12 f2 made in china really tight to mount

I recently brought a 12 f2 from B&H and surprisingly found it is made in China:-( as stated on the outter box and at the back of the lens. It has a big issue of being really tight to mount onto my GX1, I have to really force it. Tried in local store, an saleman says it's reallt tight to mount on a store GX1 as well. Tried other Olympus lens mount on easily onto my GX1 (Such as 17 f2.8). Quality wise it's not  sharper than my 14-42 powerzoom. Anyone has experience with 12 f2 on Lumix body, especially GX1? Does yours mount on easily? Is it made in Japan or China? Should I return the lens? Any input is much appreciated.:-P thanks.

lillebi wrote:

I recently brought a 12 f2 from B&H and surprisingly found it is made in China:-( as stated on the outter box and at the back of the lens. It has a big issue of being really tight to mount onto my GX1, I have to really force it. Tried in local store, an saleman says it's reallt tight to mount on a store GX1 as well. Tried other Olympus lens mount on easily onto my GX1 (Such as 17 f2.8). Quality wise it's not sharper than my 14-42 powerzoom. Anyone has experience with 12 f2 on Lumix body, especially GX1? Does yours mount on easily? Is it made in Japan or China? Should I return the lens? Any input is much appreciated.:-P thanks.

Try using a squirt  WD40 on the back of the lens mount and it should go on and off your GX1 smoothly.

Or you could exchange yours for a MIJ copy.

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

Whether it's made in China is immaterial. Japanese or German or <insert country here whose trade practices are favorable to American sensibilities>'s manufacturing is not inherently any better than China's. In fact, dollar for dollar, China is doing by far the finest manufacturing in the world. This is a fact. It's not even about saving on labor costs anymore: China's manufacturing centers are better equipped logistically for manufacturing than Japanese or American manufacturing centers. What matters in the end is the design. Regardless of where it's being built.

Also, I cannot find any reference to the 12mm f/2.0 normally being made in Japan, or any country in particular. Olympus' websites don't say. No retailers' sites I can find mention it either. You weren't promised a "made in Japan" product. There are copies of this lens known to be made in Japan, and others known to be made in China.

There are slight differences in tolerances between Panasonic m4/3 bayonets and Olympus m4/3 bayonets, especially around items which are machined out of metal. For example--the Panasonic DMW-MA1 adapter is known to be a very tight fit on Olympus cameras. The differences in tolerance may affect the user experience, but not the functionality.

Cheap Chinese knockoff.  Return it for sure.  (Note: Tongue planted firmly in cheek)

Thank you for your nice and informative reply, it eases my conserns a lot.

However, this is a prime lens and a wide angle one which will be interchanged to other lens frequently

Would you thinking the tight fitting mount increases wear to the extent that it could be an issue over time? thank you.

GodSpeaks wrote:

Cheap Chinese knockoff. Return it for sure. (Note: Tongue planted firmly in cheek)

Although I wouldn't say my copy is a knockoff as I brought it from B&H and it's built nicely.

It did shocked me when I received it. I have never had a made in China lens before. Even my PZ 14-42 pencake is made in Japan. Paying $800+ for a made in China lens.

My 25/1.4 kind of grinded onto my E-P3 and family's E-PL1. Now it's pretty smooth. Perfectly normal.

mine made in Japan.  But I had it for a while.

My 12/2.0 is made in Japan, mounting feels the same as all our other µ4/3-lenses on G3 and GH1. We also have a new E-PM2, and all metal-mount lenses are hard to mount on that camera, but plastic-mount-lenses are fine. I´m sure it will become better after using the camera for a while.

lillebi wrote:

GodSpeaks wrote:

Cheap Chinese knockoff. Return it for sure. (Note: Tongue planted firmly in cheek)

Although I wouldn't say my copy is a knockoff as I brought it from B&H and it's built nicely.

It did shocked me when I received it. I have never had a made in China lens before. Even my PZ 14-42 pencake is made in Japan. Paying $800+ for a made in China lens.

There are many known cases of suicide at Chinese factories. Most notable at Foxconn that manufactures Apple products, but these can't be exceptions, such things happen everywhere.

You must return the lens, otherwise ghosts of dead may follow you in your sleep. And they may as well appear on the pictures taken with this lens.

And, while you at it, get rid of all electronics in your house too, otherwise your house may become haunted. Because if even $2000 MacBook pro is made in China, chances are that most of your stuff is made there as well.

micksh6 wrote:

There are many known cases of suicide at Chinese factories. Most notable at Foxconn that manufactures Apple products, but these can't be exceptions, such things happen everywhere.

