5 years with Micro Four Thirds : My thoughts on best & worst lenses

[@justalexhimself]

Guys and Girls, let's hear some of your favourite and least favourite lenses for MFT. Comment below ;)

[@cameraprepper7938]

For macro, there are a lot of better options than Panasonic (Leica) and Olympus, find a manual focusing macro Lens and you are good to go !

[@GrahamAtDesk]

@@cameraprepper7938 I've no idea if it's "better" having never compared them, but I really enjoy my Pentax Takumar 50mm f4 macro lens on my MFT bodies. It's great to use with stationery subjects. I'm not sure I'd recommend it for shooting bugs on flowers though (for example). Auto-focus feels like a bit of a must-have in some circumstances.

[@GrahamAtDesk]

I'm a big fan of the Olympus 25mm f1.8, and the Lumix 14mm, 15mm and 20mm options. I went for the Oly 25 having read it was slightly better optically than the Lumix 25, and it's smaller (a big deal for me; I carry my cameras in small bags on my bike). I'd buy it again tomorrow if I lost it. On the 14mm being boring, surely that's all about what you point it at? I think Ming Thein has written some good articles on how to get good results with 28mm. On sharpness, I hear you, but over the years I've become a bit "meh" about that idea. There's more to it. There's just something about some of the pictures that I've had from my 14mm (I think this is what people mean when they talk about "rendering"). I had the Sigma 30mm art lens, which was pretty impressive (and great value). It was noticeably sharper than the 20mm. But as I just said, I'm not that bothered about that. I didn't use it after I bought the Oly 25mm, so sold it. The only zoom that I've ever really enjoyed (either carrying it, or the pictures) is the Lumix 12-32mm. I've got the "original" 14-45mm kit lens that Panasonic launched the system with. It has a great reputation, but I've not used it that much; I got it during the period that I rarely took the 20mm off the camera. I've not tried any of the f2.8 "pro" zooms, but they're just too big for me to want to take them with me. I had the 45mm f1.8 for a while, but didn't use it after my friend's kids were through the "toddler photos" stage. So I sold that, and haven't missed it. It takes beautiful pictures though.

[@cameraprepper7938]

@@GrahamAtDesk I did use some analog Lenses until two years ago, fx Canon FDn prime Lenses, Tamron SP Adaptall-2 prime Lenses and Leica R prime Lenses, but the last years modern designed Lenses are superior to those old analog Lenses, I like very much the Voigtländer APO-Lanthar series !

[@wnose]

Favorite: Panasonic 20mm f1.7

[@wasylbakowsky5199]

As a biologist that gets out into the field, my go to lens is the Olympus Zuiko Pro 12-40 f2.8. Has a manual focus clutch that I use for closeups. This can go from wide angle to moderate zoom, all with one lens, and fast throughout the range.

[@MrFirstdance2000]

Sigma 56 is superb...both for portrait and landscape. The 56 is smaller than the other two!

[@GlobeHackers]

Sigma 30 is a great lens. Tiny Olympus 1.8 primes are excellent and tiny and easy to carry. MF3 is still a good platform for travel.

[@justalexhimself]

for sure! :)

[@weisserth]

Did I see Bill Murray in your footage?! AWESOME. Very nice footage in general to support your personal take on the gear.

[@crsantin]

The Panny 25mm 1.7 is very affordable and I’m really happy with it. So is the Panny 42.5mm. Even the kit lenses are pretty good. Always happy with mine. I really like my micro four thirds kit and I use it regularly.

[@ddsdss256]

I decided that MFT was the best system for me (I still do) and got a Lumix G9 shortly after it hit the market. I wanted a "full-range," weatherproof system, so I got the Leica 8-18 f/2.8-4, Mitakon Speedmaster 25 f/0.95 (gotta have that "fast 50" although that razor-thin DoF wide open can be a bit overkill--it's also not weatherproof but has no electrical contacts), Lumix G-X 35-100 f/2.8, and Leica 100-400 f/4-6.3. I later added the Oly 60mm Macro f/2.8. I also got a GX85 with the "kit" pancake 12-32 and 45-150 (a great option if you want to travel very light as a couple of cargo pant or jacket pockets fit the kit). Every one of those lenses is more than good enough to produce stellar, large prints. One of the many advantages of MFT is that most any lens can be adapted, but that's really superfluous, as virtually all MFT lenses fit all MFT bodies and there are so many choices. I've thought about getting the Laowa 7.5, but it's not that much wider (or faster) than the 8-18. Obviously, which lenses you use depends on how you shoot, but I like having the full array available. If I had to pick one lens (a silly hypothetical), it would probably be the 35-100 as that 70-200 EFL works very well for the vast majority of the images I want to record. In the city, the 8-18's EFL of 16-36 covers most architectural/street situations. For macros, besides that great Oly lens, the Leica 100-400 has a minimum focusing distance of only 1.3m/4.27' which at 800mm EFL = 0.5 magnification, enough to fill the frame with many skittish bugs. Shorter focusing distances are another often unsung advantage of MFT. Interesting that you find 14mm to be a "boring" FL, as it's "35mm eq" FL of 28mm was Garry Winogrand's FL of choice (and even with his Leica gear, his images were often "soft" as he had little time to focus in many cases, which shows you that sharpness isn't everything). Obviously, preferred FLs are a very personal choice.

