Recommended M4/3 Lenses?
I currently have an Olympus EPL2 and am thinking about picking up a M4/3 body in the future for video work. Right now I have an adapter that I am having fun with all sorts of crazy combinations with my K mount lenses. But I was curious about getting a fun native M4/3 lens. Anyone out here shooting M4/3 and have any suggestions? I tend to prefer unique use/fun lenses less than versatile lenses, but if there's a good versatile one you could suggest that too 🙂
Nice! Right now my lineup consists of:
- Panasonic 14mm f2.5
- Panasonic 25mm f1.7
- Panasonic 35-100mm f2.8
- No name C-mount 35mm f1.7 bought on Amazon
Most fun: The c-mount lens is the most fun, it has many imperfections that give it a lot of character.
Most used: 14mm is my most used lens in my video work.
Most versatile: Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8 or Olympus 12-40mm. I don't own either of these, but I have used the Panasonic version. Very nice lens, covers a good range of focal lengths at a constant aperture. Used it on a short documentary film in India and it was perfect for most situations, interviews, b-roll, and photos.
If I could only have two lenses they would be the 12-35mm & 35-100mm. I like keeping the 14mm around though since it is so tiny!
Quote from Beau Carpenter on February 23, 2021, 3:29 pmNice! Right now my lineup consists of:
- Panasonic 14mm f2.5
- Panasonic 25mm f1.7
- Panasonic 35-100mm f2.8
- No name C-mount 35mm f1.7 bought on Amazon
Most fun: The c-mount lens is the most fun, it has many imperfections that give it a lot of character.
Most used: 14mm is my most used lens in my video work.
Most versatile: Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8 or Olympus 12-40mm. I don't own either of these, but I have used the Panasonic version. Very nice lens, covers a good range of focal lengths at a constant aperture. Used it on a short documentary film in India and it was perfect for most situations, interviews, b-roll, and photos.
If I could only have two lenses they would be the 12-35mm & 35-100mm. I like keeping the 14mm around though since it is so tiny!
That 14mm seems like a really good starting point for video for me. Right now I am shooting my headshots with a 28mm on my K-1, so that would be the same focal length. Really nice compact size. And cheap. That's important for me right now, since this is all still just a hobby.
I think if I go all out on video in the future that 12-35 f2.8 would be really nice.
Which m4/3 camera are you using right now? I used a GH3 for a bit and really liked it for an affordable good video quality camera. Thinking about doing that again or maybe investing in a G7.
Yes, the 14mm is fantastic. I usually stop down to f2.8 for a tad sharper image than f2.4. I purchased mine in a lot with a used G7 and then resold the camera on Ebay and just about recouped the entire cost of the lot.
I currently use a G7, GX85, and Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4k.
- G7 for quick turnaround videos
- GX85 for handheld video & photography
- BMPCC4k for longer recording and when I do more with color grading and whatnot
I think the G7 is fantastic! There's one tiny quirk, you can't shoot 1920x1080 24p in MP4. It's either that format in AVCHD or 24p in 4k in MP4.
I'm sure the GH3 or GH4 would both be just as good if not better than the G7. I've used a GH5 before and it is fantastic as well, but definitely a bit higher on the price spectrum.
Would be more than happy to try and answer any other questions 👍
Quote from Beau Carpenter on February 25, 2021, 12:22 amYes, the 14mm is fantastic. I usually stop down to f2.8 for a tad sharper image than f2.4. I purchased mine in a lot with a used G7 and then resold the camera on Ebay and just about recouped the entire cost of the lot.
I currently use a G7, GX85, and Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4k.
- G7 for quick turnaround videos
- GX85 for handheld video & photography
- BMPCC4k for longer recording and when I do more with color grading and whatnot
I think the G7 is fantastic! There's one tiny quirk, you can't shoot 1920x1080 24p in MP4. It's either that format in AVCHD or 24p in 4k in MP4.
I'm sure the GH3 or GH4 would both be just as good if not better than the G7. I've used a GH5 before and it is fantastic as well, but definitely a bit higher on the price spectrum.
Would be more than happy to try and answer any other questions
This is very helpful, thanks!
