Panasonic 14/2.5 scale focus? AF speed? Street? E-PL5?

[itf]

I'm sorry about the long topic title, and the long ramble to follow; I've been searching and reading for hours and my head's a jumble.

My camera has been an M4-2 with CV 28/3.5 and accessory finder, virtually always scale focused, or same camera with CV 35/1.4 and properly focused when there's no light. My other camera is an Olympus XA4 28/3.5 compact (zone focus and auto exposure). I like not concentrating on focusing and I like the shutter to trip at minimum notice. I also prefer smaller.

So I've narrowed it down to two. The Ricoh GR or a compact M43 with 28/2.5 Panasonic. I've seen that I could get the E-PL5 for a good price, it looks good (though complex), small, and apparently Olympus has very fast AF. My 28 finder would go in the shoe.

I'd go for the GR in an instant, but apparently the AF is slow, which is fine when there's light as it still allows for zone focus and the fast response that goes with that. But as it gets darker, zone focus starts to take a little more attention...

So, what I'm wondering, as my long winded title suggests, is whether the Panasonic lens allows for any sort of fast zone/scale focus (it doesn't look like it from pictures of the lens) when the light is better, but still have fast enough AF as thing get dimmer and aperture gets bigger? Or maybe the AF is fast enough that scale focus is obsolete?

How's it go with the Olympus E-PL5? Is there another compact body that would be better?

I'm after a camera that takes minimum thinking and allows maximum speed.

I'm also open to any other suggestions!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Frank Petronio]

The Pany 14 feels like a toy with zero feedback for manual focusing. At least the GR can be set to snap focus.

 

[itf]

The Pany 14 feels like a toy with zero feedback for manual focusing.

I figured that was probably the case. I have very little experience with any digital (or AF) cameras though, so thought maybe focus might be adjusted and saved in camera or something like that. How's fast and accurate is the AF?

 

[nongfuspring]

GR. With an APSC sensor and 28mm equiv you're never going to get very shallow DOF even wide open.

I recommend going to a store and trying them both, IMO the GR makes the E-PL5 feel like a remote control.

 

[gerbilthemistake]

I figured that was probably the case. I have very little experience with any digital (or AF) cameras though, so thought maybe focus might be adjusted and saved in camera or something like that. How's fast and accurate is the AF?

The AF is quick and near silent, I usually set it to focus on a single center focus point, then focus and compose (similar to Hexar AF). Another option is to lock the focus on an object 8-12 ft away, aperture f8, and shoot away.

 

[itf]

GR. With an APSC sensor and 28mm equiv you're never going to get very shallow DOF even wide open.

I recommend going to a store and trying them both, IMO the GR makes the E-PL5 feel like a remote control.

Yeah, I wasn't thinking of the dof change with the smaller (than film) sensor. Good point.

I know I should go to a store, not keen on shopping.

Probably just stalling...

Thanks!

 

[stompyq]

I shoot with the GR in the street. Never had a problem with AF or anything else for that matter. A wonderful camera with fantastic ergonomics a killer lens and sensor combo. I would get one over the Olympus offering. If you need examples check my site. I shoot with m4/3 as well but at the 28mm FL, if I had a choice I would not hesitate to go with a GR

 

[stompyq]

Oh and since you like zone focusing you'll love the snap focus feature. I use it a lot and the camera is near instantaneous when done right.

 

[itf]

I shoot with the GR in the street. Never had a problem with AF or anything else for that matter. A wonderful camera with fantastic ergonomics a killer lens and sensor combo. I would get one over the Olympus offering. If you need examples check my site. I shoot with m4/3 as well but at the 28mm FL, if I had a choice I would not hesitate to go with a GR

Thanks stompyq, if I was after a camera solely for the street, I wouldn't hesitate on the GR. It seems it would work perfectly for me in the way I use cameras in that situation. It's more that I'm wondering if there's another camera that might work better in other situations (lower light, indoors) but still be able to work as the GR would in the street (and similar situations).