[@justalexhimself]

hello thank you for checking out the video and for your comment. Interesting to hear about your choices of lenses and and the preferences you have. At the end of the day, it's not about specific gear - it's about how you are able to use it and if you have a particular preference it can inspire you to shoot something in a more interesting way :)

[@jogey5890]

LAOWA 10mm which can be wide or act 12mm and is such quality that cropping is no problem, also focus manually is very quick and accurate, no misses.

[@ToddBannor]

Great video! One point about the 20mm f1.7 and focusing speed. It’s not the motor, it’s the fact that the lens uses unit focusing, meaning that the whole lens assembly (all the elements) move to achieve focus and a focus motor that fits in a pancake lens isn’t going to move things that quickly. This is common with pancake lenses. The Canon EF-S 24mm pancake, which I had in my Canon days, uses unit focusing and it was slow too. I think it’s the same for the Canon EF 40mm pancake too. So it’s the nature of these pancake lenses and I don’t think it’s solvable without bumping up the cost of the lens considerably and probably increasing the size as well.

[@justalexhimself]

Hey Todd, thanks for your comment. That's very interesting to know, I guess it's just the overall design of these lenses as you said. Having said that, I wonder how Lumix managed to fit in OIS and internal quick focusing in to the pancake 12-32 which is even smaller. Because the rack focusing function works with that little kit lens!

[@ToddBannor]

@@justalexhimself Good point about the 12-32, but keep in mind it doesn’t use unit focusing, it uses internal focusing, which moves one or maybe two elements, so a small motor doesn’t have to do as much work. Also, because it extends, the optical assembly isn’t one unit, as it is in the 20mm. It may be possible to design a 20 mm pancake with internal focusing, but I’m guessing it wouldn’t be as compact because you have to have enough room for the focusing element to move and it would be more expensive. If you look at the 14mm f2.5, it does have internal focusing, but, at 14mm, DOF is so deep, it doesn’t need to travel much to focus.

[@Mraz75]

I have PL12-60mm f2.8-4, Lumix 20mm, PL45mm f2.8, Sigma 16mm & 56mm, and for Ultra Wide i have Meike 8mm T2.9. These are lenses i have right now. Other lenses i sold because i seldom use them are 45-200mm, 12-32mm, 7artisans 35mm f1.4. For me, i love those sigma lenses and i own a GH5ii. Both fits perfectly on the camera. I am keeping PL 12-60 and PL45mm for my run and gun type of news job.

[@jamesmlodynia8757]

In my collection 0f cameras and lens, i have six micro 4/3 bodies Panasonic G9 and G95 Olympus OMD1 MK2 and MKIII, EM5 MK III and EM10 MK IIII. If I had to chose one lens and frankly i never could, i would pick Olympus 12-40 f2.8. Its sharp wide open and as an everyday lens is great, as for prime i have a bunch of Panasonic and Olympus lens and they all work great. Even though 4/3 lens are smaller than most other glass good ones are not cheap, you can buy on the used market and i have purchased many lens for my different cameras from Adorama and B&H photo both in New York city but there's other stores depending on where you live.

[@Strravigor]

@@jamesmlodynia8757 yes this great zoom is always with me

[@Jgatti41]

Enjoyed your video. I have shot with Olympus for 17 years now. I had been on the fence about trying a FF system for awhile. But I just could not pull the trigger. I own 2 Olympus bodies and 5 pro Olympus lenses. I had never really given any Panasonic lenses any thought after a terrible experience with the 100-300. But seeing some of the smaller primes they have come out with, I may just give one or two a try. It's shame so many people don't give the system a chance due to the FF sheep that bash the hell out of it. If they did, they would see it really is a fantastic well rounded compact system. More affordable as well. Appreciate the video and seeing you sharing your positive experiences with m 4/3. ( edit) also, agree with the 45 1.8 being an amazing lens. I still own it and use it even though I have the 45 1.2 I pulled it out at a shoot and had a couple people chuckle and comment about tis size. Then they saw the results. One was Canon user and the other a big Nikon guy. Really made them wonder about my gear lol

[@justalexhimself]

Hey thank you for stopping by and checking out the video. Great to hear that you're using the Olympus system and enjoying their lenses, some of them are indeed very good. Yes, I 100% agree with you. The system is super good if you know how to use it properly. For me, I like it that the lenses are a lot smaller and less expensive than FF and still get the job done to a brilliant level!

[@bastian.michel]

Do not switch. Im back to MFT after being with Sony FF. Colors, ergonomics, size(lenses), price, IBIS(huge)...all worse. The only thing what I miss from FF is lowlight. But hey, cant have everything.

[@gordon3988]

Enjoy the 12-35 2.8 outdoors (weatherproof and relatively light for hiking etc) and the Panny 15mm 1.7 for general uses. Would love to try the Panny 9mm and perhaps the Olympus 14-150 (small, light and inexpensive). Your proposed use of the Olympus 45mm even for landscapes makes it tempting too! Great video footage! Well done.

