Panasonic Leica lenses on Olympus bodies?

[LowriderS10]

I am looking at the Oly mark III body. Are there any issues with PL lenses? I have tried searching and can’t find much so maybe no issues? Use with teleconverters also? Focus speed? Anything else? Thanks for your help.

None whatsoever. I have the PL 8-18, the PL 25, and the PL 100-400. All of them work flawlessly with my E-M5.3.

 

[Interceptor121]

Purple blobs reported with P 7-14mm in certain circumstances.
Banding reported with P 20mm on occasion.
Questions about effectiveness of weather sealing on P lenses with O bodies.
Incompatible dual IS versus sync-IS specs.

You can search for threads covering these issues.

edit: Teleconverters are manufacturer and lens specific.

Lenses don’t create banding sensors do
Weather sealing is not an argument it is just an oring on the mount between the lens and the body
And I can get my olympus lens to give purple fringe with my olympus body
All those things are not valid reasons to avoid Panasonic lenses
The other way around not always true as olympus has not invested in contrast detection friendly focus motors for their lenses

 

[WhidbeyLVR]

Lenses don’t create banding sensors do
Weather sealing is not an argument it is just an oring on the mount between the lens and the body
And I can get my olympus lens to give purple fringe with my olympus body
All those things are not valid reasons to avoid Panasonic lenses
The other way around not always true as olympus has not invested in contrast detection friendly focus motors for their lenses

Welcome to the forum.

The Original Poster was looking for potential issues with Panisonic lenses on Olympus bodies (not clear exactly which mark III he meant). All these issues have been reported, and more info is spread about the forum.

Please see Paul’s excellent and much more informative summary:

In general they work, but as other have pointed out there are some slight issues with some lenses:

1) The Panasonic Lumix 7-14 f4 produces purple ghosts on Oly bodies. The cause is a lack of UV filtering which then gets reflected between sensor and rear lens element causing ghosts. The problem depends on the light source and its position in the frame so it's not something that you'll necessarily experience, but when it happens it can be impossible to remove in PP. Examples aplenty here:: https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/50723994

2) The AF motor in the Panasonic Lumix 20mm f1.7 can cause electronic interference at high ISO leading to banding effects.

3) The position of the screws holding the mount to the camera are further away from the centre on Oly cameras than Panasonic cameras. As a result, the weather-sealing ring on some Panasonic lenses sits on top of the screws meaning that the seal is not effective.

4) There are reports of mount binding on some Panasonic lenses on Olympus cameras - the PL 100-400 seems the most prevalent.

5) Lens IS does not work in concert with IBIS across brands - so Oly camera/Oly lens works, as does Pany camera/lens, but not any hybrid.


However, the list is probably over-stating the problem. I've used Panasonic lenses quite a bit over the years with Oly cameras (12-35, 35-100, 7-14, 20, 15, 8-18) and none of the above was a deal breaker. I've let most of them go, but still have the PL8-18 which is a great lens and works on my EM1.3 with no issues at all.

 

[PakkyT]

Weather sealing is not an argument it is just an oring on the mount between the lens and the body

The seal between the lens and body is only ONE part of weather sealing, especially when talking about zoom lenses that telescope or "Pro" lenses that also feature a number of dials and/or switches on the lens body. If it was as simple as a single seal at the mount, then all lenses would be weather sealed.

 

[PhotoCal]

Is there a store where you can try out the lens and body you are interested in, together?
When I had problems with the Panasonic 100-400, I visited some shops that had that lens and the EM1.2, which I have.

In both stores the lens left metal shavings in the body.

The Olympus 100-400 fits/works great on my EM1.2.

 

[Interceptor121]

Welcome to the forum.

The Original Poster was looking for potential issues with Panisonic lenses on Olympus bodies (not clear exactly which mark III he meant). All these issues have been reported, and more info is spread about the forum.

Please see Paul’s excellent and much more informative summary:

I am familiar with the issue, but banding is not something that a lens can generate. AF pixels instead do that. Besides that post is ancient Olympus has since changed the behaviour with lenses and today there is no difference between bodies with the same lens except those generated by PDAF pixels which are sensor not lens dependant

 

[Interceptor121]

The seal between the lens and body is only ONE part of weather sealing, especially when talking about zoom lenses that telescope or "Pro" lenses that also feature a number of dials and/or switches on the lens body. If it was as simple as a single seal at the mount, then all lenses would be weather sealed.

