Best "pancake" lens?

Hi everybody!

In a few days, a GX8 will be in my hands.

I'll order a Panny 7-14, 12-35, 45-175 and...I want the best pancake or the smaller lens I could get for just a walking around or just for those moments I just want to bring the smaller photography kit I can. Let's say, just the camera and the smaller lens.

I do want quality. I'm pretty image quality demanding. Ok ok...I know... photography techniques count...and counts a lot! Lets pretend I know those stuff. LOL

I was considering the Panny 20mm 1.7, the Panny 17 1.7, less bright lens as 12-35 (It hasnt to be a prime) etc.

I know Panny 25mm 1.4 is great...but not that portable I guess...

What do you think, guys?

Thank you!

Get the Panny 20mm. It was the first 'proper' lens I bought and it's served me well through my G5, G6 and now lives on my GX8. A lens hood may be difficult to find though: I use a short, rigid, 49mm petal one I found years ago on Ebay, mounted via a 46/49mm step-up ring.

Dragon Fighter wrote:

Hi everybody!

In a few days, a GX8 will be in my hands.

I'll order a Panny 7-14, 12-35, 45-175 and...I want the best pancake or the smaller lens I could get for just a walking around or just for those moments I just want to bring the smaller photography kit I can. Let's say, just the camera and the smaller lens.

I do want quality. I'm pretty image quality demanding. Ok ok...I know... photography techniques count...and counts a lot! Lets pretend I know those stuff. LOL

I was considering the Panny 20mm 1.7, the Panny 17 1.7, less bright lens as 12-35 (It hasnt to be a prime) etc.

I know Panny 25mm 1.4 is great...but not that portable I guess...

What do you think, guys?

Thank you!

I have the 20mm f1.7, and it's a great lens, with its own little quirks.  Tack sharp photos when you nail it!

I don't have the 14mm f2.5, but I've seen what it's capable of, and I WANT it!  It's on my short (no pun intended) list.

Happy Snapping!

Tom

I wonder if the 20/1.7 will ever have a 3rd version that addresses the banding issues. I'd snap that lens up in a heartbeat, but the most common use I'd have for it is high iso situations where banding is most problematic. I'd drop my Panny 25/1.7 in a heartbeat.

Or - maybe Olympus will upgrade their 17/2.8 pancake with a F1.8 version.

I'd love a fast pancake prime in the "normal" focal length range. I'm halfway tempted to sell my E-M10 and get a GX7 maybe so I can have that wonderful little pancake prime - paired with their equally well regarded pancake zoom.

But boy do I enjoy my M10.

Choices. Decisions. Compromises. Argh!!

I have the 20mm 1.7, and it has been my walking around lens on a small camera body since time out of mind. But my next lens will be a 25mm 1.4 because it is a great lens, suits my preferred focal length a bit better, and is not that big, especially on a GX8.

F.

Its not really a pancake, but its small enough to not really matter. Rendering is fantastic and the AF is quick... its also built to a higher standard than the 20 f1.7 (or the 25mm f1.4) and can be found for $400, which makes it a pretty good buy. It is my favorite lens for the system, but I'm biased as I actually like the field of view much more than the 25mm f1.4.

You have a number of outstanding lenses to choose from.  My go-to lens has been the 20 1.7 for many years.  Because I use Panasonic bodies, I do not have a problem with banding.  It is slightly slower to attain focus, but not by much.  It is very sharp.  The 15 1.7 is not a pancake, but it is not large either.  That is another very sharp lens and you have the additional benefit of the the aperture selection right on the lens (just like the old days).   I like that lens a lot too.  The 14 2.5 is another very good lens when you want the traditional 28mm focal length.  The 12-32 which came on my GM5 has migrated to the GX7, GX8 and GH4 when a 24 - 64 focal length was wanted and I did not want to carry heavier and larger lenses.  All of those lenses are very good and it is just a choice of which focal length you want.  Happy hunting !

Is my favorite lens ever. Small, reasonably sharp, fast enough for astro, and did I mention small?

