I ended up getting the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 instead of any of the 42.5's. Its a bit longer at 112mm; but man the colors are solid and it is nicely sharp, like really sharp.
Im a GH6 video shooter and I didn’t touch my 42.5mm nocticron for over year after I got my 25-50mm/1.7. However, I recently picked up a G9II from B&H during that $500 discount sale and rediscovered my love for the nocticron for portraits. I think the 42.5/1.2 will live on my g9II for headshots and portraits . They are a match made in heaven.
I have both Oly 45/1.2 and 25/1.2. What surprised me the most is that I use the 25 much more often. I don't regret getting the 45, because it is fantastic - but at the same time, it's a pity that it gathers dust a lot of the time. When I pack my stuff, it's usually 12-40/2.8, 40-150/2.8 and 25/1.2. Covers almost all scenarios
12-35 2.8 LUMIX easily. I do heaps of combat sports and corporate and live events and the 12-35 is my go to and I’ve got heaps of lenses. But the world is moving to hybrid shooting so you have to be able to do both videos and photography and this lens can cover you for almost anything. The dual stabilization with the GH5 is incredible. The only bad thing about it is that when your shooting an event all day the focus ring can be tough - especially compared to proper video focus rings like you would find on a dedicated video camera. My favorite lens however is the 42.5 Leica. Just so beautiful. Made a whole photo book with just that lens.
My first lens for my gx80 beyond the kit lens was the lumix 42.5mm f1.7 - it’s such a good lens, sharp, great bokeh and with a close focus of 25cm it produces wonderful closeups. Subsequently, I tried the Oly 12-40 f2.8 pro which was just a touch sharper and closer focusing, but so much more bulky and expensive (it went back). I’ve several other lumix lenses now, including the 35-100mm f4-5.6 - again so much cheaper and lighter than the f2.8 pro version whilst still tack sharp. But the 42.5 f1.7 is still the one to beat.
I'd recommend the Olympus 40-150 2.8 PRO. It's far and away my favorite zoom for everything. It's sharp, great subject separation. Wildlife. Portraits. Sport. It's my one.
All due respect but the Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm f1.2 Pro is the pinnacle, as it’s the current resolution record holder for all m43 portrait lenses. The 17mm f1.2 is the overall record holder for resolution. But no doubt the Pany Leica 42.5 is terrific. I just prefer M. Zuiko lenses, seriously thinking about the Olympus 75mm f1.8, an oldie but goody if you want compression, sharpness and beautiful bokeh in your portraits.
I sold my 12-35mm f2.8 mark I and bought the 12-40mm f2.8! And then the 12-45mm f4 because of the size. Suddenly I realized that the 12-35mm was the size of the 12-45mm, but with the constant aperture f2.8, like the 12-40mm, and it still has OIS!!! I am now planning to sell both Olympus and buy the new version of the 12-35mm f2.8 (now Lumix Leica). But it's worth mentioning that all 3 options are excellent!! But the Leica seems like the most balanced option! Regarding the Leica 42.5mm f1.2, I couldn't agree more. I have the Olympus 45mm f1.2, which is fantastic, but I almost never use it. On the other hand, I use the tiny 45mm f1.8 almost daily. Moral of the story: in most scenarios a good set of constant f2.8 and a few small f1.8 primes are enough.
I don't have the Panasonic 42.5, but I do have the trilogy of Olympus f1.2 primes, and they are super for paid work. The difference comes from the reliable manual focus for video work, and not just the f1.2 aperture, but the higher light transmission of the f1.2 primes over the cheaper f1.8 primes. The f1.2 primes work like magic in low light conditions like wedding receptions and ceremonies, night events and concerts. With two bodies, the 17/1.2 and 45/1.2 are almost all you need for those situations, and you can keep the 25/1.2 in a shoulder bag or large pocket for when you need it. As for getting a Canon 24-70, get a Speedbooster XL, as this will give you an even wider effective aperture than the Speedbooster Ultra. The S5 has a lot of issues with adapting EF mount lenses, especially older Canon L lenses, but it seems that the S5 II solves a lot of those problems because of phase detection AF. But at the end of the day, nothing will focus faster or more reliably than native glass, so be mindful that you may want to invest in native L mount glass if you get a S5 II in the future.
