SOUNDIMAGEPLUS: Panasonic 14-42mm X pancake lens

After the recent influx of m4/3 gear, its taking me a while to get round to trying out the various combinations. Yesterday I tried the 14-42mm X lens on a GX1.

It is very small, and if not extended when in use is about the same size as the 20mm f/1.7 lens. It has a rocker switch for zooming and no zoom ring. My tests indicate that its about the same quality as the "normal" 14-42mm and since its so small that is a good thing as far as I'm concerned.

For comparisons between m4/3 standard zooms and raw + jpg. samples CLICK HERE.

Now I don't know of any other zoom "pancake" lens for interchangeable lens cameras, as most "pancake" lenses are primes, so this is quite a design and engineering feat. It also takes a decent snap. In fact I enjoyed using it and the images it produced more than I thought I would. My initial thought was that I would sell it on as I was interested mostly in the GX1 body + EVF in the kit I bought, but I think I'm going to keep it, for a while anyway, as its nice to use, obviously very small and light and will be good in situations where I don't want to carry the 12-35mm around. It also has a little more reach than that lens as well.

So here's a few pictures taken with it and it was definitely a nice surprise.