Panasonic body, Olympus 4/3 lenses best options? G85 any good?

Thank you.  What I find interesting is how the Panasonic bodies focus quite well with the legacy Panasonic 4/3 lenses.  As mentioned in my post the 14-150mm Vario Elmar focusses quite well and I know from past experience the 25mm 1.4 D does as well.  I wonder why the difference?

Also I remember being quite impressed with how the Olympus M5 - II focussed with an Olympus 50mm f2 ED attached and I don't believe it shares the M1's PDAF chops.  Was hoping for the same in a different Panny body.  Might head down to the camera shop today to try a few out and see.

As an amateur for 50 years shooting with Nikons, Pentax, Oly, and Panny among others, I've "graduated" to m4/3 with a G6, G7, and now a G85. For me, 16mp is more than sufficient using quality glass, shooting RAW. I still print and 11"x19" is my yardstick.

Nearly any new camera has the potential image quality and "accessory abilities" that one needs or wants to play with, but for each of us, when needing or wanting to work, there's a "pair of boots" that fit our needs like no other.  Saying that, ergonomics, ease of programming, focusing accuracy, and now stabilization of primes are at the top of my "requirement ladder".

I chose the G6 at the time mostly for it's feel in my hands.  After much use, the G7  emerged with huge improvements in every category where the G6 was lacking.  Now, the G85 has taken that even farther.  Personally, I've never used a camera of any make which has pleased me more.  Since you have used a G6, at its price, the G85 will not disappoint you, believe me!

Regards.....Warren

Gooutside wrote:

Hello there,

I am a long time Olympus 4/3 user and recently picked up a G6 for fun when I don't want to bring out the E5. I have to admit I am using it more and more and am beginning to think about selling the E5 now. I find the AF with the G6, MMF2 and Panasonic 14-150mm 4/3 lens to be fine for my purposes...actually surprised how well it works. That said with the Olympus branded lenses it is more in line with what I expected.

I like the ergonomics of the Panasonic bodies..and I know the EM-1 is an option for sure but was curious about which of the later Panasonic bodies work better with Olympus 4/3 lenses? I remember trying them on a GH4 in a store and it was about the same as my G6 - but that was a while ago. Not too keen on dropping the $$$ needed for a GH5 or G9 so interested in G85 for example.

Not much of a sports shooter and as mentioned the Panasonic 14-150mm 4/3 lenses focusses just fine for my purposes as a point of reference.

http://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/support/global/cs/dsc/connect/g6.html

http://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/support/global/cs/dsc/connect/g80.html

http://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/support/global/cs/dsc/connect/gh5.html

http://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/support/global/cs/dsc/connect/g9.html

I don't have any experience with FT lenses, but this is what Panasonic has to say. Just from a cursory look, I don't see major differences in the compatibility, as stated in these links. I can tell you with native lenses that the G85 is better at focusing than the G6. With FT lenses, I don't know.

http://m43photo.blogspot.ca/2010/03/four-thirds-lens-compatability.html?m=1

The list is incomplete.

The 14-150, later 14-50 and 25mm from Panasonic are all cdaf with the latest firmware.

The 25mm pancake from Olympus is too.

Thanks everyone...I am going to go on a field trip today to see if the G85 is an improvement over the G6 with legacy Olympus lenses.  I will say from experience that the legacy Panasonic lenses 14-150mm and 25mm really do focus well on my G6...on top of being staggeringly good optically.

Would be helpful to discuss which specific ZD 4/3 lenses you're considering. Many of us have used most of the collection on E-M1s--both models--and can comment on the transition to m4/3.

I use SHG lenses the most--7-14, 35-100, 150. Secondarily the 35 macro, 50-200 mk1, 12-60. The difference between how they behave on the E-M5 or GM5 and the E-M1s is night and day.

IQ-wise of course they do not care which camera they're mounted to. The SHGs wring every pixel from  the 20MP sensors, pretty good for a system that never went past 12MP.

Cheers,

Rick

Well just got back from the store and had a chance to try the 11-22 and 50mm macro on a G85 and it performs about the same as my G6..so not much point in upgrading to that camera (AF speed wise).  That said it sure is a lovely handling camera.  Can certainly see why people here like it so much.

Might just have to grab a em-1 for those times I need better than glacial af speed.  

Gooutside wrote:

Well just got back from the store and had a chance to try the 11-22 and 50mm macro on a G85 and it performs about the same as my G6..so not much point in upgrading to that camera (AF speed wise). That said it sure is a lovely handling camera. Can certainly see why people here like it so much.

Might just have to grab a em-1 for those times I need better than glacial af speed.

