I wonder, anyone else here thinks Panasonic stuff is boring? Let's discuss. I personally believe Panasonic makes fantastic stuff and I'm a fan of many of their amazing products over the years. The GM1/GM5, LX100, G9 were my absolute favorites. I also think they have some excellent lenses eg 8-18mm is one I'm looking at now.
@@robinwong I like my GX9. Together with the Panasonic 15mm f1.7 it is a special and very underrated combination. The very small but sharp Panasonic 12-32mm is amazing too. The m.Zuiko 60mm f2.8 macro is my favorite lens of Olympus on my GX9.
I think it's quite the opposite, awesome that there are other brands available for our cameras and that these are also reviewed... How boring it would be if there were only "originally branded and manufactured" lenses and accessories for dslrs (like olympus for olympus, canon for canon etc)!
@@robinwong I love that I can choose lenses from both companies having worked professionally in either/or film era Canon and Nikon world. Thanks to you, I'm learning important considerations like the 14mm has more chromatic aberration on Olympus cameras. I have an E-PL8 and a GX-85 because both are highly pocketable with pancakes - so I can take a 'real' camera with me more often. I'm still trying to decide which one like best for me. I use the GX-85 more because I'm more an eye level shooter. BUT, I've just had my cataracts done and will have to try taking the E-PL 8 out more.
At $198 a good deal. It is a bit wide for me, so I may not be using it as much as I thought I would be, but it is fast enough and sharp enough. I would rate it a B, or a B+ considering compactness and price :)
I used to use my 14 f/2.5 a lot when travel wasn't such an issue in my area. My 20 f/1.7 was my favorite pancake lens in 2020 but I'm hoping that 2021 will allow more opportunities for travel and street photography.
On a Panasonic body there must be automatic CA correction, because I’ve never noticed fringing on any of my Lumix cameras. Thanks for giving this great little lens some attention. Any Lumix owners definitely should consider it!
I used to own this lens and the 20mm f1.7 when I first got a Panasonic G3 so many years ago. It was one of the most versatile lenses I had since I paired it with the Panasonic DMC-GWC1 0.79x wide angle converter lens (discontinued and almost impossible to find now!!) effectively turning it into a 11mm prime!! I kept that combo for many years as a poor man's Olympus 12mm f2.0... lol. There was another lens made for the 14mm but I rarely used it. I've switched over to Olympus system since, but watching this review brought back fond memories of what made me fall in love with m4/3 system. Yea, it had the purple fringing and slow focus speed but the TINY SIZE and image quality you were able to produce with these first-gen pancake lenses legitimized the m4/3 system (for me at least). Love your content Robin!
I have had this lens since 2014. As someone who primarily photographs birds the 300 f4 is my "walking around" lens but it is easy to pop the 14 in a pocket in case there is an opportunity to photograph a subject the the 300 is too long for. I don't regard it as a great lens optically but it gets top marks for portability. The 20 mm Lumix pancake is also handy in this way.
I bought this lens more than 10 years ago for the GF1. It was new in store that was specialized on professional DSLRs and such. They hadn't looked into the box. First they thought the box must be empty but the lens was in and they where a bit shocked. Today the lens lives on my GX80 and I grab it whenever I want to take out a small camera setting just in case. It has a 46mm filter thread. The same as the 20/1.7, the Laowa 7.5mm and the new Laowa 10mm. I would like to see a new GM5 for this package. For me, this form factor is kind of the soul of MFT.
Great video, thank you so much! I'm actually happy to see your content without those "olympus visionary restrictions". It is always nice to hear your opinion on any cameras/lenses as I find your approach very honest and sane.
One of my first MFT lenses was a pancake, and I love it. In part, because it had a built in lens cap (throw a leaver and it closes). I lost it because it was so small, it slipped out of my bag (or is somewhere else in my office, who knows). I also liked it on a light gimble.
Concerning the autofocus speed, I was surprised with your experience of it being slow. I have both the 14mm F2.5 II, and the 15mm F1.7 lenses (why both 14 & 15mm? - see the end of my comment.) and find them both very quick to focus. I checked your video closely and you were testing the original version of the 14mm (H-H014). At least a few reviews have noted the mark II version (H-H014A) does have a faster, quieter AF. Why do I have both the 14 & 15mm? I sold my 14mm and bought the 15mm because of the faster aperture to help with indoor and evening shooting (and I found a great price). The 15mm is a great lens, but even though it is pretty small and relatively light I missed how incredibly light and low profile the 14mm is when street shooting paired with a GX9. So when I saw a great deal I bought another 14mm F2.5 II. I'm enjoying both - the 15mm paired with my G9, and the 14mm with my GX9. I appreciate your videos on the 14mm and the 15mm. I enjoy your channel a great deal - thanks for all your work!