[@justalexhimself]

Thank you! I actually forgot to mention in this video, I did briefly own the 12-35 f2.8 at one point... for me the f2.8 was just a little bit too slow. I remember I kept trying to shoot portraits at 35mm f2.8 to get some nice bokeh and it was tricky... in the end decided to stick with dedicated prime lenses / kit lenses. Try the Oly 14 - 150, I think you will like the huge variety in focal length all in one lens :)

[@joseambroisine2885]

I have my kit lens 12/32 and 42.5, 1.7 both from Panasonic for my olympus Pan f, and lumix Gf7. Since 5 years . Very satisfy.

[@XavierDemazy]

Very nice and interesting video! Thanks! I currently have 3 photo lenses with my Gx80. The 12-32mm, a 25mm f1.7 and the 35-100mm. The first and third are kit lenses but are pretty incredible and often underestimated! I find that I can cover any situation with these three lenses.

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

First time I’ve seen one of your videos and I enjoyed it, especially you mentioning the Isle of Skye as I used to live on the Outer Hebrides on Benbecula. I have now subscribed. Best wishes for the growth of the channel. Brian “That Micro 4/3 Guy” James

[@justalexhimself]

Thank you for stopping by and welcome to the channel. Scotland & The Highlands are indeed beautiful, I try to go there every summer. Thank you & keep in touch :) -Alex

[@stevelitton]

Some great information, thanks for taking the time to put that together. I really like the 35-100mm f2.8 mkii paired up with my GH6, I find that a really nice combination for a lot of the work I do.

[@justalexhimself]

Thank you for your comment and for checking out the video! Yes, I definitely want to try the 35 - 100mm f2.8, I actually once got the chance to play around with the 12 - 35 f2.8 and I thought it was nice... but the focal length was a little boring. I think that the 35 - 100mm will be much more magical though with that sort of focal length :)

[@ag-alan]

@@justalexhimself I have both the 12-35, and 35-100 2.8's. The 12-35 is ok, like you said a little boring and I think the Oly 12-40, or PL 12-60 would be a lot more useful. But man the 35-100 is straight MAGIC. It's super small, the sharpest lens I own- great for portraits, landscape, everything. Defiinitely one of the most underrated M43 lenses.

[@Democratiser]

A lot of people rave about the 35-100mm f2.8. I have the 14-140mm and lots of primes but I’m intrigued to learn what the fuss is all about with the 35-100 mm.

[@wowashuwow]

Thanks for such a detailed personal account of your adventures with these lenses 👊

[@ulfjonsson2122]

Great video and thoughts. I've used mft since 2009

[@edwin_ac]

Thanks for the honest negative review on the Oly 12mm and Pana 14mm. The 12-32mm really is a sharp lens. I love this lens. Set it to f5.6 and you'll have a light setup for hyperfocal distance shooting. The only thing I don't like about it is, in raw, at 12mm, distortion is quite apparent.

[@justalexhimself]

fully agreed, in the kit lens - at 12mm indeed a lot of distortion... but for the price - I can't complain too much

[@1957PLATO]

I took the 20:mm and the 45 mm on my gx9 for a citytrip to Santander last year. It was all I needed and I got some great shots with it, if I say so myself

[@Jeffrey-kn4oz]

I didn't like the Olympus lenses that needed a switch to extend and retract - 14-42mm & 9-18mm. Also the 9-18mm focus breathing bothered me (it zoomed in & out before finding focus) that I got Panasonic 8-18mm instead. Glad I rented them before buying. The 7-14mm was too wide. I looked at pictures again a month afterwards and 7mm looked too bent inwards compared to 8-9mm. Also 18mm gets near normal for me vs 14mm still wide view. The 12-60mm gets used most and the telephoto 60mm end is good, so don't have to switch to 45-150mm lens much.

[@valdiskrebs566]

I like using the TTArtisan manual focus lenses, especially on my Olympus Pen-F -- no adapters needed (they make a MFT mount version).

[@elfcounsul]

I like the Laowa 17mm 1.8. Nice little lens. Focus is smooth, and damped enough to prevent missing focus.

[@micgent]

Agree on the 12-32 Pany, 45 f1.8 and the 20 f1.7 I also love the 14 f2.5, I find the 12-32 is just as sharp but not as contrasty (all purchased 2nd hand). Sold the 7-14 f2.8 too heavy & flair, went back to the 9-18mm. 17 f1.8 just doesn't do it for me so may sell on. 75 f1.8 special events lens and never disappoints. 12-40 f2.8 is very nice bad weather landscape lens. Not impressed with the 40-150 kit lens you have me interested in the 14-140. Had the mitakon 25mm f0.95, great colors contrast and sharpness but too much of a faff to use.

[@archstanton1628]

Worth watching just to hear Oban described as a city.

[@elfcounsul]

I have the Laowa 17mm 1.8 and I like it a lot. Focusing is smooth, colors are bright. You get good bang for the buck.

