WoodWorks
Mu-43 Regular
Lumix 14-42X Lens Mini Review
I've been using the Lumix G Vario PZ 14-42 f/3.5-5.6 lens with my Panasonic DMC-GX1 for almost a month now, and finally had the time to do a somewhat systematic evaluation of it, and compare it to the regular Lumix 14-42mm lens, as well do some comparisons with the Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 and the Olympus 45mm f/1.8 lenses.
What follows are some comparison shots between the lenses. I tried to level the playing field and show each lens under the best possible, identical circumstances. Both the camera and the lenses have the latest firmware updates.
There are two different scenes. The first, where I shot hand held images with daylight white balance in manual mode. All of these images were shot at ISO 160, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, and OIS turned off. These were done in a way that I hope eliminates the potential for degradation due to faulty OIS or slow shutter speeds. The second scene, also shot in daylight white balance and manual mode and ISO 160, but at 1/125 sec. and f/5.6. Here I shot a couple of bursts with each lens with OIS turned off, then with OIS turned on, and finally mounted to a tripod with OIS off.
They were all shot raw and developed in ACR 6.6 at the default settings. There is no sharpening, color correction, noise reduction or any editing other than resizing the full frame images, and cropping the 100% crops.
So here we go. First, the scene that I shot at 14mm, a barn and pond near my home in Ashland, Oregon.
And the same scene at 42mm. Both of these were shot with the 14-42X.
And here are some 100% crops of the center of the frame. The 14-42X is on the left, the 14-42 is on the right. Not much, if any difference. This has been my experience with any shots >1/320 sec.
Just for grins, I compared the 14-42X to the Olympus 45 f/1.8. Clearly the Olympus prime has better contrast and resolution. I have shot other images where the difference is more pronounced. But you would expect a prime, especially one as good as the Olympus 45mm, to outperform almost any zoom lens.
Compared with the 14mm f/2.5 there was almost no difference in the center of the frame. But at the corners, the 14-42X outperforms the 14mm prime. I have shot other images where the 14mm prime exhibits considerable CA and softness in the corners, which the 14-42X does not. My judgment is that, except for the slight speed advantage, the 14-42X has better IQ than the 14mm prime. Here you can see the difference in corner sharpness, the 14-42X at the left, the 14mm f/2.5 at the right.
I then moved to the center of town to shoot a scene where I could shoot at a lower shutter speed, where the 14-42X has exhibited problems with sharpness. I zoomed to 42mm and focused on the lower edge of the center window.
I first shot a burst with the 14-42X and then the 14-42, both with OIS off, and then extracted the sharpest frame from each burst, reasoning that this would help eliminate the effects of hand shake.
Here is a 100% crop from the best frame from each burst, with OIS off. The 14-42X is on top, the 14-42 on the bottom.
These are with OIS on, again with 14-42X on the top, and the 14-42 on the bottom.
In both of those, I judge the 14-42X to be softer than the standard 14-42mm.
And here are the two lenses with the camera mounted on a tripod with the OIS off, 14-42X on top, 14-42 on the bottom. Here, the 14-42X seems to be sharper.
My Conclusions
Based on this evaluation, plus the time I have spent using it in the past month, the Lumix G Vario PZ 14-42 f/3.5-5.6 lens seems no better than the standard Lumix 14-42mm lens except in physical size. Given its considerably higher price, only those who value its smaller form factor would find it a worthwhile purchase. Its IQ falls short of any of the µ4/3 primes, with the exception of the 14mm f/2.5, which it clearly outperforms at the edges. To me it is, given its pre-release buzz, a disappointment.
Having said that, I plan on keeping mine, and perhaps even selling the 14mm f/2.5. I like being able to easily slip the GX1 and lens and EVF into my jacket pocket, something I could never do with the standard Lumix 14-42mm or 14-45mm kit lenses. It is a decent enough lens in good light, focuses very quickly, and together with the 20mm f/1.7 and 45mm f/1.8 prime lenses makes a potent, and yet still pocketable trifecta.
I think I may be getting a little spoiled here, and have developed some seriously inflated expectations. Today after I did this evaluation, I took the time to pore over some photos I shot with my old Canon Rebel XT and 17-85mm kit lens a mere five years ago. They make the Lumix 14-42X look like a diamond. So though my primes may get the bulk of the shots on my GX1, I think I'll find plenty of opportunities to share the camera with the X lens.