Definitely an underrated lens, and one of my favorites. I love it on my Panasonic GM5 (super compact combo) and my Olympus Pen-F. I'm enjoying your new videos as you branch out into other manufacturers. Thank you, Robin.
It is a UV filter issue that can be solved for Olympus cameras in theory, but the solutions range from tweaking the lens to tweaking the sensor. The thing is you have to use a specialized UV filter that stronger filters a certain UV range.
@@robinwong May I prove you otherwise? This website has a nice explanation. If you have any further questions feel free to ask. Not a lens expert, but I had in my past one or two lectures on color science and image processing, so there is a good chance I can answer. alanwatsonforster.org/writing/mft-purple.html
The pancakes are beautiful lenses. I have the Panasonic 12-32mm and love it. It was glued to my Olympus E-PL5 until I broke that camera. It now regularly rotates between my Panasonic GX85 and Olympus EM5 MkII. Some of my favourite images have been taken with this tiny lens.
as a lumix guy im impressed you actually reviewed this lens. I love using the m43 system regardless of brand as long as the images come out good. I currently use a panasonic gx85 and been looking for an olympus portrait lens that would go well with my camera.
@@deez5396 congrats on the purchase! depends on what type of photography you are more into for the wides i would recommend the Lumix G 9mm f/1.7, Leica 12mm f1.4 or slightly on the narrow but easier on the pocketbook with quality images LUMIX G LEICA DG SUMMILUX 15mm / F1.7 as far as for portrait i have yet to purchase one im currently getting by with the super cheap xiaoyi 42.5mm 1.8 and though it works invest a lil more on a better lens 😅
Update to my last post. This is my go to lens. It's size and weight compliment my E-PL6; keeping the camera's footprint small and lightweight. I too had a couple focusing issues myself, however this lens holds its own well. These days I'm keeping it minimalist with my gear. This lens helps lots! All the best!
I’ve actually been thinking about getting this lens because of how cheap it is and because I want a pancake lens. Fantastic review! Surprised by how good this lens is actually!
Hi Robin, I have a lowly epl-5 but it takes great quality photos. I’m ready to upgrade, and have been tempted to switch, with all the concern for the future of Olympus, maybe to Fuji or Sony. But, when I see your photos I’m reminded that it’s the photographer and there is nothing bad, and much good in Olympus. For some reason the sharpness is always there with Olympus, and your photos really bring out the color that just amazes me.
Micro Four Thirds is a very optimized system, hence you get sharp results easily, and I personally like Olympus' color science over Fuji and Sony. Of course others can choose to disagree, these things can be personal. I don't think Olympus is going to get any worse under the new direction of JIP, but we shall wait and see what happens. Exciting times ahead.
Robin, nothing you present to us is boring. As for Panasonic Lumix Cameras and Lenses go they are fully supportive of the micro four thirds systems. Without them would see a huge decline of the micro four thirds universe. Cheers John
Wide angle is my wheelhouse. Unlike you I don't see the 25mm focal length naturally. So maybe I should by the Olympus 25mm 1.8 to challenge myself! My all time favorite lens was the 20mm Nikkor and I really like the manual full frame fisheye lenses available for M4/3 because stretching and elongating distortion appeal to me. I even have some idea why - the Mannerist painters like El Greco immediately following the Renaissance used distortion aesthetically and they have always taken me to a different world. I was a bit surprised that you found the 14mm Panasonic slow to auto focus, but I am comparing it to the very lenses you identify as slower - the 20mm Panasonic and the early 14-42mm kit lens that came on the first OM-D. BTW I agree with you about the importance of pancake design lenses in M4/3 photography and can say my 14mm Panasonic is the smallest and most pocketable and my first choice for both street and land/cityscape shooting.
Robin, Thank you for your input and sharing your knowledge and experience. I just bought a gx7 thanks to you. I'm just a beginner so any useful advice is invaluable. I've been watching your channel a lot in search for knowledge. You've got awesome energy! Cheers from Poland! Now I'm looking for a prime lens :)
For weddings and reportage, I used the following on my Olympus micro 4/3 digital cameras: 45mm f/1.8 20mm f/1.7 14mm f/2.5 I also used the 14-42mm f/3.5 to f/5.6 zoom lens as a backup.
