Which wide angle lens is best. Olympus 12mm F2.0 , SLR Magic 12mm T1.6 or Rokinin 12mm T2.2

Mark Thornton wrote:

bs1946 wrote:

The AF/MF snap back feature will not work on a Panasonic body and if you use manual focus for your work; you will be spinning the focus ring forever.

I don't know what you expected, but it seems to work just fine on my GX1. When engaged you get a brief message saying "switch to manual focus" and can then focus manually as I expected. The AF/MF button is disabled (quite reasonable). What you don't get is the magnified view that you see with regular MF when adjusting focus (though perhaps there is another way to activate this if desired). Push the ring forward and it returns to the previous focus mode.

Tested just now using the 17mm f/1.8.

I didn't find regular MF to be spinning the ring forever either, though it might have been close to the required position when I entered MF mode.

Mark

On my E-M10 with the 17mm or my 12mm, the focus ring has hard end-to-end stops and a short range when the snap-back feature is engaged, when not there are no end-to-end stops and manual focus is slower. I left the FN2 button set to the default multifunction button and have it sitting on magnify; two quick presses and view is magnified.

I agree that the focus twist is smaller with snap engaged, but it isn't excessive without. I can get a magnified view by tapping the screen so it is hardly difficult. In any case my main point is that as far as I can see the feature works just fine on my Panasonic body. Hopefully it also works on other Panasonic models.

Mark

Mark Thornton wrote:

I agree that the focus twist is smaller with snap engaged, but it isn't excessive without. I can get a magnified view by tapping the screen so it is hardly difficult. In any case my main point is that as far as I can see the feature works just fine on my Panasonic body. Hopefully it also works on other Panasonic models.

Mark

If you get a GM5, let me know how it works with the 17mm. It's on my GAS radar.

Do consider the Pana 7-14. At 12mm it is slighty better then the mZD 12mm. http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_G_7-14mm_f4_H_F007014E/Lumix_7-14mm_vs_Olympus_12mm.shtml

I have no plans for a new body in the near future. Instead I intend to enjoy my new lenses (both the 12mm f2 and the 17mm f1.8 arrived today). I have just confirmed that snap focus on the 12mm works in the same way as the 17mm (as one might hope and expect).

Mark

secretworld wrote:

Do consider the Pana 7-14. At 12mm it is slighty better then the mZD 12mm. http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_G_7-14mm_f4_H_F007014E/Lumix_7-14mm_vs_Olympus_12mm.shtml

I wouldn't make too much out of that comparison Vincent. First, the 12/2 looks worse than it could here because the CA isn't corrected whereas on the 7-14/4, it is. Second, minor variations between copies or beteween different corners of the same copy are enough to reverse a difference of that magnitude without problem. I haven't compared the corner performance of my own copies of the two lenses all that systematically, but I'd be inclined to say they are roughly on a par.

But unless speed is a paramount concern, the 7-14/4 of course deserves to be among the alternatives considered (along with the 9-18 and a bunch of standard zooms that go down to 12 mm). I rarely carry my 12/2 unless I foresee low-light shooting. At f/2.8 and up, the 12-40/2.8 will do the job equally well (save for vignetting at f/2.8). And at f/4 and up, the same goes for the 7-14/4.

Exactly Anders,

I agree, but some might dismiss it simply because it is a zoom, but if you are in the market for a 12mm, the 7-14 adds a 7-11 to the picture. Plus with my copies I prefer the 7-14 @ 14 above my 14mm f2.5 (sold) and 14-45 (not used much cause it has terrible shutter shock on my PM2 (but better on my GH2)).

Cheers

Vincent

secretworld wrote:

Exactly Anders,

I agree, but some might dismiss it simply because it is a zoom, but if you are in the market for a 12mm, the 7-14 adds a 7-11 to the picture. Plus with my copies I prefer the 7-14 @ 14 above my 14mm f2.5 (sold) and 14-45 (not used much cause it has terrible shutter shock on my PM2 (but better on my GH2)).

Sure. As I said, the 7-14/4 is always in my bag unless I foresee low-light "action shooting" only. The 12/2, on the other hand, would be there only in that special case. Also, I bought the 7-14 at an early stage and without hesitation and the 12/2 at a later stage with some hesitation, since I didn't know how much use I'd actually find for it. I gave in only after finding a used but "as new" copy at about half price.