Confused on GX1 lenses?

I have a Nikon DSLR (D70 and D200) and lenses and I'm interested in buying a new GX1.

But, I'm not that familiar with the 4/3 system, and I'm trying to figure out, do any 4/3 lenses fit the GX1, or only micro 4/3 lenses? Do lenses made by Olympus and third party manufacturers also fit? So as long as the lens says "4/3" (or micro 4/3), will it fit?

And, it looks like there are adapters that would allow me to fit other lenses?

It seems pretty confusing to me, if anyone can point me to an article that explains it all, I'd appreciate it!

--
Herr Zigmont

Hi,

yes you can use all micro 4/3 lenses (from panasonic and olympus) and in addition you can install 4/3 lenses by using the MMF-2 adapter (e.g. at amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-260964-MMF-2-Lens-Adapter/dp/B003BWHGI8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332150879&sr=8-1 )

I do not own the adapter but I am using the GX1 with the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f/1.8 Lens

Cheers, L

And check this out:
http://www.four-thirds.org/en/special/matching.html

In reality only the Panasonic micro 4/3 lens fit AND WORK.

With adapters you can make a lot of different lens families fit - but most will not auto focus or auto expose.

The Olympus lens fit (without adapters) and most autofocus and autoexpose - but the Olympus cameras have in-body IS so their lens don't have any themselves. Panasonic lens have optical IS and the Panasonic bodies rely on the IS in the lens.

Dave

daveh6700 said:

In reality only the Panasonic micro 4/3 lens fit AND WORK.

Click to expand...

Wow! How to further confuse and muddy the waters.

Some Panasonic lenses have optical image stabilization. Some Panasonic and all Olympus lenses have no optical image stabilisation, but that doesn't stop them from working .

daveh6700 said:

The Olympus fit (without adapters) and most autofocus and autoexpose

Click to expand...

Most ? Which Olympus m43 lenses don't autofocus and autoexpose on Panasonic cameras?

Perhaps I need to take a little more time and give a complete answer.

When I decided to switch from my Oly 640 4/3 system (with a backpack full of lens') to a Panasonic GH2 micro 4/3 system) I had the same question.

Problem is, a lens is said to "work" when you can take a picture with it. With adapters any 4/3 lens will do that, and with adapters there are hundreds of great lens' out there that will "work". Some of them have produced outstanding results.

For me "working" wasn't quite what I meant. What I wanted was a lens that worked as well as the competing Panasonic lens and which provided ALL the features I had in my new camera (that made me want the camera in the first place). What I discovered was that I had to REALLY look at the specs of each lens and decide if the feature it didn't have was important to me.

In the case of the Olympus 8-18 super wide angle lens (that I would almost always use on a tripod) the size outweighed the lack of image stabilization. (Of course the fact that the Panasonic 7-14 didn't have IS either was a factor).

I decided that the safest approach was to get rid of all my Oly lens and JUST stick to the Panasonic line - to be safe. For special applications like super WA or super telephoto I would look at other brands but would have to do DUE DILIGENCE.

Bottom line is you need to really study the specs and take a look at the results others are getting from any lens (even Panasonic or whatever brand you might use). For me, the easy answer was to stick to what I knew worked FULLY - and in MY case that was the Panasonic line. If you are comfortable with a tripod or manual focus - YOUR horizon expands.

Dave

OOPS, sorry. Oly 620, not 640,