Second lens - fast prime or tele zoom?

Henry Falkner said:

I have the E-M10 Mark II with the Olympus Zuiko kit lenses 14-42mm and the 40-150 mm. Most of the time I am using the 40-150. Here are two pictures from today -

Both were taken on a moving ferry, with IS ON.

The next is a pan shot from the Muriwai Beach Gannet Colony a couple of weeks ago.

Henry

--
Henry Falkner - E-M10 Mark II, SH-1, SH-50, SP-570UZ
http://www.pbase.com/hfalkner

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DJSanjay said:

I have bought a micro four thirds camera (Olympus EM10) and got myself the Pana 12-32 kit lens. As a second lens which would you recommend more - telezoom like 40-150 (very cheap at 100 dollars) or a normal fast prime like Oly/Pana 25mm? I know this depends on what I like to shoot etc, but as a general consensus? I can't afford both right now but can buy one from the money I got by selling an EF-M 22, which was lying unused after selling my old Canon mirrorless. I have a 50 mm FD portrait lens I can adapt, so something like Oly 45 is redundant for me. Thanks for your ideas!

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• the 12-40mm
• the 60mm macro
• the 7-14 and the 40-150, both 2.8 with teleconverter MC-14
• 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R (it was a steal at $99 -- and tiny and light)
• 12-100mm f/4 (It wasn't out when I got the 12-40.)

Alex Ethridge said:

DJSanjay said:

I have bought a micro four thirds camera (Olympus EM10) and got myself the Pana 12-32 kit lens. As a second lens which would you recommend more - telezoom like 40-150 (very cheap at 100 dollars) or a normal fast prime like Oly/Pana 25mm? I know this depends on what I like to shoot etc, but as a general consensus? I can't afford both right now but can buy one from the money I got by selling an EF-M 22, which was lying unused after selling my old Canon mirrorless. I have a 50 mm FD portrait lens I can adapt, so something like Oly 45 is redundant for me. Thanks for your ideas!

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You'll have to keep in mind that I like zooms and that is entirely a personal preference. Everyone's personal preferences vary and that is why there are so many cameras and lenses. Having said that:

This is the succession I followed, in this order:

• the 12-40mm
• the 60mm macro
• the 7-14 and the 40-150, both 2.8 with teleconverter MC-14
• 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R (it was a steal at $99 -- and tiny and light)
• 12-100mm f/4 (It wasn't out when I got the 12-40.)

The macro is a special-purpose lens and that is the only reason it was acquired before the other two zooms.

It was only after I had all my zoom ranges covered that I got the 75mm 1.8 and the 25mm 1.7. The 75mm 1.8 was for a special purpose, panoramas, because it is argued by many to be the sharpest lens Olympus ever made. The 25 because it was a steal and I had GAS.

My reasoning was to cover all focal lengths with zooms and only then get whatever fixed-focal-lengths I needed for special purposes.

So if I owned a 12-32mm as my only lens, I would go for the 40-150mm.

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Look More said:

When i started using m43 I wanted the most focal range coverage so I went for the double-zoom kit. Later I added lots of others but for the price (you stated that budget is a consideration) I would go again for a 40-150 of some sort, or sell the kit zoom and buy a superzoom 14-150 or something.

But your priorities might be different. Some if my relatively cheap choices included the P14/2.5 (for pancake compact walk around), the P25/1.7 (low light normal prime), O45 (sharp, fast, short tele), Sigma 60 (still fast, sharp longer tele).

In the zoom department I later got the P14-45 (to have OIS on an older Lumix body), and the P12-60 (bought later with a G80 kit, to have a weather sealed combo).

There's so many choices...

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• Do you need to be able to shoot in lower light without a tripod or flash? If you do, get the fast prime.
• Do you need to be able to get a smaller depth of field? If you do, get the fast prime.
• Do you need better edge to edge sharpness? If you do, get the fast prime.
• Do you need a longer focal length than 32mm? If you do, get the zoom.

Boss of Sony said:

Boss of Sony wrote:
This one missed focus, as you can see. AF speed and accuracy are not a strong point of this lens.

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pannumon said:

pannumon said:

Boss of Sony wrote:
This one missed focus, as you can see. AF speed and accuracy are not a strong point of this lens.

