What's the truth about the Panasonic 14-140II?

It's all kind of confusing what I have read from various threads about this lens. Adam T says it's a great lens (and he doesn't seem to praise unless something really really deserves it). Others agree with him. But John Lock says it has terrible shutter shock problems even with the zero shutter shock option set on the Olympus E-M10. He says it happened in more than 50% of his photos that were in the problem shutter speed range. But Joachim Gerstl started a thread with high praise for the lens.

Others have said that if you set your E-M10 for zero shutter shock it is not possible for the Panasonic 14-140II to have shutter shock problems (at least I think that is what is being said by some).

And someone else says it has terrible problems with its image stabilization (OIS) that Panasonic has acknowledged but seems to have no plans to fix.

It's a lens that I am quite interested in but really don't want to buy and then have to return so I am trying to figure out what the truth about the lens is. Hard to know what to think about all this.

I believe I can get around the OIS problem by using the IBIS in the Olympus and turning off the Panasonic OIS -- so that one can be gotten around.

But the shutter shock problem is one I am concerned about.

Cathy H.

I've had mine about 6 months and use it on both Oly and Panny bodies. Never noticed and shutter shock and the OIS seems to work OK on my GM1, though I haven't used it in many if any low light situations. I use IBIS on my Oly bodies. Great little lens and I use it more than I thought I would.

Cheers

f_m

It's a flawed gem. The best and most consistently sharp superzoom ive ever used.

It has reported OIS problem but only an issue for video.

It does exhibit the worst shutter shock of any lens ive used. Its not subtle and is easy to see with a panny body simply by taking a pair of shots one with e shutter and one without. At any focal length longer than say 35mm and shutter speed between 1/25th and 1/250th its obvious.

But if you dont care about video and dont mind using the e shutter at offending speeds (guess that wont help oly user) then its great.

Thanks much to both of you for replying.  Both are very helpful.  Cathy H.

cathyph1 wrote:

[...] And someone else says it has terrible problems with its image stabilization (OIS) that Panasonic has acknowledged but seems to have no plans to fix.

That is only for movies, though. I never saw any complains on the OIS for stills.

I don't own the EM-10 or the 14-140 II, but I never saw any shutter shock problem that was not resolved by the 0 Delay strategy.

It's all kind of confusing what I have read from various threads about this lens. Adam T says it's a great lens (and he doesn't seem to praise unless something really really deserves it). Others agree with him. But John Lock says it has terrible shutter shock problems even with the zero shutter shock option set on the Olympus E-M10.

My Praise of this lens is because the optics are beyond any other superzoom regardless of mount by quite a margin and even beats the Pan 45-150 at the 45 end ! whilst matching it at the long end for across the frame sharpness and beating it for close focussing and microcontrast  -------

the Shutter shock thing is a different matter entirely , I use Electronic shutter on the GX7 so hadn`t seen it, on the mech shutter the shock is there , worse than any other lens I `ve used on it so stick with the E-Shutter  .. Panny need to fox this and the Video Jitters ASAP .

As for the Olys with 0-sec shock still getting it - I find this hard to believe IF it really is electronic first curtain .. I can`t see how it can happen unless Oly`s EFC really is a bodge and not true EFC at all ...

there`s no shock on the GM1 regardless of shutter type but then the Stepper shutter is so gentle I doubt it`d shock anyway

Cathy, since you don't yet have this lens have you considered the Oly 14x150?  I have one and it's proven to be a good lens and extremely versitile.  My son recently switched from Nikon to an EM-10 and he bought the 14x150 when he got the body.  He had been using a Nikon D-90 and their version of the 14x150 equivilent lens.  I think it's an 18x200.  Anyway he's had plenty of time to evaluate his new camera and lens and he says he can see little if any difference between images made with either lens.  He really likes the new Oly set-up and loves it's light weight and convenience.

I've been pleasantly surprised by my 14x150.  I've read some less than flattering reviews of it and was not expecting much.  It has proven to be much better than I expected.  I would not hesitate to make reasonably large prints from it.  I think it could print 20x24 images that would look good.

Might be some sample variations, and perhaps I just happened to get a good copy, but that's likely true of any lens.