[@Paul_anderson_creative]

I travel full time in a van with an EM53.. the lenses I use are: 7ARTISANS 7.5mm fish-eye (but not circular!) F2.8 ..a remarkable sharp lens which converts to rectalinear easily. Use for small street and travel and Interior of buildings. SAMYANG 12mm T2.2(F1.7!!!) Cine lens... Landscape master! Olympus 17mm F1.7 for low light street and some interior church shots. 45mm F1.7 Olympus for portrait and detail in churches.. Panasonic Lumix 14-140 an all day lens.. sharp, fast enough and light! Just getting an Olympus 75-300 for use in Africa... 🙏

[@justalexhimself]

amazing! yes the panasonic 14-140 is indeed great as an all day lens. Never tried the 7Artisans or the Samyang lenses... will give it a shot one day if I ever find a good offer on any of them :)

[@Superz3ro]

@@justalexhimself The Lumix 14-140mm and the 25mm/1.7 are two lenses that are as good as they are economical, a great pair to begin with… 🤔

[@MostlyWalking]

😍Nice video ! Beautiful models and some great mountain scenery

[@justalexhimself]

Thank you my friend 🙌🙌

[@rjfotovideo]

As a Nikon owner, and now just got myself Panasonic G9, I am really amazed how good and cheap m4/3 lenses are.

[@orangejjay]

As a former Canon user, I'm right there with you. I was hesitant to get back into the camera world since it can be quite an expensive hobby ... but here I am now with a newfound love of eBay, a GH5, and a decent collection of (used but perfectly fine) MFT lenses. Sometimes I think I should switch to a Sony but then I see the cost of the lenses and nope outta that idea real quick! 😂

[@rjfotovideo]

@@orangejjay Congrats on getting a good camera. I was actually looking for a used GH5 some month before I bought the G9.

[@ag-alan]

Definitely agree with your first point, for the first 10+ years of M43 I was always in the "prime or pro zoom only" camp. Kicking myself cause the 14-140ii is now one of my favorite lenses. The super compact 35-100 f/4-5.6 is really good as well. As far as pro lenses the 35-100 2.8 (left another reply to another comment) is a gem of an underrated lens. I agree with your assessment of the sigma lenses- lately been going back to the ~1.7 primes and smaller bodies. Really what M43 is all about.

[@justalexhimself]

Thank you for stopping by and checking out the video. I'd love to try the 35-100 since it's so compact. But yes indeed the 14-140 is 🔥 Yes size & portability & ibis is what it's about 🙌

[@ag-alan]

@@justalexhimself I think you will really like the 35-100 2.8, the quality is outstanding and it is internal zooming. I pick it over my 42.5 1.7 all the time for portraits especially studio- it is a very flattering lens.

[@besperus4475]

Well, I don’t do video. So spank me. I majored in it in college. Analog. Not digital. So, I used my OM1 and OM 4t to shoot film. The micro 4/3 came as an off shoot. The Mk 2 and Pen F gave me two different bodies and different ways of doing the same thing. I had a Canon F1 but hardly ever used it. As a “pro” I did use medium format a lot. Now, “retired” the 4/3’s are all I use. Easy, fewer lenses, sharp images and light weight. Pro lenses are wonderful. Do all I need.

[@justalexhimself]

excellent to hear this. I fully agree - if it gets the job done then it is good! people over-think gear way too much.

[@nolannatashaTV]

I feel the same about the sigmas, they are lovely but if I’m shooting mft, I want small and light.

[@Hannemanneke]

Thanks for sharing your experiences and thoughts! Personally I don’t recognize the problem with the M42 to MFT mout adapter. The brand I use is Fusnid. Not expensive so maybe you can give it a try.

[@justalexhimself]

Thank you for your recommendation 😊

[@scottmorgason]

Enjoyed the video. I love the Pany 42.5 but since I bought the Leica 25-50 I have been using it a bunch. I have also been testing the Canon 24-105 with speed booster to see how it performs. To be honest, it looks pretty good. Blessings and keep going?

[@justalexhimself]

Thank you for stopping by and checking out the video. Great to hear regarding the Leica 25 - 50. I would really like to try both the leica f1.7 zooms, they both look wickkeedd!

[@exploretravelmark]

Great video Alex. Thanks for the thoughts on each one. I have got a few of those prime lenses you mentioned. Mainy been using the kit lens so far on the GX80 but looking forward to using the 45mm f1.8 on my future content. My next lens to buy will likely be an ultra wide one so will check out those ones you mentioned

[@justalexhimself]

Thanks Mark! The Laowa 7.5mm f2 is seriously impressive for the price and the sharpness wide open. I seriously recommend it! The Oly 45 f1.8 is ofc wickkeeddd!

[@exploretravelmark]

@@justalexhimself sounds great! I will check it out

[@exploretravelmark]

Update: I got the Laowa 7.5mm f2 and tried it out. Seems sharp and great wide shots so far and is a fun focal length to use. Will be useful for wide travel shots and also a great focal length for rooms in property/real estate. Forgot to say before, I also have the 7artisans 7.5mm f2.8 which is similar but a bit softer (but was much cheaper lens) although still produces some nice images. Main difference is that is fisheye so will get less straight lines on buildings for example. So the Laowa will be far more useful!

[@justalexhimself]

@@exploretravelmark amazing! Congratulations on the purchase:) enjoy it!!

[@OpenFilmmaker]

Panasonic Leica 25mm f/1.4 is my favorite lens... for the sharpness and color. It's good for both photography and videography! Least favorite... I'm not sure maybe the Kamlan 50 f/1.1 which I ended up selling. Too soft and produced some color cast and flaring.

