GF-1 + Oly or Panny Zoom?

[setmajer]

This has probably been answered — do please just point me at a previous thread if I've missed it — but how does the GF-1 work with the Oly m.Zuiko 14–42mm zoom? Is it good enough to make the extra compactness worth it, or is the Panny markedly superior in actual use (I know the DPReview test rates it much higher) when used with the GF-1?

Background:

I currently have a pair of GRDIs with conversion lenses that I absolutely love, but have been wanting a bit of a step up in low-light and shallow DOF, plus a bit more length at telephoto. I had been waiting to see what Ricoh come up with (there are rumors of a very innovative APS-C camera coming in Dec) as I'm in love with their UI. But I've now got a Guy Fawkes party, two Alabama 3 shows, and a Seasick Steve show coming up and am sorely tempted to take the plunge in time for those events.

Having had a play with both the EP-1 and GF-1 in a shop, I get on better with the Panny UI – it just 'feels' better to me: more natural, simpler, quicker. Not as good as the GRD IMHO, but quite acceptable (and that's entirely subjective — no knock on the Oly intended).

I'm thinking a GF-1 + 20mm kit + the Oly zoom would give me a nice coat-pocket system for street/event shooting, and as I'm mostly shooting moving subjects (performers, people on the street, etc.) the OIS on the Panny lens isn't a deal-breaker.

Am I nuts? Are there drawbacks to using the Oly zoom on the Panny I should know about? Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Linh]

The one big drawback is the Oly doesn't have IS (since they rely on the in body stablization). Well, IQ is the next big one.

I would personally say skip the compactness since on the longer end of that, IS is more important to me.

 

[ggibson]

Basically what Linh said--the only thing the Oly has going for it are size and closer macro focusing. With these lenses both being somewhat slow, IS is really crucial on the 14-45mm. There are a couple of threads on this topic if you search.

 

[setmajer]

Cheers for the quick responses!

As I noted in the original post, most of my shooting with this lens will likely be moving subjects — crowd/band shots at concerts, street, that sort of thing. As I understand it, IS doesn't really help with moving subjects.

ggibson: you were spot-on that I should have searched. I've been lurking here for years so I didn't think I'd missed much. I was dead wrong. I had a look at Rawfa's Hungary series, and I think the Oly lens is probably good enough for these situations, and being as small as possible is key when I'm schlepping about to afterparties and the like.

Ultimately, I'll no doubt be getting more/better lenses, but for now the Oly 14–42 and Panny 20 are probably enough to get started — certainly more flexible than the GRDI + 22 & 40mm equiv. converters I have now.

Thanks again!