Lack of up to date pancakes in M43?

magnesus3 wrote:

Olympus definitely did - even their new 12-45 f4 is ridiculously big for what it is.

Panasonic seems better at making small lenses. Just look at their 12-60 and compare to the old Olympus 12-60.

I think Olympus are chasing market share and profit.  You can't make a standard zoom all of small, cheap, high IQ from wide open, fast and accurate AF.  Panasonic went for small with kit lenses and primes to go with the GM1/GM5.  I have the 12-32, 35-100 kit and 20/1.7.  I wonder how much return on investment in development Panasonic made on them.  The GM1/GM5 don't seem to have been commercially successful.  I do like my GM1 but I want something like an EM1 when I'm concentrating on results.

The 12-45/4 looks like a great lens for people who want affordable, small and high IQ.  The very fast Pro primes are dead in the water for me, because I'm happy using multiple systems.  However lots of people want to have only one system and some of them want a Pro prime in their favourite FL.

There is no equivalent FF competition to an EM1.3 with any or all of 12-45, 12-40 or 12-100.  Slower FF lenses don't have the same IQ ambitions and faster ones are not designed to be sharp across the field wide open.  FF mirrorless is aiming for excellent IQ, reasonable size and whatever people are willing to pay.  If your photography doesn't need FF, then why carry more weight and pay more money.

That having been said, if you prefer Panasonic kit why not buy it?  I would.

Andrew

PS I love my 12-60SWD, I even gave in and had it repaired after I bought a 12-40.  My copy performs best at 60mm.  It's just within my acceptable carry weight.