Going to Japan, what lens should I get for the E-PL1?

[Mysteriouskk]

Should I get the close up adapter instead of the 20mm/1.7?

Is the kit lens decent in darker areas, like restaurants and temples?

 

[G1Houston]

Mysteriouskk wrote:
Is the kit lens decent in darker areas, like restaurants and temples?

No.

 

[retiredbutcycling]

i found lenses more expensive in japan. my 45-200 cost me $400 and the gf1 evf cost me $200. it may be possible to get them cheaper off japanese ebay but the ads are usually written in japanese, for some reason!

 

[Mysteriouskk]

Would the 20mm/1.7 be the best lens in my price range (300-500) to take photos of food inside of restaurants? Is is better than the kit lens for these types of situations?

 

[Mysteriouskk]

?Should I just buy it from Amazon?

 

[Mysteriouskk]

Ok, so what should I get?

E-PL1 with kit lens + Panasonic 20mm/f1.7

or

GF1 with kit 14-45mm + Panasonic 20mm/f1.7

 

[Brent Gair]

Well, honestly, I have no idea what is happening when you are twisting the front of the lens. I don't really have any desire to experiment either .

I have to ask what would possess you to twist the front of a lens anyway? You'll either be over-riding the focus motor, stressing the zoom function or dismantling part of the assembly. Nothing good comes from it.

I doubt if it was broken in the store before you twisted it.

 

[nikclick]

Should I get the close up adapter instead of the 20mm/1.7?

Is the kit lens decent in darker areas, like restaurants and temples?

Would the 20mm/1.7 be the best lens in my price range (300-500) to take photos of food inside of restaurants? Is is better than the kit lens for these types of situations?

?Should I just buy it from Amazon?

Ok, so what should I get?

E-PL1 with kit lens + Panasonic 20mm/f1.7

or

GF1 with kit 14-45mm + Panasonic 20mm/f1.7

Woh, dude, ease up there

Read some reviews, look at pictures other people have taken, chill out and browse the forum, or just flip a coin. Make a decision, don't expect others to make the right decision for YOU!

But, as has mostly been said:

The kit lenses are not that fast, if it gets gloomy you'll need a tripod or flash (tripods add weight and bulk, and flash sucks).

The 20 1.7 is a fantastic lens and nice and fast. It would be good for food photos in dark restaurants, I'd imagine.

Buy your stuff from wherever you can get it for the best price, taking into consideration the level of service you expect from your shop.

I like the Panasonic stuff, so I'd say get that, but the Olympus offerings are also popular and have their advantages - you won't go wrong with either IMHO.

 

[Guy Parsons]

I took the lazy way on my trip last year to Japan and bought a Panasonic LX3.

Brilliant to use and carry and totally silent in operation so very unobtrusive.

Not trying to sell the LX3 but the net result was very acceptable and the information on what I was using may help calculate what is needed in M4/3 land.

The 24-60mm equivalent lens was used like this....



Which reveals a LOT of use at the wide end. Many times inside buildings and temples and restaurants the wide is very necessary. Often temple courtyards are very crowded and no way to step back so need very wide lens.

I used P mode and mostly ISO 80-200 with occasional 400 in the dimmer temples. But of course the f/2.0 lens of the LX3 helps a lot. There's no way I'd use the LX3 at 800 and up as that is rubbish, so that's where the M4/3 is way better with possibly 1600 being a nice safe limit.

Food shots were just grab shots in available light and worked OK, again that LX3 f/2.0 lens helped a lot, but bumping ISO higher is your M4/3 solution using the smaller aperture kit lenses available.

Translating that to say the (recommended) 9-18mm lens for M4/3 with its f/4 lens then I suspect that the ISO 200 to 1600 range would be a necessity for that lens in Japan.

Flash was only very rarely used so that's where the convenience of in-body flash is nice - it's a pain to carry a separate flash and never really use it.

Next Japan trip (oh yes, it's so nice there that I could happily go every year and keep exploring) I guess that I may go M4/3 with Oly E-PL1 or its successor and my plan would be 14-150mm for convenience and 9-18mm for those wide shots and maybe also the Panasonic 20/1.7 "just in case". I can see that food shots would benefit from the 20/1.7 as then you can use maybe ISO 200 and get tastier looking results.

But then again, I would be 99.9% happy to just use the LX3 again and also carry a 10x pocket camera for those occasional longer zoom shots.

The main thing is to enjoy the Japan experience and do not get bogged down by making the photography side of things too complicated.

Regards............ Guy

I will mainly be taking pictures of food, some landscapes, and people.

What would be a good choice if I can only choose 1 or 2 lens?

