Panasonic GM1 need lens recommendation
 

Was looking at getting a extra lens for some safari shots. Don't want to buy a new camera or spend too much on a new lens. Tried to do some research but there are way too many options and I am not that savvy on camera stuff. Wanted a good point and shoot that will help me get some good close up shots.

Was thinking about this one

That lens is a classic inexpensive tele for m4/3. It has the advantage of being quite inexpensive but for a safari it might be a bit limited. For a really limited budget, it is probably your best choice.

If the cost isn't a major factor, I might recommend something longer, like the PL 100-300 mm. I use mine for outdoor sports and it works quite nicely to bring things closer.

https://www.amazon.com/PANASONIC-100.../dp/B0043VE28S

Cost is a factor as to be honest 99% of the time I use my iPhone for daily pics. Just need something for 7 days and after that I am sure it will be back in the cupboard till the next time.

So that is a good choice? Its light and cheap but offers good quality pics.

Yes. Light, cheap and adequate image quality.

To a degree, you get what you pay for and pro quality lenses will carry pro quality prices but the Oly 40-150 mm offers a good compromise of price and quality.

^

RENT?

Since the GM1 lacks in-body stabilization, you should get one of the Panasonic tele zooms that has image stabilization. The one I use is the Panasonic 45-175mm. the Panasonic 45-150 is also good, and somewhat cheaper.

Specifically for the purposes of shooting wildlife at great distances, you might also want to get an inexpensive, but good, front-mounted teleconverter for it, that just happen to work great. The Olympus C-180, which is a 1.7x converter, and Olympus C-210, which is a 1.9x converter, each work shockingly well on all of these zoom lenses, and they are dirt cheap (like $30-40 on ebay).

You will also need a filter step ring, which ring depends upon which lens you are using.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/OLYMPUS-IS-L...IAAOSweW5VTOL-

Yeah, you are right. As one who spent the first 30 years of my career with no IS at all, and who now leaves it off on the tripod, I often don't think about it.

Of the PL lenses available in that range, I think I'd look at the 45-200mm for this purpose but it is about $100 more than the 45-150mm. Buying used might make up for that if the lens is unlikely to see much use after the safari.

OP, if you can find a Panasonic Lumix Vario lens in the same length and general price range, it would make a better addition to your kit than the Oly. The Oly 'may' be a tad sharper and a little cheaper but you would benefit from Image Stabilization which would make up for any slight image quality differences. Sorry I might have given you a bit of a bum steer at the beginning.

Ordered the Olympus one all ready. Oh well. I am sure it will be decent enough.

The 45-200 is a big, bulky lens that sort of defeats the purpose of the GM1, and it's soft at the 200 end, defeating the advantage of the added length. I've owned both the 45-150 and the 45-175 Panasonic lenses. They are optically equivalent to one another, but I prefer the mechanical features of the 45-175, including the power zoom and the internal focusing, so that was the one I kept. I also would re-itterate, that both of these lenses work extremely well with the cheap, older, front mounted Olympus 1.7x and 1.9x HQ teleconverters, the IS/L C-180 and IS/L C-210. They end up being smaller and cheaper than the 45-200 lens, and are actually sharper at the long end with one of those TCs.

So be it. I should stick with Oly recos. I actually know what I am talking about there. :(

Panasonic 35-100 (cheap version) - perfect for the GM1, and stabilised.

Got the Olympus 40-150. I now see what all the fuss is about in regards to picking one with stabilisation. Too late to get another one.

Any tips on how to get the best out of this one in regards to holding it still enough?

Crank up the ISO to increase shutter speed. With that lens, you want the shutter no slower than 1/300, - 1/500 or 1/1000 is better. Use a tripod when you can. When hand-holding, use good h/h technique and lean against something when possible - tree, vehicle, whatever you can find. Left hand under the lens barrel, supporting the weight, left elbow pressed tightly against body. Press shutter release gently and smoothly, don't jab at it.

https://photographylife.com/tips-on-...lephoto-lenses

Boost the ISO. The ISO performance of the GM1 is fine. Look at raw files in a package that has a proper profile for the camera (the software that comes with it, for example) and there's not a great deal of difference between ISO 200 and ISO 800 in good light.

