That statement deserves an explanation, Jørgen ... :lecture:
Colour rendering and contrast. I've noticed earlier how the Zuiko lenses resemble what I experienced from Zeiss lenses; images that "cut through the haze" and deliver punchy, colourful Velvia/Kodachrome style images almost under any circumstances. What I haven't noticed earlier is that the PL (and Panasonic) lenses tend to render softer colour tones, often more pleasing, and clearly different.
One is not universally better than the other, just different, and the "punchiness" of the Zuiko lenses can be a bit much sometimes (as it also often was with Velvia/Kodachrome and indeed with Zeiss lenses), but it's nice to have a choice. It also underscores two other facts:
- There's more to lenses than sharpness and bokeh.
- Photos are not reality. The "reality" a lens renders is an interpretation as designed by some Japanese or German lens professor.
Here are two photos taken within a couple of minutes, first the PL 45mm f/2.8 Macro @ f/5.6:
Then the Zuiko 12mm f/2 @ f/5.6:
Here are two more samples, taken within 5 minutes of each other, first the PL 45mm f/2.8 Macro @ f/6.3:
Then the Zuiko 12mm f/2 @ f/4:
All photos taken in RAW with GX8 bodies. No corrections or sharpening. There are slight variations in exposure, but not much change when I adjust exposure trying to match them.