 

[Betarover]

I have to ask what would possess you to twist the front of a lens anyway? You'll either be over-riding the focus motor, stressing the zoom function or dismantling part of the assembly. Nothing good comes from it.

I doubt if it was broken in the store before you twisted it.

The first store was a Best Buy. I asked the young clerk why it rotates and he said that is how you focus the lens. Obviously a bogus answer. It could be very easily rotated with my fingers, and as it rotated it would move out or in from the main lens, depending on the direction of rotation. Why would anyone rotate it? Right behind it is the anual focus ring. One couldget confused and rotate the front piece instead of the focus ring. Also, for the camera in Best Buy, if you were screwing in a filter it would rotate the front of the lens unless you grab it with one hand and rotate the filter with the other.

The second place was a Cameras West store. That clerk also did not know why the front of the lens rotates so easily.

Surely someone on this board has rotated this piece and knows why it rotates.

 

[Mysteriouskk]

Brilliant to use and carry and totally silent in operation so very unobtrusive.

Not trying to sell the LX3 but the net result was very acceptable and the information on what I was using may help calculate what is needed in M4/3 land.

The 24-60mm equivalent lens was used like this....



Which reveals a LOT of use at the wide end. Many times inside buildings and temples and restaurants the wide is very necessary. Often temple courtyards are very crowded and no way to step back so need very wide lens.

I used P mode and mostly ISO 80-200 with occasional 400 in the dimmer temples. But of course the f/2.0 lens of the LX3 helps a lot. There's no way I'd use the LX3 at 800 and up as that is rubbish, so that's where the M4/3 is way better with possibly 1600 being a nice safe limit.

Food shots were just grab shots in available light and worked OK, again that LX3 f/2.0 lens helped a lot, but bumping ISO higher is your M4/3 solution using the smaller aperture kit lenses available.

Translating that to say the (recommended) 9-18mm lens for M4/3 with its f/4 lens then I suspect that the ISO 200 to 1600 range would be a necessity for that lens in Japan.

Flash was only very rarely used so that's where the convenience of in-body flash is nice - it's a pain to carry a separate flash and never really use it.

Next Japan trip (oh yes, it's so nice there that I could happily go every year and keep exploring) I guess that I may go M4/3 with Oly E-PL1 or its successor and my plan would be 14-150mm for convenience and 9-18mm for those wide shots and maybe also the Panasonic 20/1.7 "just in case". I can see that food shots would benefit from the 20/1.7 as then you can use maybe ISO 200 and get tastier looking results.

But then again, I would be 99.9% happy to just use the LX3 again and also carry a 10x pocket camera for those occasional longer zoom shots.

The main thing is to enjoy the Japan experience and do not get bogged down by making the photography side of things too complicated.

Regards............ Guy

I will mainly be taking pictures of food, some landscapes, and people.

What would be a good choice if I can only choose 1 or 2 lens?

Thanks. That helps a lot.

 

[rezaf_2000]

IMOP, the kit lens plus the 20/1.7 are all the OP would need. You do need a fast lens like the 20/1.7 (or a 50/1.4 MF lens) as the temples in Japan can get very dark inside.

An alternative to the kit (or the kit + 45-200) is to get the 14-140. This lens can stay on your camera all the time and you do not need to change lenses so frequently. Put on the 20 when light gets low. Keep it simple would be my advice when traveling.

I second this advice. Actually either of the following in my opinion would be good:

1. @$1000~1200. Best but pricey: A superzoom (14-140 or the Oly 14-150 which is about to hit the market) + 20mm f/1.7

2. @$700. Cheaper alternative, very versatile, but more hassle therefore probably not good for travel: 14-42 + 20 + 45-200

3. @$370. Still cheaper alternative, more portable, you forgo long zoom shots : 14-42 + 20

4. @$600~$800. Ultimate portability and versatility, but no night shots: 14-150 or 14-140

5. @ $0. infinitely cheaper ;-) Hassle Free and portable but limiting (no night shot or long zoom) : 14-42. Seriously, nothing wrong with the kit zoom!

Your budget can accommodate 3, 5, and probably 4.

Having said all of that, I'd recommend 3. Just get the 20mm and be happy!

 

[Voldenuit]

It is about 33,000yen here. (approx US$367). So about the same price I guess.

I think you see bigger differences with lenses like the 7-14(about 80000y / 865$US) or PL45 (63000y / 680$US)

Wow. The PL45 at $680 is a bargain and a must-buy.

 

[M Hamilton]

Hey Guy,

slightly off-topic but how did you make that graph is there a way to make a graph of focal lengths used by my photos. I've always been curious what part of my 14-42 I use the most. If anyone knows a program, please reply to email me directly.

