Lamented lens -10mm

[Tim]

Back in my film days I generally found I was happy with a basic three fixed FL lens kit. Sometimes even two lenses sufficed. With my OM4 I eventually settled on a 21/40/100 combo ( I still have the body/40/100). My Leica R4 had a 35/90 combo and I intended to add a 21. The venerable Contax G series had a possible 21/45/90.

Whats missing for me is a reasonable cost native 10mm for my OM-D. I can easily find great optics in 20/45 (40/90 in old speak). The Olympus 12mm is just toooo expensive and the zooms that cover 10mm too big.
Sure I can make do with the Pana 14mm but I want and often "see" in 10mm FOV (old 21). Even in f2.8 or f3.5 would be ok as we can bump ISO and still get usable results or resort to tripod.

How about someone make a native m4/3 10mm? anyone with me?
PS: a 9mm would be welcome too. :thumbup:

 

[Chuck Jones]

Mate, so far I'm afraid we're out of luck with that one. I'd love a 21mm as well. The closest thing I've found is a Nikon DX Fisheye Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8 G that a friend just loaned me. Have to pick up an adapter to try this lens out, as it is a 21mm equivalent on M4/3.

 

[Tim]

I can get 21mm from my Ricoh GRD IV with the accessory "21mm" lens. It does a great job, low distortion but as part of my OM-D kit would be ideal.

 

[Jonas]

Would the Panasonic 14mm plus the DMW-GWC1 adapter be too much, or too bad?

 

[Tesselator]

I kinda view the 4/3 and µ4/3 UWA zoom lenses as "variable primes". :loco: :grin:

To get down around 10mm with decent quality and without breaking the bank in legacy glass ya pretty much have to go with a C or B mount (old video camera mounts). The trouble is that most (but not all) of them don't cover our sensors completely. And my experiences so with C-mount sellers so far is that they lie their butts off when it comes to quality and coverage. So as you seem to be aware of from reading your request it's native (µ)4/3 or nothing. So back to the variable primes - in order of greatness:

The 4/3 7-14 is superb: ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm F4.0 | Digital SLR | Olympus Imaging Asia

The 4/3 11-22 is wonderful and fast too: ZUIKO DIGITAL 11-22mm F2.8-3.5 | Digital SLR | Olympus Imaging Asia

The µ4/3 9-18 is nice but the build quality is shite: M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 9-18mm f4.0-5.6 | OLYMPUS E-SYSTEM | Olympus Imaging Asia

And in at about the same quality with a tad better build and it's sweet spot at 10mm f/5.6 the µ4/3 Pana 7-14: Panasonic H-F007014 - Lumix G VARIO 7-14mm/F4.0 ASPH. Lens - Overview


Both these bottom two have a lot of CA fringing but the camera's firmware and/or LR & ACR xlean it up well enough - usually.




In actual primes there are:

A µ4/3 12mm with an impressive MFT chart: M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12mm f2.0 | OLYMPUS E-SYSTEM | Olympus Imaging Asia

And if you like the warpies the 4/3 8mm prime is pretty great: ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 8mm F3.5 Fisheye | Digital SLR | Olympus Imaging Asia

Or the Lumix 8mm too: Panasonic H-F008 - Lumix G FISHEYE 8mm / F3.5 Lens - Overview

 

[dhsimmonds]

The Oly mZuiko 9-18 is a beautifully small and compact lens.

 

[Tim]

After seeing Tesselator's list here, the 12mm seems quite a good option after all. Its still not a 10mm (92 degrees) Angle of view, the 12 being about 84mm but it may have to do.

With a Pen 20mm f3.5 selling in the $500 region for a good condition unit, it seems hard to pass the 12mm for a bit more.
So I could consider other options what would be a possible non "native" option? with adapter and the like?

 

[Tonygamble]

"Both these bottom two have a lot of CA fringing but the camera's firmware and/or LR & ACR xlean it up well enough - usually"

It seems the cleaning up is pretty substantial on the 7-14. I have been using one on my GH2 for a couple of years and recently abandonned LR for my RAW converting. I am now using Qimage Ultimate. It is better for noise, shadows and burnt highlights and has some novel sharpening concepts.

Mike Chaney is doing me a profile for the 7-14 and has just said:-

"it will be probably a week before I can get the lens parameters worked out. It's much more complicated with your lens because it actually has
both barrel and pincusion distortion on opposite ends of the zoom. Never seen one that bad."

Interesting!

Tony

 

[Brian Mosley]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the rokinon 7.5mm f3.5 fisheye lens - the reviews I've seen on the phoblographer suggest it to be outstanding optically and a bargain too.

I'm tempted, after the 17mm f1.8

Cheers

Brian

 

[Knorp]

FWIW, may take on this matter ...

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the rokinon 7.5mm f3.5 fisheye lens - the reviews I've seen on the phoblographer suggest it to be outstanding optically and a bargain too.

There are plenty capable fisheyes around at an affordable price for sure, but I thought Tim was looking for a regular UWA prime. I'd have suggested the Samyang (same specs as the Rokinon).

And in at about the same quality with a tad better build and it's sweet spot at 10mm f/5.6 the µ4/3 Pana 7-14: Panasonic H-F007014 - Lumix G VARIO 7-14mm/F4.0 ASPH. Lens - Overview

Only lacking a proper filter attachment, I really like this lens a lot.
Though nor small nor cheap, it delivers the goods in bucket loads IMO.

In actual primes there are:
A µ4/3 12mm with an impressive MFT chart: M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12mm f2.0 | OLYMPUS E-SYSTEM | Olympus Imaging Asia

Indeed an exceptional and impressive kind of sexy little lens.
Available in chrome and black; it's small, light and very sharp (even in the corners).
However, I couldn't get around the astonishing amount of distortion that I found way beyond my barrel correcting capabilities.
After a brief period I decided to exchange it for the Panasonic 12-35/2.8
However, don't let this put you off please ! After all perhaps I have had a bad copy.

Anyway, good luck with your quest, Tim !
All the best.

 

[Tonygamble]

"However, I couldn't get around the astonishing amount of distortion that I found way beyond my barrel correcting capabilities"

See msg 8 above. Interested or reluctant to try a new RAW converter?

Tony

 

[Tonygamble]

When I moved from DSLR to m4/3 I bought the 20mm pancake and a 7-14. They served me well - much of my work being travel photography and photo journalism. The 20mm is so unobtrusive and the 7-14 so flexible.

Since then, amongst others, I added the 25mm 1.4 and I use that instead of the 20mm when I need more light and and don't mind a bulkier lens. But there are times when I simply cannot get far enough back to include all my subject. I could pop the 7-14 in my pocket but yesterday realised the 14mm pancake was my real solution as it so small.

Recently it has been subject to a cashback deal in the UK so I bought one, yesterday, for slightly more than 200 UKP. I am doing a photojournalist coverage of a gathering on Friday evening and am confident that with the 25mm and the 14mm I am well equipped for everything I'll see - and travelling light.

Tony