Probably overthinking everything!

 

[Godfrey]

If all you want is a 28mm FoV, the GR is probably more similar to what you're used to. The advantage of any of the Pens or small Panasonics is that they are interchangeable lens cameras and can be used in different ways.

I often use the Oly E-PL1 fitted with 14mm f/2.5 and a 28mm FoV optical viewfinder. I set the camera to AF, face detect, and lens to f/5.6. That nets enough DoF to take care of any focus inaccuracies (very rare) and the AF is very fast. The later Pens are faster.

I also have used the Ricoh GXR fitted with A12 28mm lens, also with optical finder. The AF is nowhere near as fast as the Pens, but setting it to AF + Snap mode, setting the aperture to f/5.6, setting the Snap fixed distance nets the same number of keepers as the E-PL1. It just works a bit differently.

Both are excellent cameras. Buy either, work with it a while, and you'll figure out what you like and don't like. Then, if you don't like it enough, you can buy your next camera from a much better informed point of view.

G

 

[kaiwasoyokaze]

also, aspect ratio 4/3 vs 3/2, for me it doesn't matter as i sometimes shoot with m43, but YMMV depending on preference.

 

[funkydog]

.....is whether the Panasonic lens allows for any sort of fast zone/scale focus (it doesn't look like it from pictures of the lens) when the light is better, but still have fast enough AF as thing get dimmer and aperture gets bigger? Or maybe the AF is fast enough that scale focus is obsolete?

M43 lenses are focus by wire. Scale focus will be very challenging. The focus ring spins continuously. There're no hard stops. There aren't any distance scale markings on the lenses. The camera forgets manual focus settings between on/off cycles so making a DIY distance scale is pointless.

The 14/2.5 you're looking at does have distortion and CA. Slrgear review here. Olympus bodies don't correct for Panasonic lens CA and distortion. Panasonic doesn't provide correction for Olympus lenses either.
FWIW Olympus bodies have AF with manual focus over ride. Panasonic bodies dont. If that's important to you.

Alternatively there's the three element manual focus Olympus 15mm f8 Body Cap Lens. It's only $49 and scale focuses from .98 feet to infinity with just one setting. The lever is handy for critical focusing on very close objects. The three element design results in pictures that are sharp in the center and slightly soft at the edges.

 

[kbg32]

"I'd go for the GR in an instant, but apparently the AF is slow"

Who says?!

I own one and the focus is fast!

 

[itf]

If all you want is a 28mm FoV, the GR is probably more similar to what you're used to. The advantage of any of the Pens or small Panasonics is that they are interchangeable lens cameras and can be used in different ways.

I often use the Oly E-PL1 fitted with 14mm f/2.5 and a 28mm FoV optical viewfinder. I set the camera to AF, face detect, and lens to f/5.6. That nets enough DoF to take care of any focus inaccuracies (very rare) and the AF is very fast. The later Pens are faster.

The reason I'm interested in the M43 cameras is that they might be a little more flexible in use, while still having something really responsive. The way you mention using yours makes this seem possible.

also, aspect ratio 4/3 vs 3/2, for me it doesn't matter as i sometimes shoot with m43, but YMMV depending on preference.

Hadn't thought of that, thanks. I guess at the very least my finder won't resemble the actual frame.

M43 lenses are focus by wire. Scale focus will be very challenging. The focus ring spins continuously. There're no hard stops. There aren't any distance scale markings on the lenses. The camera forgets manual focus settings between on/off cycles so making a DIY distance scale is pointless.

The 14/2.5 you're looking at does have distortion and CA. Slrgear review here. Olympus bodies don't correct for Panasonic lens CA and distortion. Panasonic doesn't provide correction for Olympus lenses either.
FWIW Olympus bodies have AF with manual focus over ride. Panasonic bodies dont. If that's important to you.