I own this lens. Its worth getting into m/43 just to have this lens, its that special. Your pics will have that 'je ne sais quoi' Leica look. I own the Canon full frame 85mm 1.2 on a 1DX and yes its a stunner BUT the 42.5 I prefer. Its only weakness is a) I wouldnt rate it as a video lens , its a stunning portrait lens and b) its not weather sealed
FYI:: the Oly 25mm f1.2 is something special. You may find that it scratches the boutique lens itch you seem to be seeking. I am not actually a huge fan of 50mm (equivalent) since I prefer wide but… the 25mm really has beautiful rendition. So that’s why I recommend it. On the other end of the spectrum, I love my 14-42(s) pancake. I’ve heard the quality control is questionable, but I love the copies I have. Beautiful practical lens. I’ve used one so much that the glue eventually came undone. So the lens is not bullet-proof like so many Oly lenses, but it’s a beast in terms of… just pragmatic fun pics. Total sleeper of a lens! Good luck!
It's true. I have a lot of mft lenses: e.g. the zuiko 75mm 1.8,, zuiko 45 1.8 zuiko 25 1.8, sigma 56 1.4 , but the rendering of my Zuiko 25 1.2 is really something special. And about that 14-42 yes it's very functional, you can get great photo's with it
Been there Bro. GH5 with Canon 16-35 2.8 & 70-200 2.8 now on my S5ii with the MC21. I shoot high end Weddings and feel your journey. I have 4 - S5 II & S5 IIX for my multicam events… I’ve been highly pleased with the workflow in the S5 II Series.
I was surprised that you didn't mention the amazing 10 -25 f1.7 and 25 - 50 f1.7 panaleica zooms. Expensive, yes but covering an equivalent 20mm to 100mm at a constant f1.7 these should be top of your list aspirational lenses. ☺️
I'm looking at going 12-35/35-100 (MKII used) to pair with my 100-400 (MK1). After that I'm really looking at anamorphic or mini cine lenses (EF/PL) for where I want to do as paid work is pretty much covered by those 3 lenses (and some Nikon MF lenses I have adapted) so I can get something more "creative" for my personal work or indie filmmaking jobs.
I also have the 12-60mm f3.5-5.6 and I just regard that as a constant f5.6 lens with the option of wider apertures at the wide end. With the f2.8-4 version, I'd probably likewise use it as "constant f4." My biggest mistakes so far have been the Olympus 60mm f2.8 macro and the Rokinon 12mm f2. Nothing wrong with the lenses themselves, but I just have no use for them. Another possibly iffy one for me is the OM 20mm f1.4, where the PL 25mm f1.4 might've been the slightly better choice, although I do use the 20mm a fair bit.
Great content and very valid points. We all buy gear we don’t need, more lust after. The hardest thing is moving them on because of the fear of missing out, that niggling ‘you never know’ thought. I do know that the moment I sell that Oly 45mm 1.2 that it’ll be needed for a client who wants super blurry backgrounds! 😂
The Leica 25mm f1.4 is probably my go to street photography lens. For a little wider angle I enjoy using the 14mm f2.5, and for a little extra reach I absolutely love the M.Zuiko 60mm f2.8. I tend to use the 60mm f2.8 for it's intended macro purposes, but I think can be used well in other situations also. Recently adapted a Voigtlander 15mm f4.5 which I need to take out. The only other lens I take with me for long distance situations, but that I use very little of is the M.Zuiko 75-300mm f4.8-6.7, which I think is a decent telephoto for the price.
All things said, I find myself using the 12-100mm f/4 pro and 40-150 f/2.8 pro more than anything. The latter is such a great portrait lens, I just have to make sure I have space for it. Toss on the 2x tc, and you have a really nice telephoto. If only it had IS.
On my G95 and G100 the autofocus doesn't work without good lighting so that pushed me into fast primes only I wish I had gotten the Olympus 25mm f1.2 first. It's better in many ways than the pana 25mm 1.7 and leica 25mm 1.4 and not all that heavy I also sold off my 12-60 because of the variable aperture. And I also hardly use my 42.5mm Leica but it has given me some beautiful images and videos. I barely use my pana 12-32mm because I don't like having to twist it to turn on I love, love, love my Leica 200mm and 1.4x teleconverter. I love my pana 20mm f1.7 pancake for sharp photo and video. The Laowa 7.5mm f2 is another one that feels and looks good. The DOF is so deep that manual focus isn't a problem Finally, if I didn't already have so many lenses I'd get the Leica 10-25mm f1.7 for indoor video use
Unlike you, a 42.5/25 f1.2 would be perfect for some of my paid work - press conferences in DC. With my 45 f1.8 and my 75 f1.8, I can get 1/125 ISO 200 @1.8. My ISO-phobia prevents my going above 400, and even that only briefly. An f1.2 would allow me to more consistently freeze movement at ~1/500. I only do this a few times a year, not quite enough to warrant the cost.
