Panasonic 7-14mm F/4

The Panasonic 7-14mm f/4 is the first professional-grade lens made for Micro 4/3 cameras and camcorders. Key features include:

• Excellent image quality across the zoom range

• Fast, nearly silent autofocus

• Seven-blade rounded aperture ring

• 114° angle of view

Fast-Focusing Wide Angle Zoom. This lens includes a fast, nearly silent contrast autofocus system and precision manual focusing. Its 114° angle of view and large-diameter elements help ensure brightness across the zoom range. Its built-in hood makes daylight shooting easier.

Build & Optics. The 7-14mm f/4 sports a compact 2.75 × 3” build. It contains sixteen lens elements in twelve groups, including two aspherical lenses and four extra-low dispersion lenses to ensure high image quality while helping to reduce ghosting and flare. Its seven-blade rounded aperture ring provides smooth out-of-focus highlights.

There are a few different options for wide angle lenses with the micro 4/3 cameras, so I thought I’d write up a quick comparison.
– Micro 4/3 Panasonic 8mm Fisheye The 8mm gives m4/3 shooters the …

There are a few different options for wide angle lenses with the micro 4/3 cameras, so I thought I’d write up a quick comparison.

– The 8mm gives m4/3 shooters the option to get the “fisheye” look in a native m4/3 mount. You’re not sacrificing image quality with this baby lens either; it’s just as sharp as the other great Panasonic pancakes. It’s probably not something that would live on the front of your camera, but it’s great to use for those shots where a distorted image is desired.
– The 7-14 is a wonderful f4 wide angle option for the m4/3 cameras. You get f4 all the way through the zoom, which is great if you’re shooting when there is not a plethora of light. Distortion is mostly limited even at the widest end, and autofocus is definitely fast enough to for most uses. Also, don’t forget the built-in hood that makes shooting outdoors in the sunlight a bit easier.
– The 9-18 is going to give you another great option for m4/3 shooters. It is essentially Olympus’ take on the wide angle, so quality is there just like the Pany 7-14. What it adds is a front filter ring and slightly faster autofocus. However, what you lose is the 7mm wide end, a hood and a fixed f4 throughout the zoom range. If light is not a problem, then the aperture isn’t a big deal. Distortion is also mostly corrected for with this lens.