Alternatively there's the three element manual focus Olympus 15mm f8 Body Cap Lens. It's only $49 and scale focuses from .98 feet to infinity with just one setting. The lever is handy for critical focusing on very close objects. The three element design results in pictures that are sharp in the center and slightly soft at the edges.

That's the information I was looking for (though didn't know it). I'd read 'focus by wire' somewhere but didn't understand what that meant.

So, scale focus is out for any of the most compact lenses except that 15/8 (which definitely get my interest, I hadn't heard of it, thanks for that). On the other hand, AF is potentially fast enough to make up for it, and if not that aforementioned 15/8 will work in light and make the camera very compact.

"I'd go for the GR in an instant, but apparently the AF is slow"

Who says?!

I own one and the focus is fast!

Well maybe what I've read is wrong. I've read that the AF has trouble in lower light, which happens to be where I'd like the AF to work. I don't need it in good light.

Both are excellent cameras. Buy either, work with it a while, and you'll figure out what you like and don't like. Then, if you don't like it enough, you can buy your next camera from a much better informed point of view.

Good advice.

Thanks all.

 

[Rick Waldroup]

This is how I zone focus my Panasonic GF-1 with the 14mm 2.5 lens. If I am shooting on the street, I set the ISO to 400 or 800, depending on the lighting. I set the f/stop to 8 or 11 because I always shoot in aperture priority mode. I then switch the camera to manual focus. I turn the camera off. Wait a few seconds and turn the camera back on. Everything will be in focus from about 6ft. to infinity. You are good to go.

 

[Godfrey]

3:2 vs 4:3 framing... Hadn't thought of that, thanks. I guess at the very least my finder won't resemble the actual frame. ...

The Ricoh GV-2 viewfinder for 28mm Equivalent FoV has frame lines for both 3:2 and 4:3 framing. It works well on both GR and Micro-FourThirds cameras.

G

 

[traveler_101]

Recommend E-PM2 + the Panasonic 14/2.5. Smallest, lightest, cheapest m43 combo. Check it out: E-PM2s are being liquidated right now. The same sensor as on the expensive Olympus cameras! If you need a flip screen than get the E-PL5; otherwise the E-PM2 has 90% the same features for far less money.

Yes, both cameras have enough control parameters and you can shoot as you like--aperture priority, exposure compensation, set in hyperfocal mode. The Panasonic 14/2.5 is a sharp lens with decent micro contrast; good images, works well with the new 16mp sensor. Focuses instantly. Later you can acquire attachable electronic viewfinder if desired (recommend VF-2, can be had inexpensively used). Olympus's new 25mm lens looks very good--I just ordered it. Also good for telephotography--the Olympus 40-150: inexpensive and very good. All newer Olympus lenses have near instantaneous automatic focus.

Just gives you a lot of options, highly portable capable outfits at reasonable prices.

 

[mh2000]

A word of warning on the Panasonic 14/2.5, it produces very bad purple finging on Oly bodies (but not Panasonic bodies). You either need to get the right hard to find filter to correct it or supposedly use the newest version of LightRoom. Because of this I haven't used the lens that much, but I am going though a computer and LightRoom upgrade as we speak so I'll test out the LightRoom fix in the next day or two. The lens is cute, small, fast focusing and has decent, but not great sharpness across the frame. If my LightRoom upgrade solves the purple fringing problem, I'll be using the lens a lot more. Best!

 

[mh2000]

Here's a thread from dpreview showing the problem and how LR can fix it, but since you say you don't have much digital experience you have to decide whether you will be using LightRoom -- something I'd highly recommend, not just for this fix, but because it streamlines the digital workflow, adjustments and organization. I don't know what other post processing options you have, but if you get the lens for an Oly body you will need to figure that out. The filter option is in this thread someone I think or you can google it -- it is a very known problem.

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/53271580

 

[traveler_101]

I use the 14/2.5 on E-PM2. Just scrolled through my shots and don't notice the CA described in that posting. It seems to me that that guy has an axe to grind--something about Ricoh.