Is the Panny 7-14 f/4 lens plastic?

CelticOdyssey said:

My new Oly E-PL3 arrived in today's mail. And I'm seriously considering adding the Panny 7-14 lens to it, but I sure hope it's a lot better build quality than the kit primes...

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The 7-14mm is solidly built and focusses quickly and silently. The image quality is stellar and is a real pleasure to use. It's one of my favorite lenses. You can really get some amazing images with it.

It's in a completely different league than any of the kit lenses.
Just get it.

Here is what it look like on the EPL3

My only issue with the 7-14mm is the price. The price may be well worth it; but not if you don't have the money!

I've been waiting for the price of the Oly 9-18mm to drop under $500 (where it was when I first started with MFT).

--
Never put off until tomorrow. . .
that which you can avoid doing altogether.

f8_accpmpli said:

My only issue with the 7-14mm is the price. The price may be well worth it; but not if you don't have the money!

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True enough!

f8_accpmpli said:

I've been waiting for the price of the Oly 9-18mm to drop under $500 (where it was when I first started with MFT).

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Blame the crappy dollar for he higher prices.
The last I saw the 9-18mm was $630 and the 7-14mm was $904 at B&H.

Do tell, what Canon L lenses are made of plastic construction?
--
RadarK

It's a great lens. I just love mine. It's got a heavy, very solid feel to it (much more so than the 14-42, which I also have).

In terms of solidness of construction/construction quality, I'd rate like this (I own all these lenses):

PanLeica 25MM f1.4 4/3rds lens. A beast that doubles as a personal defense weapon
Panasonic 7-14mm m4/3 lens. Solid. Metal mount
Panasonic 20mm f1.4 m4/3 lens. Solid. Metal mount
Panasonic 14-45mm lens. Metal mount, a little floppy and light.
Panasonic 45-200mm lens. Metal mount, slightly floppier than 14-45.
Panasonic 14-42mm lens. Plastic mount, feels like a toy.

Thanks for the response. As I mentioned, I'm expecting the 7-14 to arrive early next week. Somewhere down the line a PanLeica 25 will be coming too, but I'm spent out for awhile.

gtravis said:

It's a great lens. I just love mine. It's got a heavy, very solid feel to it (much more so than the 14-42, which I also have).

In terms of solidness of construction/construction quality, I'd rate like this (I own all these lenses):

PanLeica 25MM f1.4 4/3rds lens. A beast that doubles as a personal defense weapon
Panasonic 7-14mm m4/3 lens. Solid. Metal mount
Panasonic 20mm f1.4 m4/3 lens. Solid. Metal mount
Panasonic 14-45mm lens. Metal mount, a little floppy and light.
Panasonic 45-200mm lens. Metal mount, slightly floppier than 14-45.
Panasonic 14-42mm lens. Plastic mount, feels like a toy.

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RadarK said:

Do tell, what Canon L lenses are made of plastic construction?

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My favorite Canon lens, the 35mm f/1.4L, had a plastic body. There're others, but I can't recall them of the top of my head.

--
Sam Bennett
http://www.swiftbennett.com
http://www.flickr.com/sambennett/

CelticOdyssey said:

Thanks for the response. As I mentioned, I'm expecting the 7-14 to arrive early next week. Somewhere down the line a PanLeica 25 will be coming too, but I'm spent out for awhile.

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You won't regret it. There's just something very special about the 7-14mm. It can be challenging to use, but there's just something about the 7mm end that's almost addictive. And it can be incredibly fun to use.

Try shooting in 16:9 aspect ratio! Wow.

RadarK said:

Do tell, what Canon L lenses are made of plastic construction?
--
RadarK

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uhhhhh..... many of the newer L lenses are plastic bodied. My 100 2.8l Macro is plastic and its one of the lenses with the most resolving power on the market at the moment. as far as i can tell most of the "L" lenses that canon is making that are not "white" are plastic.
--

I shoot mainly landscapes but am trying to learn protraits better. You will find me shooting mainly at night as well as it seems to be the only time that i can get out anymore

CelticOdyssey said:

Thanks for the response. As I mentioned, I'm expecting the 7-14 to arrive early next week. Somewhere down the line a PanLeica 25 will be coming too, but I'm spent out for awhile.

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The 4/3rds PanLeica 25mm or the micro 4/3rds PanLeica 25mm? I have the former, which requires the adaptor to use on a micro 4/3rds camera and is just a huge lens (that takes absolutely fantastic pictures)

But if I did it today, I'd probably go for the native m4/3 PanLeica as it's a much more appropriate size/weight lens.

As another poster said, you will love the 7-14mm Panasonic lens. Especially at the wide (7mm) end, it takes some really magical pictures. I just love using it indoors in confined spaces. You do get some real stretching, particularly things that at the corners of the frame but that can be used for some really nice artistic effect. This is a lens that really comes into its own in confined spaces and/or where you get RIGHT UP to the subject.

I wish it was a little faster but that's really a minor complaint. I love the pictures it takes, it really pulls the blue out of a blue sky for example.