[@justalexhimself]

Thank you for checking out the video, and I will make a note to avoid the Kamlan 50mm f1.1 :) thanks for the heads up! Indeed, heard many wonderful things about the Pana Leica 25mm f1.4

[@andresgonzalezcerda7635]

The game changer of this 25 1.4 is the chance to use linear focus on Panasonic bodies ( some )

[@OpenFilmmaker]

@@andresgonzalezcerda7635 what do you mean? And which bodies?

[@sergeybukhanets5914]

Great video! I've enjoyed it, although im not that into cameras)) I'd like to see a personal intro placed to divide the beginning of the video where you explain yourself with all the experiences that you talk about. Just a thought, bro :)

[@justalexhimself]

Thank you for the idea bro ;)

[@RyougiVector]

I haven't heard many users of the 12mm f/2 find it to be not sharp, not sure what was up with your copy. I'd also watch out for getting a bad copy of the 60mm f/2.8. I got the lens for cheap so I can't complain, but the contrast isn't great wide open and I feel like not many people have said as much about the lens. So I'm guessing I got unlucky there. All my other Olympus lenses, from the f/1.2's to the kit lenses to the 300mm f/4, are as amazing as they're reputed.

[@justalexhimself]

Yes, I agree that in general most Olympys lenses are superb quality. Perhaps I got unlucky with my copy of the 12mm. Like I said in this video, the Olympus 45mm f1.8 is my personal favourite. Thank you for stopping by and checking out the video :)

[@OutRAjious]

there’s a fogginess or mistiness in m4/3 that bugs me…. when i had the 40-150 pro it got beyond that but i returned it as it was so big… that was a mistake ;) Olympus..

[@RyougiVector]

@@OutRAjious what mistake are you talking about?

[@OutRAjious]

@@RyougiVector selling the big lens …. because the pro was a s good as it gets

[@RyougiVector]

@@OutRAjious I like the 40-150 f/2.8, too. It is kinda big but with a gripped body I find it manageable in the hand. It packs easily enough in 10L bags, too. The 75mm f/1.8 is a very nice low light alternative.

[@cristibaluta]

Would you recommend 12-60 3.5 for nature trips? I have 40-150 but many times i need wider and it's frustrating to switch to 12 f2, because in the next shot i need a long lens. Trying to keep a balance for my EP7. The problem with prime lenses is that you always feel you need the one that you don't have.

[@justalexhimself]

Yes the 12-60 f3.5 - f5.6 is great. I would indeed recommend it. Primes are nice if you enjoy using them. If you prefer zooms, the kit lenses are all pretty good!

[@andrewbaxter9395]

The Panasonic 14-45 f3.5 seems to be little known. Metal mount, image stabilisation on a switch, twist zoom and very close in performance to the primes. Usually around £60 second hand and an absolute bargain.

[@sdrtcacgnrjrc]

Thanks for the tip. Had a look for it, just for the record it's f/3.5-5.6

[@buttersgato508]

The Panasonic 14-45 is not as small as the 12-32 but the image quality is close to prime lenses. I often use it along with the 45-150 for a two lens travel combination

[@c.p.t.311]

Olympus 12-45mm f4 and 20mm f1.4 are my current go to and favorites.

[@justalexhimself]

Would love to try the Olympus 8 - 25 f4. I think that's a super cool Focal Range.

[@c.p.t.311]

It is sooo good, my most used lens is the 12-45. Weathersealing is a must for me. That is why I upgraded to the 20mm f1.4 from the lumix one. The 20 mm is such a versatile focal length.

[@conordia6906]

cool man, interesting video. Those sailing documentaries look great. Were you nervous about getting the camera soaked?

[@justalexhimself]

I am stoic about it. If the gear breaks - I will just replace it. A camera is a tool and it needs to be used ;)

[@josephweaving6458]

rre panasoic 12-32 .had om10mkii with one fitted went into olly software for firmware update on camera which also recognised lens could be done, did it which ended up with lens completely dead. due to health issues now back with M4/3rds (EM5ii) but will stick same make for both this time

[@LebronPhoto1]

MFT Kit lenses in general are good, whether Panasonic or Olympus. One lens I was disappointed with was the Olympus mzuiko 17mm 2.8. other than that, I have not found a brand name MFT lens that was not very good or better. On the non-OEM brands, I had a Sigma 60mm 2.8 DN that was incredibly sharp and a manual focus 7 Artisans 7.5mm 2.8 that was really good also.

[@djmouglie]

My main 3 lenses are the Olympus 25 and 45 1.2 primes and the Panasonic 15mm 1.7 prime. The Olympus lenses are quite huge for MFT but it's ok for me, as I like the shallow depth of field and low light possibilities. I wish I had not bought the Olympus 7-14 2.8. as it's just big and heavy and the kind of lens that never gets used much. I wish I had bought a laowa wide angle as the small size would have ment i would bring it instead of the huge Olympus that just sits on the shelf most of the time .

[@justalexhimself]

Interesting for me to read your thoughts. Thank you for sharing :) I agree that the main advantage of MFT is to save space and weight when it comes to lenses specifically. So yes, agree with you regarding the 7 - 14 and the Laowa.

