GH3 Lens Options

[Luc Spencer]

I have indeed considered this lens, but there are quite a few people saying it has issues, that it causes a double image due to some sort of vibration. The powered zoom is very nice (plus being able to remotely control it), but I'm afraid to actually order it because of the mentioned issues.

[Jeff Harper]

Luc, there are many, much better options. The 12-35mm f/2.8 by Panasonic. The 14-54mm F/2.8-3.5 by Olympus, and my personal favorite, the 12-60mm F/2.8-4.0 by Olympus.

Indoors you will not get much use from the 12-42mm. It's a fine lens, gorgeous images with sufficient light. But it's too slow for event work. Much too slow. You are using this for event work, right?

For event work you will find that even the fine Olympus lenses above will be too slow after you start zooming to full range. You could get by with the Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 but it's truly a tad too slow in my opinion, but it will certainly work.

For low light situations the best you can do in a zoom is the Olympus 14-35mm F/2.0.

[Luc Spencer]

Thanks Jeff, you're actually making me reconsider now.

I would not have even asked about the 14-42 if the 12-35 were in my budget. However, as it is right now, it's almost 10x more expensive.

The 14-54 is $600 (bhphoto), and the 12-60 is $1000.

The 14-42 Panasonic is $165.

See my point? :)

Yes, I will use it mainly for events, but not indoors. Here restaurants and churches tend to be kind of small or medium-sized, I can get away with walking.

PS: The 14-35 f2 is $2300 *sigh*

[Jeff Harper]

Luc, we are all aware of the prices of these lenses. The point is, if you spend $165 on a lens and cannot use it, it's money thrown away. If you're shooting outside, it is a really really nice lens. I absolutely loved it outdoors. Gorgeous images, nice zoom, IS, it's just great, but turn the lights down and you have to switch to another lens.

The fantastic Oly 14-54mm is available used all over the place, it's a great lens, people are always upgrading and selling that lens.

I owned the 12-60mm and my god what an amazing lens. Photos and video were superb, but at a wedding reception, in the dark, it did not work out so I sold it. It wasn't really too useful at ceremonies either, but full wide it was great. Just couldn't zoom too much or it got slow.

Buy the 14-42mm, try it out at a wedding. Be sure the place you buy from has a return policy, because you'll want to return it. I tried it out at a wedding, and had to remove it as soon as the light went down, did not work out. On your LCD it might look fine, but when you look at the footage later on your PC you'll see the noise, it's not good.

But keep in mind, even the 14-54 is a tad too slow for event work.

The 14-42 is $165 for a reason, Luc.

You're on a journey learning the economics of lenses that many of us have already been on. Thousands of dollars after beginning my journey with the GH2, I can tell you I would go with the fastest zoom I could afford. At a minimum I would get the Panasonic 12-35mm F/2.8, and if that did not work out I would return it and go with the Olympus F/2.0 lens. Then you're good, and you're done with it.

I am so over buying lenses, especially primes, working with the limitations, and stressing out at weddings over lens selection and DOF. Great images, but not for me anymore.

Good luck Luc, if you knew what was in front of you, you would probably turn back, but stick with it and you'll be fine.

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

12-60mm F/2.8-4.0 by Olympus.

Jeff, does the autofocus of his lens work with g6/gh3 panasonic camera's? Not sure about image stabilisation but I guess this lens doesn't have any?

The 12-35mm from Panasonic does have both and is rain proof, it "only" costs 100 euro more but like Luc says both are expensive investments but I think the 12-35mm lens from Panasonic is worth it.The fact that there are so big pricedifference to the 14-42 is because of the constant 2.8 f-stop vs a f3.5/6.5 f-stop throughout the zoom range. And you could use the lens in etc mode and get a new focal range by the press off a button and still at f2.8 all the way.

If you are able to shoot in sufficient light then I agree that cheap 14-42 lens will do fine, it's sharper then my samyang 14mm lens.

I"m still looking for a good steadicam lens but I want a all purpose lens as well that's wide and fast enough, currently I use the 18-200 stock lens a lot on my nex-ea50 and eventhough it's slow I enjoy using it because it has image stabilisation and autofocus and other good focussing aids if you need it, with this camera I can shoot in run and gun situations and I"m sure the 12-35mm lens would enable me to do that as well on the gh3.

Eventhough f2.8 can be too slow at dark reception I rather not have a faster lens because keeping good focus on a steadicam would be impossible. f2.8 is more forgiving.

I think I will just take the money hit and get the 12-35mm lens which can double as a steadicam and run and gun lens, sigh...Better not tell my wife :)

[Jeff Harper]

Yes, Noa, with the Panasonic 4/3 to m4/3 adapter, lens works like it was made for camera. IS? Not sure, don't think so. I sold my 12-60mm a year or two ago, bur pretty sure no.

Actually Noa, the 14-54 F/2.8-3.5 is a bit faster, almost as wide and long, and is very very close in quality. Was it Robert Benda who used to use that lens around here? I forget who it was, but they shot some really great stuff with it.

I personally, as much as I love the 12-60, would probably choose the 14-54, mainly because it's hundreds less, lighter and smaller, and a touch faster. It's more practical. The F stop drops more quickly on the 12-60 so you do lose some light sooner than you would on the 14-54. The 12-60 is heavy heavy heavy. Keep in mind it's a 4/3 lens so it's kind of huge. The 14-54 is not exactly dainty either.

You would really be better off with the Panasonic 12-35mm if you could pull it off.

[Noa Put]

Thx Jeff for the info, thing is I want a wider lens then the 14mm from Samyang I"m using now on my gh3, used to have this lens on my 1,5 cropfactor 550d and to have the same range I should have a 10,5mm lens but there are no zoomlenses I know of that start at 10, have a constant f2.8 and do keep the autofocus and more importantly the ois function. That last part I regard as most important. Think I"ll have to dig deep one more time. :)

[Nigel Barker]

Finding a fast & wide lens for M43 has always been a problem. the 7-14mm is plenty wide enough & a great sharp lens but only has an aperture of F/4. The Olympus 12mm F/2 is the fastest wide lens but not as wide as a 14mm on a APS-C sensor (24mm vs. 21mm FF equivalent)

[Corey Graham]

I recently picked up the Panasonic 35-100mm. Let me tell you -- at $1400, it's worth every penny. I only wish it would go a little wider -- 20 or 25mm would be ideal. But I'm just nitpicking, because I can't find anything else negative to say about this. If you can spare the cash, get it.

[Jeff Harper]

Bill, that lens sounds very nice, never really heard much about it. I really like Olympus lenses anyway, but that lens really kind of escaped my attention, probably because I had the 12mm. Sounds excellent. I would probably hardly ever take if off the camera if I had one.