Panasonic 14mm f2.5?

Hi, I have the 17mm f2.8 Olympus lens that came with my old epl-3 camera.

I love the lens, but now there are many better options.

Inhave my eye on the cheap Panasonic 14mm f2.5, but I wonder if the optical quality is only marginally better than the 17mm f2.8

Anybody have experience with the 14mm f2.5?

I do outdoor, ‘street’, and friend and family gatherings etc

I don’t see too much about this lens on the net, and I’m worried that it is basically Panasonic’s version of the Olympus 17mm f2.8

I want a better optical quality than the 17mm f2.8

The 14/2.5 is a fine lens for what it is - an inexpensive, tiny lens. It won't win any awards for its rendering, but I've never had any concerns going out with mounted on any of my bodies. If I had to say something about the rendering, I'd venture that the lens isn't super contrast-y, and you have to work a bit more in post to get your images to pop.

If you're looking strictly for the smallest autofocusing lens you can get, I'd grab one - if you mount it on an E-PL or a GX850 you end up with a camera with similar photographic chops to a Fuji X70, in only a slightly bigger package.

If you're looking for better rendition, I'd look at either the PL 15/1.7 or the Oly 17/1.8 instead. These are both bigger and heavier lenses - about twice as big as the 14/2.5 - but are definitely better. By reputation, the 15/1.7 is sharper than the 17/1.8, but between my 17 and my wife's 15, there isn't anything between them. I personally prefer the rendering of the 17, though I may be biased (I prefer 24mm and 35mm perspectives, don't like 28mm as much).

The PL15 still commands a relatively steep price, but I've started seeing used prices on the 17/1.8 fall a bit (probably due to pressure from the PL15), and while it's more than the Panasonic 14/2.5, it's not extravagantly so if you're lucky.

One lens I would personally avoid for street shooting and family gatherings is the Panasonic 20/1.7. It's a very sharp lens and quite compact, but the AF performance leaves much to be desired. The 15 and 17 are quick with the AF (the 17 is lightning fast), and the 20 could be judiciously called "leisurely." However, it makes for a great still-life lens (museums, posed pictures of family/friends), so may be worth collecting at some point.

aliasfox wrote:

The 14/2.5 is a fine lens for what it is - an inexpensive, tiny lens. It won't win any awards for its rendering, but I've never had any concerns going out with mounted on any of my bodies. If I had to say something about the rendering, I'd venture that the lens isn't super contrast-y, and you have to work a bit more in post to get your images to pop.

If you're looking strictly for the smallest autofocusing lens you can get, I'd grab one - if you mount it on an E-PL or a GX850 you end up with a camera with similar photographic chops to a Fuji X70, in only a slightly bigger package.

If you're looking for better rendition, I'd look at either the PL 15/1.7 or the Oly 17/1.8 instead. These are both bigger and heavier lenses - about twice as big as the 14/2.5 - but are definitely better. By reputation, the 15/1.7 is sharper than the 17/1.8, but between my 17 and my wife's 15, there isn't anything between them. I personally prefer the rendering of the 17, though I may be biased (I prefer 24mm and 35mm perspectives, don't like 28mm as much).

The PL15 still commands a relatively steep price, but I've started seeing used prices on the 17/1.8 fall a bit (probably due to pressure from the PL15), and while it's more than the Panasonic 14/2.5, it's not extravagantly so if you're lucky.

One lens I would personally avoid for street shooting and family gatherings is the Panasonic 20/1.7. It's a very sharp lens and quite compact, but the AF performance leaves much to be desired. The 15 and 17 are quick with the AF (the 17 is lightning fast), and the 20 could be judiciously called "leisurely." However, it makes for a great still-life lens (museums, posed pictures of family/friends), so may be worth collecting at some point.

Thanks for all of your thoughts. I may look into a used 17mm f1.8...

Here's a good sharpness test report of several lenses that are in the mix with your current lens.

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/05/wide-angle-micro-43-imatest-results/

The 14/2.5 shows better than the 17/2.8.

There is nothing better at that (new) price with AF near that FL. If you want to five on one of those parameters, there are some choices.

If it was me I'd have a long hard look at the Pan Leica 15/1.7 even if the shutter ring is non-functional on Oly. The Oly 17/1.8 *may* not be as good optically, but it does have the focus ring. I am partial to physical lens controls because they make picture taking a lot easier.

jdu_sg wrote:

Here's a good sharpness test report of several lenses that are in the mix with your current lens.

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/05/wide-angle-micro-43-imatest-results/

The 14/2.5 shows better than the 17/2.8.

There is nothing better at that (new) price with AF near that FL. If you want to five on one of those parameters, there are some choices.

If it was me I'd have a long hard look at the Pan Leica 15/1.7 even if the shutter ring is non-functional on Oly. The Oly 17/1.8 *may* not be as good optically, but it does have the focus ring. I am partial to physical lens controls because they make picture taking a lot easier.

Thanks for the link! I’m now going to search for a used 17mm...

I have had the 14/2,5 mk I since 2010. Did not like it for the first five years.I have always had, but never used the 28. My favourit has always been the 40mm (20mm in mft) lens.In 2019 I forced my self to use it more frequently and found it superb for street photography.

