The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Best AF primes for Panny G1?

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
Hello all,

I am off to Italy for work, and have the excellent Panny G1 and kit zoom.

I was wondering what folks thought of the 14/2.5 prime; I searched here but could not find any threads on it.

As well, I know there are fans of the 45/2.8 macro, and I have the 20/1.7 already.

And other recommendations?
 

tofa

Member
The Summilux D 25mm gets pretty good reviews. You'd need the adaptor, of course, since it's a 4/3 lens. Whether the bit of extra light and the differences in drawing/bokah, etc. are worth it over the 20 1.7 is a judgement call...
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I am off to Italy for work, and have the excellent Panny G1 and kit zoom.
I was wondering what folks thought of the 14/2.5 prime; I searched here but could not find any threads on it.
As well, I know there are fans of the 45/2.8 macro, and I have the 20/1.7 already.
The only AF prime lenses available for Micro-FourThirds at present are:

Panasonic Lumix G 14mm f/2.5
Olympus M.Zuiko 17mm f/2.8
Panasonic Lumix G 20mm f/1.7
Panasonic/Leica Macro-Elmarit-DG 45mm f/2.8 ASPH OIS

Used with a FourThirds to Micro-FourThirds adapter, you can add:
Panasonic/Leica Summilux-D 25mm f/1.4 ASPH
Olympus ZD 25mm f/2.8

(Other Olympus ZD prime lenses will not autofocus with the G1).

I've used all of them but the 14mm. The Summilux is superb but very large and expensive. The 20mm is very very good for the money and size. The 14mm is likely the same.

Olympus is due to release some new mFT prime lenses this summer, by the rumors.
 

kit laughlin

Subscriber Member
Thanks Godfrey; that was my understanding, too. IMHO, the weight of the Summilux-D (lens plus adapter) doesn't make sense to me.

Do you know if anyone here has run any side-by-side comparisons of the 14/2.5 and the 45/2.8 against the better of the kit zooms, the 14–45/3.5-5.6? I wouldn't expect massive differences; that little zoom performs better than it should, but still curious. TIA, KL
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Thanks Godfrey; that was my understanding, too. IMHO, the weight of the Summilux-D (lens plus adapter) doesn't make sense to me.

Do you know if anyone here has run any side-by-side comparisons of the 14/2.5 and the 45/2.8 against the better of the kit zooms, the 14–45/3.5-5.6? I wouldn't expect massive differences; that little zoom performs better than it should, but still curious. TIA, KL
The ME 45 is a much better lens in every way than the kit zoom, from my own experience using it. Better focusing control, nice imaging, two stops faster, etc etc. As I said, I have no experience with the 14/2.5 nor does anyone I know own one that I could try it. But I expect it will outperform the kit zoom too.

I never like "normal zoom" lenses anyway, and the kit zoom's f/3.5-5.6 speed made it not useful to me. My most used lenses with the G1 were the Olympus ZD 25/2.8, Konica 40mm f/1.8, Olympus ZD 35/3.5, and Lumix G 20/1.7 and approximately in that order. The Summilux-D 25 always returned superb photos but I didn't use it on the G1 all that often. (The 20mm is last on the list because I acquired it a year after the others, but mostly I preferred the longer focal lengths anyway.)
 

bennettk

New member
I have the 14 and my wife has the 14-45. I like the 14 prime -- it's very small, easily fits in my pocket, and I can swap back and forth with the 20. It's sharp and well corrected, even if those corrections are done in software.
 

Pelao

New member
I have the 20 and the 14 and enjoy both. I would recommend adding the 14. it's remarkably sharp, and as noted above any issues (which in my view are small) are corrected in any case.
 
Top