"Holy Trinity" of Lenses - advice needed

Hi all, I switched from Nikon DX over to an OM-D about 2 months ago. I purchased the 12-50 kit lens as well as the Pana 25/1.4. The 25 doesn't leave my camera unless I want to take a wide angle/landscape shot, and I've been very unimpressed with the 12-50 can do (in my hands). With Nikon, my two favorite lenses to shoot with were the Sigma 10-20/3.5 and the Nikon 50/1.4. I recently purchased the Oly 12/2 to satisfy my wide angle hunger. Yes I know it's not as wide as I had before, but this is one awesome lens.

I'm now thinking about selling the 12-50 in order to offset the price of buying the Oly 45/1.8. Apart from losing out on weather sealing is there any reason to keep the kit lens if I have the 12/25/45 combo? Is there another zoom I should be looking into instead, maybe the 14-150? At some point in the future, I will have to look into the telephoto range of things, but for now 45 is as close as I'll need.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

so how is the 12-50 unimpressive?  I think it is okay for on-the-go.  plus it can do macro shots.

what I don't understand though, is what you are after.  you mention the 1.8/45 in one sentence, then mention the 14-150 in the next.  perhaps you should prioritize your needs and figure out what you are after.  if your framing is covered by the 12/25/45 range, don't need macro, and are fine with a prime-lens setup, then I think it is a good three-lens setup in general.

I was never impressed by 12-50 lens and it was a dead weight essentially for me.  F/6.3 aperture on a m43 system is just ridiculously narrow.  Yes it has 0.72 to 1 Macro capabilities, which I guess are ok, but in general I found no use for that lens.   14-150 that I have gets much more use.

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I have the 12/25/45 combo on a GH2, although the 45 is PL f/2.8 macro. Apart from the fact that changing lenses could get annoying after a while, especially if you're travelling, I find it a good fit for what I like to shoot.

If you like primes and don't mind changing lenses, this is a great travel / street set. My kit lens is just collecting dust (Panasonic 14-42).

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Guven Ilter
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Equipment in plan

I think the three primes you are listing would make just about any zoom seem "uneventful" by comparison. They are all razor sharp and create some beautiful bokeh that most zooms won't do. I think once you get used to shooting those, most any zoom is going to disappoint, no matter how nice a lens it may be.

Your choice of course. I prefer to use both a standard zoom (14-45/3.5-5.6) and a set of primes covering roughly the same range (12/2, 20/1.7, 45/1.8). When the light is sufficient and I don't need shallow DoF, the zoom offers the convenience of quick and continuous change between different FLs. When the light level falls and/or for subject isolation by means of background blur, the wide apertures of the primes make them preferable.

I'm in the same boat as you.

I think in the end you will have to decide if you want to go more tele, possibly with the Oly 75.

I have the Panasonic 25 and Oly 45 and quite honestly I have to force myself to use the Oly 45 about 10% of the time for the street photography that I'm interested in.

I have the Panasonic 25 on about 90% of the time. I also have the Panasonic 14-140 which I use exactly never.

Again, your needs may be different. For street work, I find the P25 and O45 sufficient and light enough to carry around always.

m43 photography is all about the art of compromise as you have already discovered in your move to the E-M5. The great advantage of prime lenses is that typically they have better optical properties at a given focal length compared to a zoom lens at the same focal length. However, zoom lenses offer the versatility in one package that does not require the photographer to be continuously changing lenses. It sounds as though for your work this group of 3 prime lenses will do the business, but only you are in a position to decide if you want the convenience of zooms or not.

Personally speaking I typically shoot with the following setup as I am happy with high quality zooms:

Camera body: Panasonic GH2

Walkabout and main video lens: Panasonic 14-140mm

Wide angle lens: Panasonic 7-14mm

Low light lens: Panasonic 20mm f1.7

Macro lens: Panasonic 45mm f2.8 macro

I can carry all these easily on a combination of a neckstrap (as a retired rugby player I still have a strong neck) and a small backpack.

