was not great but close-up it was pretty bad. I've seen other footage shot with this lens which seems to be fine - I suppose they're more landscape type shots. Has anyone else used this lens?

Thanks

I haven't used this lens, but 14mm is not that wide for pockets sensor to get barrel distortion.
Strange indeed.

Yep, it is the lens. A MFT camera auto corrects for for the distorion, which is 0.864%, but actually has an uncorrected distortion of almost 5%, which is quite high. So yes, it is a poor lens for shooting a doorway/widow or brick wall. Even the better corrected Panasonic Leica 15mm show some distortion when a doorway or window is shoved into its view close up. This is an issue with most wide angle optics like this. A $2K Ziess 9.5mm Super Speed is better controlled, but still shows some linear barrel distortion, but less than the Zeiss 12mm SS.
Cheers

Denny beat me to it. I stopped using all Pany lenses long ago with the Pocket due to this. If you're looking for a great wide angle MFT lens for the pocket, I'd suggest the SLR Magic 10mm. It's a fantastic lens and the distortion is handled much better than even their famous 12mm.

Thanks for the replies.

The BMPCC auto-corrects some distortion - that's part of the MFT spec? Does that mean that any MFT manufacturer including BMD has to provide some correction as per spec requirements? The BMPCC only corrects 0.864%, leaving ~5% uncorrected, if I've understood you correctly, Denny?

How far away are you suppose to be using such a lens to minimise distortion? I presume buildings, any kind of straight lines etc. are out of the question and it's more about landscapes etc. with this lens which seem to come out very well when I look at some of the videos people have shot. Is the same problem with say the Olympus 17mm/f1.8 as well?

What I want to do is have a BMPCC with small lens and keep everything "pocket" as far as I can. I'm not looking specifically looking for wide-angles. On one of these threads, someone recommended the Sigma 19mm/f2.8 over either the Panasonic 14mm or 20mm lenses. It's twice the length and cheaper but if it gives me a decent image then perhaps it's the way to go.

The BMPCC auto-corrects some distortion - that's part of the MFT spec? Does that mean that any MFT manufacturer including BMD has to provide some correction as per spec requirements? The BMPCC only corrects 0.864%, leaving ~5% uncorrected, if I've understood you correctly, Denny?

No at all.
The Panasonic 14mm has 5% distortion and you get all of it. Only on Panasonic still cameras you get distortion correction.

Thanks Marco. Does BMD implement any kind of distortion correction with the BMPCC?

Mohammed, No, only the Panasonic MFT still cameras, and the newer Olympus MFT still cameras correct for the lens distortion. BM does not do any correction. The Panny MFT cameras correct the actual 4.8% distortion and are only able to reduce it to 0.86%. As pointed out in the above posts, with the lens mounted to BM Pocket camera, you get the full 4.8 percent distortion.

Vic and I had this discussion several years ago, when the Panny-Leica z15mm lens came out, and the 15mm f/1.7mmwhile sharper in the center, and on,y slightly sharper than either the 17 or 14mm lens, it still has abliut the same amount of distortion. The 17mm. Little, less, but this lens is soft compaired to,the mother two, and muddy looking IQ. All theee are really still camera lenses, not designed for video work.

If want to keep an "Auto" native MFT type lens in the 10-14mm range, the only one will well controlled distortion is going to be the new, $1200 Panasonic-Leica 12mm lens, which is not a "small" lens, and will larger/heavier than the excellent SLR Magic 10mm lens Vic recommended, which I second. A good used copy of the SLR zmagic can be found, but even new, the lens is reasonably priced T $500-600.

Here is Zak's take in the SKR Magic 10mm lens: http://zakforsman.com/slr-magic-10mm-t2 ... cine-lens/.
Cheers

Thanks Denny, I understand what you're saying now. Here in the UK, everything in dollars is usually the same numerically in pounds. Right now, I reckon I'll give the latest Sigma 19mm/f2.8 a shot. I just need something to get me up and running. I'm not looking to shoot anything serious with it (at the moment), just have some fun and learn as much as I can.

You could also look at rye excellent Veydra Mini Primes, they have a nice 16mm and 12mm lens, all Cine ready with FF gears, etc, but can be used as is also.
Cheers

Thanks Denny. They look very good indeed.

Just to give an update... I opted for a Sigma Art 19mm/F2.8 DN|A lens and it's proven to be excellent.