Recommend a lens for a GX7 for indoor photos of parrots

Max Iso wrote:

avianb wrote:

Max Iso wrote:

Grab the Panasonic 30mm macro. It's "faster" at f/2.8 but also has OIS (bc the IBIS in the GX7 is a bad joke), which will help you in lowlight. Birds tend to move intermittently (at least the ones i have had) so it shouldnt be hard to catch them in between movements with a slower SS thanks to OIS.

It's also a macro so you can get close, and it will be very sharp. It's also on sale right now for $300. Set that GX7 in silent mode burst and fire off a ton of shots, you are bound to get a bunch sharp and in focus.

A few people have recommended that lens. I would have thought that this wouldn't work as well in low light compared to the lenses that can open up to wider apertures.

What about the Sigma 30/1.4 Contemporary? Not finding a lot of posts about that here.

I like to take photos of my birds when they are quietly perching but also when they are active. I think the more interesting photos are when they are busy doing something.

The main issue with that is DOF. Even on MFT, shooting at f/1.4 from less than a foot means you will be lucky to get en entire eyeball in focus. And macros are usually very sharp even wide open, i doubt the Sigma 30 f/1.4 can match the Panasonic wide open, if detail is important.

People shooting macro cant get enough DOF to cover a bug, let alone an entire bird. If you are willing to trade off DOF for less noise then maybe it's worth it?

I understand what you and the others are saying regarding DOF. As for macro, I have a Pentax 100mm macro but I don't generally use that for taking photos of my birds and don't use macro for their photos. Maybe it would work for my sparrow but the lens would totally freak him out.

I do know of someone who takes really great photos of her birds using a 50/1.4 Pentax. as well as a Sigma 30/1.4 and a Pentax 70/2.4. She said that she sometimes gets fairly close to the birds to take the photos. Don't know how close, though. Minimum focus distances for the 50 and 30 are @18" and 11.8. Maybe I should just back up more.