Recommended M4/3 Lenses?
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.
How much of a difference would you say there is between the 25mm & 20mm focal lengths? I've always kept my eye on the 20mm version two, but since I have the 25mm f1.7 always thought it probably wasn't worth purchasing.
If I remember the video about a documentary lens, the 40mm focal length is a favorite.
Quote from Beau Carpenter on April 10, 2021, 5:37 pmQuote 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.
How much of a difference would you say there is between the 25mm & 20mm focal lengths? I've always kept my eye on the 20mm version two, but since I have the 25mm f1.7 always thought it probably wasn't worth purchasing.
If I remember the video about a documentary lens, the 40mm focal length is a favorite.
I have both the 20mm F/1.7 II and the 25mm F/1.7 and in terms of field of view (FoV), there is a significant difference for me. The FoV of the 25mm turns out to be around 26mm MFT vs other 25mm MFTs in the market like the Olympus 25mm F/1.8, PanaLeica 25mm F/1.4 and the 25mm manual lenses. Side-by-side the PanaLeica 25mm F/1.4, the FoV difference is somewhat evident where the PanaLeica's is a bit wider. The 20mm F/1.7 II is still in the standard focal length (FL) category but is closer to the 17mm MFT FL. That means there is still some perspective distortion around the edges.
I like the 25mm FL but the the 20mm has film-like rendering which is just too good. The micro-contrast is evident and the colours are a bit more muted than usual. The 20mm saves me time because, oftentimes, I don't have to edit my photos anymore, with correct in-camera exposure, of course. The contrast with that lens is just too good for me and for many. Also, the 20mm is incredibly out-of-this-world sharp. It's one of those gems that sooner or later will be sought after.
Here is a video comparing the two:
Cheers.
I know this is an older post, but the Sigma prime trio is actually really impressive. The Sigma 30mm f1.4 is now my "normal" lens, I am used to 50mm on APSC/35mm and this splits the difference right between the two. The 16mm and 56mm are excellent too ofc, but much more expensive.
I haven't bought it only got to mess with it in the store but the 300mm f4, while far too large for a Pen camera (probably, I mean I hadn't tried it) it was surprisingly small and light for a 600mm equivalent and pretty affordable too, I am used to a 300mm prime and 420mm prime field of view so 600mm would take a bit of getting used to I have only ever really used zooms at those ranges, but it is tack sharp, built like a tank and almost affordable for the class of lens that it is.
Hopefully it's all right to reuse this thread - I don't want to misuse a "Share your photos" thread for gear discussions.
Quote from SpruceBruce on July 17, 2022, 4:44 pmQuote from EckyH on July 17, 2022, 4:21 pmThe E-M10II is well balanced with the Oly 75-300 MarkII. That's mostly my "grab and image" combo for birds in the garden. But today I'd seriously consider the Lumix 100-300
So I've read alot of reviews saying that it can be soft? I'm debating whether or not to get the 75-300 Mk Ii or the 100-400 instead.
Do you mean the 75-300II?
My copy is sharp enough for me with the 16MP sensor in the E-M10II (btw. 1/15s, 150mm - that IBIS impresses me...)
E.
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The Lumix 30mm Macro is a fantastic lens. Very sharp great for portraits have used it for street photography too. The 15mm Leica is also a lovely lens.
One lens that does interest me is the 8mm f2.8 Meike (the non fisheye)
I used to own a g7 but I won Lumix vouchers and bought the GH5. It’s a good camera the G7 and if only using indoors it’s definitely good enough if you were traveling though the G85 is probably worth the extra with the ibis and weather sealing. I can also recommend the GX85 if lack of a mic jack is a deal breaker how about the GX8
pic below taken on the G7 w/30mm Macro
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I picked up my first serious camera, a Panasonic GX85 in March of 2020, around which time, I wound up in a strange pandemic void where photography was an incredibly great outlet for my mental health. So, I shot the hell out of it, and eventually jumped ship to Olympus (but returned for the flippy screen & smaller size.) Basically, I've shot a lot of M4/3 lenses in the last 2.5 years, and my favorites are:
- The Olympus 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3, for being a ridiculously solid all-rounder. Is it a jack of all trades & master of none? Yep, but it handles nicely on an EM5 III (in my opinion), and gets me from wide angle to enough magnification that it's usable at a pinch for birding and wildlife. It has excellent weather sealing, and focuses closely as well so it's nice for some wide angle macro. It is not an award winner, but is my #1 travel companion, and very much worth considering if you're okay with the size & weight and lack of stabilization. For a smaller body, or a body without stabilization, the Panasonic 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 is no slouch, and is in fact faster at most comparable apertures.