Thank you Robin, excellent review as always! I like all of the examples you provided, but most of all - the amazing food images, why not a subject of a special new video.
Besides the fact that you look like a genuinely cool guy, this video was very complete and informative, and I learn lots of good things about that pancake so thanks a lot Robin :)
It is great to have with as a partner to a kit zoom when you want the smallest 2 lens outfit and indoors gets too dark. The PL 15 1.7 is a better lens if you don't mind the jump in size, weight and price. A good RAW processor like DXO PL4 cleans up the 14 2.5 colour fringing very well.
The Panasonic 15mm is definitely a superior lens, but it costs much more! Of course, 15mm vs 14mm may not seem like much of a difference, but the classic street photographers will make some fuss about having a true 28mm coverage, so the 14mm fits into that better.
My fave walk around lens in the old days was always the old Oly 40mm . I have had a couple of 20mm Panys and liked them but auto focus was slow and also I did not like look or construction so much, now I use the 17mm f1.7 (a bit wider than I like but I like the build and manual focus ring and it looks much nicer on the penF).
Thank you Robin! This is exactly the followup video I was hoping for after your XF10 review. Missing my annual KL trip even more after seeing those food shots!
I have had one of these for years but not used it for ages. I must rescue it from the drawer and give it some exercise! You might try the Lumix 12-32 some time, a tiny pancake.
Hi Robin and thanks for a review of one of my favourite lenses. Couple of points. The CA on the Olympus bodies is pronounced but on both my GX8 and my G9 lumix cameras it is almost non existent plus my 14mm is a fast focusing lens on my Lumix bodies but slow on my EM1 and EM1 mk2. This is similar to the results I get when using the 35mm 1.8 lumix lenses on Olympus and Lumix bodies. I cannot believe I missed this video when it came out two years ago.
I paid 300 USD for similar Leica_Panas used/like NEW 15mm F1.7 and it became my best lens in Olympus system a year ago- Often I screw a 0.75x super wide adapter in the front and feel HAPPY
A new generation of pancake lenses at around f1.8 would restore the micro43 advantage in 2021 now that most APSC and FF have become smaller and the lenses slightly more compact then they used to be. I wish there were available more 1.8 pancakes, 1.4 premium lenses and may be the current 1.2 which are good but too large for personal usage as carry around.
Oh man, I love my black copy. A tad slow to focus in low light, but it works great. My favorite street shooting lens... well, a very close second to the Oly 17mm f/1.8. It's used most of the time for me on my black E-M10 II.
Beautiful color rendition in addition to appearing to be razor sharp. I love pancake lenses, too. The smaller the better on any m4/3 camera body. Very nice sample images, BTW.
A very honest review. I had this lens for many years and eventually moved to the 15mm Pana-Leica. I love the 15mm lens but I really miss the size advantage of the 14mm lens!
I used the 14mm with an E-P3 about a decade ago. It's small and snappy so I appreciated that. But despite delivering colorful images, I didn't find it much better than a kit lens. Especially when both Olympus and Panasonic came with decent pancake zooms later, there was no reason for me to continue using the 14mm. I think another reason for my mixed feelings is the lens was just not fast enough at f2.5. It didn't measure up to the classic 20mm f1.7 which despite AF flaws, is a significant step up from a kit zoom in terms of speed and IQ. If I want wide and fast, I prefer the Panasonic Leica 15mm f1.7 over the 14mm f2.5. Much better lens.
I own it. Second copy, since the original one got washed off a rock by a wave in Bali on my wife's Panasonic GM1, but the upside was that since the tiny Panny was her travel camera- to save carrying her Canon DSLR- she replaced it with an E-M10 and dumped the Canon for good. Anyway, purple fringing is rarely an issue for what we shoot, and the slow autofocus similarly isn't an issue as it's a wide lens for (usually) static subjects. She also has the Panny 20 f1.7 and loves it, but the purple fringing is much worse on that lens. Often, I'll go out with either the Oly 25 f1.8 or this Panny 14 f2.5 on my old E-M1 with no other lenses and have a happy day of shooting. I like that it forces me to think about composition, being so wide. If I lose/ break this one, I'll buy another one on Taobao for 600rmb (maybe $80?) in a heartbeat.
