Recommended lens for overhead recording

Looking for a lens to use with the Micro Studio 4K G2 to make recording and/or live stream.
My knowledge of cameras and lenses is limited to non existent.

The cameras and lens will be placed on a overhead rig and remain fixed. The object of focus will be two sets of turntables plus mixers.
I hope there is a lens that is able to cover 2.1 meter in frame, so I only need two (option 1). With the other angled from the side

If that isn't possible I'll have to go with two overhead covering about 1.05m each.

Budget is 500-800 per lens. Can go higher, will just mean I get the second camera and lens a few months later.

Is what I want possible?

Was recommended a Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS. And Lumix 12-35ii (forgot to write down the exact one)
Read on the forum it's best to go with a a Prime lens

Blackmagic multic cam setup concept.png (15.64 KiB) Viewed 1680 times

If I understand you correctly, you want a lens to cover a horizontal FOV of 2.1m with your camera 1.13m away. On your camera that would be a 7mm prime lens. Take a look at these :

7.5mm will almost cover your view 1.97m and it’s currently on sale; at a camera distance of 1.2m, you could cover your horizontal dimension:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1647490-REG


6mm will give you a wider view 2.46m:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1748385-REG

There’s a simple trick to calculating FOV. When the lens’ focal length is equal to the width of the sensor, the distance from the lens is equal to the width of the frame. Eg. a 17.75mm lens would yield an image 1m wide, 1m from the sensor. Ergo 17.75/7.5*1.12=2.65m.

Good Luck

Thank you for the information and recommendations.

You’re welcome. Let us know how the shoot went and what lens you used if you like. That camera will be quite a short distance. Normally for a very wide rectilinear image the Laowa 9mm is a better performer than the 7.5mm. If raising the height of the camera is feasible, I’d do that.

A Laowa Zero-D 9mm T2.9 lens will give you the desired 2.1m horizontal coverage at a distance of 1.45m from the camera to the subject. That’s what I feel better recommending within your budget if it’s possible.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1573877-REG

What are you using for a calculator Rick? Pcam shows that a 9mm would give a 2.23m horizontal FoV at the OP’s original distance of 1.13m.

Good Luck

Interesting. I use the Lens Toolkit f8 app on Mac which includes a definition of the camera. Let me take another look at it…

I’m using the defined Blackmagic Micro Studio Camera 4K at native 16:9 aspect ratio with defined Laowa Cine Primes.

Edit
Does the G2 version (that the OP has) have a different sized sensor than the Micro Studio Camera 4K? If so then I can’t use f8.

The UHD sensor in the Micro Studio Camera G2 is 17.78mm x 10mm.

I found the original camera and the sensor size is 13.056mm x 7.344mm so my previous posts must be disregarded! Apologies to the OP.

I created the proper entry for the G2 sensor version in the f8 app (17.78mm x 10mm) and now I get the same results as Howard mentioned.

The conclusion is the lens I recommend is the Laowa Zero-D Cine Prime T2.9 with 9mm focal length. From a view 1.13m above the subject, this lens will cover a width of 2.23m and a height or depth of 1.26m.

Thanks again to Howard!

Just an update, I went with the Laowa Zero-D Cine Prime T2.9.

Tried two others which has a fish bowl image at the edges. Far less with the Laowa.
Though for my setup still short a few centimeters to get everything in the image.
Now dealing with finding proper lighting