- The Olympus 75mm f/1.8 is just a glorious prime. Tack-sharp, lovely for portraits, and good for street as well in more open spaces for capturing details. I spent a long while using the Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 as a budget (<$300) bird/wildlife lens, and I love the "perspective compression" at the 75mm lens, so it is lovely to have a less obnoxious prime with lovely build quality. A tad front-heavy, but w/e. I wish it was weather sealed.
- Similarly, the Olympus 300mm f/4 PRO is magical, and I was just astonished at what I could capture with it from the first few days I took it for a walk. Just a lovely, lovely lens with great stabilization and insane sharpness. Definitely expensive, but worth it if you really are into birding/wildlife. As a cheaper alternative with more reach, the Panasonic 100-400mm f/4-6.3 takes great shots, but I honestly dislike the feeling of using it, and it is less sharp when photographing subjects at a distance.
All of the smaller primes that I've used have been a lot of fun too! The Olympus 17mm f/1.8 and 45mm f/1.8 have been in my kit for a while, and I have trouble imagining getting rid of them. They are super nice on the GX85! I wish they were weather sealed.
^^ Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 + GX85 ^^
I scored a good bargain on a PanaLeica 25mm f/1.4 II, and that's basically the nicest weathersealed prime you can get. It's my default winter night lens. I'm trying out the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 & Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 primes for funsies these days, and they are an excellent duo as well. I would say though that the 20mm is more of a GR IIIx killer than the 14mm is a GR killer. Even if it focuses faster, I'm yet to feel magic sparkly vibes from using it...
Personally, I think I'm more (in full frame terms) of a 35mm person than a 50mm person, so the slightly longer primes like the 30mm ones don't gel with me as well as a walkaround. I got tired of taking steps backwards when I used the Panasonic 30mm f/2.8, but it was a fun lens.
Of the lenses I've sold & missed the most, they'd probably be the wide angle ones -- I had a lot of fun with the Laowa 7.5mm f/2, which is so tiny and fun, even if its corners are... not up to snuff. I think the most fun wide angle shooting I did was swapping between this lens and the pancake 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 kit zoom from Panasonic, admiring old train cars in the snow...
^^ Panasonic 12-32mm zoomed in ^^
Meanwhile, the Panasonic 8-18mm f/2.8-4 is a great zoom, and definitely one that I sold and then found myself missing. But, I think I'd rather have a lighter weight or prime ultrawide in combo with a longer zoom. (Or maybe eventually mess with the Olympus 8-25mm f/4)
There are some other fun ones, but I think this is enough for now.
Quote from whereSs on July 24, 2022, 6:54 pmI scored a good bargain on a PanaLeica 25mm f/1.4 II, and that's basically the nicest weathersealed prime you can get. It's my default winter night lens. I'm trying out the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 & Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 primes for funsies these days, and they are an excellent duo as well.
the pancake 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 kit zoom from Panasonic
Great photographs and thank you for sharing your experiences.
The 25/1.4 is a fine lens, no doubt - with lot of character and remarkable CA. I like it, but in high contrast scenarios I prefer a more neutral lens. As Matti Sulanto said: "It's a photographers lens". And probably my skills are not enough to handle the character of that lens accordingly.
The 20/1.7 is a nice pancake for well lit situations, if the subject isn't in a hurry. In dark situations the AF begins to struggle, and due to the "focus by wire" with very small steps the MF has way too much throw for me. But when it nails the focus, the results are very, very good indeed.
