Lumix G Vs. M.Zuiko Glass

[Federico Alberto]

Maybe it's me but I've found Lumix G glass to be vastly superior to the M.Zuiko lenses I've owned so far.

Optically and mechanically (specially their AF performance), the Panasonic Lumix G lenses deliver a superior experience. The result: crisp images, virtually free of distortions, captured with my Olympus Digital PEN E-P1 without much delay:

Panasonic Lumix G Vario 7-14mm f/4 ASPH

Amanecer Tangerino by Federico Alberto, on Flickr

Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-140mm f/4-5.8 ASPH

Morning Breaks by Federico Alberto, on Flickr

Panasonic Lumix G 20mm f/1.7 ASPH

Spain Calling by Federico Alberto, on Flickr

I have yet to try the two new M.Zuiko zooms, the 9-18mm and the 14-150mm, which have improved AF performance.

What do you all think? What has been your comparative experience with these otherwise compatible families of lenses?

 

[jsrockit]

I've definitely found the 20mm Panasonic to be a better lens than the 17mm Olympus.

 

[retnull]

I love the Panasonic 20/1.7, but the others are just too slow...for my needs, at least. If you do mostly landscape or daytime street-shooting, then yes, the Panasonic glass is excellent.

 

[Dogman]

I'm very happy with the 17mm Zuiko. Also the 25mm 4/3 with a micro 4/3 adapter. I would love to have the 20mm Panasonic lens but the main attraction there is the speed of the lens. The focal length is not appealing to me at all.

I also have both the Zuiko 14-42 and the Pansonic 14-45. Both are good performers but I like the Panasonic more based mostly on the design and build. The Oly lens seems fragile and sort of cobbled together.

 

[gavinlg]

I came to the conclusion a while ago that I'd given up on Olympus m4/3 lenses. The 17/2.8 pancake is okay but considering the speed and size it should have been much better. It has a quite a bit of CA, distortion and the corners are a little soft. It's generally quite soft all over actually. The panasonic 20mm blows it away. The Olympus 14-42mm is okay, but the Pana is better in build, optical quality, and can take a lens hood.

The 9-18mm olymus is probably the best one from them.

 

[mugent]

I've only use the 20mm 1.7, it really is cracking lens, very sharp even wide open. The build quality doesn't compete with with 'proper' ones like VC or Leica, but the images very much do.