Micro 4/3 Your Treasured M43 'Sleeper Lens"?

[John King]

I agree, not everyone can see the rendering difference but I can.

I can with some of my lenses, but it doesn't bother me most of the time. Sometimes it does.

As my eyesight deteriorates (I'm 75 y.o. now), it will probably bother me less and less. Probably have to have cataract surgery on my left eye in the next year or two. My right eye is still ~20/5, corrected.

 

[archaeopteryx]

Panasonic certainly has a few in my opinion....the 35-100mm f/4-5.6 and the 45-175mm come to mind.

I've come to like the 45–200 II quite a bit, despite it being chonky for a μ43 f/4–5.6 and having less long end entrance pupil expansion than the 45–175. Just happens I tend to certain niche uses where the extra 25 mm on the long end's proved substantial.

The 9-18 is probably one. I didn’t even know it existed for a few years on my M43 journey.

If I have sleeper μ43 lens it's the 9–18. Been my least used μ43 lens, which is a little odd as an ultrawide with a similar mme range was my most used lens in my previous system, but selling it to rely solely on phone ultrawide doesn't make sense.

 

[jbruce]

I can with some of my lenses, but it doesn't bother me most of the time. Sometimes it does.

As my eyesight deteriorates (I'm 75 y.o. now), it will probably bother me less and less. Probably have to have cataract surgery on my left eye in the next year or two. My right eye is still ~20/5, corrected.

I had cataract surgery on both eyes at age 76 with wonderful success. Doc said that 76 is the predominate age when this is performed; so you're about due, John.

 

[John King]

I had cataract surgery on both eyes at age 76 with wonderful success. Doc said that 76 is the predominate age when this is performed; so you're about due, John.

Yeah, John. My good lady wife had both eyes done earlier this year. She now has vision as good as my corrected right eye. Without glasses. Pretty fantastic outcome.

 

[Carbonman]

I can with some of my lenses, but it doesn't bother me most of the time. Sometimes it does.

As my eyesight deteriorates (I'm 75 y.o. now), it will probably bother me less and less. Probably have to have cataract surgery on my left eye in the next year or two. My right eye is still ~20/5, corrected.

I had cataract surgery on both eyes almost 9 years ago. Apart from not liking extended periods of highway driving at night (street lights & headlights flare in left eye when pupils fully dilated), the results have been excellent. The first thing I noticed was colors really popped compared to having the cataract.

 

[griffljg]

My sleeper lens is the Olympus 12-45mm f/4 PRO. I originally bought it to "live" on my Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mk II when it became a backup camera to the E-M1 Mk III. My standard "go-to" lens is the 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO, with the 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO always in my bag, in case needed.

As time went by, I would sometimes take the 12-45mm out for a play. I got to see its advantages..... Lightest of the PRO lenses, very compact, close focusing distances makes it good for occasional use for macro photography, IQ much the same as the 12-100 and 12-40, etc....... It's a real sleeper.

But then I made a mistake......... I gave my old E-M1 Mk II to an old friend in South Africa, as I was no longer using it. But I forgot to swap the lens out for something more suitable. Both camera and lens were well on their way to South Africa before I realised what I had done. I now have another one on order and expect it in the next couple of weeks. An expensive lesson has been learnt!

 

[OldRadioGuy]

the 9-18 is a very capable lens, nicely corrected in cam or OM workspace and so light you can always carry it in addition...
the 12-50 is robust, sealed and can do close-ups. Not the sharpest but one of the most versatile lenses.
I like them both.

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The 9-18 is one of my favorites.

 

[Stu]

But then I made a mistake......... I gave my old E-M1 Mk II to an old friend in South Africa, as I was no longer using it. But I forgot to swap the lens out for something more suitable. Both camera and lens were well on their way to South Africa before I realised what I had done. I now have another one on order and expect it in the next couple of weeks. An expensive lesson has been learnt!

Can I be your friend too?

 

[Holoholo33]

I guess my sleeper lens is my 4/3rd Sigma 105 f2.8 EX DG macro. I love it for the extra reach when doing macro and it works well as a moderate telephoto too. It autofocuses, but slowly, but manual focus works great. It gets used more than some of my other lenses, so it's not quite a sleeper, but it's rarely seen in 4/3rd mount.

 

[emorgan451]

My sleeper was the panasonic 25mm f/1.7. I found it plenty sharp and fast focusing. I liked the field of view much better than 17mm. I got it brand new with the release special price of $99. I wanted the Olympus but my photo budget at the time didn't want to pay the $150 price difference.

