PL 25mm vs Pana 30 Macro

[Vermont3133]

I really don't want to turn this into a 'What Lens Should I Get' thread. But I'm curious if there are other people who have had a PL 25 and have decided to ditch it for the 30 Macro?
I'm just about at that stage now.
I rather like the PL25's output, f /1.4 is very useful and 25mm is adequate as walk around length.
Negatives?...The ridiculous hood....CA wide open....and the aperture chatter which is supposed to be an Olympus problem but, on my GX85, goes insane near my Ikea desk lamp. Outdoors it's acceptable.
So the 30 Macro as a replacement?
Sure maybe a bit long for an ideal walkaround but it's only 5mm diff.
f/2.8 is fairly pedestrian but coupled with Dual IS on the GX85 it's not too far from the low light capability of the PL25
And then there is the Macro! I'm not buying it specifically for macro but it's there when I want to use it.
Maybe a tad sharper than the PL25...almost certainly edge to edge and with low distortion.
The 30 Macro really seems to be flying under the radar.
Interestingly, eBay AU always has a lot of PL25s for sale/auction with quite a bit of disinterest from buyers.

 

[Bushboy]

It’s actually f3.5
And there is no lens hood. I use a 46mm rubber job.
Haha, just seen the Panasonic label, I thought we were talking about the Olympus... I’ll shut up now...

 

[Vermont3133]

 

[frankmulder]

I have both, and I like them both. The main differences are in the focal length and the aperture (obviously). If I had to choose just one, it would be the PL25 because of the more versatile focal length and the wider aperture (but then I obviously couldn't do macro). As for your problems with the PL25: I don't use the hood, I don't mind the CA, and I don't have problems with aperture chatter on my GX85. Anything else you want to know from me?

 

[Vermont3133]

Thanks Frank. Yep it looks like a tossup between the two but for me, silent focus, Dual IS and macro are going to tip the scales.

 

[bargainguy]

This brings me back to my photojournalism days 20 years ago, when everyone was still shooting film. I was shooting Nikon then.

A true PJ had two bodies hanging from straps, and for one of those bodies, it wasn't unusual to see a 55/3.5 Micro instead of a 50/1.4. Minimum focusing distance trumps lens speed.

Oddly enough, the same held true for weddings, using a 55 Micro for the bridal couple hand, ring & bouquet shots.

You can't get close shots with a 50/1.4, and you can't get thin DOF at f/3.5 like you can at f/1.4. It's what your needs dictate at the moment.

 

[cjoliprsf]

This reminds me of one of my current dilemnae...
For my full frame camera (Canon 5D-2) I have 2 very nice adapted 50mm lenses: a Zeiss Planar 50/1.4, and an Oly OM 50mm/3.5 macro.
The Oly has a lot for it as an everyday lens, no need for a shade as the front element is deeply recessed, very sharp, and the possibility for close focusing...
The Zeiss is great, also very sharp, but bigger and needs a shade when sunny.

For shooting outside on daytime, the wider aperture of 1.4 is not very relevant (requires extremely high shutter speeds), and I tend to use the Oly Macro more often. I keep the Zeiss for low light situations.

Conclusion, I am quite happy to have both!

 

[Macroramphosis]

Don't have the 25mm, but do have the 30mm, and love it for its versatility and macro capabilities....it is a great all-purpose walkaround lens as far as I'm concerned. There's an album of 30mm images in my signature if you need further proof