Product ReviewsPanasonic Lumix G Vario 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Aspherical Power O.I.S. Lens

Like A Diamond - Small And Desireable

The two power zooms by Panasonic are the most underrated lenses in their lens lineup. Especially this 45-175mm PZ is super sharp and wonderfully lightweight meaning it can be carried all day while hiking yet has a tele equivalent of 350mm which is amazing. The 14-42mm is not as sharp at its widest point compared to the 45-175, but it sharpens up as zooming in and the tele end has excellent sharpness. Those who test sharpness usually use the default widest setting and as a result often do not appreciate just how sharp this lens gets at its longer focal lengths from standard to short tele.

I bought the silver version. Normally I don’t like silver lenses, but in this case the silver is contrasted with black and dark grey elements that make it a very handsome and distinctive lens. The only downside of the lens is the slower f3.5 fastest aperture, but a faster aperture would have added weight and size and for me the actual aperture range is the perfect choice to create such a small lens.

The most under-appreciated feature of the lens is the power zoom. While we can rotate the zoom ring manually, a power zoom is able to get smooth zooms that are very difficult to achieve by hand and it adds a professional touch to footage. To get very slow controlled zooms just use a small pressure on the lever, and to get super slow zoom, shoot in a higher frame rate and then slow it down in post.

This 14-42mm PZ also has a lever for power focusing. I do not find this as satisfying to use as the power zoom, but with practice it can produce some excellent smooth focus pulls. I think I would have preferred a manual focus ring but others may like the power focus more than I do. However it does work and when using it a magification window appears in the view finder to make it easier to nail the focus.

Also under-appreciated is the little known conversion lenses Panasonic makes for the power zooms. There is a wide angle converter, a fisheye, and a macro converter. The wides are best used on the 14-42mm PZ although they will fit both lenses. The macro likewise is useful for both lenses, but I like macro on the tele rather than the wider zoom, or if on the wider zoom, it is best at the tele end of its zoom range.

The wide conversion lens on the 14-42mm (28-84mm equiv) turns it into a 11-33mm (22-66mm equiv) lens which is a really useful wide range and without distortion. The Fisheye conversion lens goes wider, obviously, but introduces distortion.

These conversion lenses really expand the usefulness of these power zooms without adding more than a few grams to the weight. It is possible to take only this tiny 14-42mm PZ, and the 3 conversion lenses and be able to photograph 99% of everything you might want to photograph in the street or on a hike.

I bought my lenses used. They are very durable and so long as there is no scratches or fungus on the lenses, buying used can represent excellent value. Prices are more reasonable than for lenses that are more better known lenses. Conversion lenses can be bought later, when the budget allows.

I love both power zooms, but this wider zoom is the one I use the most. Sharp, especially at its long end, light, and useful, especially when hiking and travelling.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: alpscamera