Yes but that part of the sealing does not depend on the mix of brands is a property of the lens so irrelevant to this thread
While if the mount is loose due to manufacturing tolerances you have a problem.
In general this is not an issue is just manufacturers wanting to protect their backs because they only check their own lenses and this feeds myths

 

[davidzvi]

Yes but that part of the sealing does not depend on the mix of brands is a property of the lens so irrelevant to this thread....

Actually the seal on my Oly Pro 12-100 and 12-45 have a slightly larger diameter than the seal on my PL8-18. So how they mate to the body may be impacted.

 

[Chris5107]

So I am narrowing it down to the PL 200 f/2.8. Any experience with this?

I have and love the PL 200 on my EM1-mkii and now mkiii. I see no issues with it at all. Fast focus, good IQ, etc. Sure, dual IS body-lens does not work but I am happy with it anyway.

Have use the Panasonic 12-35 /2.8 with my olympus bodies from the very point that lens was introduced. I have had no issues with the Panasonic lenses on Olympus bodies in general and except for those that really just want the dual IS or some other very specific feature, I think the whole issue is overblown for the majority of photographers. If the Panasonic lens is the right Focal length and f-stop combination, as well as size and IQ, that you need, I would get it.

PS: I don't care to shoot in the rain so weather sealing issues don't come into play for me.

 

[Interceptor121]

Actually the seal on my Oly Pro 12-100 and 12-45 have a slightly larger diameter than the seal on my PL8-18. So how they mate to the body may be impacted.

Try with some water? Joke
O'ring create a seal as long as they touch without too much compression. It has to be said that they also wear off and at some point they should be replaced

I dive with an underwater housing rated to 100 meters that has plenty of o'rings. In comparison the weather seal of a camera is a joke and I would never ever use my camera under pouring rain anyway. The weather seal give me more confidence that water will not leak into the sensor with a bit of splashing.
In terms of the lens seals dust will get in and the lens may develop fungus regardless of proclaimed weather seal. However weather sealed lenses are usually better built which is what give me confidence and therefore I set it as a standard after having a few cheap lenses developing fog in the rear element (olympus zuiko)

I have 2 Olympus lenses 1 Sigma and 6 Lumix lenses all have weather seal (sigma has also a splash proof mount) plus 2 full frame lenses with metabones and 1 lumix for underwater only use. None of those lenses have performance issues with any of my 3 camera bodies.

I tend to have a stronger assortment of Lumix because I like more the focal range and I am not particularly bothered about constant f/number all lenses work very well with my OMD body so I don't really understand the reservations especially as other than loosing pro-capture low (not very useful) and focus stacking (may be useful) there is nothing to be gained matching an olympus lens to an olympus body as very few have sync is.
The opposite is not true Panasonic lenses work better than olympus on panasonic bodies in terms of autofocus because I think Olympus does not really make a lot of effort to align with contrast detection and panasonic offers dual IS on many lenses of their assortment even cheap ones like the 14-42 I use underwater

 

[JDS]

I use the Panny 8-18 (which I hope it's sealed, I *think* the seal is the same diameter as my Oly 12-40, I haven't measured with a micrometer and don't remember the specifics from an earlier thread), the P14, and the P45-175. All are fantastic, and work great. The last lens is a fantastic alternative to the Oly 40-150 Pro when traveling.

 

[Franka373]

I am looking at a PL 45 macro for an EM1X. Any issues with this?

 

[RAH]

I am looking at a PL 45 macro for an EM1X. Any issues with this?

You almost definitely could not use focus stacking with this combo (it requires certain Olympus lenses, including the 30mm and 60mm macros). However, you could use focus bracketing and then do your own stacking in an image editor. Focus stacking is done in-camera, so it is faster and easier.

 

[Lawrence A.]

I've used the P20 on Olympus bodies since it came out - first with the E-P2, then the E-M5 and Pen-F. I've never had a problem.

 

[Alan_N]

I have an Omd 1mk 3 and Pany G80 and with a range of lenses from both. the only issue I have and and not sure if it a camera or light room issue, is with my 45mm Marco on the oly body the photos come out as good but when I am in light room and in the develop modual and go to the lens panel lens profiles are not automatically applied when used o the Omd 1but are with the G80. No real issue but a little fustrating.