Hi Robin, Enjoyed your review. I used to have this 14mm f2.5. I sold it and kept my Panasonic Leica 15mm f1.7, Olympus 25mm f1.8 and the Panasonic GM1 with its lovely 12-32mm kit lens. This is pretty much my "compact and light" setup. I also sold my Olympus Pro zoom trinity set and the OMD bodies and changed to good old Nikon DSLRs. What I learnt was pretty much horses for courses. What I learnt from you videos and articles are it is the photographer who makes photos and not his/her gear. I like your photos. Perhaps you may like to share more on your experience. More than happy to buy you a cup of coffee, especially during this difficult time for photographers who need to make a living out of photography.
Hi Robin. Great review. Please note the you have an older version of this lens (with the red dot). I have the mark II version and the autofocus seems to be fast enough for me.
Nice review of a nice compact Lens Robin! I have bought this lens not long ago and really liked it, till I saw that the right was always blurry on one side cause I got a decentered copy and didn't really like how wide it really was, so I returned it and got myself the Laowa 17mm 1.8. It has uncorrected distortions and Vigneting wide open and I kinda miss the autofocus but it is as sharp as this panasonic. But it simply can't beat the panasonic when a compact lens is all you need.
Hi Robin, about the speed of AF. I have seen videos, where is compared 25mm form Olympus and Panasonic on a Olympus body and the Panasonic lens had problems with AF on Olympus body. During video shooting it took some time to focus on a subject. Olympus was almost instant. So it can be problem of compatibility between some Panasonic lenses and Olympus body. That is my opinion based on review videos about 25mm MFT lenses.
You also have to take into consideration that the 14mm is a much older lens. Much like Olympus' older lens, the AF is noticeably slower. Newer Panasonic lenses focuses really fast, even on Olympus bodies.
I wish we see pancake for 25mm, a nifty fifty or some sort. Our software are advanced enough to correct distortion or imperfection automatically (except flare)
I love pancake lenses! They are light, they are fast and they look cool, but I have a feeling they are a bit limited when it comes to OIS or weather resistance😅
The 14mm is almost a unique lens, with nothing as 'pancake' among all MFT lenses. AF speed is surely not really an issue?! We've just got used to near instant AF from MFT cameras & lenses, rather than .02sec 'slow' (just try old school manual focussing and see how quick a human is?!). On the CA purple fringing, Lumix cameras process this out in-camera, but I believe Olympus cameras don't, hence it's only apparent on files from those bodies. The 14mm is so small, light, and cheap, it's well worth having one which ever system you use (imho!). Pair it with the 42mm f1.8 and you've got a great combo of tiny lenses.
I've thought about getting this lens but having the wonderful 12-32mm kit zoom that is already sharp wide open (about a stop slower though) and goes a bit wider, it's a lens that would probably sit around unused.
I have that lens. The focus seems fast to me. Sharpness is good to very good -- my copy might not make it to excellent level ;) Sharpness at the edge, when wide-open is just OK. Overall, it is a decent lens, when bought at $198 US or less -- mine was made in Japan. Best of all is the Lumix 12-32mm inexpensive lens, IMHO. It bests the Olympus 14-42 with ease. I have that lens on my PEN PL-8, and keep the 14mm Panny lens in the case with my GX-85. Maybe I should drop it into my Olympus EM10 mkII case.
Indeed, in terms of overall image quality (minus CA/Purple fringing issues) the 14mm Panasonic pancake beats any kit lenses out there. The sharpness is not at "PRO" lens level, but it is surely good enough for the price it asks for!
What a coincidence, I was just looking at these lenses on B&H earlier this week. Yes, more pancakes, or even collapsing ones like the EZ lens. Sometimes you just want to point-and-shoot, but you shouldn't need to use your phone or a crappy P&S when you already have a decent camera. Hopefully, we can see some new innovations from OM Digital Solutions over the coming years. Do you have a UV or polarizing filter you can try using to see if it reduces fringing?
I must have the two slowest AF lens then, the 20 and the 14 🤣. The 14 is relatively expensive alone so is best bought from someone or shop who divorced the lens from a Panasonic camera combo package. Purple fringing doesn't bother me, current software easily takes that out during raw development. What gives me trouble is I am too relaxed a quick shooter and often don't pause the moment enough to ensure my hand movement and shutter speed and AF are optimum before I click. Oh, I found both the 20 and the 14 flare with a veiling haze too easily if the sky is bright cloudy and I happen to have a UV filter
Great video. I choose the Olympus pancake 14-42 too for versatility. Thanks for the warning the issues on Chromatic Aberration for using Panasonic Lens on Olympus body. Just wondering if you can the following reviews using an Olympus Body. 1) Panasonic 10-25 F1.7 2) Panasonic 100-400 F4 - 6.3 There are hardly any reviews on Panasonic Lenses on Olympus bodies (I guess that's the Olympus or Panasonic Ambassadors are not allowed to do that).