Great video as always! 15mm 1.7 was a game changer for me. Not really 28mm and also not 35mm, falls right in the middle of both. Hey! Congrats on hitting 5K subscriptions ;)
Recently back to m43 I’ve been keeping it easy since I shoot stteet. Panasonic 20mm 1.7 for its size. 12-60 kit send. Laowa 17mm 1.7 @ ttartisans 55mm manual lens for street portraits. I’ve almost wanted the 35-100 might need to add that to my list
OLYMPUS OM-D E-M1 MARK II UND PANASONIC LUMIX G VARIO 14-140 MM 3.5-5.6 ASPH II. Wir waren 2 Monate in Japan, ich nutzte fast immer dieses Objektiv, weil mir unsere zahlreichen Olympus Pro Objektive zu schwer waren. Meine Frau nutzte das Zuiko 12 - 100 4,0 Pro. Ihr fehlte es manchmal an der oberen Brennweite.
I owned the PL 12-60 and found it to be one of the best quality lenses I’ve ever owned, but I shoot lots of indoor events. I feel like f4 on MFT is not bright enough for most indoor shooting. I sold it and went back to the 12-35/2.8.
I use PanaLeica 12-60 more instead of 12-40 Oly cause of it's 20mm more reach so is more versatile and is pretty much same sharp and much cheaper(half price) 2nd hand than Oly. For night or low light I have PanaLeicas 15mm and 25mm. 25mm F1.4 is my favourite and is reason I sold my Oly 45 f1.2 which was great portrait lense but usually I'm in smaller spaces so 25mm is better and no need for 45mm at all also it was bulky lense. Same is 12-40 Oly going for sale cause day travel photos leicas is more versitile and picture are same quality. Variable aperture newer worried me cause you can,stop it 4 or 4.5 and is absolutelysharp corner to corner. For me ideal zoom lense for travel will be size as Oly or Panaleica but 12-80 F2.8 but it doesn't exist so😢
I was able to get my hands on a used g85 for a decent price. It included the 12-60mm lens. I ended up buying a lumix g x 14-42mm Pancake style and limix g 25mm. Been playing around with it here and there. But, I will mainly use it for video content. As much as I want to use my samsung s10 for video or photo (pro mode), it has it's limitations.
Really enjoyed ‘Sitting Still’ Grant, you make good bass‼️ As for your lenses, it seems to me that you’re over thinking it. As my ma said to me looong ago, make the best of what you’ve got…✌️
Personally I love pairing my G9 with a speedbooster and the sigma 18-35 f/1.8. After the speedbooster I'm seeing it to be a f/1.2 constant aperture lens.
My 2 mistakes in MFT are the PanaLeica 12-60 2.8-4, the mount broke twice, once replaced by Panasonic and broke again and repaired under guaranty and then a third time Panasonic refused to repair (or for +-450€), I buy a mount on Aliexpress and when remounting, I see what It breaks, only 3 poor screws, I glued it and since then no problem but I replaced it with the Zuiko 12-100 f4 and this lens is just amazing. I'm very careful with my lenses and cameras, I still have my E3 + all its lenses like new, all my OM films cameras and lenses, only this one as such issue. My second mistake, the Zuiko 9-18mm (non pro), i bough it when it was released and it stop functioning just after the 2 years of guaranty (error "Please check the status of the lens"), and I've rarely used it as I was not so happy with it and bought the Pana 7-14 f4 and it's an amazing lens.
I have both 42.5mm (f 1.2 and f1.7) so I compared them, and the Nocticron colors and bokeh are better than the f1.7 lens, even at f1.7 aperture for both
I've hoarded way too much stuff in the past, from other hobbies. Can't do it with lenses! It's way too much money to be sitting around, gathering dust! For my amateur wildlife shooting roadmap, I figured get a top camera, maybe a more mid-range backup, and a few lenses with complementary ranges. So at the moment I have an OM-1 with the 12-40mm 2.8 kit lens, the 300mm f4, and the Lumix 35-100mm 2.8 as a sort of stopgap between the two. I hope to replace that with the Lumix/Leica 50-200 when my wallet stops crying. I know it might seem backwards to aim for a limited lens collection and then decide on a mid-range zoom and a big prime, rather than a single 100-400 zoom. Honestly, I think that might be _my_ big M43 mistake. I've rationalised it away as needing that extra stop of light in gloomy irish forests. My experience with an old f5.6 45-200 in low light helped me with that decision. That lens felt kind of like a mistake, too. My 'back up' for all these lumix lenses is my old GX80. Waiting to see if any new announcement for the GX line is weather sealed, and if not I'm going for a used G90. Too much sentimental value on the GX80, and it's too much fun, to get rid. It'll be semi-retired to a pocket carry, maybe a street photog camera with the 12-32 kit lens or the lumix 20mm.