Allan Brown wrote:

BluenoseNS wrote:

jdu_sg wrote:

Here's a good sharpness test report of several lenses that are in the mix with your current lens.

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/05/wide-angle-micro-43-imatest-results/

The 14/2.5 shows better than the 17/2.8.

There is nothing better at that (new) price with AF near that FL. If you want to five on one of those parameters, there are some choices.

If it was me I'd have a long hard look at the Pan Leica 15/1.7 even if the shutter ring is non-functional on Oly. The Oly 17/1.8 *may* not be as good optically, but it does have the focus ring. I am partial to physical lens controls because they make picture taking a lot easier.

Thanks for the link! I’m now going to search for a used 17mm...

One issue with the 17mm f1.8 is field curvature. This makes it difficult to get sharp photos across the frame - not the greatest for group photos. I have used it and I did not buy it. I bought the 15mm f1.7 instead.

Last year I did a side - by - side comparison of the 14mm f2.5 at f2.5 vs the 15mm f1.7 at f1.7. Regarding sharpness, I do not see any difference - even in the corners. See the photos below. (Ignore the slight difference in exposure).

Another lens you may want to look at is the 12-32mm. I also did a comparison with this to the 14mm and did not see any difference at 14mm. I use the 12-32mm a lot for street photography and it works well. The 12-32 is a good lens while not as fast as the others, it is stabilized and very small.

So, the 14mm is a good lens and is the smallest and better suited for groups but do look at the 12-32mm.

Allan

Panasonic 14mm f2.5 @ f2.5

Panasonic 15mm f1.7 @ f1.7

The 15mm f1.7 looks fantastic, but is currently $750 Canadian!!

For me, that is firmly in the ‘camera body cost’ slot

I have a new pen f being shipped to me, so the 15mm f1.8 May have to wait.

While I don't have the Oly 17mm the Panny 14mm pancake is a solid lens.

Dale

BluenoseNS wrote:

Hi, I have the 17mm f2.8 Olympus lens that came with my old epl-3 camera.

I love the lens, but now there are many better options.

Inhave my eye on the cheap Panasonic 14mm f2.5, but I wonder if the optical quality is only marginally better than the 17mm f2.8

Anybody have experience with the 14mm f2.5?

I do outdoor, ‘street’, and friend and family gatherings etc

I don’t see too much about this lens on the net, and I’m worried that it is basically Panasonic’s version of the Olympus 17mm f2.8

I want a better optical quality than the 17mm f2.8

I just never liked the 14/2.5, I prefer the 12-32. The 12-32 was marginally sharper in my tests, I often use it as a compact 12/3.5 (with stabilization). The rendering of the 14/2.5 just seemed unexciting, and I prefer the 12 focal length anyway.

BluenoseNS wrote:

Hi, I have the 17mm f2.8 Olympus lens that came with my old epl-3 camera.

I love the lens, but now there are many better options.

Inhave my eye on the cheap Panasonic 14mm f2.5, but I wonder if the optical quality is only marginally better than the 17mm f2.8

Anybody have experience with the 14mm f2.5?

I do outdoor, ‘street’, and friend and family gatherings etc

The 14mm is kind of a forgotten lens. I think it's a "must own" but others probably disagree.

Why? It's the smallest lens in the platform unless I'm mistaken and I love small lenses. It is also one of the sharpest lenses I've ever used. I tend to shoot it around f5.6 in the street, where 28mm is really useful. Another bonus is how inexpensive it is. For great for specific cases where size and stopped-down sharpness are valuable.

On the other hand that also limits its usefulness. It's not a very versatile lens. For friends and family gatherings you probably want something faster. 2.5 isn't very fast and it's better stopped down anyway, so for people there are better choices, like a 17 or 15, or even the (really large) Sigma 16mm 1.4.

I want a better optical quality than the 17mm f2.8

It is better than the 17 2.8 for sure, just be sure that you're using the right lens for the right application. Actually there isn't anything wrong with the 17 either if you stop it down.

Greg

14, quit an old lens, does not have a really fast speed, IMHO its IQ is neither outstanding (reasonably good) nor bad ...

IMHO under the general tendency of Oly shooter would have a first preference on Oly lens, such lens would normally picked up by Panny shooters (of course there are always exceptions). As a non outstanding lens nor has anything special, its owner base would be limited.

I also suspect that like myself, many of its owners got it as a kit lens with a Panny body. As Panny only adopt IBIS on recent models, a f/2.5 non OIS lens indeed cannot use slower shutter speed than a  f/3.5 OIS lens on a non IBIS body. Compounded by the good quality of Panny consumer grade zoom that is closed to 14 in real life (at least true to my copy), hence except for its pancake design or low cost, it has nothing standing out in the old days.

I suppose those are major reasons for 14 has never received warm welcome as its siblings e.g. the 20 f/1.7 or those f/1.8 lenses from Oly.

I have it for many years since G1's day, rarely use it. But for a compact low cost and reasonable IQ wide angle lens, not a bad option at all.

I have onwed both lenses, on a panasonic body it is the better lens.

it works with no problem and focuses well.

It is a different focal length, so you really want the 14mm for the focal length and not for the optical output, because you may want a 17 for that focal length.

The output is on par with the 17 if choosing manual focus, otherwise in AF 14 is a winner.