Panasonic 12-32 on an Olympus E-PM2

traveler_101 wrote:

I am toying with the idea of picking up a 12-32 for my wife who shoots an E-PM2 . She prefers zooms and presently is using the 14-42 kit zoom. I think she would like the 12-32's pancake size and slightly wider FL. Does it have any issues on Olympus dories? And how do the lenses compare in terns of IQ?

I use the 12-32 on my EPL5 with no issues. It compliments the camera very well.

The lens's OIS is far better than the cameras IBIS so make sure you have Lens Priority turned ON.

As for IQ, it is right up there with the best of the kit lenses and a bit better than the 14-42.

Read the thread on right side blur. This is not an optical flaw with the lens, rather I think it may be an internal focus point resolution issue. While it does exist, it is not really an issue and I have many fine photos from that lens.

One thing I do to avoid the issue is to use the small box focus and place the focus point over the main point of focus in the scene.

Allan

photofan1986 wrote:

I had quite severe shutter s**** issues with this lens on my E-PM2 (now gone).

Are the issues gone or the PM2?

Ben Herrmann wrote:

And what a wonderful combo it is. But more so, I find the optical qualities of this lens to be superb.

Right now I have personally found that among the various kit lenses among the various brands, this Panny 12-32 is among the best. Granted, it's not the fastest lens (what kit lens is?) - but you can put this lens up against many more expensive lenses and it can give most of 'em a run for their money.

The only other kit lens that stands shoulder to shoulder with the 12-32 is the remarkable Samsung 16-50 PZ zoom which has blown me out of the

So I highly recommend this lens with any of the Olympus cameras. Within it's focal range' it puts the Olympus 12-50 to shame (I had 2 of those 12-50's).

I wish Olympus could produce a mid-level standard zoom that covers a focal range of 12 mm to at least 50 or 60 mm that has superb optical qualities within an f3.5 to f5.6 minimum aperture range. I've found the Panny lenses to be superior at the lower price points.

Do you use OIS or IBIS with this combo? I suppose the results will be roughly the same, unless?

Shutter shock has nothing to do with the lens other than a "slow" lens causing the shutter speed to be in the range in which shutter shock is noticeable (around 1/60 to 1/200s is my understanding).  PM2 has a setting to reduce/eliminate shutter shock (adds a delay after the curtain or something).

On slrgear, this lens is very very sharp and tempts me to buy a used GM1 instead of a cheaper PM2.

I use the 12-32 with great results with em10 and pm2 (no issues). In the latter case make sure to have lens priority ois activated instead ob ibis. It is a sharp little lens.

Can the shutter shock delay be adjusted longer?  If set long enough, clearly the shutter can't be causing vibration.  I'm tempted to buy a used PM2, but shutter shock is a concern (I prefer the GM1 overall, but it is more expensive and has the 1/500s shutter limitation).

I plan to use the PM2 or GM1 on my R/C airplanes and quad-rotor, replacing my trusty Fuji F20 (99% the same as the "legendary" F30/F31).  Paired with the 14mm F2.5 lens (2oz) seems ideal.

The GF6 is tempting too - $350 new with lens, no 1/500s shutter limitation, and it has the stop-motion / time-lapse feature that I need (PM2 would require an external timer, adding weight and complexity).

CNY_AP wrote:

Can the shutter shock delay be adjusted longer? If set long enough, clearly the shutter can't be causing vibration. I'm tempted to buy a used PM2, but shutter shock is a concern (I prefer the GM1 overall, but it is more expensive and has the 1/500s shutter limitation).

SS is caused by the first curtain closing then opening to expose the sensor. On the EPM2, as with other cameras of this vintage, the delay only delays the time between pressing the shutter button and the first curtain sequence - thus, it may or may not make any difference. Making the delay any longer will have no effect.

The newer models with the 0 second delay place this delay between the first curtain sequences thus removing the vibrations - the delay is at a different time point.

I use the 1/8 delay on my EPL5 and seldom encounter SS.

Allan

Ben Herrmann wrote:

I wish Olympus could produce a mid-level standard zoom that covers a focal range of 12 mm to at least 50 or 60 mm that has superb optical qualities within an f3.5 to f5.6 minimum aperture range. I've found the Panny lenses to be superior at the lower price points.

I still have, and use, the 12-60 SWD. Unfortunately it's only useable with the E-M1 (in the MFT world). I'm sure Olympus can re-purpose the lens design to become a great MFT lens.

Makes no sense why they would put the delay there - my understanding was that the delay was after the first curtain and that the delay helped a lot.