New GX-7 with 20mm f1.7 II Kit lens - Sound from lens on startup

Try turning of the image stabilization and see if the noise goes away.  The IBIS in my GX7 sometimes make a noise like that.  If it is the IBIS the noise is not going to hurt anything.

When powering on a camera with a lens connected, the camera will always test the lens. This is done by jogging the focus back and forth, and by adjusting the aperture. Both of these operations generate some noise. This is normal.

With the 20mm lens, you can even see the lens barrel move slightly as you power on the camera. This is the camera testing the focus function.

So it sounds like what you are seeing is completely normal.

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Dave Lively wrote:

Try turning of the image stabilization and see if the noise goes away. The IBIS in my GX7 sometimes make a noise like that. If it is the IBIS the noise is not going to hurt anything.

No difference..

s_grins wrote:

Bowcreek wrote:

Hello guys - Looking for some views on a potentially disturbing sound from the lens mounted on my new GX-7 (first M4/3 camera).

I hear a sound which is kind of sounds like "Churruk" for a small fraction when lens tries to activate or sort as soon as I switch on the camera.

I am not talking about or bothered with the AF noise the lens makes. But its just the startup noise which comes as soon as I switch on the camera, that's it.

I don't think it was there till yesterday.

No issues seen on AF or any function of lens/Camera though.

Anything to worry about ?

How is that relevant ?

Went to a Panasonic Store and checked the GX7 with 20mm II lens they had on display

Same sound when you switch on the camera..! Bit relieved.

thanks

Bowcreek wrote:

Went to a Panasonic Store and checked the GX7 with 20mm II lens they had on display

Same sound when you switch on the camera..! Bit relieved.

thanks

The lens moves when the camera is turned on. This is the focus motor going from one end to the other and back. Like was said earlier in the thread a testing sequence. The same sound you hear during focusing.

If you look closely, the front of the lens moves during focus, and during this power on sequence as well.

Other lenses are tested in the same manner at power on, but they don't make as much noise nor make externally observable movements. So you probably don't realize other than feeling a bit of movement in the hand, perhaps.

Bowcreek wrote:

Went to a Panasonic Store and checked the GX7 with 20mm II lens they had on display

Same sound when you switch on the camera..! Bit relieved.

thanks

It definitely is the IBIS system that adds an extra noise - whether you have it turned on or not.  When I had an Olympus 14-42 mounted on my GX7 (a lens with no OIS of course) I noticed an extra, brief little "thrummm.." on startup, even when I set IBIS to off, which is absent when the OIS-equipped Panasonic 14-42 is mounted.  I imagine it's checking that it is centred, as a starting point.

tt321 wrote:

Bowcreek wrote:

Went to a Panasonic Store and checked the GX7 with 20mm II lens they had on display

Same sound when you switch on the camera..! Bit relieved.

thanks

The lens moves when the camera is turned on. This is the focus motor going from one end to the other and back. Like was said earlier in the thread a testing sequence. The same sound you hear during focusing.

If you look closely, the front of the lens moves during focus, and during this power on sequence as well.

Other lenses are tested in the same manner at power on, but they don't make as much noise nor make externally observable movements. So you probably don't realize other than feeling a bit of movement in the hand, perhaps.

Bear in mind its not the same sound which you hear when you AF. This sound is only when you switch on the camera and it sounds like Chrrrak....as the the lens goes forward and back only during initial startup.