Great video as always Grant. I am M43 curious. I shoot Canon R6 & 5D Mark IV for interiors, reportage and commercial work but a GX9 for street photography. There's something about the Lumix I just like and I've got more and more interested in the system. I'm thinking about using a M43 set up for events / reportage as it's a lighter system. But I'm not sure about how it would cope in low-light, even though I use a lot of bounce flash. Full-frame 24-70 and 70-200 are just SO massive and heavy to lug around. Any experience on using the Lumix in low-light/events? I'd appreciate your thoughts.
Yes - I have certainly done events with m43 :) the faster the lens the better and yes have a flash … but If I were shooting events all the time and as my main thing, I’d be using full frame :) M43 does struggle with the low light :)
@@grantrobertdaviesthank you 😊 (can’t believe YT deleted my previous thank you comment and warned me because I violated some terms. No idea what I’ve said that could be deemed inappropriate) anyway thanks for the link Grant and loving the content
The thing is MFT is worth the money only when you want to do video. In most zooms you're paying the extra money for things like this lens doesn't change the focus when you zoom etc. Same goes with the bodies. I'm currently letting most of my MFT gear away. I'm upgrading to G9II from the original G9, keeping the 200/2.8 due to its optical quality and telemacro performance. The second lens I'm keeping is the OM 90/3.5 macro. I am letting go for example the Leica 42.5/1.2, Leica 12-60/2.8-4 etc. Although great lenses, not worth the price. I will use MFT in combination with Fujifilm X-H2. That Viltrox 75/1.2 is a masterpiece with a fraction of the Leica 42.5 lens but bringing optical performance on absolutely different level and on a 40MP body. I also wanted to get the new Leica 100-400mm II but for me, MFT makes no sense in the meaning of value for money. MFT should be smaller, lighter and cheaper, while Canon R7 + RF 100-400 would, AGAIN, bring me on another level and would probably be even lighter. Fuji 100-400 WR is a beast, compatible with TC, great optical performance, possibility to easily crop to 25MP to compete with the crop on MFT with the same resolution but better optical quality. And just 20% extra of the MFT lens price. Thus, Elmarit 200 and OM 90 are the only lens that make sense to me when talking about the MFT system and I'm only keeping those two.
I traded in my 12-35 f/2.8 for the leica 12-60 - Few days later I missed the constant aperture and I bought a second hand 12-35 f2.8 LOL - I want them both.
Yeah I was burnt big style sold the 12-45 f4 and the 45-150 f4 thinking that the Olympus 12-100 f4 would replace those 2 lenses. The 12-100 was just too heavy and felt unbalanced on my EM5 MK3 and GX9. Sold the 12-100 bought another 12-45. However lost so much couldn't afford another 45-150 but got the Sigma 56mm f1.4 So the zoom to document the journey and the 56mm to capture detail shots. Seems to be working for me at the moment.
Agree...I've had the 12-45 and 56 for a long time and just such a great combo. Have also thought of 12-100 but too big. The 45-150 still a possibility but the 56 is so good (and fast) yet can still crop. For now awaiting the upcoming Pro zooms that go to 200-250 😉
Someone needs to come up with some new EF lenses with adaptors that are capable of using the PDAF of the new Lumix cameras. Then people could buy those lenses and use them on m43 and L. I know lenses and adaptors exist already but they are shockingly bad at doing AF.
Why try and adapt the 12-60 to something, just sell it and move on. You will never be happy with it whatever niche you try and squeeze it into. You will definitely come away sour when you use that lens for a project where you thought you could make it work and it didn't.
Just buy the Leica 2.8 zooms 12-35 and 35-100 duh. Stop talking. Good luck with adapting Canon to M43, lol. Whats the point? Adding 3 pounds weight to a 1 lbs camera body?
Thanks for the feedback… Do you have any work online I can checkout? You have the Leica f/2.8’s?? - I’d love to see how you shoot photo and video :) Looking forward to seeing your work… Thanks again… Grant…
I ended up getting the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 instead of any of the 42.5's. Its a bit longer at 112mm; but man the colors are solid and it is nicely sharp, like really sharp.
Im a GH6 video shooter and I didn’t touch my 42.5mm nocticron for over year after I got my 25-50mm/1.7. However, I recently picked up a G9II from B&H during that $500 discount sale and rediscovered my love for the nocticron for portraits. I think the 42.5/1.2 will live on my g9II for headshots and portraits . They are a match made in heaven.
I’ve stuck with the OLY 45mm f1.8 and 17mm f1.8 for quite some time. That’s just how I roll.
That’s a far more useful combo than my 17mm and 45mm.
I have both Oly 45/1.2 and 25/1.2. What surprised me the most is that I use the 25 much more often.
I don't regret getting the 45, because it is fantastic - but at the same time, it's a pity that it gathers dust a lot of the time.