[@johnupper5225]

My #1 lens -- BY FAR -- for my Panasonic G9 is a Tamron 70-210 f4 for Canon EF, on a Viltrox .71 focal reducer. Super fast and accurate auto focus, 98-300mm FF equivalent, with f 2.8 in the full range. My Laowa 10mm f2 is always in my bag -- tiny, fast, wide without distortion, great DoF. If I had to carry only one lens, it would be the utility Pan 14-140 you mentioned first: huge range, slow but IS+IBIS makes up for some of it.

[@antraxuran9]

@justalexhimself fotga m42 adapters are cheap and don't have the wobble you mention

[@maxkitaev3524]

There’s only one lens for run and gun, video in particular, it’s 12-35 f2.8 and i guess 20mm f1.7 pancake is good fast and small

[@smalltalk.productions9977]

thank you for the effort and the sharing. another great vid. how about a vid of favorite M43 bodies? thumbs up.

[@justalexhimself]

Thank you for the comment and for checking out the video. Favourite M43 bodies sounds like a good idea, but unfortunately I've only ever used the GX85, GH5mk1 and mk2 extensively... so it would be a very short video haha. And ofc all 3 cameras are very good for the price.

[@smalltalk.productions9977]

@@justalexhimself I am a BIG fan of the GX85. I am more stills oriented than motion, so I am thinking about adding an Olympus body. Your lens selection is very in line with my experiences though I might be the ONLY person who prefers the Pana 25/1.7 to the 20/1.7! As for sleeper lenses, I REALLY like the Sigma 60mm/2.8 if you are comfortable with that focal length. SUPER cheap and a real value. Thumbs up.

[@Icon206]

Thanks for this! Great stuff man!

[@altomfoto]

Great video Alex. Greetings from Denmark 👍

[@justalexhimself]

Glad you liked it! :)

[@GlennSchultes]

I just came back from a holiday in Europe. I shoot Olympus, and I took my 40-150 F2.8 Lens with me. I barely used it I also had my 12-40 F2.8 lens as well, but in the end I found myself using my 3 small primes 17mm, 25mm and 45m F1.8's for most of my shoots. Even when I used the 12-40 I was still mostly shooting at 17mm focal length. Lesson learned I guess - just take the primes unless I really need the weather sealing ...

[@donalone]

Same here. I mostly use 17F1.8, I added 12-40 later but I don’t like the weight also compared to 17 not noticeably sharper so I sold it. Now I find another not too heavy Pro prime 20F1.4 to use most of the time.

[@donalone]

But I would like to add a super wide angle next but light weight wide prime is not available. I may get Laowa wide lens.

[@GlennSchultes]

@@donalone funny you should say that I got the panny 9mm for my next trip

[@donalone]

@@GlennSchultes heard 9mm a nice one too!

I got the S5 and simply cant let my GH5 go. I love that camera and will use it until it breaks.

[@justalexhimself]

yes, I will do the same - use it till it doesn't work anymore!

[@mohammedal-busaidi2198]

I agree with everything you've said here. I've also enjoyed the Olympus 75mm f1.8, which i usually find gets the same level of adoration as the 45mm. Nice video. What's the song/music playing int he background?

[@justalexhimself]

thank you :) I actually can't remember what song it is.. some random song I've licensed from audiio back in the day. This video is over a year old now haha

[@ywmedia]

I no longer have any native MFT glass. And I don't have a MFT body (except for a BMPCC4K). I made a move to Fuji, then to Panasonic FF. I kept one MFT lens through it all -- the Oly 45 f1.8. Tells you all you need to know about that lens. I got silver too from eBay, and I'd much rather have black lol. Looking for a compact travel body has led me right back to MFT, so I'll be reacquiring a lot of these lenses.

[@justalexhimself]

Yeah Olympus 45mm f1.8 is legendary. The size & performance is incredible!

[@johnclifford1911]

I don't know how you can like the Jupiter and Helios yet not the Sigma 30/1.4. It's lighter, sharper, and has great bokeh... and the 16 and 56 lenses are also great lenses, very close in image quality to the Oly 17 and 45 1.4 lenses. All of these are great for video or photography. The Oly 75/1.8 is a fantastic lens, likely the sharpest M4/3 lens on the market, with great bokeh.

[@justalexhimself]

I am super keen to try out the Oly 75mm!

[@dancrile5640]

The 17mm 1.8 is a little banger of a lens!

[@marzatomika]

Favorite lenses right now Lumix 20mm f1.7, 12-35mm f2.8, 35-100mm f2.8

[@justalexhimself]

sweeeeeet combo

I got the 7,5 cinema version.... expensive. But is great. I really use a lot this lens. When in feel that is too much i just crop in camera, whith the one to to one option.

[@justalexhimself]

yeah. I too am surprised how much i've been using the 7.5mm focal length. The video is 1 year old and for the last 12 months I've stuck to using my 7.5mm laowa for 90% of the time. love it

[@vytautasslenderis2702]

Your Olympus 12/2 was probably an inferior copy. Mine is very sharp at f2. And I bought it used for 250 euros! And I do have the Sigma 30/1.4. Very sharp, but the bigest problem with it are longitudinal chromatic aberrations. They are huge.

[@GrenlandUnderVann]

Just wait for the GH6M2 with PDAF.

