Panasonic HFS014042 14-42mm Zoom lens for Micro third cameras

This is a cheap, small and light lens for m4/3 cameras. It has built-in image stabilization that is active on Panasonic cameras and is inactive when using Olympus cameras (which is perfect, because Olympus bodies have in-body stabilization). The lens is a larger but lighter than the collapsible Olympus 14-42. It also costs about 1/3rd of the price and comes with a hood. In my opinion, it also looks better. I could discern no difference in image quality between the lenses, with both being very good. The Panasonic lens is also easier to remove from the camera because it has that wide gray area to grip it by. For the price, this lens is unbeatable.

I must admit, I shopped cheap for this lens. I found an Olympus Pen E-PL1 with the Zuiko 14-42mm kit lens included on Amazon Warehouse deals. I have a Canon dSLR Rebel T3i, but was wanting to go down with size and weight for certain occasions. My photos are usually my dogs and wildlife/birds taken while kayaking or camping with the dogs. I had read about the 4/3 systems and decided I would like to try one. Since the price was definitely right for this package I went for it, and I got the Panasonic G Vario 4-5.6, 45 - 200 lens also as used at the same time. When they arrived, the 14 -42 mm lens was inoperatable, a first for me after purchasing 100's of items from the Warehouse site. Since the camera worked GREAT with the larger lens, I wanted to keep it so Warehouse Deals issued a partial refund on the camera package. I then ordered this lens, based on reviews, again "used" from Warehouse deals, and it arrived today. It does have a small piece of something between the elements BUT, it is at the base and after doing test shots with different solid backgrounds, there is NO evidence of it in the photos so I am happy with it. I must say, while I KNEW I wasn't buying a "L" lens from Canon, I am extremely pleased with this lens so far. Yes, it does feel plasticy and, yes, cheap, but, lets face it people...it IS an inexpensive lens!!! The zoom is smooth as can be, focus is achieved instantly either by auto OR manual, and the colors are superb!!! In fact, I actually like the colors better than those with the canon. I do miss the ability to take photos in darker conditions, but again, I DID NOT expect to be getting a Canon with an L lens and this lens is pretty small to gather a bunch of available light. It is a GREAT size for a walk around lens, pretty much what I was looking for! I expect to mainly use this for general photos of people and pets while kayaking, etc., and also have the Canon along with long lens for those further away shots and for shots at dusk.

It's a wonderful lens, producing great colors and sharp pictures at every focal length. I also own the Panasonic 14-140 lens, which produces pictures with an unnatural, extreme contrast and sharpness when used in bright sunlight, almost painful to the eye and in need for reducing the contrast in post processing. Therefore, in such bright and high contrast lighting situations I prefer the 14-42 for its ability to produce more natural and balanced results with much more detail in shadows. But don't get me wrong, the 14-140 is also a great lens, perfect for using on cloudy days, also indoors and in low light situations. Using them on DMC G7.

Bought this lens for a mere $99.00 Great lens I would say, although it is plastic mount and not metal mount, nevertheless, this is what makes this a very light lens. Has a very quiet focus, would be nice if it had an image stabilization switch on the lens itself though. I am using this lens on a Lumix G1 and a PEN E-PL1 and it works very well on both of these cameras.

This lens is adequate, in build the focus ring grabs when turned. From a youtube video I learned that it was possible to get somewhat average bokeh. Add the hundred dollar used price and you have a lens that teaches patience. The upgrade to this lens is a much better build, I recommend it for less than twice the price used.

Fits perfect with my Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera (BMPCC). It's very light weight and feels a bit cheap and flemsy, but for less than $200 I can't complain. The image quality is great. Of course, zoom and focus controls are both manual only. This is a great starter lens for the BMPCC.

Pros: 28-84mm focal length in 35mm equivalent with Pan 2x crop factor, OIS, great shallow depth of field Cons: very hard to zoom, not consistent, makes mechanical cracking noise, seems like my GX1 need lower F stop or wider Aperture in low light to compensate digital noise in videos... why it's not 12-60mm, at least 5x optical zoom!? Panasonic Point & Shoot cameras Leica lenses are better with 12x, 16x, 20x and 24x optical power zoom... and cheaper... why not to make this one at least the same! marketing!

I have both Panasonic and Olympus Micro 4/3rds cameras, and consequently two 14-42mm lenses- this one, and the similar Olympus 14-42mm Zukio, which costs about 50% more than the Lumix. Both are intended to be kit lenses, supplied as part of an entry-level Micro 4/3rds camera package. Technically, either lens can be used with either camera body, but Panasonic and Olympus use different image stabilization systems, so if you want to take advantage of that function, you need to match lens and body. Even though the Panasonic is significantly cheaper than the Olympus, it compares well in terms of sharpness, contrast, and color correction. The Panasonic does show some vignetting wide open at 14mm, but it's hardly noticeable. Some reviews say the Panasonic tests a bit sharper. Both are adequate for my use. Construction is similar, with both the Lumix and the Olympus having plastic mounting flanges. Where they differ is that the Olympus is designed to collapse down to a very short length when not in use. To take a photo, you have to unlock the zoom ring and extend the lens, at which point it stick out significantly farther than the Lumix lens, and seems a bit fragile. The Lumix lens is more convenient, and has the added benefit of coming with a lens hood that can easily be attached and removed, or stored reversed on the lens. This is a big help when shooting outdoors under a bright sun or near an artificial light source. If you're looking for really critical color and sharpness, the Lumix 14-45mm zoom delivers better performance all around, and more rugged construction, but at over twice the price. For the non-pro looking for a good starter lens, or a good all-around lens for everything from interior shots to portraiture to nature photography, this is a good choice, and a good match to the lower priced Lumix micro-4/3rds camera bodies.