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I think the 20mm f/1.7 focuses accurately, as long as the camera is set up properly (for example AS-F and focus priority enabled; at least on Panasonic bodies). Slow focusing speed (especially in low-light on Olympus bodies) can of course in practice mean missed focus shots.

I think the adapted 50mm lens is great for portraits, low-light and shallow-depth-of field work. Considering this, both 20/25mm or a telezoom are great options.

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DJSanjay said:

Have you used the 25 mm lenses? Pana 25 mm F1.7 is cheaper but some people have run into focus shifting issues.

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• Panasonic 14-42 II (Kit lens)
• Panasonic 45-150 zoom
• Panasonic 42.5 f/1.7
• Panasonic 25f/1.7
• Panasonic 100-300 ii (JUST got it)

burritosandbeer said:

So when I got my panasonic G7, my lens progression went like this

• Panasonic 14-42 II (Kit lens)
• Panasonic 45-150 zoom
• Panasonic 42.5 f/1.7
• Panasonic 25f/1.7
• Panasonic 100-300 ii (JUST got it)

So I went for the mm coverage first, but if I look at my library of pictures now, about 40% were shot on the lowly 25mm f/1.7, about 20% on the 42.5f/1.7, about 20% the 14-42, and about 20% on the 45-150.

So I would say the 25 is a wonderful lens that I shoot more than any other, but the the 40-150 will get you shots you cant get with your current lens. As such I would probably say that order 40-150 then 25mm, but I do find I shoot that 25 a lot more than any other.

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DJSanjay said:

Thanks. Did you have any focussing issues with your 25mm?

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burritosandbeer said:

DJSanjay said:

Thanks. Did you have any focussing issues with your 25mm?

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I have not, I guess I've been lucky to date but all of my lenses have been spot on

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DJSanjay said:

I have bought a micro four thirds camera (Olympus EM10) and got myself the Pana 12-32 kit lens. As a second lens which would you recommend more - telezoom like 40-150 (very cheap at 100 dollars) or a normal fast prime like Oly/Pana 25mm? I know this depends on what I like to shoot etc, but as a general consensus? I can't afford both right now but can buy one from the money I got by selling an EF-M 22, which was lying unused after selling my old Canon mirrorless. I have a 50 mm FD portrait lens I can adapt, so something like Oly 45 is redundant for me. Thanks for your ideas!

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ToxicTabasco said:

DJSanjay said:

I have bought a micro four thirds camera (Olympus EM10) and got myself the Pana 12-32 kit lens. As a second lens which would you recommend more - telezoom like 40-150 (very cheap at 100 dollars) or a normal fast prime like Oly/Pana 25mm? I know this depends on what I like to shoot etc, but as a general consensus? I can't afford both right now but can buy one from the money I got by selling an EF-M 22, which was lying unused after selling my old Canon mirrorless. I have a 50 mm FD portrait lens I can adapt, so something like Oly 45 is redundant for me. Thanks for your ideas!

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It all depends on what you want. Or, what others tell you to do.

Since there is no application you're trying to cover, and you're wanting a prime or zoom, get the cheapest one you can with what cash you have today.

OR... you can pass on lenses now and get a tripod. And, save your cash for a really good lens that you really need once you decide on the type of photography you want to do.

Does that make sense? Good luck on your new lens.

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DJSanjay said:

ToxicTabasco said:

DJSanjay said:

I have bought a micro four thirds camera (Olympus EM10) and got myself the Pana 12-32 kit lens. As a second lens which would you recommend more - telezoom like 40-150 (very cheap at 100 dollars) or a normal fast prime like Oly/Pana 25mm? I know this depends on what I like to shoot etc, but as a general consensus? I can't afford both right now but can buy one from the money I got by selling an EF-M 22, which was lying unused after selling my old Canon mirrorless. I have a 50 mm FD portrait lens I can adapt, so something like Oly 45 is redundant for me. Thanks for your ideas!

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It all depends on what you want. Or, what others tell you to do.

Since there is no application you're trying to cover, and you're wanting a prime or zoom, get the cheapest one you can with what cash you have today.

OR... you can pass on lenses now and get a tripod. And, save your cash for a really good lens that you really need once you decide on the type of photography you want to do.

Does that make sense? Good luck on your new lens.

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Yeah, and thanks

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