Best Standard Zoom

Kalamaki wrote:

Same as below, but bounced the flash off the ceiling

14mm with flash F3.5 ISO 160

Henry Richardson wrote:

Kalamaki wrote:

I have a Lumix G6 & recently got hold of a Sigma 30mm. The shots from the Sigma highlighted the shortcomings of the 14-42 Kit Lens. I used the 14-42 with a Metz 36 AF-5, at my daughter's birthday party, on Saturday. Generally disappointing shots. The flash seemed to make things worse, rather than better. I tried it with the diffuser, I tried bouncing etc.

Some example photos would be very helpful. No way to know if the problem is the lens or something else from that meager amount of info.

You are using TTL or not? I have not downloaded the samples to check for the sharpness. But according to the exposure, the 1st one (using bounce flash) if not satisfy, be slightly under exposed. I suppose shoot at 1/60" or +1/2~2/3ev flash output for better result. Bounce flash would be harder to use. The 2nd is properly well brightened but might slightly over exposed to some people's taste. Why not consider -1/3~1/2ev in flash output?

If there is focus issue, poor IQ then it would something be related to your kit lens. If the speed of your kit lens could meet with your need (like the full of motion shooting in a darker environment), then a faster lens be needed. But the samples above looking likely more on the control of flash.

Kalamaki --

You have, i think, two quite different issues: lens quality/speed, and lighting/flash control.

That Sigma is not a fast prime; f2.8 just like the best zooms and at most two stops faster than the kit zoom.

Aperture matters in flash photography since it determines how hard the flash has to work for a given ISO.  Note that last clause: you should be able to get the same lighting balance with your kit, compared to the sigma wide open, by mulitplying the ISO by four (i.e. if the Sigma used ISO 800@f2.8, then the kit needed ISO 3200@f5.6).

As a general flash technique, the closer the ambient lighting is to needed exposure the smaller the problem of balancing illumination across the scene.  On my FF dSLR i try to turn up the ISO to within a stop of exposure; if i can do that without blowing past ISO 6400 i easily get nice shots, particularly with wireless placement of multiple units.

But flash techniques -- which are not m4/3 strong suit in my experience -- are its own skill/discipline.   The way you describe your problem, i think that that is where most of the issues are not your lenses.

Finally i note that Sigma sells a sweetheart of 19mm f2.8 prime (and 60mm for that matter) to complement your 30mm for under $200.  That focal length / FOV is much more suited to most interior, flash, use.

Good luck.  Experience and skills will improve your flash results.  I do not think dropping $1200 on an f2.8 zoom would be a major step in that direction compared to the factors i mentioned.

Kalamaki wrote:

Same as below, but bounced the flash off the ceiling

14mm with flash F3.5 ISO 160

Henry Richardson wrote:

Kalamaki wrote:

I have a Lumix G6 & recently got hold of a Sigma 30mm. The shots from the Sigma highlighted the shortcomings of the 14-42 Kit Lens. I used the 14-42 with a Metz 36 AF-5, at my daughter's birthday party, on Saturday. Generally disappointing shots. The flash seemed to make things worse, rather than better. I tried it with the diffuser, I tried bouncing etc.

Some example photos would be very helpful. No way to know if the problem is the lens or something else from that meager amount of info.

In the 2nd photo the focus is on the blond hair of the girls in the foreground, this makes the rest of the party scene very soft.

The kit zooms are not very good, but not that bad that. This can be seen in the 1st photo, where the focus is on the girls sitting on the sofa to the left.

I find the PL 1,4/25 a very good solution, I use my 1,7/20mm much more often than any other lens.

Regards, Peter

In the 2nd photo the focus is on the blond hair of the girls in the foreground, this makes the rest of the party scene very soft.

Exactly what I was going to say.