Although some of the Panasonic lenses I have bought were not cheap, they are good in my hands and I was able to negotiate a fair price for them (fair at least in UK terms that would make an American gasp in astonishment).

If money was no object today (I wish) I would consider adding the GH3 and the 12-35mm and 35-100mm zooms. If I was going down the Olympus route I would probably hang on until the next iteration of OM-D camera. One of the reasons why I stay with Panasonic is that I am keen to do more videography with a hybrid stills/video device.

The good thing about m43 photography at present is that Panasonic and Olympus are at last trying to compete with each other, so that we see a continual leapfrogging of developments for both cameras and lenses as well as for still and video imaging.

I don't do video, so for me the 'holy trinity' is the E-M5 with either the Lumix 12-35 and 35-100 or the 12 and 60mm primes, depending on whether or not I'm in a position to carry a gadget bag or want my lenses to be either on the camera or in my pocket.

The 35-100mm F2.8 is a very nice lens. However, you have an Olympus camera so you really don't need the IS with the lens.

I have a small bag that I carry the 14mm F2.5, 25mm F1.4, and 35-100mm F2.8 in. Those are the only lenses I ever need. Well that and the 800mm F4.0 for astro photography but I don't carry that one around with me too often.



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GH2, GF1, & ZS3 Sample movies
http://www.youtube.com/user/mpgxsvcd#play/uploads
GH2 Setup Walk through
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uROQbbiiO2I
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GH2 Pictures
http://www.dpreview.com/galleries/4222674355/albums

Few zooms can stand the heat when compared with a lens like the PL25. I too have the 12-50 and while it's very versatile I think my copy is somewhat lacking with respect to still photography. I'm coming from 43 and I have a 12-60 which is a great zoom. I think the disadvantage of the 12/25/45 is the need to change lenses. That may or may not be an issue for you. I'm often out and about with my wife and dogs and stopping to change lenses is often not practicable. I rented the Panny 12-35 for a trip and was pretty happy with it. I thought the IQ was much better than my 12-50. It's not cheap but would be comparable to buying the 12 and 45. Since you already have the 12 that logic doesn't carry much weight. I know a lot of folks seem to like the Panny 14-45; I've never used it. I'm hoping Oly will release a high grade standard zoom with native m43 mount but until they do the 12-35 is pretty much the only game in town. I will probably buy that lens at some point. The 45 is a terrific little lens. I'd also say the Oly 40-150 is a really good value. It's a slow zoom, has a plastic mount, but it's really light, small, and my copy offers remarkably good IQ.

If it was me I would ass the 12-35/2.8 for those times I didn't feel like switching lenses a lot.  Actually, I'd probably sell the 12mm to help pay for it, as the 12-35 is very good not that much slower.

I have the exact same prime lens set up - 12mm, 25mm, 45mm.  I shoot mostly landscape so the 12mm is on my camera most of the time.   Although it's not a macro lens, the 45mm makes for a nice flower pic lens.  The 12mm is a very good lens, a bit overpriced I think.  The pany 25mm and the oly 45mm are both stellar - as good as any lens I've ever used.

I didn't care for the 12-50 all that much.  I found it soft.  After switching to the 12mm prime, the 12-50 has been gathering dust in the closet - I have no desire to use it - just been too lazy to sell it.

From time to time I'm tempted to get the pany 12-35 when it goes on sale, but I've been enjoying the pics from the primes lenses that I've not see then need to spend $1000 for another lens.

Err, I would ADD the 12-35 -- not ass it.  

As long time and dedicated fix focal user. Its long my belief that the Holy Trinity is pretty much the starting foundation for a setup. Namely though , as of now I've found the M4/3 offering less of a Holy Trinity , and more a handicapped trinity. If I forego the convenience of the zoom for a fix focal. I go for it because I believe in the fundamentalism of an interchangeable lens system in that to mate the body with the best possible lens for that coverage, and speed. Well the 45 ( both the Oly 1.8 and the Panasonic Macro ) certainly fill that need. But I am kind of seconding that for the 12 and somewhat miffing over the 25mm. Yes they do offer the speed but image quality wise its a bit of a letdown considering their price and the optical performance given.

