Recommend a lens for a GX7 for indoor photos of parrots

Tatouzou wrote:

avianb wrote:

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.

If you want more depth of field at f1.7/f2, maybe a 1" compact or even a smaller sensor might be the right tool. Some can focus very close and fast, like the Sony RX100-3 or 4 which focuses as close as 2 inches.

As the RX100-3 is a 2015 model, it should be affordable. Panasonic and Canon also offer this kind of tool. Some dont have an EVF, but maybe you dont need one, and thus can save the extra cost. And their small size should not frighten your birds.

For instance, according to Dpreview review, Panasonic LX10/LX15 has the DFD Panasonic AF which seems to perform as well as in present M43 models. The lens is f1.4 at 24mm equivalent, and f2.8 at 31mm equivalent. Minimum focus distance is 3cm (1.2 inch)

Thanks for the suggestions.  I have too many cameras and don't want to purchase any more unless I get one of the newer Panasonics or Pentaxes.     I think I've narrowed it down to:  Oly 25/1.8 or Sigma 30/1.4 but then that Panasonic 20/1.7 still calls to me and there is the "cheap" 25/1.7 that I just can't make myself purchase.  I fooled with different focal lengths and I generally prefer the 25 FOV.   I will do some more experimenting today.