^

Here's a couple of ISO 800 shots from me, processed in SilkyPix.

[IMG]https://c6.staticflickr.com/2/1643/2...74e0ce50_b.jpg
What if? by Jason Hindle, on Flickr[/IMG]

https://c3.staticflickr.com/2/1551/2...464e6028_b.jpg
P1000744 by Jason Hindle, on Flickr

When shooting long, be conservative. With good stabilisation, I find I can get crazy low shutter speeds. When shooting long, I go for the fastest shutter I can get.

Thank you FT'ers.

Used the Olympus 40-150 for my recent trip. Worked really well and ticked all the boxes for me. It was light and had the perfect zoom.

But it broke after only 9 days of use. The part which clips onto the camera body broke off from the lens side. Is this something Olympus might fix?

Ok forget about if Olympus will fix it. I am sold on this type of lens. I want better. Budget is around £200-300.

Can you good people please suggest some? Only thing I didn't like about this lens was the close up zoom was sometimes a little too close for group photos.

I'll recommend the same lens I recommended the last time. The Panasonic 45-175mm f4~5.6

This one? I feel the zoom maybe too much on this which will spoil basic landscape photos? Ideally now I need my lens for portraits.

This is one that I took with the Olympus. Really impressive for a £100 lens.

http://i1374.photobucket.com/albums/...psx1ziciug.jpg

A long zoom lens is not for landscape photos. It's for shooting distant objects and wildlife. It can also be used for portraits, but it is not ideal for that. An ideal portrait lens is a short telephoto with a fast aperture that can be used to blur the background while keeping the subject in sharp focus.

The Panasonic lens I recommended is similar to the Olympus lens you bought and shot the Rhinos with, but the Panasonic is better constructed so it won't break easily, and it has internal image stabilization that the Olympus lens lacks.

Firstly thank you for your suggestions. I appreciate them. ^

I don't have a need for shooting distant objects as of now and would prefer a portrait lens. Could you suggest one of them keeping in mind that I don't want to break the bank as I am just starting out in this hobby.

"Portrait"? Buy the Olympus 45mm f1.8. Get it used. There are tons of them out there on the used market, as they have been sold sometimes with kits. This is the best bang-for-the buck prime lens in Micro Four Thirds. Have a look at David Thorpe's review of it:
:
If you are out and about, this lens also doubles nicely as a short telephoto. I have this lens and from f2.0 and up it's incredible sharpness. For the little money I paid for it used, was a no-brainer.

If you want a wider prime, look for the Panasonic 20mm used as well.

For anyone with a limited budget, Micro four thirds is really ideal because there are tons of used lenses out there for very good prices. There is no need to buy any of this brand new.

This doesn't have any zoom at all on it though right? Looks very nice though. How do you use yours in situations where you might want the object closer? Walk in ?

If you want multiple field of view you can get a zoom instead e.g. the Panasonic 14-140 II. What you won't get from a zoom is a lot of depth of field or enough light gathering to take great photos inside without flash.

A fixed focal length prime lens like this, you zoom with your feet or you compose with what you've got. This lens is good indoors in a large room or assembly, gym etc. Not across the table. For that, I say get the 20mm Panasonic.

It's a matter of choices.

Whatever's the case don't be intimidated by brand new prices. Buying very affordable used lenses is one of the great benefits of going with micro four thirds.

^

No matter which lens you decide to buy you should really consider going the used route and research B&H, Adorama and KEH who are known to be extremely reputable and all off a 30 day return policy and a warranty. B&H is 90 days and Adorama and KEH give you a 120 days warranty. You will save a great deal of money and still get a quality lens. They all rate the condition of their used equipment and look for ones that are almost new condition.

As your GM-1 body lacks IBIS look for a Panasonic lens with stabilization. @:-)

Also if you purchased the Olympus 40-150mm recently with a US warranty I would definitely put in a claim and ask for a repair or replacement.

^