By technical editor Matt Allard:
This week I met with SLR Magic – the small boutique lens manufacturer based out of Hong Kong. They started off making lens adaptors and “Toy Lenses” that were very popular. Now they have branched out to making more professional lenses, mainly in Micro 4/3rds and Sony E mounts. They are renowned for their range of Hyperprime lenses which are at their best when used wide open. These lenses are made out of high quality steel and are manual focus and aperture only.
SLR MAGIC from Matthew Allard on Vimeo.
For cameras such as the new (not available yet) Black Magic Cinema Camera in Micro 4/3rds mount, the Sony FS100/700, VG10/20/900 and Panasonic GH2/3 a lot of these lenses are a good alternative to many of the other brands out there. Most of the lenses that SLR Magic offer come with a clickless aperture and a very fast aperture, which is good for shooting video.
The cameras that are currently supported include:
Panasonic: Lumix DMC-G1, DMC-G2, DMC-G3, DMC-G10, DMC-GH1, DMC-GH2, DMC-GF1, DMC-GF2, AF-100, AF-101, AF-102, and AF-103
Olympus: PEN E-P1, PEN E-P2, PEN E-PL1, and PEN E-PL2
Sony: NEX-3, NEX-5, NEX-VG10, NEX-VG20, NEX-VG900, NEX-FS100, and NEX-FS700
For more information visit their website.
About Matthew Allard, Aljazeera Senior Field Cameraman, Kuala Lumpur:
Matt has been a Camera/Editor in TV news for more 20 years, previously working for both Channel 9 and Channel 10 in Australia. Twice Network Ten Australia’s cameraman of the year as well as being a Walkley Finalist for outstanding camerawork in 2006 (for coverage of the Cronulla Race Riots) and a Logie Finalist for outstanding news coverage 2006 (Bali 9). He is a multiple ACS (Australian Cinematographers Society) award winner. His Sword Maker story that was shot on a 7D won the prestigious Neil Davis International News Golden Tripod at the 2011 ACS Awards. He has covered news events in more than 35 countries, from major sporting events to terrorist bombings. Based out of the Kuala Lumpur broadcast centre in Malaysia he is an avid user and follower of new technology, shooting stories on HD broadcast cameras, the Sony FS700 and F3 as well as Canon DSLRs.