For now it will mostly be for headshot videos, but in the future I might do stuff with autofocus. How do you find the autofocus is with that lens and the G7?
The GX85 looks cool and is very affordable, but I currently use a plug-in mic system and not an external recorder, so that wouldn't be ideal I think.
You're welcome!
Here's my experience with autofocus:
Autofocus for photos is excellent. Never had any trouble with it.
For headshot videos I do use face detect autofocus and it is consistent enough where I don't feel like I need to switch to manual focus. For most other things I use single area focus using the "AE/AF LOCK" button set as an "AF ON" button.
In continuous autofocus it generally does pretty well focusing from near to far, far to near. There are sometimes where it will hunt a little bit before acquiring focus. Most of the time though it is pretty smooth.
Yes, for video the G7 is much nicer with the mic input. I use the GX85 for b-roll or events where I don't have a tripod. The IBIS is amazing, very smooth even with something like a 100mm lens.
Quote from Beau Carpenter on March 1, 2021, 6:47 pmYou're welcome!
Here's my experience with autofocus:
Autofocus for photos is excellent. Never had any trouble with it.
For headshot videos I do use face detect autofocus and it is consistent enough where I don't feel like I need to switch to manual focus. For most other things I use single area focus using the "AE/AF LOCK" button set as an "AF ON" button.
In continuous autofocus it generally does pretty well focusing from near to far, far to near. There are sometimes where it will hunt a little bit before acquiring focus. Most of the time though it is pretty smooth.
Yes, for video the G7 is much nicer with the mic input. I use the GX85 for b-roll or events where I don't have a tripod. The IBIS is amazing, very smooth even with something like a 100mm lens.
Oh wow, amazing it has IBIS too. That would be really handy. For product b-roll I've gotten away with just handholding at 60fps, then running a digital stabilizer and slowing down to 24. For for anything where you want things moving at their original speed thought that wouldn't work. Bummer G7 doesn't have IBIS but I think I'll live for now. If I ever do anything worthy of that I can upgrade.
Thanks for the information. I think I am leaning towards the G7 because the price+features seems tough to beat.
Sure thing! Yes, the G7 is great 👍
Another small thing, the G7 is very light. My desk faces a window, and many times I’ve mounted the G7 on the window sill with only a super clamp. It also mounts nicely on a light stand right below a soft box.
I shot with M4/3 for a long time, my lens recommendations are thusly:
Olympus 25mm f1.8 - lovely rendering, small standard lens.
Panasonic 20mm f1.7 - a bit slow to focus, better on Panasonic bodies, but oh so sharp and great contrast and color, and the best focal length (40mm equiv).
Olympus 17mm f2.8 - yeah, the "bad" one. Somehow the rendering, while not super sharp, is very film like, photos made with this lens just have a slightly grungy, but organic goodness about them.
In my opinion, M4/3 is all about the great small primes. I haven't owned the 15mm f1.7 but it's very highly regarded, as is the Panasonic/Leica 25mm f1.4. Even the 12-32mm f3.5-5.6 is a nice performer that's essentially a pancake zoom.
Quote from agentlossing on April 8, 2021, 4:32 amI shot with M4/3 for a long time, my lens recommendations are thusly:
Olympus 25mm f1.8 - lovely rendering, small standard lens.
Panasonic 20mm f1.7 - a bit slow to focus, better on Panasonic bodies, but oh so sharp and great contrast and color, and the best focal length (40mm equiv).
Olympus 17mm f2.8 - yeah, the "bad" one. Somehow the rendering, while not super sharp, is very film like, photos made with this lens just have a slightly grungy, but organic goodness about them.
In my opinion, M4/3 is all about the great small primes. I haven't owned the 15mm f1.7 but it's very highly regarded, as is the Panasonic/Leica 25mm f1.4. Even the 12-32mm f3.5-5.6 is a nice performer that's essentially a pancake zoom.
This is helpful. All those focal lengths with the crop factor seem right up my wheel house, or whatever the saying is.
I got a couple more big purchases unrelated to photography, but this will probably be my next photography purchase. A small prime for my Olympus EP2 and then maybe a G7 for some video work I want to do 🙂 we'll see how crazy I get into m43 after that, haha.
