Single lens for GX-8

Looking for advice for a single lens (I can only afford one) for my new GX-8?.... Right now my mind is on the 20mm F1.7, however I am wondering if the 12-35 mm F2.8 might not be a better choice seeing I'll only have one lens to start with... it' just so damn expensive!

skybushman wrote:

Looking for advice for a single lens (I can only afford one) for my new GX-8?.... Right now my mind is on the 20mm F1.7, however I am wondering if the 12-35 mm F2.8 might not be a better choice seeing I'll only have one lens to start with... it' just so damn expensive!

These are two kinds of photographs; zoom guys and prime guys.

If you're a prime guy, any prime between 15mm and 25mm would be fine. If you're looking for a bright and cheap prime, the Lumix 20mm and the upcoming Lumix 15mm could be good choices.

If you're a zoom guy, there are two possibilities.

First, an entry-level zoom. There is a lot of them. Some are better (the Lumix 14-42mm II and the Lumix 14-45mm) but none are bad. The "worst" being the M.Zuiko 12-50mm (which is actually quite a good lens, but not as sharp as the other ones).

Second, you can select a pro-grade standard zoom. Some like the Lumix 12-35mm F/2,8: I for one prefer the M.Zuiko 12-40mm F/2,8 because it's amazingly sharp wide open.

Since it's simply impossible to make a bad choice, I can agree in advance to your decision.

JeanPierre Martel wrote:

skybushman wrote:

Looking for advice for a single lens (I can only afford one) for my new GX-8?.... Right now my mind is on the 20mm F1.7, however I am wondering if the 12-35 mm F2.8 might not be a better choice seeing I'll only have one lens to start with... it' just so damn expensive!

These are two kinds of photographs; zoom guys and prime guys.

Yep… though some walk the line.

If you're a prime guy, any prime between 15mm and 25mm would be fine. If you're looking for a bright and cheap prime, the Lumix 20mm and the upcoming Lumix 15mm could be good choices.

The 15mm f1.7 has been shipping for quite a while. The 20mm is certainly a good choice. Although, I might opt for the 25mm f1.4.

If you're a zoom guy, there are two possibilities.

First, an entry-level zoom. There is a lot of them. Some are better (the Lumix 14-42mm II and the Lumix 14-45mm) but none are bad. The "worst" being the M.Zuiko 12-50mm (which is actually quite a good lens, but not as sharp as the other ones).

The 14-42mm II is the best of the kit-zoom bunch. As an alternative, there's the 14-140mm II which is comparable to the 14-42mm II, but is a perfect one-does-it-all zoom lens.

Second, you can select a pro-grade standard zoom. Some like the Lumix 12-35mm F/2,8: I for one prefer the M.Zuiko 12-40mm F/2,8 because it's amazingly sharp wide open.

I second the 12-40mm.

It's got a little extra range and close-focus ability allows me to skip carrying a macro lens if I'm simplifying my kit. The OP could look for a refurb (pert nigh impossible to find) or go used.

Since it's simply impossible to make a bad choice, I can agree in advance to your decision.

Pretty much.

JeanPierre Martel wrote:

Second, you can select a pro-grade standard zoom. Some like the Lumix 12-35mm F/2,8: I for one prefer the M.Zuiko 12-40mm F/2,8 because it's amazingly sharp wide open.

Since it's simply impossible to make a bad choice, I can agree in advance to your decision.

To items of the PL 12-35mm  DFD support and Dual Mode IS(Stabilization in BOTH the body and the lens)

GaryG

You can find it and other Panny lenses for good deals on ebay or digitalRev as they are shipped from either Hong Kong or Japan and the prices are MUCH lower than US Retail.

If you cannot afford it, consider sticking with the kit lens and buying one prime like the 20mm or the new 25mm f1.7.

Well thanks folks, I guess 12-35mm F2.8 seems like the overall recommended winner - Now it's time to break the bank I guess and cough up for one!

Appreciate everyone's response - thank you!:-)

dmanthree wrote:

skybushman wrote:

Looking for advice for a single lens (I can only afford one) for my new GX-8?.... Right now my mind is on the 20mm F1.7, however I am wondering if the 12-35 mm F2.8 might not be a better choice seeing I'll only have one lens to start with... it' just so damn expensive!