When I pack my stuff, it's usually 12-40/2.8, 40-150/2.8 and 25/1.2. Covers almost all scenarios
12-35 2.8 LUMIX easily. I do heaps of combat sports and corporate and live events and the 12-35 is my go to and I’ve got heaps of lenses. But the world is moving to hybrid shooting so you have to be able to do both videos and photography and this lens can cover you for almost anything. The dual stabilization with the GH5 is incredible.
The only bad thing about it is that when your shooting an event all day the focus ring can be tough - especially compared to proper video focus rings like you would find on a dedicated video camera.
My favorite lens however is the 42.5 Leica. Just so beautiful. Made a whole photo book with just that lens.
My first lens for my gx80 beyond the kit lens was the lumix 42.5mm f1.7 - it’s such a good lens, sharp, great bokeh and with a close focus of 25cm it produces wonderful closeups. Subsequently, I tried the Oly 12-40 f2.8 pro which was just a touch sharper and closer focusing, but so much more bulky and expensive (it went back). I’ve several other lumix lenses now, including the 35-100mm f4-5.6 - again so much cheaper and lighter than the f2.8 pro version whilst still tack sharp. But the 42.5 f1.7 is still the one to beat.
M4/3 is for compactness, lightness and cheapness. Pana 20 1.7 pancake + Oly 45 1.8 + Oly 75-300 + Laowa 7.5, it's difficult to beat...
I'd recommend the Olympus 40-150 2.8 PRO. It's far and away my favorite zoom for everything. It's sharp, great subject separation. Wildlife. Portraits. Sport. It's my one.
All due respect but the Olympus M.Zuiko 45mm f1.2 Pro is the pinnacle, as it’s the current resolution record holder for all m43 portrait lenses. The 17mm f1.2 is the overall record holder for resolution. But no doubt the Pany Leica 42.5 is terrific. I just prefer M. Zuiko lenses, seriously thinking about the Olympus 75mm f1.8, an oldie but goody if you want compression, sharpness and beautiful bokeh in your portraits.
I sold my 12-35mm f2.8 mark I and bought the 12-40mm f2.8! And then the 12-45mm f4 because of the size. Suddenly I realized that the 12-35mm was the size of the 12-45mm, but with the constant aperture f2.8, like the 12-40mm, and it still has OIS!!! I am now planning to sell both Olympus and buy the new version of the 12-35mm f2.8 (now Lumix Leica). But it's worth mentioning that all 3 options are excellent!! But the Leica seems like the most balanced option! Regarding the Leica 42.5mm f1.2, I couldn't agree more. I have the Olympus 45mm f1.2, which is fantastic, but I almost never use it. On the other hand, I use the tiny 45mm f1.8 almost daily. Moral of the story: in most scenarios a good set of constant f2.8 and a few small f1.8 primes are enough.
I don't have the Panasonic 42.5, but I do have the trilogy of Olympus f1.2 primes, and they are super for paid work. The difference comes from the reliable manual focus for video work, and not just the f1.2 aperture, but the higher light transmission of the f1.2 primes over the cheaper f1.8 primes. The f1.2 primes work like magic in low light conditions like wedding receptions and ceremonies, night events and concerts. With two bodies, the 17/1.2 and 45/1.2 are almost all you need for those situations, and you can keep the 25/1.2 in a shoulder bag or large pocket for when you need it.
As for getting a Canon 24-70, get a Speedbooster XL, as this will give you an even wider effective aperture than the Speedbooster Ultra. The S5 has a lot of issues with adapting EF mount lenses, especially older Canon L lenses, but it seems that the S5 II solves a lot of those problems because of phase detection AF. But at the end of the day, nothing will focus faster or more reliably than native glass, so be mindful that you may want to invest in native L mount glass if you get a S5 II in the future.
I own this lens. Its worth getting into m/43 just to have this lens, its that special. Your pics will have that 'je ne sais quoi' Leica look. I own the Canon full frame 85mm 1.2 on a 1DX and yes its a stunner BUT the 42.5 I prefer. Its only weakness is a) I wouldnt rate it as a video lens , its a stunning portrait lens and b) its not weather sealed
FYI:: the Oly 25mm f1.2 is something special. You may find that it scratches the boutique lens itch you seem to be seeking. I am not actually a huge fan of 50mm (equivalent) since I prefer wide but… the 25mm really has beautiful rendition. So that’s why I recommend it.
On the other end of the spectrum, I love my 14-42(s) pancake. I’ve heard the quality control is questionable, but I love the copies I have. Beautiful practical lens. I’ve used one so much that the glue eventually came undone. So the lens is not bullet-proof like so many Oly lenses, but it’s a beast in terms of… just pragmatic fun pics. Total sleeper of a lens!