Thank you for mentioning the Panasonic 12-32. In my opinion that lens is just incredible: sharp, small, light, 12mm wide angle and it is cheap.
And there are also other lenses, which perform surprisingly well if we keep their price tags in mind: the Panasonic 25/1.7 and 35-100/3.5-5.6, the Olympus 12-50 (one of my favourites for it's flexibility) and the Olympus 40-150/4-5.6.
E.
Quote from whereSs on July 24, 2022, 6:54 pmI picked up my first serious camera, a Panasonic GX85 in March of 2020, around which time, I wound up in a strange pandemic void where photography was an incredibly great outlet for my mental health. So, I shot the hell out of it, and eventually jumped ship to Olympus (but returned for the flippy screen & smaller size.) Basically, I've shot a lot of M4/3 lenses in the last 2.5 years, and my favorites are:
- The Olympus 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3, for being a ridiculously solid all-rounder. Is it a jack of all trades & master of none? Yep, but it handles nicely on an EM5 III (in my opinion), and gets me from wide angle to enough magnification that it's usable at a pinch for birding and wildlife. It has excellent weather sealing, and focuses closely as well so it's nice for some wide angle macro. It is not an award winner, but is my #1 travel companion, and very much worth considering if you're okay with the size & weight and lack of stabilization. For a smaller body, or a body without stabilization, the Panasonic 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 is no slouch, and is in fact faster at most comparable apertures.
- The Olympus 75mm f/1.8 is just a glorious prime. Tack-sharp, lovely for portraits, and good for street as well in more open spaces for capturing details. I spent a long while using the Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 as a budget (<$300) bird/wildlife lens, and I love the "perspective compression" at the 75mm lens, so it is lovely to have a less obnoxious prime with lovely build quality. A tad front-heavy, but w/e. I wish it was weather sealed.
- Similarly, the Olympus 300mm f/4 PRO is magical, and I was just astonished at what I could capture with it from the first few days I took it for a walk. Just a lovely, lovely lens with great stabilization and insane sharpness. Definitely expensive, but worth it if you really are into birding/wildlife. As a cheaper alternative with more reach, the Panasonic 100-400mm f/4-6.3 takes great shots, but I honestly dislike the feeling of using it, and it is less sharp when photographing subjects at a distance.
All of the smaller primes that I've used have been a lot of fun too! The Olympus 17mm f/1.8 and 45mm f/1.8 have been in my kit for a while, and I have trouble imagining getting rid of them. They are super nice on the GX85! I wish they were weather sealed.
^^ Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 + GX85 ^^
I scored a good bargain on a PanaLeica 25mm f/1.4 II, and that's basically the nicest weathersealed prime you can get. It's my default winter night lens. I'm trying out the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 & Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 primes for funsies these days, and they are an excellent duo as well. I would say though that the 20mm is more of a GR IIIx killer than the 14mm is a GR killer. Even if it focuses faster, I'm yet to feel magic sparkly vibes from using it...
Personally, I think I'm more (in full frame terms) of a 35mm person than a 50mm person, so the slightly longer primes like the 30mm ones don't gel with me as well as a walkaround. I got tired of taking steps backwards when I used the Panasonic 30mm f/2.8, but it was a fun lens.
Of the lenses I've sold & missed the most, they'd probably be the wide angle ones -- I had a lot of fun with the Laowa 7.5mm f/2, which is so tiny and fun, even if its corners are... not up to snuff. I think the most fun wide angle shooting I did was swapping between this lens and the pancake 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 kit zoom from Panasonic, admiring old train cars in the snow...
^^ Panasonic 12-32mm zoomed in ^^
Meanwhile, the Panasonic 8-18mm f/2.8-4 is a great zoom, and definitely one that I sold and then found myself missing. But, I think I'd rather have a lighter weight or prime ultrawide in combo with a longer zoom. (Or maybe eventually mess with the Olympus 8-25mm f/4)
There are some other fun ones, but I think this is enough for now.
This is a great selection! GX85 was my first camera too, some days I really miss it.
