That Panasonic 14mm F2.5 Is Not Bad, Not Bad At All

29 Comments
Having quick spin with the underrated Panasonic 14mm F2.5 lens. Mounted on my E-PL5 and just took it out for random clicks. Guess what? I actually liked what I am seeing from this lens. It is small, light, wide open at F2.5 and works well with E-PL5. 

Portrait if a Stranger




Fried Eggs

Making of Currypuff

CurryPuff

Three Men

Old Building

Heads

Umbrella

That tiny lens that is actually not bad!



29 comments:

  1. robin,

    that lens is one of my fav lens, if i had 2 lens, it's gonna be the 14mm 2.5 and the magnificent cute, the 45mm 1.8 ... for me, that is the best, it's light, enjoyable, accurate, cheap, sharp, speed demon AF, nice color render ... what else do you want from a lens right ?
    the 14 f2.5, i got for $200 more less, for the 45 f1.8, i got it for $270, all used stuff, accept the body ... it new from the fridge :)

    once, i push hard to my self, to try use just only one lens, and i have 1 lens that become my fav for about 6 month, never chance lens coz, there is no other :D, all sold out ...
    and that is the slow mo AF 20mm 1.7 ... aaaand i sold the lens, and buy the 45 1.8 just to try "the one lens, one body" ... if u not have other camera ... the 20 1.7 is more suit, i buy the 45 1.8 coz i have other camera that cover the wide side ... so the e-pl5 with the 45 1.8 is more like sidekick :D

    but trust me, e-pl5 + 45 1.8 it's a killer combo ... i shot wedding to, my friend just stood on his computer, looking my detail image that i took with the killer combo, coz he say (not me) its beat the 100mm f2.8 L macro on his 5D mk 2 ... you know why ? coz that killer combo give me the feeling that like a " snap! ok one more, snap! great, one more, snap! awesome, oh that should be great, snap! damn, one again ..." feel like that ... :D you know what i mean ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hi Denis,
      It is always encouraging to hear positive remarks about micro four thirds gear and how long it has come. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience, and I like how you have also used your gear to shoot weddings! Glad to know that the Panasonic 14mm performed adequately!

      Delete
  2. Hi again....

    Much appreciated for this post, if you know what i mean... Thanks a lot...

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  3. I've eyed that lens and the good price is when the shop splits the lens and body, thus the lens is cheaper. Otherwise the full price of the lens is a little higher than I want to pay. Mithun had it when we were in Pudu that fateful day.

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    Replies
    1. Oh my that fateful day. How can we forget that!

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  4. This lens is so small, there's no reason why a person couldn't have it with them all the time. It fits in the battery pouch of most camera cases... Last month, I missed a photo opportunity that was important to me because I didn't have wide angle. I've learned my lesson. The Pani 14 is staying with me all the time now.

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    Replies
    1. Hey Dwight,
      Always, always carry a wide angle lens! Since the 14mm F2.5 is so tiny, there is no reason not to bring it around!

      Delete
  5. Hey Robin - I hear you. I love the 14mm 2.5 Panasonic. I use that lens plus the Oly 45 1.8, the Sigma 30 2.8, the Oly 12-50 kit zoom, and soon the Oly 25 1.8. Put it all together with an EM5 and I'm in MFT heaven! I keep a polarizing filter on the 14mm at all times, and have decided that it's a great performer. Keep the great photos coming - love your blog!

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    Replies
    1. Hey David,
      Glad to see you also use the 14mm F2.5 lens! I am getting an ND filter instead, need to cut the light for some shooting purposes!

      Delete
    2. Hi David and Robin,

      I also value this lens highly, and also keep a polariser handy, for it and the Panny 20/1.7. Just noticed that the 12/2.0, 14/2.5, 17/1.8, 19/2.8, 20/1.7, 25/1.4, 25/1.8, 30/2.8, 45/2.8 & both 60/2.8 lenses all have a 46mm filter ring, so that's handy! Have to find myself a 46mm ND filter...

      Delete
  6. Panny 14/2.5 is a cheap and sharp lens that's also very compact. I normally mount it to my E-M5 when i travel with only one lens. But i really dont like the slow AF, especially in low light.
    Now my constant travel lens is Oly 17/1.8, though not as compact and not as sharp as Panny 14/2.5, its AF absolutely beats the Panny.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Calex,
      Long time no hear from you! how have you been?
      Indeed the AF hunts when the light condition is not favorable. Nonetheless, it is cheap, small and very versatile!

      Delete
    2. No slow AF on my Panasonic GX7. Can't imagine why.

      Delete
  7. How much is this lens Robin??!! You just poisoned me >.<

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  8. Hi Robin. If there is such a thing as cheap and good, I think this is it!

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  9. Did he leave a nose print on the lens? lol...
    I'm sure you've used a m.zuiko 17 2.8, which I have - is it worth selling + the extra cost to get the 14 or 17 1.8? I don't have a store near that I can try the lenses...

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  10. The Magnum shot is special, and the "heads" shot is creepy, LOL. This is, indeed, a very good lens.

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  11. Great shots as always, Robin.... A little late in posting this, but I have to say that I too have the Panny 14mm f/2.5 lens, and it is truly an incredible lens. I am one of the fortunate ones to have a very good example of the lens that many in the past have had issues with, but I believe Panasonic did some tweaking or QC adjustments and it is really very very good now. It is very sharp wide open and the contrast and colours are wonderful.

    I am especially impressed with the magnified view of the right eye of your first subject (the stranger), where you can see your own reflection in his eye. This is known as the Samson-Purkinje effect, and you can see from the sharpness and clarity of the reflection, how good the wide angle lens is! We can see you are shooting by looking at the LCD screen and not with a view-finder; we can see the camera strap; we can see that you are wearing glasses; that you are wearing a T-shirt; that there are at least 2 ro 3 other people behind you, perhaps crossing the street; there's a pillar behind you and to your right, etc. There is a tremendous amount of image information in that tiny space of the man's eye. Isn't that amazing?

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  12. This is the lens that always on my EM5. Not to mention this lens is perfect for selfie with 3 person (me, my 2yo son and my lovely wife) :)

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  13. Hi Robin,

    I need you suggestion. I have an E-PL6 and my only lens is a Sigma 30mm. I'm planning to get a P14 for my wide and the Oly45 for a short telephoto. How does a 14/30/45 setup look? Do you personally think the 30 is too close to the 45?

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd normally go 14 20 45mm myself, but because I do macro photograph I also went for 30mm panasonic macro.

      Delete
    2. I have oly45 and 60macro....both are fantastic for short telephoto...

      Delete

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    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi Robin,
    Can I use any nd filter on this? if yes what diameter i should go for?
    I see its writtren 46 dia but I cant see any filter for that size.
    much appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi Robin,
    Can I use any nd filter on this? if yes what diameter i should go for?
    I see its writtren 46 dia but I cant see any filter for that size.
    much appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Robin,

    I'm recently looking for this lens review and thank you so much for your sample image. Exactly the samples I need because I'm using EPL5 now.

    Do you mind to share about the AF speed and the focus accuracy about this lens on EPL5 please?

    ReplyDelete
  18. The combination of Olympus OMD EM 5 Markii and olympus 45mm f 1.8 lens is truly a killer.
    Its a must have for wedding photographers...so lightweight you dont get tired shooting all day

    ReplyDelete