Improved kit lenses!

Jere Landis wrote:

Anyone else notice how the kit lenses in M4/3s are improving. I notice most people are keeping the kit lens anymore and using them. Just like the Panasonic 14-42 II and the 12-32, they're actually kind of scarce on the used market.

I just bought an E-PL5 kit that sells for $399 now. It is a backup to my E-M10 and I have no need for the 14-42 II R lens that comes with it. But, they aren't selling E-PL5 bodies only. Olympus has the retail price for the 14-42 II R set a $299. Thats like saying my E-PL5 is worth $100. Having no use for this lens and no desire to keep it. I asked the dealer how much I would get if I traded the lens for another piece of equipment before I left the store. His answer was $20. Imagine buying a new car and loosing 93% of its retail value before you even drive it off the lot.

I tested this lens just to make sure it worked and my preliminary thoughts are;

It's cheaply made and doesn't even have a metal mount.

Most zooms have a lock switch to prevent creep when carrying the lens but. this lens has a lock switch to prevent you from closing it.

In typical Olympus fashion, there is no lens hood, which probably saved them fifty cents on their cost for this $299 gem.

If they did give you a hood, you would have to figure out what to do with the cheap plastic ring that covers the bayonet mount for the hood. The ridiculously small lens cap is another candidate to disappear.

The image quality is acceptable but not much more than that.