Especially the Laowa 7.5mm, very fun lens
Quote from whereSs on July 24, 2022, 6:54 pmI picked up my first serious camera, a Panasonic GX85 in March of 2020, around which time, I wound up in a strange pandemic void where photography was an incredibly great outlet for my mental health. So, I shot the hell out of it, and eventually jumped ship to Olympus (but returned for the flippy screen & smaller size.) Basically, I've shot a lot of M4/3 lenses in the last 2.5 years, and my favorites are:
- The Olympus 12-200mm f/3.5-6.3, for being a ridiculously solid all-rounder. Is it a jack of all trades & master of none? Yep, but it handles nicely on an EM5 III (in my opinion), and gets me from wide angle to enough magnification that it's usable at a pinch for birding and wildlife. It has excellent weather sealing, and focuses closely as well so it's nice for some wide angle macro. It is not an award winner, but is my #1 travel companion, and very much worth considering if you're okay with the size & weight and lack of stabilization. For a smaller body, or a body without stabilization, the Panasonic 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 is no slouch, and is in fact faster at most comparable apertures.
- The Olympus 75mm f/1.8 is just a glorious prime. Tack-sharp, lovely for portraits, and good for street as well in more open spaces for capturing details. I spent a long while using the Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 as a budget (<$300) bird/wildlife lens, and I love the "perspective compression" at the 75mm lens, so it is lovely to have a less obnoxious prime with lovely build quality. A tad front-heavy, but w/e. I wish it was weather sealed.
- Similarly, the Olympus 300mm f/4 PRO is magical, and I was just astonished at what I could capture with it from the first few days I took it for a walk. Just a lovely, lovely lens with great stabilization and insane sharpness. Definitely expensive, but worth it if you really are into birding/wildlife. As a cheaper alternative with more reach, the Panasonic 100-400mm f/4-6.3 takes great shots, but I honestly dislike the feeling of using it, and it is less sharp when photographing subjects at a distance.
All of the smaller primes that I've used have been a lot of fun too! The Olympus 17mm f/1.8 and 45mm f/1.8 have been in my kit for a while, and I have trouble imagining getting rid of them. They are super nice on the GX85! I wish they were weather sealed.
^^ Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 + GX85 ^^
I scored a good bargain on a PanaLeica 25mm f/1.4 II, and that's basically the nicest weathersealed prime you can get. It's my default winter night lens. I'm trying out the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 & Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 primes for funsies these days, and they are an excellent duo as well. I would say though that the 20mm is more of a GR IIIx killer than the 14mm is a GR killer. Even if it focuses faster, I'm yet to feel magic sparkly vibes from using it...
Personally, I think I'm more (in full frame terms) of a 35mm person than a 50mm person, so the slightly longer primes like the 30mm ones don't gel with me as well as a walkaround. I got tired of taking steps backwards when I used the Panasonic 30mm f/2.8, but it was a fun lens.
Of the lenses I've sold & missed the most, they'd probably be the wide angle ones -- I had a lot of fun with the Laowa 7.5mm f/2, which is so tiny and fun, even if its corners are... not up to snuff. I think the most fun wide angle shooting I did was swapping between this lens and the pancake 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 kit zoom from Panasonic, admiring old train cars in the snow...
^^ Panasonic 12-32mm zoomed in ^^
Meanwhile, the Panasonic 8-18mm f/2.8-4 is a great zoom, and definitely one that I sold and then found myself missing. But, I think I'd rather have a lighter weight or prime ultrawide in combo with a longer zoom. (Or maybe eventually mess with the Olympus 8-25mm f/4)
There are some other fun ones, but I think this is enough for now.
Great overview of several types of lenses! That was really helpful. I've also been reading a lot about the new Panasonic 9mm f1.7 and really want to try it one day. Seems like a good one. And I'm a sucker for wide angle primes 😀
Yeah, I'd have probably opted for the Panasonic 9 over the Laowa 7.5 if it was around back then, but then, I also would have considered the Olympus 9-18mm zoom, which is probably close to the size/weight of the Panasonic when collapsed, and which I'm seeing now secondhand quite regularly for less...
But, then again, if you're gonna go ultrawide, why not go... all the way?