Good luck!
It's true. I have a lot of mft lenses: e.g. the zuiko 75mm 1.8,, zuiko 45 1.8 zuiko 25 1.8, sigma 56 1.4 , but the rendering of my Zuiko 25 1.2 is really something special. And about that 14-42 yes it's very functional, you can get great photo's with it
The 42.5 1.2 works brilliantly with the 25-50 1.7 zoom at 35mm for 2 camera interviews.
Very Nice :)
Been there Bro.
GH5 with Canon 16-35 2.8 & 70-200 2.8 now on my S5ii with the MC21.
I shoot high end Weddings and feel your journey. I have 4 - S5 II & S5 IIX for my multicam events… I’ve been highly pleased with the workflow in the S5 II Series.
I have F1.2, 42.5 mm, and use it for portrets outdoor. I get the best boke then! Plus its sharpness already c F1.2 is amazing!
The 35-50 f2.8 is my go to lens. So much so that I is superglued to my camera.
I was surprised that you didn't mention the amazing 10 -25 f1.7 and 25 - 50 f1.7 panaleica zooms. Expensive, yes but covering an equivalent 20mm to 100mm at a constant f1.7 these should be top of your list aspirational lenses. ☺️
They don’t really interest me :) Never have …
My favorites are 15mm 1.7, 14mm 2.5, 12-60mm 2.8, 42.5mm 1.2, 25mm ttartisan 2.0, 100-300mm.
I'm looking at going 12-35/35-100 (MKII used) to pair with my 100-400 (MK1). After that I'm really looking at anamorphic or mini cine lenses (EF/PL) for where I want to do as paid work is pretty much covered by those 3 lenses (and some Nikon MF lenses I have adapted) so I can get something more "creative" for my personal work or indie filmmaking jobs.
I also have the 12-60mm f3.5-5.6 and I just regard that as a constant f5.6 lens with the option of wider apertures at the wide end. With the f2.8-4 version, I'd probably likewise use it as "constant f4."
My biggest mistakes so far have been the Olympus 60mm f2.8 macro and the Rokinon 12mm f2. Nothing wrong with the lenses themselves, but I just have no use for them. Another possibly iffy one for me is the OM 20mm f1.4, where the PL 25mm f1.4 might've been the slightly better choice, although I do use the 20mm a fair bit.
Great content and very valid points. We all buy gear we don’t need, more lust after. The hardest thing is moving them on because of the fear of missing out, that niggling ‘you never know’ thought. I do know that the moment I sell that Oly 45mm 1.2 that it’ll be needed for a client who wants super blurry backgrounds! 😂
The Leica 25mm f1.4 is probably my go to street photography lens. For a little wider angle I enjoy using the 14mm f2.5, and for a little extra reach I absolutely love the M.Zuiko 60mm f2.8. I tend to use the 60mm f2.8 for it's intended macro purposes, but I think can be used well in other situations also. Recently adapted a Voigtlander 15mm f4.5 which I need to take out.
The only other lens I take with me for long distance situations, but that I use very little of is the M.Zuiko 75-300mm f4.8-6.7, which I think is a decent telephoto for the price.
All things said, I find myself using the 12-100mm f/4 pro and 40-150 f/2.8 pro more than anything. The latter is such a great portrait lens, I just have to make sure I have space for it. Toss on the 2x tc, and you have a really nice telephoto. If only it had IS.
On my G95 and G100 the autofocus doesn't work without good lighting so that pushed me into fast primes only
I wish I had gotten the Olympus 25mm f1.2 first. It's better in many ways than the pana 25mm 1.7 and leica 25mm 1.4 and not all that heavy
I also sold off my 12-60 because of the variable aperture. And I also hardly use my 42.5mm Leica but it has given me some beautiful images and videos. I barely use my pana 12-32mm because I don't like having to twist it to turn on
I love, love, love my Leica 200mm and 1.4x teleconverter. I love my pana 20mm f1.7 pancake for sharp photo and video. The Laowa 7.5mm f2 is another one that feels and looks good. The DOF is so deep that manual focus isn't a problem
Finally, if I didn't already have so many lenses I'd get the Leica 10-25mm f1.7 for indoor video use
Unlike you, a 42.5/25 f1.2 would be perfect for some of my paid work - press conferences in DC. With my 45 f1.8 and my 75 f1.8, I can get 1/125 ISO 200 @1.8. My ISO-phobia prevents my going above 400, and even that only briefly. An f1.2 would allow me to more consistently freeze movement at ~1/500. I only do this a few times a year, not quite enough to warrant the cost.