Bobby -- Thanks for the suggestion.  I will give the Olympus a good look.  Cathy

Cathy, regardles of which lens you buy, you might want to be patient and watch for it be on sale.  When I bought mine, Oly had it on sale for 100.00 off list price.  My son bought his when he purchased his M-10 and saved 200.00 so it might pay to be patient.  However if you need it, you need it, I understand.

I'll stand by my (several) comments about the Panasonic 14-140 II as reported in several threads.  However, both the Oly 14-150 and Tamron 14-150 do not have this problem on either my EM10s or EM1-- all set to zero second in menu.  I will say that the photos that I did get from the Pana 14-140 II  that were sharp were very sharp for a 10X zoom lens-- e.g. those at high SS.  Personally I've settled on the Tamron 14-150 in this class of zoom-- nicely made and good optically, but the Oly is just as good optically and can be had used for a good price from KEH, Cameta etc.

JL

cathyph1 wrote:

Bobby -- Thanks for the suggestion. I will give the Olympus a good look. Cathy

You could also consider the Tamron 14-150mm. Tamron has been making superzooms for a long time.

Bobby J wrote:

Cathy, since you don't yet have this lens have you considered the Oly 14x150? I have one and it's proven to be a good lens

All tests, samples and opinions on this forum I've seen contradict what you stated here. Maybe you an support your claim with some proof?

and extremely versitile.

Obviously, sinc eits 10x superzoom like Panasonic, just not versatile enough on panasoni bodies beause of absence of OIS. I'm not sure you have used word 'extremly' in a propor way here.

My son recently switched from Nikon to an EM-10 and he bought the 14x150 when he got the body. He had been using a Nikon D-90 and their version of the 14x150 equivilent lens. I think it's an 18x200. Anyway he's had plenty of time to evaluate his new camera and lens and he says he can see little if any difference between images made with either lens. He really likes the new Oly set-up and loves it's light weight and convenience.

I've been pleasantly surprised by my 14x150. I've read some less than flattering reviews of it and was not expecting much. It has proven to be much better than I expected. I would not hesitate to make reasonably large prints from it. I think it could print 20x24 images that would look good.

Might be some sample variations, and perhaps I just happened to get a good copy, but that's likely true of any lens.

-- hide signature --

BJM

Warning: tecnobabble ahead

Here's a thought I had about these two problems, shutter shock and video OIS vibration issues: are they related? I know that electronic servo control loops, which this lens probably employs, can be underdamped to provide fast response, with the unfortunate side effect of some ringing in the loop. Is this happening here? This may be an unfixable problem short of redesigning or modifying the circuitry involved. Or, they may be taking manufacturing shortcuts, omitting servo tuning operations that get around parts tolerances.

A good but highly technical explanation of these issues is

http://www.compumotor.com/catalog/cataloga/a36-a38.pdf

In this case I'd recommend you to do some careful testing by yourself, with your own copy of the camera and a copy of the lens. Either at a local shop before you buy, or if you order from a place that accepts returns in 14 days.

Aberaeron wrote:

SkiHound wrote:

Don't have the lens but have looked at it and have been left with many of the same questions as the OP. I wonder if there's a lot of sample to sample variation with this lens? I've always sensed that to be the case with the Oly 12-50.

I have two, built six months apart. Yes, there can be a slight shutter shock issue under certain conditions if you pixel-peep. It is not an issue for me, or I instinctively avoid it by various means, including the use of electronic shutter on the G6 where appropriate.

I have no issue at all with video. Took another short one today, with the old days art filter, handheld and in difficult light. Left the full horizontal and vertical stabilization on, MP4 highest quality and no problem whatsoever. Not when zooming and not when panning. Not at all.

Both copies behave identically. No noise issues either. They have a quiet humm if you really listen in a very quiet place but it is never heard on a video. Focusing is totally quiet.

These are by far my most used lenses. I do have several others to choose from.

Hello,

Just curious why do you have two of the same lens?

Are you using both at the same time to shoot stereo pics?

Wouldn't it make more sense to have spent the money on one professional quality lens?

BTW: Do you have any pics to post here showing side by side comparisons of identical IQ of both lenses?

Regards,

Lena