Taken 200' up a wall, EM10 just carried over my shoulder with the P14.

Anything bigger and I might opt to leave it on the ground instead

Later that evening, left on a tripod doing a timelapse while we climbed to the top of this formation.

Dragon Fighter wrote:

I was considering the Panny 20mm 1.7, the Panny 17 1.7, less bright lens as 12-35 (It hasnt to be a prime) etc.

For the combination of IQ (excellent sharpness and a reasonable bokeh for its class), price, focal-length (not too long like the 25mm, and not too wide like the 17mm), max aperture, and size.  Perfect for walk about.  The speed of the AF is fine for its intended purpose as a walk around general purpose lens.

richj20 wrote:

Dragon Fighter wrote:

Hi everybody!

In a few days, a GX8 will be in my hands.

Congratulations!

...I want the best pancake or the smaller lens I could get for just a walking around or just for those moments I just want to bring the smaller photography kit I can. Let's say, just the camera and the smaller lens.

...

I was considering the Panny 20mm 1.7, the Panny 17 1.7, less bright lens as 12-35 (It hasnt to be a prime) etc.

Best = what most fits your needs! When carrying just one lens as you describe, which focal length do you want? That is what you should determine by testing.

What do you think, guys?

Well, I'll speak for the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7. I have the original, and must say that it is my favorite lens in many ways. It does so much and is a lot of fun to use. Some examples:

I have more photographs here:

Panasonic 20mm f/1.7

Happy choosing your lens!

- Richard

Thank you, Richard!

you got excellent photos with the 20.

My problem (or not) is...I love shooting everything! Lol

i don't have specific ranges. I shoot whatever it crosses my eyes. Lol

love shooting portraits, landscapes, cityscapes, sunsets, sunrises, sports, long exposures and so.

Panny 20 is winning votes I guess...

I'll check the 12-32 also, but I love having bokeh photos...

Dragon Fighter wrote:

Hi everybody!

In a few days, a GX8 will be in my hands.

I'll order a Panny 7-14, 12-35, 45-175 and...I want the best pancake or the smaller lens I could get for just a walking around or just for those moments I just want to bring the smaller photography kit I can. Let's say, just the camera and the smaller lens.

I do want quality. I'm pretty image quality demanding. Ok ok...I know... photography techniques count...and counts a lot! Lets pretend I know those stuff. LOL

I was considering the Panny 20mm 1.7, the Panny 17 1.7, less bright lens as 12-35 (It hasnt to be a prime) etc.

I know Panny 25mm 1.4 is great...but not that portable I guess...

What do you think, guys?

Thank you!

I just got the GX8 as well and you can see the lenses below in my profile. I'm coming from a Fuji X100s with a tiny 35mm (FOV) f/2 pancake built-in and the X-T1 with lenses. I too, wanted a smallish prime for walking around.

Years ago, I had the 20 f/1.7 mark I and the AF was slow and noisy. The Mark II may be different, I'd like to hear others input on this. For me, the "ideal" lens would be the Oly 17 f/1.8 as that's a 35mm FOV and "just about right"...for me. I got the Oly 25mm f/1.8 (50mm FOV) as my second most used lens on the Fuji's was the 35mm f/1.4 (50mm FOV) on the X-T1. I'll likely end up with both.

Don't rule out the 25 f/1.8 from Olympus just yet, if you like a 50mm FOV. It's smaller than my Fujinon 35 f/1.4 (I was shocked how small) and with the lens hood is really about the size of the tiny pancake on the X100 line with a hood...and that took pancake to the extreme. I've got the 25 on my old GF1 right now for fun and it's a compact little setup and that's what I used to have the 20 f/1.7 on. BTW, the Oly 25 AF on the GX8 is swift, much faster than the 20 that I remember and much faster than the Fuji 35...plus it's silent (unlike the 20).

P Langham wrote:

Great pics.

Does your 14mm ever make a strange hissing/rattling sound when the camera is turned on and moved?

Thanks for the kind words. No. My PL 25mm rattles like crazy but I've never noticed much noise of any kind from the 14mm.