Great video as always! 15mm 1.7 was a game changer for me. Not really 28mm and also not 35mm, falls right in the middle of both. Hey! Congrats on hitting 5K subscriptions ;)
thank You :)
Recently back to m43 I’ve been keeping it easy since I shoot stteet. Panasonic 20mm 1.7 for its size. 12-60 kit send. Laowa 17mm 1.7 @ ttartisans 55mm manual lens for street portraits. I’ve almost wanted the 35-100 might need to add that to my list
OLYMPUS OM-D E-M1 MARK II UND
PANASONIC LUMIX G VARIO 14-140 MM 3.5-5.6 ASPH II.
Wir waren 2 Monate in Japan, ich nutzte fast immer dieses Objektiv, weil mir unsere zahlreichen Olympus Pro Objektive zu schwer waren. Meine Frau nutzte das Zuiko 12 - 100 4,0 Pro. Ihr fehlte es manchmal an der oberen Brennweite.
I owned the PL 12-60 and found it to be one of the best quality lenses I’ve ever owned, but I shoot lots of indoor events. I feel like f4 on MFT is not bright enough for most indoor shooting. I sold it and went back to the 12-35/2.8.
yes f/4 is a bit too slow non m43
I use PanaLeica 12-60 more instead of 12-40 Oly cause of it's 20mm more reach so is more versatile and is pretty much same sharp and much cheaper(half price) 2nd hand than Oly. For night or low light I have PanaLeicas 15mm and 25mm. 25mm F1.4 is my favourite and is reason I sold my Oly 45 f1.2 which was great portrait lense but usually I'm in smaller spaces so 25mm is better and no need for 45mm at all also it was bulky lense. Same is 12-40 Oly going for sale cause day travel photos leicas is more versitile and picture are same quality. Variable aperture newer worried me cause you can,stop it 4 or 4.5 and is absolutelysharp corner to corner. For me ideal zoom lense for travel will be size as Oly or Panaleica but 12-80 F2.8 but it doesn't exist so😢
If I made a video it would an all day event to watch my mistakes. Good for you for sharing.
I was able to get my hands on a used g85 for a decent price. It included the 12-60mm lens. I ended up buying a lumix g x 14-42mm Pancake style and limix g 25mm. Been playing around with it here and there. But, I will mainly use it for video content. As much as I want to use my samsung s10 for video or photo (pro mode), it has it's limitations.
12-35 and 35-100 f 2.8 is a good starter set. =)
Really enjoyed ‘Sitting Still’ Grant, you make good bass‼️
As for your lenses, it seems to me that you’re over thinking it.
As my ma said to me looong ago, make the best of what you’ve got…✌️
Personally I love pairing my G9 with a speedbooster and the sigma 18-35 f/1.8. After the speedbooster I'm seeing it to be a f/1.2 constant aperture lens.
My 2 mistakes in MFT are the PanaLeica 12-60 2.8-4, the mount broke twice, once replaced by Panasonic and broke again and repaired under guaranty and then a third time Panasonic refused to repair (or for +-450€), I buy a mount on Aliexpress and when remounting, I see what It breaks, only 3 poor screws, I glued it and since then no problem but I replaced it with the Zuiko 12-100 f4 and this lens is just amazing. I'm very careful with my lenses and cameras, I still have my E3 + all its lenses like new, all my OM films cameras and lenses, only this one as such issue.
My second mistake, the Zuiko 9-18mm (non pro), i bough it when it was released and it stop functioning just after the 2 years of guaranty (error "Please check the status of the lens"), and I've rarely used it as I was not so happy with it and bought the Pana 7-14 f4 and it's an amazing lens.
I have both 42.5mm (f 1.2 and f1.7) so I compared them, and the Nocticron colors and bokeh are better than the f1.7 lens, even at f1.7 aperture for both
Wanted to choose mft but they seem to suffer from light leaks quite often 😮
I've hoarded way too much stuff in the past, from other hobbies. Can't do it with lenses! It's way too much money to be sitting around, gathering dust!
For my amateur wildlife shooting roadmap, I figured get a top camera, maybe a more mid-range backup, and a few lenses with complementary ranges. So at the moment I have an OM-1 with the 12-40mm 2.8 kit lens, the 300mm f4, and the Lumix 35-100mm 2.8 as a sort of stopgap between the two. I hope to replace that with the Lumix/Leica 50-200 when my wallet stops crying.
I know it might seem backwards to aim for a limited lens collection and then decide on a mid-range zoom and a big prime, rather than a single 100-400 zoom. Honestly, I think that might be _my_ big M43 mistake. I've rationalised it away as needing that extra stop of light in gloomy irish forests. My experience with an old f5.6 45-200 in low light helped me with that decision. That lens felt kind of like a mistake, too.
