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Panasonic 7-14

ReeRay

Member
Is anybody using this lens and what's your opinion

I ask as I'm seriously considering purchasing but it's such a load of dough!

Is it worth the outlay?
 

JCT

Member
Oh Terry, that was mean. ;)

Go ahead and get your credit card ready, ReeRay -- that thread is very convincing.

I'm busy looking for something to sell so I can get one.....

JT
 

Diane B

New member
I will say had I to do it over again, I might very well have bought the 7-14 instead of the MA-1 and 9-18---though I like it and honestly don't shoot much with a WAZ except under certain circumstances/environments.

In looking at my lens lineup for the G's, I could now have used the 7-14, 20, 45 f/2.8, 45-200 (along with my 14-45, 17 f/2.8---and a number of other FDs at times, but the prior would have been my travel kit).

I'm carrying my 45 f/2.8 instead of the 40 f/1.8 (for which I needed the MA-1 adaptor--and I use with 9-18) and if I need faster in that mid FL range, I'm happy enough with the FD 50 f/1.8. I have a number of other fast FDs that fill in when I want fast primes in specific FLs---so had I been a bit more patient, I could have worked out my gear better. Now--I suspect that it won't be worth my while to try and sell ZD 9-18 and 40 f/1.8 and add additional $$$ for 7-14 at this point--still need my MA-1 for Lensbaby, so I'll stick with what I have--which surely isn't bad LOL.

BUT--just sayin'---consider your total gear and where you want to end up.

Diane
 

ustein

Contributing Editor
I plan to revisit the 9-18mm with the E-P2. I think the range is great but it maybe a bit slow. On the other side the E-P2 has IS for using the 9-18mm indoors and that may make up about 1 f-stop.
 

ReeRay

Member
BUT--just sayin'---consider your total gear and where you want to end up.
That's the issue isn't it? I have the 20mm pancake and now have the RJ adapter to use my Contax G 45 and 90 lenses

Effectively I'm currently at 40, 90 and 180 - a bit heavy on the long side

The 7-14 (14-28) seems to put me at the wide end nicely and produce a very overall usable range.

I'm off to the recommended thread for details - thanks for the link
 

pellicle

New member
Hi

I plan to revisit the 9-18mm with the E-P2. I think the range is great but it maybe a bit slow. On the other side the E-P2 has IS for using the 9-18mm indoors and that may make up about 1 f-stop.
the 9-18 indoors is great ... take a peek through this flickr set for some examples


especially if you have some way to cradle the camera in your arms (which the EP-2 finder may allow) you can get good results "body held" to 1/2 a sec

 

Godfrey

Well-known member
... BUT--just sayin'---consider your total gear and where you want to end up.
Amen.

My lens kit specific to the G1 is now the following:

Cosmicar 12.5/1.4
Panasonic 20/1.7
Konica 40/1.8
Olympus Pen F 70/2

I haven't used much other than the 20 and 40 since I bought the 20. When I want wider, and full frame (the Cosmicar nets only the central square of the format), I fit the Oly ZD 11-22 onto the DMW-MA1.

I've decided that I want to keep the G1 specific lenses as small and light as possible, so I think my next lens for it is going to be the Lumix G 14/2.8, when that surfaces. I'll make my decisions after it and the Oly 9-18 are released.

The 45/2.8 is also on my very short list, but I'm in no hurry: I like the Konica 40 quite a lot. And I can use any of the FourThirds SLR lenses on the G1 too, so it's not like I'm lacking for options. I sold all the other lenses I found I wasn't using much.

In 2010, I'm concentrating entirely on doing more and more photography. I have enough equipment, and other than a couple of specific bits like the 14/2.8, I really don't want anything more at all.
 

s.agar

Member
I can recommend the Panasonic 7-14mm without any reservations, provided you need a WA lens. There's actually no alternatives (except for the Olympus 7-14mm plus adapter) in the market. The widest lens I had was a 12mm Voigtlander for Leica M, and that was only F5.6, and performs nowhere near the Panasonic zoom lens. The Nikon 14-24 is way too bulky and not this range. The other lenses mention in the thread are bulkier and with adapter, etc. etc.