And further to that. I tend to see the Holy Trinity as typical all-around wide ( more like a 28mm equivalent ) , an all around standard ( fast would be great, but 2.0 is already good enough ), and a long focal ( the 45 fit well ) but usually I go for the quintet instead, adding a more accommodating Wide/Super Wide , sort of 18/21mm equivalent and usually an start up Tele ( with Macro capabilit if possible ) That would be either a 100 Macro or a 135 during film days. Again I am finding M4/3 somewhat lacking with this requirement. The 60 Macro and the 75 help out with the long end, but on the wide end there is no real alternative. One of my favorite setup during my film days is my Contax G2, together with the 21/2.8, 28/2.8, 45/2.0, 90/2.8 as a quarter or my Contax Aria ( a film slr ) with the 18mm, 25mm, 45mm, 100mm, and 180mm ( and extension tube / macro converter 2X ). I am finding that fix focal setup hard to setup with M4/3 ( and indeed it must be said though that as of today; no mirrorless of any Mfr / mount / system can deliver true on this )

Right now M4/3 offers in fix focals

• Panasonic 14mm/2.5
• Panasonic 20mm/1.7
• Panasonic 25mm/1.4
• Panasonic 45mm/2.8 Macro
• Olympus 12mm/2.0
• Olympus 17mm/1.8 ( due to be out )
• Olympus 17mm/2.8
• Olympus 45mm/1.8
• Olympus 60mm/2.8 Macro
• Olympus 75mm/1.8

And the specialist 15mm Body Cap lens, fisheye and 3D lens, but one casual glance of the list will tell, there really is not much of choice , more like whether you take it or leave it ...and made do with the ones. That's how I see it as of todays with M4/3 and all mirrorless unless one are open to adapting lens ( Manual Focus ).

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- Franka -

Thanks for all of the advice. Seems like for the most part I'm not the only person who's been disappointed by the 12-50.  Maybe it's user error, maybe it's a bad copy, either way it's not as fun for me as the 12 and 25. Looks like I'll be adding the 45 to my collection soon. The great part about micro 4/3 is I can walk around with one lens on the camera and the other two primes in my pockets.

I would do two zoom lenses for me.  Panasonic 12-35 & 35-100 2.8 is all you need.  Then two primes 25 1.4 and if macro was still needed then 45 2.8. The 45 2.8 gets used with studio strobes 80% of the time for product stuff.

Among others I own the Leica 25, Olympus 12-60, 12 and 45. I use all four lenses together knowing what I gain and what I have to give up using each.

I don't know if selling the only Olympus zoom with weatherproofing for the 45 is worth it but if thats your only option then do it. The 12-50 is not the sharpest or brightest lens but when I need a zoom I'm using that. However I will end up replacing it with the Panasonic X 12-35 2.8 though.

I have the poor man's version, let's call it the "nifty trinity" - the 14mm, 20mm and 45mm- and have been very satisfied overall. The Panasonic 20 focuses a little slowly, but otherwise, no complaints with the set, and all 3 lenses cost me less than $1000 and take up very little space.

The 45 1.8, since you're considering it, is probably the best all around lens I have. It's small, fast and quiet to focus, the image quality is top notch, and it's reasonably priced. It's really the only lens I own right now where I can't think of a darn thing to complain about. Definitely recommended!

Also, if like me you don't do a lot of tele, maybe you can look at the Olympus 40-150. You can get it on sale now and then from $100-150, and its pretty good value, so that might be enough to satisfy your need for reach.

It's painful to narrow it down to 3 lenses, but ultimately, I think it that for me they would be the

Oly 12mm f2.0

Pany 25mm f1.4 / Pany 20mm f1.7 / Oly 17mm f1.8 (I'm not even going  to go into the "which of these is better" debate)

Oly 45mm. f1.8