My 'back up' for all these lumix lenses is my old GX80. Waiting to see if any new announcement for the GX line is weather sealed, and if not I'm going for a used G90. Too much sentimental value on the GX80, and it's too much fun, to get rid. It'll be semi-retired to a pocket carry, maybe a street photog camera with the 12-32 kit lens or the lumix 20mm.
Great video as always Grant. I am M43 curious. I shoot Canon R6 & 5D Mark IV for interiors, reportage and commercial work but a GX9 for street photography. There's something about the Lumix I just like and I've got more and more interested in the system. I'm thinking about using a M43 set up for events / reportage as it's a lighter system. But I'm not sure about how it would cope in low-light, even though I use a lot of bounce flash. Full-frame 24-70 and 70-200 are just SO massive and heavy to lug around. Any experience on using the Lumix in low-light/events? I'd appreciate your thoughts.
Yes - I have certainly done events with m43 :) the faster the lens the better and yes have a flash … but If I were shooting events all the time and as my main thing, I’d be using full frame :) M43 does struggle with the low light :)
@@grantrobertdavies Cheers Grant. I appreciate your opinion
Never mind the camera gear, that’s a real nice hat dude. What make and where can I get one?
Thanks :)amzn.to/3LVcTt5
@@grantrobertdaviesthank you 😊 (can’t believe YT deleted my previous thank you comment and warned me because I violated some terms. No idea what I’ve said that could be deemed inappropriate) anyway thanks for the link Grant and loving the content
Thank you :)@@alex-reay
The thing is MFT is worth the money only when you want to do video. In most zooms you're paying the extra money for things like this lens doesn't change the focus when you zoom etc. Same goes with the bodies. I'm currently letting most of my MFT gear away. I'm upgrading to G9II from the original G9, keeping the 200/2.8 due to its optical quality and telemacro performance. The second lens I'm keeping is the OM 90/3.5 macro.
I am letting go for example the Leica 42.5/1.2, Leica 12-60/2.8-4 etc. Although great lenses, not worth the price. I will use MFT in combination with Fujifilm X-H2. That Viltrox 75/1.2 is a masterpiece with a fraction of the Leica 42.5 lens but bringing optical performance on absolutely different level and on a 40MP body. I also wanted to get the new Leica 100-400mm II but for me, MFT makes no sense in the meaning of value for money. MFT should be smaller, lighter and cheaper, while Canon R7 + RF 100-400 would, AGAIN, bring me on another level and would probably be even lighter. Fuji 100-400 WR is a beast, compatible with TC, great optical performance, possibility to easily crop to 25MP to compete with the crop on MFT with the same resolution but better optical quality. And just 20% extra of the MFT lens price.
Thus, Elmarit 200 and OM 90 are the only lens that make sense to me when talking about the MFT system and I'm only keeping those two.
I traded in my 12-35 f/2.8 for the leica 12-60 - Few days later I missed the constant aperture and I bought a second hand 12-35 f2.8 LOL - I want them both.
Yeah I was burnt big style sold the 12-45 f4 and the 45-150 f4 thinking that the Olympus 12-100 f4 would replace those 2 lenses. The 12-100 was just too heavy and felt unbalanced on my EM5 MK3 and GX9. Sold the 12-100 bought another 12-45. However lost so much couldn't afford another 45-150 but got the Sigma 56mm f1.4
So the zoom to document the journey and the 56mm to capture detail shots. Seems to be working for me at the moment.
Agree...I've had the 12-45 and 56 for a long time and just such a great combo. Have also thought of 12-100 but too big. The 45-150 still a possibility but the 56 is so good (and fast) yet can still crop. For now awaiting the upcoming Pro zooms that go to 200-250 😉
great music 😉
Thanks :)
hardly ever use my 75mm 1.8 olympus
Sigma 1.4 …. 56mm
Someone needs to come up with some new EF lenses with adaptors that are capable of using the PDAF of the new Lumix cameras. Then people could buy those lenses and use them on m43 and L.
I know lenses and adaptors exist already but they are shockingly bad at doing AF.
Why try and adapt the 12-60 to something, just sell it and move on. You will never be happy with it whatever niche you try and squeeze it into. You will definitely come away sour when you use that lens for a project where you thought you could make it work and it didn't.
No, I'm not going to sell it ...
Just buy the Leica 2.8 zooms 12-35 and 35-100 duh. Stop talking. Good luck with adapting Canon to M43, lol. Whats the point? Adding 3 pounds weight to a 1 lbs camera body?
Thanks for the feedback… Do you have any work online I can checkout? You have the Leica f/2.8’s?? - I’d love to see how you shoot photo and video :) Looking forward to seeing your work… Thanks again… Grant…