PL 15/1.7 withstands light source in the frame fairly well. Don't know how 14/2.5 does. From Robin's samples it looks it does, but it is not a comparison with PL.
Hi Robin, the Anti-aliasing filter has certainly nothing to do with chromatic aberration (it is to prevent the Moiré effect). On the other hand, virtually all digital camera sensors (Olympus included) has a UV filter. On the other hand, the lateral chromatic aberration (i.e. when the color components are all sharp, but of different size) may partially be corrected by software. The lack of this software correction can be the problem. However, the nature of lateral c.a. is a bit different from what I can see on your pictures. It is more pronounced towards the edges, but also has an asymmetric nature. An easy test - the lateral c.a. cannot be eliminated by stopping down. Another type of chromatic aberration which appears in the out of focus area. This is difficult to remove by software, thus it will be the same on any camera.
Then maybe it is not Anti-Aliasing filter, it must have been something else in front of the sensor, because the lens does better in Panasonic bodies. Unless the correction is purely software, which can also be true.
@@robinwong I'm pretty sure it is corrected by software if it is corrected at all. Another commenter complains about chromatic aberration on Panasonic body, too.
Hi Robbin, This is the older version of the 14mm f2.5 though. Any chance you might do a re-review of the MARK 2? perhaps if the lens you've been looking for after the disappointment you have with the 15mm f1.7 hehe. Thanks for the review!
Hi Robin,while watching this video,i was thinking of the oly 12mm f2. Although a old lens by now,would it be a better option. Maybe slighty bigger and more expensive,but that oly 12mm f2 is surely a lens thats on my wishing list.
I don't think it is fair to compare it directly like that. If you need a wider coverage and brighter aperture, the 12mm Olympus is the clear choice. But to say which lens is better, is like comparing apples to oranges. 24mm and 28mm are different focal lengths and they each have their own places.
Thanks for bringing the attention to an old lens. Due to your findings, I think I don’t need the 14mm. The 15mm isn’t so much larger, but optically flawless and with fast af. Panasonic does not apply antialiasing filters to photo-centric cameras, while Olympus does or did that on some models (which isn’t completely wrong, Richard Wong has a good video on the topic). But purple fringing is a pure lens flaw, typical for simple designs with large apertures.
While the 15mm may seem very close to 14mm, it is not true equivalent 28mm, which is a classic focal length for street photographers. 28mm does matter, it produces a certain look that any narrower, you lose the distinctive appeal. Panasonic does apply anti-aliasing filters in some of their bodies, which was also proven by many sites/articles, hence Olympus cameras have always rendered sharper images with better fine details. Maybe the newer bodies from latest generation, Panasonic adopted a different approach.
Dear Robin I am a hobbyist and Street P enthusiast. I love the OMD system and shot a lot with the 10 mark II and then the 5 mark III on the streets for about 3 years, first with the 14-42 (in the Kit) and then with the 17 f 1.8 mm (which I love very much). This summer I decided to change (or try to change) style, broadening my gaze. I thought that a 28mm (equivalent) could do for me. Many successful Streeters use the 28mm. To my great disappointment in Olympus I have not found compact solutions at 28. So I tried with the 24 mm (12 mm f 2) prime lens .... but too demanding! I thought about the Panasonic you mentioned today ... but very uncertain reviews. And I didn't want to use my 5 III with a focal length that's not up to par. This summer I noticed something else .... the 5 III is too beautiful! And it gets too flashy with its silver body! And to do Street .... you need an anonymous device. So I thought of the fixed focal length Fuji (X100V), but it only works on the 35 mm equivalent, and then it's a bit expensive! And then the final determination: Ricoh GR III, which has the equivalent 28mm. Performing, fun, very portable, it is not cheap, but it costs much less than the Fuji X100V, but it is more expensive than the Xf10.
Robin, It is well know fact that Panasonic lenses perform better on their native bodies. Perhaps it would focus faster if you were to use it on a Panasonic body.
I use this on my GX80. Nice small combo. Bought it used but in like new condition for a good price (and cheaper than getting a Ricoh GR3 :) I've Not found the autofocus slow myself with the GX80 .
@@MatthiasBouillon As far as I can tell from research they are the same optically they just did something with the AF motor. I have had no problems myself though with the focusing on my Panasonic.