If you can swing it, get the 12-35. It's the most useful lens you'll ever own.

yes, a lovely lens.

Add a c/u supplementary lens, I have a Marumi 200 (+5), and a willingness to use the EX TEL function which uses half your sensor for a 1.4x effect to turn the 35 long end into 50 (100 FF equiv) occasonally, and you are all set for fun in the sun or the gloom of the gloaming with excellent results.

skybushman wrote:

Looking for advice for a single lens (I can only afford one) for my new GX-8?.... Right now my mind is on the 20mm F1.7, however I am wondering if the 12-35 mm F2.8 might not be a better choice seeing I'll only have one lens to start with... it' just so damn expensive!

I guess it depends on what you shoot. I recently bought the GX8 and I'm alternating between the 12-35, the 15 Summilux (probably the most used for my style of shooting) and the 42.5 Nocticron as the main lenses.

I would say the 15 pairs nicely with the GX in terms of an image aspect and also a genral handling aspect, but whether you can live with the 30mm FOV and whether it's worth it is obviously up to you.

I'm not not a fan of the 20/1.7 for its image quality vs cost / size, but I just don't like the control aspect for a prime, and the FOV is a bit narrow for my liking again as a main prime. I have it, just never use it - especially on the relatively hulking GX, where the size advantage is pretty much moot.

If you want really slow AF with via a noisy motor, the 20mm 1.7 is a perfect choice.

The price dropped $200 on the 12-32mm 2.8 if you want to consider that lens.

A better prime is the Panasonic 42.5mm f/1.7 OIS, although it's a portrait focal length.

If you can hold off for a bit before buying a "normal", the upcoming 25mm 1.7 Lumix lens should offer fast, quiet focusing.

skybushman wrote:

Looking for advice for a single lens (I can only afford one) for my new GX-8?.... Right now my mind is on the 20mm F1.7, however I am wondering if the 12-35 mm F2.8 might not be a better choice seeing I'll only have one lens to start with... it' just so damn expensive!

Depends on what you are doing with the camera...but for me the 20mm makes the most sense to start because (1) you can put the camera in your pocket (2) f1.7 is more useful all around than f2.8 (3) it is cheap.

The GX8 kit I bought came with the 14-42mm f3.5-4.5 mega ois ii , which is excellent in sharpness and everything, even offers Dual IS for the body. If you want low light, a 2.8 zoom is probably better, but is very expensive and hard for me to personally justify for myself at least. I think 2.8 might not even be wide enough.

I'm personally more interested in the panasonic's new 42.5 f1.7 prime lens, which has 1:5 (0.2x) magnification, much better magnification than the olympus 45 1.8 or even 75 1.8 (it too has OIS, so I think if not now, it should eventually support Dual IS). A prime with wide aperture works well imo, cause the DOF you get from f1.4-f1.8 prime is plenty enough for anything, whilst 2.8 might be "too much" even (5.6, when f4 or lower could suffice.. FF equivalency)

But yeah, the kit lens is really really nice. Very very very small (stupid small) compared to anything else I've ever used, yet it probably resolves better than any other panasonic kit zoom.

BJN wrote:

If you want really slow AF with via a noisy motor, the 20mm 1.7 is a perfect choice.

The price dropped $200 on the 12-32mm 2.8 if you want to consider that lens.

A better prime is the Panasonic 42.5mm f/1.7 OIS, although it's a portrait focal length.

If you can hold off for a bit before buying a "normal", the upcoming 25mm 1.7 Lumix lens should offer fast, quiet focusing.

It was my first lens for my first Micro 43 camera (e-pl1) and I never regretted the purchase.  Extremely useful lens with beautiful image quality.  Yes...it makes noise and it's sometimes slow to focus (though much fast to focus with my Panasonic GX7), but a great starter.

I did buy the 17mm after a long while for quicker autofocus, but I just don't like it as much as the 20mm - the focal length is more pleasing for my purposes.

Isabel