David
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I've been using the Lumix G Vario PZ 14-42 f/3.5-5.6 lens with my Panasonic DMC-GX1 for almost a month now, and finally had the time to do a somewhat systematic evaluation of it, and compare it to the regular Lumix 14-42mm lens, as well do some comparisons with the Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 and the Olympus 45mm f/1.8 lenses.
What follows are some comparison shots between the lenses. I tried to level the playing field and show each lens under the best possible, identical circumstances. Both the camera and the lenses have the latest firmware updates.
There are two different scenes. The first, where I shot hand held images with daylight white balance in manual mode. All of these images were shot at ISO 160, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, and OIS turned off. These were done in a way that I hope eliminates the potential for degradation due to faulty OIS or slow shutter speeds. The second scene, also shot in daylight white balance and manual mode and ISO 160, but at 1/125 sec. and f/5.6. Here I shot a couple of bursts with each lens with OIS turned off, then with OIS turned on, and finally mounted to a tripod with OIS off.
They were all shot raw and developed in ACR 6.6 at the default settings. There is no sharpening, color correction, noise reduction or any editing other than resizing the full frame images, and cropping the 100% crops.
So here we go. First, the scene that I shot at 14mm, a barn and pond near my home in Ashland, Oregon.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
And the same scene at 42mm. Both of these were shot with the 14-42X.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
And here are some 100% crops of the center of the frame. The 14-42X is on the left, the 14-42 is on the right. Not much, if any difference. This has been my experience with any shots >1/320 sec.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Just for grins, I compared the 14-42X to the Olympus 45 f/1.8. Clearly the Olympus prime has better contrast and resolution. I have shot other images where the difference is more pronounced. But you would expect a prime, especially one as good as the Olympus 45mm, to outperform almost any zoom lens.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
Compared with the 14mm f/2.5 there was almost no difference in the center of the frame. But at the corners, the 14-42X outperforms the 14mm prime. I have shot other images where the 14mm prime exhibits considerable CA and softness in the corners, which the 14-42X does not. My judgment is that, except for the slight speed advantage, the 14-42X has better IQ than the 14mm prime. Here you can see the difference in corner sharpness, the 14-42X at the left, the 14mm f/2.5 at the right.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
I then moved to the center of town to shoot a scene where I could shoot at a lower shutter speed, where the 14-42X has exhibited problems with sharpness. I zoomed to 42mm and focused on the lower edge of the center window.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
I first shot a burst with the 14-42X and then the 14-42, both with OIS off, and then extracted the sharpest frame from each burst, reasoning that this would help eliminate the effects of hand shake.
Here is a 100% crop from the best frame from each burst, with OIS off. The 14-42X is on top, the 14-42 on the bottom.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
These are with OIS on, again with 14-42X on the top, and the 14-42 on the bottom.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
In both of those, I judge the 14-42X to be softer than the standard 14-42mm.
And here are the two lenses with the camera mounted on a tripod with the OIS off, 14-42X on top, 14-42 on the bottom. Here, the 14-42X seems to be sharper.
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
My Conclusions
Based on this evaluation, plus the time I have spent using it in the past month, the Lumix G Vario PZ 14-42 f/3.5-5.6 lens seems no better than the standard Lumix 14-42mm lens except in physical size. Given its considerably higher price, only those who value its smaller form factor would find it a worthwhile purchase. Its IQ falls short of any of the µ4/3 primes, with the exception of the 14mm f/2.5, which it clearly outperforms at the edges. To me it is, given its pre-release buzz, a disappointment.
Having said that, I plan on keeping mine, and perhaps even selling the 14mm f/2.5. I like being able to easily slip the GX1 and lens and EVF into my jacket pocket, something I could never do with the standard Lumix 14-42mm or 14-45mm kit lenses. It is a decent enough lens in good light, focuses very quickly, and together with the 20mm f/1.7 and 45mm f/1.8 prime lenses makes a potent, and yet still pocketable trifecta.
I think I may be getting a little spoiled here, and have developed some seriously inflated expectations. Today after I did this evaluation, I took the time to pore over some photos I shot with my old Canon Rebel XT and 17-85mm kit lens a mere five years ago. They make the Lumix 14-42X look like a diamond. So though my primes may get the bulk of the shots on my GX1, I think I'll find plenty of opportunities to share the camera with the X lens.
David