[@Superz3ro]

Why wait, I’m killing it with just the GH5II… Paired with the Leica 1.7 zooms, and almost all of the M.Zuiko Pro 2.8 zooms and 1.2 primes, I am loving it… I even picked up the M.Zuiko 75mm/1.8 and the Leica 15mm/1.7 rather recently for fun, and they are amazingly sharp, especially the 75mm… I find PDAF stifles creativity, it makes one more lazy when composing scenes… 🤔

[@hackerockmedia]

What I have: Panasonic 12-35mm MkII f2.8 - versatile Panasonic 25mm f1.7 - Light, cheap... why not have it? Olympus 9mm f8.0 - Fun, tiny lens, but sometimes you miss to be faster or to have different apertures to work with. If you find it on sale, why not have it? Sigma 16mm f1.4 - Sharp, a little bulky and heavy, but the size is the worst part. Sigma 56mm f1.4 - I love this lens. In the studio for portraits, sometimes it's a little too long. I'd love to switch to the Panasonic 42.5mm f1.2. What I had: Zhongyi Mitakon Speedmaster II 17mm F0.95 - Sharp, manual, beautiful bokeh, but heavy as hell. I'm new to having presbyopia, so I switched from the Mitakon to the Sigma which has AF... not much difference size, but a little lighter. In the future: Panasonic 9mm f1.7 - I like the Laowa 7.5mm f2.0 too. Both are "linear-wide angles" (no distortion or minimized), but for me, autofocus is a must. Panasonic 35-100mm f2.8 - I thought about getting the Olympus 40-150mm for a bigger reach, but it's a lot bigger.

[@justalexhimself]

Thank you for sharing! You have a very in-depth experience with some mft lenses that I've never had the pleasure of using. I would love to try the 17mm f0.95 and see how that bokeh looks. And I also think that the new Panasonic 9mm f1.7 should be fantastic!

[@rythammanhas]

What are your thoughts on 12-60 f2.8-4 Lumix g vario by panasonic.

[@justalexhimself]

My honest thoughts are that: although a useful focal length, F2.8 is just not enough for low light. You'd be better off going with the cheaper f3.5-f5.6 12-60, and then invest the money into a dedicated low light prime lens such as the olympus 45mm f1.8

[@faustoart]

Well I own the panasonic 20 1,7, the panasonic 42,5 1,7, the leica 12-60 and the lumix 12-32. I use the lumix gx9 and we own the GM1 too. I only use the system for travels and some street, but I like it, it have it's use. Anyway, I'm not a big fan of m43.

[@justalexhimself]

hahaa thank you for sharing and fair enough :) Glad you still find a use for it at times!

[@davidvictory9764]

I got the 15mm f1.7 but I wish it would of zoomed in to 35mm aswell

[@justalexhimself]

my personal opinion with primes: either go ultra-wide or telephoto. Fixed focal lengths such as 24mm, 35, 40, 50 can get pretty boring pretty quickly unless they are mixed in with something else. But this is just my personal opinion.

[@mahorofancy]

​@@justalexhimself M43 has poor performance in low-light environment. I usually use PL12-60, but it is difficult to use indoors, so I switch to 15mm or DG25mm to take photo with lower ISO. On a cloudy day, if you shoot with a prime lens, eg, DG25mm, the colour of the light is much more beautiful.

[@Strobis666]

I really like your style. Talking and showing the real good works. Not just talking left and right. You shows! Great. Many thanks 🙏🏻

[@andresgonzalezcerda7635]

Panasonic 15 mm 1,7. And panny 9 mm. You should try those.

[@justalexhimself]

Panny 9mm is very much on my list. I want it a lot. The 15mm looks nice, but I think the focal length is a bit boring :/

[@gozoomdaddy]

Is this Bono under cover ?

[@justalexhimself]

hahahaha, wish I had his rock-star level money !!

[@donalone]

45 1.8 is my all time favorite so far

[@justalexhimself]

It's an awesome lens for sure 😄

[@peymanhesami2724]

class video bruv!

[@justalexhimself]

SooooOooOoOoOOOo much!

[@DanniPortillo]

Hi Alex I would like to share with you that I own all theses lenses: Lumix 14-140mm F3.5-5.6 Lumix 12-32mm F3.5-5.6 Leica 25mm F1.4 Lumix 14mm F2.5

[@justalexhimself]

Love it! I bet the Leica 25mm f1.4 is also beautiful :)

[@DanniPortillo]

@@justalexhimself is the one that I've stick to my camera almost all the time.

[@istvanglock7445]

Music is very distracting. If you must play music while speaking, it's best to use something without a strong beat.

[@johnhal1]

What about pana/leica lenses?

[@justalexhimself]

Would love to try some!

[@JjackVideo]

The actual lens talk starts at 2:43

[@justalexhimself]

You can be my virtual PA ;)

[@sbcwinn]

Do you not like Olympus cameras??

[@justalexhimself]

I've never tried one... I'd be open to trying !

[@Astro75mm]

yes, the olympus 60 mm macro lens is the king of macro in the m43 system.

[@justalexhimself]

NEED.

[@markjanness3440]

And weather sealed. I love mine.

[@mica.motion]

I got the Sigma 16mm and 56mm, and it's way better than the 30mm.

[@justalexhimself]

Yeah I want to try the 16mm not gonna lie

[@andersnordquist431]

I agree, I have all three, and the 56mm is outstanding, it’s the best lens I own! The 16mm is good but huge. The 30mm is okay, but nothing special.

