- Posts: 4
- Joined: Tue Jan 16, 2018 8:06 pm
I would give this lens a miss, the lens is primarily a still camera kit lens, soft image quality, poor zoom response, and slow to auto focus. While it will work with the Pocket Camera, performance will be about the same as the Panny lenses you already have, or a little slower. The big issue I see, is with its slow max f/stop f/3.5 that very quickly stops down to f/5.6 when you zoom out, it will be primarily an outdoor lens. No image stabilization, so hard to hold bast 18mm (about the same as the PL 25mm, hard to get non shaky video), and with its small 37mm filter ring, you will have a hard time using good ND or IR cut filters with it.
A much better option for a good quality, but fairly compact zoom are the Panasonic 12-35 (better zoom range for the Pocket Camera than 14-42) which has a nice wide shot at 12mm, constant f/2.8 f/stop, and a larger filter ring size, which is easier to adapt to good filters.
Another option is the new Panny Leica 12-60 f/2.8-4 Zoom, a littler linger than the 12-35, but about the same weight (not heavy or awkward), extends the zoom range to 60mm, and is the lens I have chosen to use on the Micro cameras. This zoom was designed for video work andhas the fastes focus (out, dead quiet motor on both zoom and focus), while larger, it is still light for a long range zoom, and easy to hold on to. Zoom is also nice and smooth, and it will hold the focus while changing the zoom focal/length (it is parfocal).
Cheers