The E-M1's PDAF will work better with PDAF only lenses. I'm not so sure it will work as well with CDAF capable FT lenses. The G85 is a better focusing camera than the E-M1 with native MFT lenses, so it might work better with CDAF FT lenses.

Just a thought. I can't say for certain.

Holistic Photog wrote:

The E-M1's PDAF will work better with PDAF only lenses. I'm not so sure it will work as well with CDAF capable FT lenses. The G85 is a better focusing camera than the E-M1 with native MFT lenses, so it might work better with CDAF FT lenses.

Just a thought. I can't say for certain.

I'd want to drill down further before drawing any conclusions about E-M1 vs G85 focus comparisons. E-M1--either version--is blazing fast and accurate with native m4/3 lenses. G85 may, and likely is a bit better with Panny lenses due to DfD. I'd be surprised, shocked even if it proved better with the Pro lenses. I shoot action with the Pro teles on both E-M1s and it's generally dead on, with very high keeper rates.

G9 has raised Panny's game and it's interesting to see the work from folks who own it, the 100-400 and the E-M1ii. They're close but it seems the edge probably goes to the G9. Swap the zoom for the 300 Pro and things change, but I've seen fewer A:B comparisons.

Cheers,

Rick

dougjgreen1 wrote:

Holistic Photog wrote:

Gooutside wrote:

Well just got back from the store and had a chance to try the 11-22 and 50mm macro on a G85 and it performs about the same as my G6..so not much point in upgrading to that camera (AF speed wise). That said it sure is a lovely handling camera. Can certainly see why people here like it so much.

Might just have to grab a em-1 for those times I need better than glacial af speed.

The E-M1's PDAF will work better with PDAF only lenses. I'm not so sure it will work as well with CDAF capable FT lenses. The G85 is a better focusing camera than the E-M1 with native MFT lenses, so it might work better with CDAF FT lenses.

Just a thought. I can't say for certain.

The E-M1 version 1 works just fine with the CDAF-enabled lenses, I regularly use it with the 14-54 mk II, the 9-18, and the 70-300. In fact, it focuses them faster than the bodies that ONLY focus with CDAF lenses, so I suspect the EM1 is simultaneously using both mechanisms, PDAF for course movements and CDAF for fine adjustments.

I know it works very well. I'm just saying that it's possible the G85 would work even better for those specific lenses that support CDAF.

From my observations, DFD bodies were clearly better than the original E-M1 with native lenses. It wasn't until the E-M1 II that Olympus got on the same playing field.

Assuming CDAF capable FT lenses function similarly to native lenses, it's possible that DFD bodies are better with these lenses.

Skeeterbytes wrote:

Holistic Photog wrote:

The E-M1's PDAF will work better with PDAF only lenses. I'm not so sure it will work as well with CDAF capable FT lenses. The G85 is a better focusing camera than the E-M1 with native MFT lenses, so it might work better with CDAF FT lenses.

Just a thought. I can't say for certain.

I'd want to drill down further before drawing any conclusions about E-M1 vs G85 focus comparisons. E-M1--either version--is blazing fast and accurate with native m4/3 lenses. G85 may, and likely is a bit better with Panny lenses due to DfD. I'd be surprised, shocked even if it proved better with the Pro lenses. I shoot action with the Pro teles on both E-M1s and it's generally dead on, with very high keeper rates.

I disagree. DFD bodies were far better focusing in a number of situations, even with many Olympus lenses, than the E-M1. I can't say for certain that in certain isolated situations with certain Olympus lenses that the E-M1 wouldn't win out, but the E-M1 wasn't in the game for most uses.

G9 has raised Panny's game and it's interesting to see the work from folks who own it, the 100-400 and the E-M1ii. They're close but it seems the edge probably goes to the G9. Swap the zoom for the 300 Pro and things change, but I've seen fewer A:B comparisons.

Cheers,

Rick

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dougjgreen1 wrote:

Unfortunately, None of the Panasonic bodies work well with the 4/3 lenses that don't support CDAF focusing. However all of them work OK with the limited set of 4/3 lenses which DO support CDAF focusing:

My 4/3rds lens with adapters focus fine on all my m4/3rds bodies, Panasonic included, except some limitations with the original G1,

therefore I say your post is overly pessimistic, however there is always the probability that my fine is your awful.

I am always pleasantly surprised with the focus speed and accuracy of my 9-18mm and my 14-54MkI

dougjgreen1 wrote:

Not true, see my reply above. In fact, the Em1.1 focuses the 14-54 mk ii somewhat faster than it focuses the 14-54 mk i.

Help me out--which isn't true?

Thanks,

Rick

ETA I see the post now.