Is Panasonic 14-45 still the best cheap start zoom today ?

As title say... trying to decide for a first lens on my GX7...

Renatoa wrote:

As title say... trying to decide for a first lens on my GX7...

The only kit lens to outright avoid is the 1st generation Olympus 14-42 (not so much because of image quality, but because of primitive, slow AF mechanics including a rotating front element). Also the electronic zoom Panasonic 14-42 X, IIRC, is the lens that started this forum on nearly 13,000 posts about shutter shock. And people hated the original Panasonic 14-42 because it marked the point when cameras would no longer be packaged with the beloved 14-45 (the 14-42 had--gasp--a plastic bayonet! and it had slightly poorer image quality! and it was cheaper! darn those dastardly corporatists after their bigger profit margins!)

The Panasonic 14-45, Panasonic 14-42 II, Olympus 14-42 II/II R and Panasonic 12-32 are all regarded about equally. I'd err toward Panasonic over Olympus even though the GX7 has IBIS, because OIS tends to perform a bit better than 2-axis IBIS.

In reality, though, people complain a lot. My copy of the original Panasonic 14-42 that came with the GH2 outperformed the Olympus 14-42 for Four Thirds, and that was a lens considered by many to be the finest kit lens ever made up to its time. We really do have it pretty good in this system. In reality, these lenses all perform so similarly on average that you should be happy with any of them.

In my experience, yes.

However, the new 14-42 II is also very good, and the pancake 12-32 is no slouch either.

Personally, I got a poor copy of the 14-42II, but it seems like a very good lens otherwise.

I also own the 12-32 which I got with my GM1, and while it's even slightly sharper in the center than the 14-45, it's less consistent across the zoom range. It's excellent from 20 to 32, but the wide you go, the softer it becomes in the corners.
The 14-45 on the other hand was a very pleasant surprise: my copy is very consistent, being good to excellent at all apertures and all focal lengths. Shooting with it, you know you will get a good result every time (within its limitations, of course).

But I guess that then it comes down to sample variation.

I think if you can get a good copy of the 14-42II, it's an excellent lens, as it's smaller, lighter and maybe even slightly sharper than the 14-45.

In my honest opinion the best kit lens is the Olympus 14-42 II R followed closely by the Panasonic 14-42 II but you're on Panasonic, so you might also consider the 12-32 pancake which is about equal to the aforementioned lens but gives you a noticeably wider 12mm lens on the short end.

The difference between 32 and 42 is really nothing in the real world on the long end. Both lenses aren't long enough to use for portraits as they don't get to 100 and they're too short to be considered a serious telephoto zoom.

Funny, I found the Oly 14-42R pretty poor. Not bad sharpness overall, but inconsistent across the focal range (good at wide angle, really so-so at tele end), and build quality pretty low.

The Panny 14-45 is much more peppy and contrasty, and offers better sharpness across the frame.

Oh and I owned at least three copies of the Oly.

YMMV of course.

I sold my 14-45 after I got the Panasonic 14-42 v.II, because I concluded the IQ was very close, and I preferred the smaller size and weight of the latter, plus its very short extension when zooming, plus its 46mm filter size.

The 14-42 v.II that comes with a camera body as a kit lens does have a plastic mount, while the version that sells separately and the 14-45 both have metal mounts. And the 14-45 has the switch on the lens barrel for OIS.

brentbrent wrote:

I sold my 14-45 after I got the Panasonic 14-42 v.II, because I concluded the IQ was very close, and I preferred the smaller size and weight of the latter, plus its very short extension when zooming, plus its 46mm filter size.

The 14-42 v.II that comes with a camera body as a kit lens does have a plastic mount, while the version that sells separately and the 14-45 both have metal mounts. And the 14-45 has the switch on the lens barrel for OIS.

I have experience with 4 m4/3 kit lenses: Panasonic 14-45mm, Panasonic 14-42mm II, Panasonic 14-42mm PZ, and the Olympus 14-42mm. All are good for what they are--cheap kit lenses.

I echo brentbrent's recommendation of the Panasonic 14-42mm II because of its combination of size and quality. It's significantly smaller than the 14-45mm yet it offers similar image quality. Also, the aperture and AF of the newer lens are better suited for shooting video.

The 14-42 II is a little better, albeit maybe 1/3 stop slower through the range.  It's smaller, with a metal barrel and outstanding sharpness and color.   Best part is you can get it for almost nothing in a GX7 kit.

The 12-32 is nice to go wide, but the GX7 is not such a compact body that the difference between the 12-32 and 14-42 Ii size makes a big difference on portability.  You also lose a MF ring, although to be honest I doubt most people MF a kit zoom often.

It would make a big difference to anyone attempting to carry it in a coat pocket, purse, etc... The 14-42 II might be less susceptible to SS tho and it's like half the price of the 12-32 from what I've seen (lowest I've seen them is $125 & $250 respectively).

brentbrent wrote:

The 14-42 v.II that comes with a camera body as a kit lens does have a plastic mount, while the version that sells separately and the 14-45 both have metal mounts. And the 14-45 has the switch on the lens barrel for OIS.

That seems like really weird logic. Surely the cost of an additional production run would exceed the savings of using a plastic mount.

It's true tho, might also be a location thing... But all 14-42 II sold in kits come with a plastic mount (at least in the US/EU). I don't think it's sold separately outside of Asia, could be mistaken, so the metal mount might just be for their retail boxed version.

Also, initially Panasonic was only selling it with the GX7 in Europe as they had continued to sell the G6 & GF6 with the older 14-42 v1 over there... (v2 was the original kit lens for those in the US) With the G6 probably going EOL and the new GF7 being packed with the 12-32, we might start seeing less split kit 14-42 IIs out there.

It's pretty inconsequential either way, such a small/light lens, I doubt it makes a difference unless you're abusing it.

brentbrent wrote:

I sold my 14-45 after I got the Panasonic 14-42 v.II, because I concluded the IQ was very close, and I preferred the smaller size and weight of the latter, plus its very short extension when zooming, plus its 46mm filter size.

The 14-42 v.II that comes with a camera body as a kit lens does have a plastic mount, while the version that sells separately and the 14-45 both have metal mounts. And the 14-45 has the switch on the lens barrel for OIS.

I have experience with 4 m4/3 kit lenses: Panasonic 14-45mm, Panasonic 14-42mm II, Panasonic 14-42mm PZ, and the Olympus 14-42mm. All are good for what they are--cheap kit lenses.

I echo brentbrent's recommendation of the Panasonic 14-42mm II because of its combination of size and quality. It's significantly smaller than the 14-45mm yet it offers similar image quality. Also, the aperture and AF of the newer lens are better suited for shooting video.

Worth noting that not only is the 14-42 II smaller, it also barely extends more than 5mm as you zoom. It's fully retracted at 25mm.

I'd look for a deal on a GX7 kit with the 14-42II, if you haven't already purchased the GX7 body. I got my 14-42II in the GX7 Kit, and the kit price was way less than $100 more than the body only.

Great little lens to start off with.........but beware, you could end up with a few more of these little M43 wonders.

Gary

…rthere are now other, more compact choices.

The 14-42 II both in Panny (which K have not used) and Olympus, which I have used extensively, and the Panny 12-32, which I use daily, pretty much, are smaller, lighter choices with IQ as good, I would say.