[@justalexhimself]

@@andersnordquist431 interesting... the 56mm with that f1.4 must be superb for portraits..

[@mica.motion]

@@andersnordquist431 Yes the 56mm is the sharpest lens i have. The 16 is really sharp too, and the minimum focus distance is only 19cm on the GH6

[@Nnnuuk]

My Helios 44-2 is rock solid on a Beschoi adapter.

[@justalexhimself]

Thank you! I'll check that adapter out :)

[@Nnnuuk]

@@justalexhimself I just checked, and the adapter for my old Pentax M lenses is also a Beschoi, and they also fit nice and snug. I have the Panny 12-32, 12-60, and 45-175. Also the Oly 24mm and 60mm macro, and the Sigma 30mm and 60mm, both 2.8. I also recently got the Laowa 7.5mm. I have the Oly 45 1.8 on my 'to get' list.

[@Superz3ro]

Excellent video, I greatly enjoyed your journey with µ4/3, and love hearing about other’s experiences with the format… I picked up the Leica zooms in the beginning of the Pandemic. The 10-25mm/1.7 appealed to me for wide FOV, as I contemplated the Laowa 7.5/2. I find when I take it with me, I tend to pair it with the M.Zuiko Pro 45mm/1.2 (chosen over the Nocticron due to weather-sealing), as they complement each other nicely. I was so impressed with the lens, I decided to complete the set. Ultimately, I found that I liked the 25-50mm even more. Though I do not own it yet, I believe pairing it with Leica 9mm/1.7 would be an even better dynamic duo. The Leica 15mm/1.7 will have to do for now… The zooms are big, but not cumbersome methinks, surprisingly light and well balanced compared to the M.Zuiko Pro 45-150mm/2.8, which I had become somewhat use to enough for the size to not matter… I tend to use the battery grips with the GH5, now the GH5II. Started with the GH4. Bought the Mark II the week prior to the GH6 release. Zero regrets, in fact more than likely to buy another, and at least one more, as the price drops, hopefully around 1K, because the lemmings are clamouring for PDAF models. As you well know the GH5 is an incredibly capable camera. The GH5II simply a bit more amazing. Yes, better low light and sharper IQ… 😏

[@justalexhimself]

Wow sounds like you have had the chance to use some really cool lenses. I'd like to also try the 45mm f1.2 pro, it would be super interesting to see what that f1.2 could do in low light. And yes ofc the 10-25f1.7 looks phenomenal. I'm currently also shooting most of my projects on the gh5mk2 and really enjoying it. I think I've found the sweet spot for my type of work flow and I'm really loving it. Don't think I'll be upgrading to a new camera body any time soon. Thanks for checking out the video & catch you in the next one! :)

[@Superz3ro]

@@justalexhimself The GH5II is the most underrated and misunderstood camera today, and possibly ever, by GH5 users and GH6 users alike… Since you are already familiar, the GH5II improved low-light, coupled with the f1.2 aperture of the M.Zuiko Pro primes, obviously give you greater latitude for those challenging darker moments. I have found it more than adequate, which is why I have not the need nor desire to stray from the format. Using the GH5II is what inspired me to venture of into acquiring the Leica zooms, the Leica 15mm/1.7, and the M.Zuiko 75mm/1.8 in the last three years. Prior, my standard kit mainly consisted of the M.Zuiko Pro 12-40mm/2.8 and the 40-150mm/2.8. In challenging light, the M.Zuiko Pro 17mm and 45mm 1.2’s does suffice. I’ve not completed the trifecta on the primes, because I am still on the fence about which, the Leica 25mm/1.4 is a lens to recon. Plus I have purchased almost all my glass at incredible discount (new), and have yet to come across a deal on either. The Lumix G 25mm/1.7 works well enough, and I often paired it with the Lumix G 14-140mm v2. M.Zuiko Pro and Lumix/Leica glass are second to none… 🤔

[@Vinterloft]

"I really do need my systems to be as small as possible" - said after holding up a camera wayyy fatter than an X-T5

[@te0pol159]

Absolutely true, the MFT bodies are way too big nowadays, especially Panasonic. It's the lenses that make the huge difference though. With every MFT lens being usually 100-400g lighter than APS-C or FF, when having like 4 lenses in your bag you'll save hundreds of grams. I once calculated my current MFT gear (1 body, 1 normal prime, 1 macro and one 300mm telephoto = about 2300g) would be doubled in weight in FF (about 3700g + a tripod)

[@justalexhimself]

thank you.

[@paulstevenson200]

When you were a student attending lectures did your lecturer start his lecture by turning on a crappy muzak track?

[@justalexhimself]

Every day bro

[@cameraprepper7938]

Sigma are very sloppy in their designs of Lenses, too big and too heavy. the best Lens designers at the moment are Sony and Voigtländer !

[@TheRealJonathanArdila]

Nice hair

[@justalexhimself]

Thank you sir

[@johnmorony6307]

Thumb rings. Really?

[@justalexhimself]

Yes, really ;)

[@paulstevenson200]

Pointless muzak.

[@justalexhimself]

Thank you for watching;)

[@Koji-888]

Hey Paul. The music is quite soft and tasteful. Cheer up mate. 💁🏻‍♀️ 💕