New to MFT and need lens advice

CJackJr wrote:

Hi all,

I've been an Olympus 43 owner for many years (see my gear list) and a member of the Olympus SLR forum (although I haven't posted for a while). I recently purchased a Panasonic GX7 with a Lumix G Vario 12-32 lens. I'm quite happy with it and now MUST add to my lens collection. Being new to MFT I have a few questions:

1. Is it worth getting a 43-MFT adapter to use my Oly FT lenses on the GX7? If so, any recommendations?
2. Is there a benefit to sticking with Panasonic MFT glass on a Panasonic camera or do Oly (and other manufacturers) lenses work just fine?
3. Even though I have the 12-32, I'm considering the 12-60 as my "walk-around" lens. (I have used the Oly 12-60 on my 43 gear and really liked its range.) Any thoughts on which 12-60?
4. Lastly, I'd like something longer than the 12-60 to use occasionally for wildlife and candid photos of my grandkids playing. I've been looking at the Lumix 45-175. Any thoughts on that lens or anything else I should consider that is in that general price range?

I'll really appreciate any and all responses to even just one of my questions. I know from past experience that members of these forums have a wealth of valuable information and are more than willing to share advice/opinions. Thanks in advance.

Regards, Conrad

1. No.  You need PDAF autofocus to make good use of 4/3 lenses.  And they are very large and heavy (although fast), which is counter to the m43 ethos.

2 Olympus lenses work well enough; although you don't get the dual IS.  Note that Panasonic and Olympus zoom rings rotate in opposite directions.  But many Olympus lenses have a manual focus clutch with repeatable focus so IF you shoot video and IF you pull focus, that's a benefit.  But Olympus PRO lenses are usually much heavier than comparable Panasonic lenses.

3. I like the 12-60 range, used to have the 4/3 version.  I don't have the Panasonic lenses (but I do like the Nikon 24-120 f/4 a lot).  I prefer the faster lenses, but I shoot in low light a lot.  If you don't, get the Panasonic Lumix version.

4. The 45-175 is an interesting lens; it is internal zoom, but also electronic zoom.  I use it when I need remote control.  Otherwise, my advice would be to just get the Pansonic 14-140 and look to longer telephoto options (like the 100-300 or 100-400) for wildlife.

I had a lot of 4/3 lenses.  They were too large/heavy and slow to focus, so I traded them in on Nikon gear.  I do have a lot of m43 lenses; they are lighter and faster to focus.  These are my primary concerns with m43 system.