I liked the way this lens rendered photos of people. The wide open or close to it light fall off it complimented what I wanted to do with it.

 

[stratokaster]

My favourite sleeper lens is the Panasonic 45-150mm f/4-5.6 which is way better than it has any right to be. Plenty sharp and contrasty throughout the whole range right from wide open, even in the corners. Very fast and completely silent AF. And unlike its Olympus counterpart, it's built like a real lens.

And the best part is that I paid just €149.99 for it, brand new.

 

[AndyH44]

It would have to be the one that's "glued" on to my G95, and it's the outstanding Panasonic 14-140 II lens.

 

[JensM]

Almost the entire line-up has been mentioned as sleepers, but one has so far skated under the radar, the humble Olympus 17mm f/2.8 pancake. I got it this autumn, so havent gotten around to use it much, but the little I have has been surprisingly good.

A rather menial example:

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But I like how it fare, plenty sharp, somewhat difficult light etcetera. The other proper sleeper in my battery (IOW) not mentioned in this thread are one or the OGs in the entire system, the Lumix 14-45 kit lens:

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Both of these should be obtainable for double digit prices, or slight into the triple. The 14-45 most likely in a bundle with some old trotter of a camera. If its a GF1, just get the bundle. It is a very nice combo, with possibilities to produce quite nice takes.

 

[john m flores]

So many sleepers!

Panny 12-32 Vario, Oly 45/1.8, Panny 20/1.7, Panny 14/2.5, Panny 35-100 Vario, etc...

I've gotten so many photos published with these humble consumer lenses. Their compact size makes them great for travel and the compact bodies and lenses is what keeps me shooting with them.

12-32 Vario

The Great American Eclipse from Mackay, ID by John Flores, on Flickr

2018-06 Wyman 05 In the Tire Tracks of a Pioneer by John Flores, on Flickr

35-100 Vario

Lonesome Wyoming by John Flores, on Flickr

45/1.8

BMW Riders Association "On the Level" Magazine, Nov-Dec 2019 by John Flores, on Flickr

BMW_RA_OTL_Nov-Dec 2020_Spreads-cover by John Flores, on Flickr

 

[TNcasual]

I'd add the Siggy 56 as well. Doesn't seem to be that well known in m4/3 circles, I myself was pretty hesitant in buying it as it was my first, non first party lens, but it's stunning for the $$$. Plenty have compared it to the PL 42.5 1.2 as well as the Oly 45 Pro, and it stands shoulder to shoulder with both of those apparently. Big fan of mine, if I've got the working distance
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When I owned it, I was always happy and/or surprised by the results of the Sigma 30 1.4. It was great middle ground between the 25s and 42/45s and really fast.

 

[agentlossing]

When I owned it, I was always happy and/or surprised by the results of the Sigma 30 1.4. It was great middle ground bewteen the 25s and 42/45s and really fast.

I can second the 30mm f1.4. I shot it mostly wide open or close to it when I had the GX9 to get a flavor of images which suggested 35mm film (using L Monochrome D B&W mode mostly). It was quite enjoyable, if a bit larger than it needed to be (being an APS-C lens by design).

 

[rayvonn]

Almost the entire line-up has been mentioned as sleepers

 

[mnhoj]

The 14 was my fav back in the day. Pre 15 and 17 1.8 and now overshadowed by both.
It was my preferred focal. Pretty sharp, affordable and pancakey.

P1030940.jpg by john matsu, on Flickr

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

Almost the entire line-up has been mentioned as sleepers, but one has so far skated under the radar, the humble Olympus 17mm f/2.8 pancake. I got it this autumn, so havent gotten around to use it much, but the little I have has been surprisingly good.

I’ve seen this lens show up from time to time on used sites. Always wondered how it actually did. Doesn’t get a lot of attention it seems.

 

[JensM]

I’ve seen this lens show up from time to time on used sites. Always wondered how it actually did. Doesn’t get a lot of attention it seems.

I haven't used it that much, I much prefer zooms, so that is what I normally bring with me. Mostly, I got it based on it being a pancake and I had the rest of those, so I thought I should get all of those for the M43.

I do think it rates an proper wringing out. It is certainly flat, just a tad taller than the Lumix 14mm, very much like the 14-42EZ size wise.

It is not a low light lens, I have tried it on several bodies and it seems to struggle when the light levels drop, then again, the other fixed pancakes are not really fast in the AF dept when the light is low, either. If my recollection is on par, it is one of the oldest lenses in the whole line-up. I think it will make a good walking-around lens on a unobtrusive body, stuffed into a jacket pocket or something along those lines and a well worthy addition to anyones lens line-up.