Thanks,

Mitch

 

[M Hamilton]

Nevermind, I figured it out, the program is Wega2, freeware, VERY useful!

-Mitch

 

[Guy Parsons]

Nevermind, I figured it out, the program is Wega2, freeware, VERY useful!

Good work!

I was away for a few hours but my belated answer is that I use only the Exposure Plot program on the same download page, I've never tried Wega2 as FastStone Viewer keeps me happy most of the time.

Exposure Plot is good in that you can set up each camera's equivalent focal length and also select one camera out of many in mixed folders and sub-folders.

Find it here, folks..... http://www.cpr.demon.nl/

Regards........ Guy

 

[cococat]

Ok, so what should I get?

E-PL1 with kit lens + Panasonic 20mm/f1.7

or

GF1 with kit 14-45mm + Panasonic 20mm/f1.7

After much soul searching I went (finally) for Option #1 - because:

The EPL-1 has IS built in
People/reviewers say the EPL-1 has better JPEG output straight from the camera
The kits lens folds up nicely - small is what I wanted
The price is cheaper than the GF-1
It feels more secure in my hand

eventually - I finally dug into my pockets and coughed up for the Panasonic lens which is wonderful (though IMHO expensive cf the camera body) for low light/indoors

I actually wanted this lens all along but was frightened about shake - hence the Olympus body.

On the other hand...

I loved the feel of the GF1 in my hand and the screen is better. It also has a spin wheel to control things like shutter speed and ISO. However the GF-1 kit lens was a bit bigger and not so compact - for me an important factor.

If you get the GF-1 get the GF-1 with the 20mm lens box set and then the Zoom lens separately. The 20mm is more expensive than the zoom so you will save a bit.
------

Why don't you go to a camera shop with an SD card and try them out? Take some similar pictures with the different lenses attached and then compare them at home on your computer screen.

It is good to read the reviews but I suggest you don't get paranoid like I did about every little thing. The camera review sites are like top gear - give them a Lamborghini and they will find something wrong with it.

--
BoxWatcher

 

[Voldenuit]

eventually - I finally dug into my pockets and coughed up for the Panasonic lens which is wonderful (though IMHO expensive cf the camera body) for low light/indoors

Glad to hear you finally made a choice - I think you will be very happy with this lens.

The price is 'expensive' relative to the entry-level bodies from P&O, but definitely not relative to the optical quality of the lens.

Be sure to post back results when you're settled with the lens!

 

[Bilgy_no1]

Ok, so what should I get?

E-PL1 with kit lens + Panasonic 20mm/f1.7

or

GF1 with kit 14-45mm + Panasonic 20mm/f1.7

After much soul searching I went (finally) for Option #1 - because:

The EPL-1 has IS built in
People/reviewers say the EPL-1 has better JPEG output straight from the camera
The kits lens folds up nicely - small is what I wanted
The price is cheaper than the GF-1
It feels more secure in my hand

eventually - I finally dug into my pockets and coughed up for the Panasonic lens which is wonderful (though IMHO expensive cf the camera body) for low light/indoors

I actually wanted this lens all along but was frightened about shake - hence the Olympus body.

On the other hand...

I loved the feel of the GF1 in my hand and the screen is better. It also has a spin wheel to control things like shutter speed and ISO. However the GF-1 kit lens was a bit bigger and not so compact - for me an important factor.

If you get the GF-1 get the GF-1 with the 20mm lens box set and then the Zoom lens separately. The 20mm is more expensive than the zoom so you will save a bit.
------

I checked for this last week in Holland and came to the following best prices:
Olympus E-PL1 + 14-42 + 20mm = €850
Panasonic GF1 + 20mm + Oly 14-42 sep = 925

Of course, the GF1 and E-PL1 are different cameras in use. I chose the E-PL1 for various reasons: better IQ (out of camera at least), IS in body, option for better EVF, option for external mic for video, more compact lens for transport, price, and the Olympus deal where I could get a free MMF-1 adapter for my 4/3 lenses.

There are some positive points for the GF1: scroll wheel operation, looks, AF illuminator. I'm aware of these points and at peace with what I'm missing...

Damien
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bilgy_no1

 

[cococat]

Thank you for all your help and encouragement. I really appreciate it.

I agree that its a wonderful bit of kit & a great investment.

Now I just need to learn how to use it

eventually - I finally dug into my pockets and coughed up for the Panasonic lens which is wonderful (though IMHO expensive cf the camera body) for low light/indoors

Glad to hear you finally made a choice - I think you will be very happy with this lens.

The price is 'expensive' relative to the entry-level bodies from P&O, but definitely not relative to the optical quality of the lens.

Be sure to post back results when you're settled with the lens!

--
BoxWatcher