I'm  not saying that the working conditions can't be improved or suggesting that everything is fine over there. But the number of suicides at Foxconn isn't something special.

Take into account how many people are working at Foxconn (counts go up as high as 450.000 people in China alone). Sure a headline like "16 suicides at foxconn last year" sounds horrible at first. But here in EU suicide rates are somewhat between 8-12 per 100.000 per year.

So the Foxconn suicide rate doesn't seem extraordinary. But is sure makes a good news item, especially because there's Apple involved (and nearly every electronics company on the planet, but it seems that isn't worth mentioning....)

rednefed wrote:

My 25/1.4 kind of grinded onto my E-P3 and family's E-PL1. Now it's pretty smooth. Perfectly normal.

Does that mean the metal lens mount wear in and become loosened and “molded” to the mount on your Pens?

That lens should be razor sharp and much sharper than a zoom so something is wrong

Sometimes lens and camera manufacturing runs start in Japan but then after a while switch to China or Malaysia. It's quite common practice and this is why some folks talk of getting an 'early run, made in Japan' version of a camera or lens. Whether that makes a difference in terms of quality is up for debate - there is of course no intrinsic reason why it should, but then the main reason to move production out to China is to save money, and if the factory staff in China are unhappy or paid a pittance, perhaps they assemble the equipment with less care? Who knows?!

Thank you for your informative reply. I keep hearing people use the word razor sharp but I don't know how sharp can be considered razor sharp. I've attached some centre crops from my GX1? Are those razor sharp?

Centre crop f2

Centre Crop 12 f2 at f2

Compared to PZ 14-42

Centre crop Lumix PZ X 14-42 at 14 f3.5

Thanks

lillebi wrote:

Thank you for your informative reply. I keep hearing people use the word razor sharp but I don't know how sharp can be considered razor sharp. I've attached some centre crops from my GX1? Are those razor sharp?

Centre crop f2

Centre Crop 12 f2 at f2

Compared to PZ 14-42

Centre crop Lumix PZ X 14-42 at 14 f3.5

Thanks

Well no, from those shots it's not razor sharp, but in my mind the 12 f2 is a landscape lens and I would suggest trying it outdoors at low ISO, possibly tripod mounted - if you really want to pit one lens against another or check for defective lenses you have to be at least semi-scientific about it. Also, look at published MTF charts to see where the weak and strong spots are in terms of f stops and the lens resolution. I'm not sure if the 12 f2 needs stopping down to achieve optimal resolution but someone who owns it will chime in and let you know I'm sure.

It's a tight twist, as is the Panasonic 20mm lens I've had for a while.  It's been discussed before, and there's been no reports of  issues arising from it.

Marco Cinnirella wrote:

lillebi wrote:

Thank you for your informative reply. I keep hearing people use the word razor sharp but I don't know how sharp can be considered razor sharp. I've attached some centre crops from my GX1? Are those razor sharp?

Centre crop f2

Centre Crop 12 f2 at f2

Compared to PZ 14-42

Centre crop Lumix PZ X 14-42 at 14 f3.5

Thanks

Well no, from those shots it's not razor sharp, but in my mind the 12 f2 is a landscape lens and I would suggest trying it outdoors at low ISO, possibly tripod mounted - if you really want to pit one lens against another or check for defective lenses you have to be at least semi-scientific about it. Also, look at published MTF charts to see where the weak and strong spots are in terms of f stops and the lens resolution. I'm not sure if the 12 f2 needs stopping down to achieve optimal resolution but someone who owns it will chime in and let you know I'm sure.

Most lenses do need to be stopped down a click or few to reach their sweet spot.   Overall the 12/2 has good resolution stopped down (better than 9-18) and flare / ghosting control (better than 12-35/2.8 and more so the 7-14 in that regard - though I think those two Panny lenses are the same or better in resolution).

Bob Tullis wrote:

It's a tight twist, as is the Panasonic 20mm lens I've had for a while. It's been discussed before, and there's been no reports of issues arising from it.

Have it weared in over time and become loosened? thanks.

lillebi wrote:

Bob Tullis wrote:

It's a tight twist, as is the Panasonic 20mm lens I've had for a while. It's been discussed before, and there's been no reports of issues arising from it.

Have it weared in over time and become loosened? thanks.

It may have to some degree (I'm not sure it's that, or I'm just used to it). The tight fit lenses are still a tighter fit than all the others (after 2-3 years). Some adapters and lenses that are looser have rotational play (where the tight ones don't). I only think about it when it's raised in discussions like this one. These differences in fit tolerances are of little significance and concern.