Marriott's reviews

  • Panasonic 45-200mm f/4-5.6 MEGA OIS LUMIX G VARIO

    8 out of 10 points and recommended
    Light, sharp enough, OIS, not too pricey
    Could always be better, but a good lens for the cost.

    If you don't expect perfection, this is a pleasant lens to use. It's actually quite good. Mine is sharper in the corners than the review on this site indicates. Maybe I just got a top copy. It compares favorably with the Nikon 55-200mm which I use on my D90. In a side-by-side shoot-off, it proved to be just a bit better than the Nikon, and is better constructed. It makes a decent portrait lens in a pinch, blurring backgrounds decently for m4/3. I don't have any pro-level glass, so I'm like the guy who's never driven any Bavarian beasts but is happy with is Honda, and the price I paid. Good bang for the buck.

    reviewed October 25th, 2010 (purchased for $500)
  • Pentax 40mm f/2.8 XS SMC DA

    8 out of 10 points and recommended
    The usual: small, extremely light, (50g!), gets people's curiosity.
    soft corners at 2.8 (but sharp center), build is just ok.

    The beauty, fun and value of this lens is in it's tiny size, good IQ above 2.8, and its curiosity to others wondering "what the heck are you using there"? Don't misunderstand, at 2.8 it's quite sharp in the middle. My copy seems a bit better than the review sample while having similar characteristics. It does fall off at the edges and corners wide open, but I'm not really bothered by it at that aperture. At f/4.0 it's much better, and by f/5.6 and above it's really quite excellent. I own the Nikon 35m f/1.8 and the DA 35mm f/2.4 "plastic fantastic" and both are better at 2.8, but not that much and stopping down soon finds them equal. I'm satisfied with that level of performance for the price I paid and the fun I have using it.

    reviewed June 17th, 2012 (purchased for $289)
  • Panasonic 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II ASPH MEGA OIS LUMIX G Vario

    9 out of 10 points and recommended
    Small, light, sharp.
    Mine is a plastic mount, but it's no problem at such a light weight.

    This lens will get no respect because it's a "kit" lens. Too bad. It is as excellent as reviewed here. You can get that last bit of quality and speed in another lens for sure, but you will pay far more and it will be decidedly heavier. Compared to my Pana/Leica 25 at 5.6, there's not a dimes worth of difference, just a tiny bit more micro contrast in the center. It is almost always on my GX7, and it never fails to delight me with its competence. They can be had on Ebay, new, (detached from GF6s) for a song. You will probably never find a better deal.

    reviewed July 23rd, 2014 (purchased for $119)
  • Sigma 60mm f/2.8 DN Art

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Everything
    Nothing

    I echo the sentiments of the two posters below. Sharp and contrasty corner to corner with fast focus and excellent color wide open on an m4/3 size sensor. Even at the 120mm length, it makes an outstanding "across the street" walk-around lens if you like to see the world this way. The bokeh is a bit less creamy than my Pentax DA 70mm 2.4 with adapter, but is still quite good. If Sigma keeps this up, they could put a bit of a bite into the other lens makers' prices. Competition is good for us consumers.

    reviewed September 22nd, 2013