Ranger's reviews

  • Panasonic 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH POWER OIS LUMIX G X VARIO PZ

    4 out of 10 points and not recommended
    Extremely compact, probably a good choice for video use, decent walk around lens
    Sharpness disappointing, mainly at tele end of range, expensive for image quality

    I admit, I'm picky when it comes to sharpness and contrast. For a $400 lens, I find my sample wanting. Sharpness at the wide and middle focal lengths is decent. Unacceptably soft at the 42 tele end. Didn't see any difference in my tests with OIS "on" or "off". The controls take some getting use to. The power zoom especially can be frustrating if you are trying to set the focal length to a middle range. I tested this lens side by side with my Panasonic 14-45. The 14-45 outperforms my sample in sharpness and overall IQ at all focal lengths, especially at the telephoto end. IF this was a $250 lens then I would have rated it higher overall, but for $400, you are paying a premium for size, not image quality.

    reviewed February 16th, 2012 (purchased for $400)

  • Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 ASPH LUMIX G

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Image Quality, Size, Build Quality, f/1.7
    None

    I've put this lens through some heavy use for the past two years with a GF1 and more recently a GX1. It is my most used M4/3 lens. My experience has shown it to be a rugged reliable lens. Image quality overall is excellent. It is a primary player in my street photography projects. 40mm equivalent is the sweet spot for what I do. Highly recommend this lens for overall balance of size, speed, and IQ.

    reviewed February 16th, 2012 (purchased for $350)