So if you need this range, there's not many alternatives. Fortunately, the lens is extremely good. Unfortunately, Panasonic is aware of all these and the sales price is unreasonably high.

Seyhun
 

Diane B

New member
There is actually the ZD 9-18 f/4.0-5.6 which is not a large lens by any means. It requires the 4/3rds to m4/3rds adaptor (I have the Panny MA-1) the same as the ZD 7-14. Its also a very good lens as evidenced by the photos above. That being said, its not constant aperture and is not as wide, but still usually wide enough for most applications.

Diane
 

Diane B

New member
Like Godfrey, I've been carrying almost all the time a wide and mid range--in the early summer the 17 f/2.8 and Konica 40 f/1.8, now the 20 and the 45 f/2.8.

The one good thing about my rather 'mashup' of lenses is that I can fit together a kit for a specific day---if I choose the 9-18 with the MA-1, then I can easily add the Lensbaby with the WA converter or FE (which has 4/3rds mount) and the 40 f/1.8 (because it too has a 4/3rds mount--bought and converted before there was a Konica adaptor) since they, too, require the adaptor. Just adding the 20 completes all I need for almost any circumstance (bar the need for a longer than 40)--and if I put the 20 on the GF1 and the MA-1 on the G1 and carry the 2 extra lenses, all in a small bag, I really couldn't ask for much more :).

I don't really need any more lenses but it would be nice to reconfigure a bit. My FDs were a drop in the bucket as far as cost--and I get a lot of pleasure from shooting with them--my favorite probably being the 28 f/2.0. I've thought about switching some around/selling-buying, but my current lens lineup does work pretty well.

All that being said---the 7-14, 20, 45 plus something for tele if you are inclined that way surely makes a nice travel kit.

Diane

I haven't used much other than the 20 and 40 since I bought the 20. When I want wider, and full frame (the Cosmicar nets only the central square of the format), I fit the Oly ZD 11-22 onto the DMW-MA1.

I've decided that I want to keep the G1 specific lenses as small and light as possible, so I think my next lens for it is going to be the Lumix G 14/2.8, when that surfaces. I'll make my decisions after it and the Oly 9-18 are released.

The 45/2.8 is also on my very short list, but I'm in no hurry: I like the Konica 40 quite a lot. And I can use any of the FourThirds SLR lenses on the G1 too, so it's not like I'm lacking for options. I sold all the other lenses I found I wasn't using much.

In 2010, I'm concentrating entirely on doing more and more photography. I have enough equipment, and other than a couple of specific bits like the 14/2.8, I really don't want anything more at all.
 

Terry

New member
All that being said---the 7-14, 20, 45 plus something for tele if you are inclined that way surely makes a nice travel kit.

Diane
That is 3/4 of my travel kit. The last lens is the all around lens 14-140. If there were a very fast 60mm (1.4/1.8) I would add it.
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
My current travel kit:

GF1 with 7-14, 20 and 14-140, and hopefully soon to add a GF1 IR with the 14-45. All of this fits with spare batteries, cards and the normal stuff inside a Domke F803 Waxwear bag -- tiny and good looking :D
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
That is 3/4 of my travel kit. The last lens is the all around lens 14-140. If there were a very fast 60mm (1.4/1.8) I would add it.
That's why I have the Olympus Pen F 70mm f/2 ... :)

For longer than that (only very rarely used) with both the G1 and the FT SLRs, I have a beautiful old Pentax SMC Takumar 135/3.5, which can be used with the Olympus EC14 teleconverter too. The quality is amazing, the size and weight are very reasonable for a lens with that kind of reach.
 

ggibson

Well-known member
Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever heard anyone say anything bad about the Panasonic 7-14mm other than a) price and b) no filter thread.
 
T

tripper

Guest
I'm happy :clap: to have recently added the 7-14mm to my Pan 20mm 'pancake', 45mm 2.8 Macro and the two kit lens. Quite an outlay so Mr Panasonic please don't bring any more to market just yet. (selfish bu**er)

tripper
 
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