Bargain lenses

So I lost my GX1 two years ago, bought a cheap bridge camera, broke it, bought a Fuji X100, decided the flaws outweighed the strengths, sold it, upgraded my youngest daughter's saxophone, and now I'm cobbling together money for a used Panasonic GX7 body. As part of that process, I'm looking for cheap decent lenses.

One thing I've noticed is that on Ebay you can often find someone selling an older M4/3 body, something with a 12mp sensor, along with a decent kit lens, and if you end up reselling the body you get the kit lens for about 30 percent less than buying it standalone on Ebay.

So my question is, which M4/3 kit lenses are a real value? What should I keep my eye out for?

If you are looking for a standard zoom kit lens, either the 12~32 or 14~42 mk-II could be the best of similar money. A de-kit (totally new) in grey market could be around US$100.

Since you will use on GX7, its primitive IBIS is far less efficient than lens OIS. Oly might not be your best option.

For longer, might be the 45~150 or 45~175 that should be in similar money. Around <US$150.

14-42 mk-II is a good lens and very good value

12-32 is also very good if you want 12mm, costs just a little more than 14-42

I don't know anything about the GX7, but the GX80 (GX85) is a very capable body, you might find a used one with 12-32 for a reasonable price

The quality of information in this thread is indispensable.  I'm grateful for the information about the primitive IS in the Gx7, and how it won't work with with an IS lens, but on the other hand, I'm on a tight budget and it will still be a huge improvement over the GX1.

One thing I really like about the GX1, the Fuji X100 and the future GX7 is the form factor.  Put a pancake lens on one of those and (in the winter) put it in your jacket pocket and you've got a really decent camera for random street photography or something to keep you interested during family outings.

Thanks everyone.

I agree with this. The GX85 two lens kit gets you a newer, better camera, the 12-32 and 45-150 which are good lenses for $600 US.

Simon97 wrote:

I agree with this. The GX85 two lens kit gets you a newer, better camera, the 12-32 and 45-150 which are good lenses for $600 US.

Reading between the lines, I'm guessing that $600 is way out of the budget.

I'd second what Ghost1999 said about the mark I Panny 14-45mm. I got this lens years ago with a GF1 body. The GF1 is long gone but I won't part with the 14-45. Fairly big, not very fast, but just a very good lens right through its range.

And because of its age, probably selling for not very much these days.

The first Panasonic kit lens, the 14-45mm probably was the best. My sample certainly is better than my 14-42ii. (I never tried the 12-32). As you suggested, you could get it with a G1.

IS is overrated. You will find that you get more unsharp photos by subject movement than by camera movement.

Better get an old body and a good lens than a new body and a mediocre lens. E.g. a used Olympus 12-40 with a G2 will give you better photos than a GX85 with 14-42.

Peter

craniac wrote:

The quality of information in this thread is indispensable. I'm grateful for the information about the primitive IS in the Gx7, and how it won't work with with an IS lens,

It does work with IS, just not the latest version, the Dual IS.

but on the other hand, I'm on a tight budget and it will still be a huge improvement over the GX1.

One thing I really like about the GX1, the Fuji X100 and the future GX7 is the form factor. Put a pancake lens on one of those and (in the winter) put it in your jacket pocket and you've got a really decent camera for random street photography or something to keep you interested during family outings.

If you think along these lines, get a P 1,7/20mm or an O 1,8/25 and forget cheap zoom lenses. There won't be much, you can't do with these excellent primes! - And since they are fast, you won't need IS that much: F3,5 at 1/15s is the same as F1,7 at 1/60s.

Peter

The GX85 12-32mm kit goes for about $400 on Ebay. I don't believe the GX7 14-42 kits goes for a whole lot less and if you buy body only, you need to leave about $100-150 for the lens, so you may not be ahead.

If you're looking for both camera and lens, you might want to consider the Olympus website (getolympus). They have certified reconditioned latest camera and lens kit for a decent price.

https://www.getolympus.com/us/en/outlet/reconditioned-cameras.html