Sharp'n'cheap kit lens? Surreal!

[KoolKool]

As average person of lower middle class, i try to enjoy photography with limited budget.

Crop sensor and cheap kit len always have solid place in my heart.

From Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Sony, Olympus..... even when i stopped down at F8, the fuzzy corner still visible and won't be as 50% sharp as center. I always wonder is it possible to design better optical quality on cheap kit lens? Without spend more on less convenient prime or big f2.8 premium zoom?

Then this lumix pancake really impressed me.

Pro:

- Cheap, light and compact

- Sharp from center to corner

- Good color and contrast rendition

- Quite fast AF

Cons:

- Weak flare resistance

- Slow aperture (not bother me much, honestly)

- Len cap and it's filter size too small, easy to get lost (get an auto cap!)

- Ugly starburst

and hey, metal mount vs plastic mount not matter, if you get one with plastic mount, it's great, cause i have heard many issues on metal mount ones.

Here are some of my samples...thanks!

 

[alcelc]

Indeed for the IQ of kit class lenses (f/3.5-XX or f/4-XX) of M43, specially those from Panasonic which I am more familiar with, are good and under friendly price tags: similar to 12~32, there are the 14~45, 14~42 mk-II, 45~150, 35~100 f/4-5.6, or the 14~140 f/3.5~ mk-I or mk-II, they are all having sweetest spot on wide open, and might stop down slightly for improved corners. Some have IQ marginally better than 12~32!

Even the generally hated 14~42 mk-I is plenty sharp, or if shutter shock could be avoided, so is 14~42PZ.

Sweet spot on wide open of M43 lenses can gain some losing ground on the disadvantage of a smaller size sensor of M43.

 

[ahaslett]

We are with you on that. Small, cheap optically decent lenses is a Panasonic strength. My copy of the 35-100 kit is not as good as either of my 12-32s.

Just got a used 25/1.4 mk I. Decent wide open and good at f1.6. Love the rendering, a bargain at £240.

If you can accept its limitations, the 20/1.7 is another bargain (for stills).

Andrew

 

[Allan Brown]

I bought my first copy (silver) to go with my silver EPL5 because I figured the OIS will be better than the IBIS. Not only was it better but it gave the camera a new life.

I later found a black version at a camera show. I have this mounted on my EP5.

Overall, I agree with your assessment except that I find both of them to be very flare resistant.

I later pared both of those with the 35-100 f4-5.6. Along with my O9-18, they make a great travel kit.

Allan

 

[Impulses]

I bought my first copy (silver) to go with my silver EPL5 because I figured the OIS will be better than the IBIS. Not only was it better but it gave the camera a new life.

I later found a black version at a camera show. I have this mounted on my EP5.

Overall, I agree with your assessment except that I find both of them to be very flare resistant.

I later pared both of those with the 35-100 f4-5.6. Along with my O9-18, they make a great travel kit.

Allan

And a travel kit most other formats can't even come close to replicating at anywhere near that size. Sometimes I miss my little 9-18... Still holding unto the 35-100 f4-5.6 even tho I often end up using the f2.8 or primes (42.5/1.7 + 75/1.8).