UK Store
DE Store
FR Store
CA Store
Panasonic 7-14mm f/4.0 Micro Four Thirds Lens for Panasonic Digital SLR Cameras
For Lumix G1 & GH1 Digital SLR Cameras / 16 elements in 12 groups (2 Aspherical lenses, 4 ED lenses) / f=7mm to 14mm (focal length) / 7 diaphragm blades Contrast AF system support Utilizing a durable metal mount The optimally designed lens hood enables use even under strong sunlight Lens Construction - 16 elements in 12 groups (2 Aspherical lenses, 4 ED lenses) Micro Four Thirds mount Focal Length - f=7mm to 14mm (35mm film camera equivalent 14mm to 28mm) Aperture Type - 7 diaphragm blades / Circular aperture diaphragm Aperture Range - F4.0 Minimum Aperture - F22 Closest Focusing Distance - 0.25m / 0.8ft at all focal lengths Maximum Magnification - Approx. 0.08x / 0.15x (35mm film camera equivalent) Diagonal Angle of View - 114 (W)~75 (T) Max. Diameter - 70mm / 2.76 inch Overall Length - Approx. 83.1mm / 3.27 inch (from the top of the lens food to the base side of the lens mount) Weight - Approx. 300g / 10.58oz Accessories - Lens Cap, Lens Rear Cap, Lens Storage Bag
Lowest Used Price: USD 1023.99
Lowest New Price: USD 1099.95
The real dilemma: this Panny or the Oly 9-18mm
Probably everyone is wondering the same thing as I did: The Panny 7-14mm, or Olympus m.zukio 9-18mm? Olympus M ED 9-18mm f/4.0-5.6 micro Four Thirds Lens for Olympus and Panasonic Micro Four Third Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera
So I bought both. While testing showed in daylight they are about the same, low light was interesting. First let's tak about the size.
When you see these two diminuitive lenses, you may think, I spent how much for this?? But this is one of a few cases where less really IS more. The Oly lens is about the size of a small jar of baby food, the Panny is probably a about the size of those half cans of Coke. Both are so small/light (compared to the GH1 14-140mm) you may think you forgot the lens. GH1 feels like a toy, but it's really a powerful tool I can carry all day, no sweat.
These ultra-wides beg to be used indoors or to capture places like Times Square. Needless to say, you don't always get good lighting indoors. So speed of the lens was a concern. I shot 200 photos in a high end hotel lobby--dim lights, wonderful artwork, walnut bars, you know the place. I shot ISO100 and 400 in raw and on tripod w/ timer to ensure minimal external influence.
Both WA lenses produced RW2's that were brighter than what I saw with the naked eye. Also, both are significantly sharper than the stock GH1 14-140mm lens, in fact on par or better than just about any WA lens I have used. While both are pretty sharp lenses, I found the Olympus to be slightly sharper in just about every test I ran. I was astonished I could see details on a wine bottle label 15 feet away in Adobe Bridge.
On balance, the Oly seemed to give me 1/2 stop more metering in same scene (dark hotel lobby). As a result, I found the F4-5.6 of the Oly vs f4 of the Panny to not be significant. The Oly hunted slightly as it was focusing, but the photo betrayed no loss of focus.
7mm vs 9mm on WA is very significant on m4/3, at least about a foot or so extra width on either side shooting down a 15' wide entrance hall. If you must have maximum WA, stop reading, go with Panny, if you want slighty sharper pix, go with Oly. I suspect a good RAW workflow could largely equalize these two differences. As far as the 7-9mm range, objects close to the lens will show the fisheye type curvature (not that bad), anything over 10 feet away will look pretty normal.
Oly screw-on filter nice, but not a must have, unless outdoors a lot. I also wish Oly included a lens hood.
Video out of both lenses gives you what you want, amazing perspective. Slight up/downward angle induces some interesting distortion, straight on (level) with nothing near the lens looks almost widescreen anamorphic. The Panny might be a better choice for video, again the 7mm making a difference.
When researching my DSLR, one recurring post on message boards was how many missed a shot because they didn't carry their too big/heavy DSLR around. So, size/weight largely led to my taking the risk on the largely unproven m4/3 platform. Those of us who took a risk on m4/3 vs the traditional DSLR route are being validated by lenses such as these. Both are great lenses, but I went with the sharper Oly lens. I can still recommend the Panny if you need ultimate WA, as I doubt you will notice the slight softness without side by side comparison.
Finally, I offer a grateful thanks to both OLY/Panny. First by having a camera that is practical to easily carry and now by astonishing lenses such as these at a fraction of the weight and size and every bit as good as the DSLR for the average shooter. You both have succeeded in makin selection darn difficult.
great lens
This is a great lens. When traveling I found myself reaching for it more often than the longer zoom lens.
Excellent picture quqlity - only price is a problem
Very good pictures and video, autofocus works quiet and fast. I'm only scare about front lens because there is not possible to use any UV/protection filter.
Great ultrawide option for Micro 4/3
Others here have said it all. This is an excellent ultra wide for Micro 4/3. The extreme corners of the frame aren't super sharp, so in that respect this lens isn't in the "elite" class of ultrawides (eg, Nikon 14-24), but it is a remarkable performer considering its very small size, focal length range, and aperture range. I love mine and consider it a good buy. Some of my sample images taken with this lens are here: [...]
top-notch lens (very expensive though)
I used this lens last weekend, primarily when shooting movies. No complaints other than the price. It's a very good lens and the quality is simply unmatched.
