Best very compact normal zoom for Oly OMD E5 when 12-40 is too big

Morning everyone. I have the 12-40 which is clearly excellent however when walking sometimes i would rather go VERY SMALL.

S accepting that there is compromise if you HAD to choose to take the Panasonic 14-42 vario PZ and the tiny Olympus 14-42 EZ . The former seems to have the better optics but there may be problems with CA and vignetting wheras the latter may have some advantages.

i appreciate the 14-42 11 and 14-45 are better but it is SMALL i am looking for here as when top notch is demanded i would go back to the 12-40

thanks

Tom

Tom Bell
Dartmoor
Devon
http://flickr.com/photos/tombell1

Hi

I would say the 12-32 would be the lens for you. I like mine very much, and it is the wide end that you will miss if you get a lens that starts at 14mm. You can always crop if you have to.

It doesn't get any smaller or better, it's no-brainer if you want a small but excellent lens.

You could also try a prime or two for walking. The pana 14 f2.5 and 20 f1.7 is very small and performs very well. You choose the focal length. If you are not on a budget, you can buy both, and easily keep one in your pocket while the other is on the cam.

Cheers,

L.

tombell1 wrote:

Morning everyone. I have the 12-40 which is clearly excellent however when walking sometimes i would rather go VERY SMALL.

S accepting that there is compromise if you HAD to choose to take the Panasonic 14-42 vario PZ and the tiny Olympus 14-42 EZ . The former seems to have the better optics but there may be problems with CA and vignetting wheras the latter may have some advantages.

i appreciate the 14-42 11 and 14-45 are better but it is SMALL i am looking for here as when top notch is demanded i would go back to the 12-40

thanks

Tom

Tom Bell
Dartmoor
Devon
http://flickr.com/photos/tombell1

Hi Tom - another vote for the 12-32 (similar size to 20mm pancake). Moved from the LUMIX body recently? Jon
--
http://thephotographersblock.wordpress.com
http://jonschick.smugmug.com/

There seems to be consensus that the 12-32 is actually the best and most compact, but whether it is the best I don't know. The most compact, certainly.

I got the Pana 14-42X before the Oly 14-42EZ and Pana 12-32 existed. The image quality is actually very good. I do not hesitate to take pictures with it when I left the 12-40 at home. I use it with the FreeMod X-Cap which essentially turns my E-M5 + 14-42X into a point and shoot with automatic lens cap.

Isn't the 12-32's O.I.S. 1) incompatible with the Olympus I.B.I.S. and 2) un-switchable, and thus, always on? Am I missing something? Because this seems like a deal breaker for me.

We must stop meeting like this Jon, i do still have the Panasonic G6 and it is a fantastic camera but not aesthetically and i bought a OMDEM5 second hand ... Love the camera ....and at last have bought a high quality zoom ... But still want something for long walks. Trust all well best wishes Tom

Re: Best very compact normal zoom for Oly OMD E5 when 12-40 is too big--
Tom Bell
Dartmoor
Devon
http://flickr.com/photos/tombell1

Skeeterbytes wrote:

RealPancho wrote:

Isn't the 12-32's O.I.S. 1) incompatible with the Olympus I.B.I.S. and 2) un-switchable, and thus, always on? Am I missing something? Because this seems like a deal breaker for me.

All OIS Lumix lenses can be switched between OIS and IBIS on the Oly bodies. The default setting is to not access OIS, but that setting can be changed in the camera menu to use OIS instead. This is specific to the OIS lenses without physical switches.

With lenses having an IS switch, IIRC it's possible to run both systems simultaneously and that's a no-no and will blur the photos.

Lifted from the E-M1 manual:

• When using a lens with an image stabilization function switch, priority is given to the lens
side setting.
• When priority is being given to the lens side image stabilization and the camera side is set
to [S-IS-AUTO], [S-IS1] is used instead of [S-IS-AUTO].

My only Lumix lens doesn't have IS, so I have no hands-on.

Cheers,

Rick

Thanks, Rick. Now that you mention it, I seem to recall seeing that in the menu system(s), but I guess I have disregarded it since all my Lumix lenses are hard switchable.

papillon_65 wrote:

It doesn't get any smaller or better, it's a no-brainer if you want a small but excellent lens.

I have the Panny f2.8 12-35 for my G6 and GX7 but my walk around lens is the diminutive 12-32.

The 12-32 has a huge advantage over the smaller 14-42 lenses -- it goes down to 12!!!

AND at 12 it is only half a stop disadvantaged in aperture compared with the 12-35 (or 12-40 in your case, Tom).

AND it produces excellent quality images.

AND you can get a JJC auto lens cap for instant opening and protection.

It does have barrel distortion at 12, but it is regular and can be removed in a second when necessary (most of the time it doesn't matter) with PTLens (PS compatible) plug-in in PP (I use it with PhotoLine) or manually.

The 32 at the long end is a touch short but given the IQ of the lens and the 16MPX sensor, you can crop to get that extra reach. With the Panny bodies, I use EX TELE which takes an 8MPX crop out of the center of the sensor, effectively a 1.4x tele extender for 45mm equiv. The 8MPX is good for top quality viewing on any screen and an A3 (tabloid) size print (or larger depending on viewing distance, of course).

Out for a ramble in the bush or suburbs, I have the 12-32 on the camera and the Panny 45-150 plus the Raynox 150 c/u supplementary lens in my pocket. The Oly 40-150 f4-5.6 is the Oly alternative, an excellent lens, although the Panny is just slightly smaller and lighter.