14-42mm and 45-175mm X lens firmware update coming soon.
As you have probably read on many forums the new 14-42mm and 45-175mm X lenses had some small issues. Panasonic reaction has been very fast and on November 17 they will release a new firmware update for both lenses.
For the 14-42mm X lens:
Optimized operation when using Touch Zoom with DMC-GX1
Improved the stability of O.I.S.(Optical Image Stabilizer)
Improved AF (Auto Focus) performance in photo / video recording
For the 45-175mm X lens:
Optimized operation when using Touch Zoom with DMC-GX1
Improved AF (Auto Focus) performance in photo / video recording
Source: Panasonic Japan.
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Shop Links:
Panasonic 14-42mm X lens at Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.
Panasonic 45-175mm X lens at Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.
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Recent comments
Comment from CS: Thanks for the comments! I got this len...Comment from Bob Bowné: GREAT idea!...
Comment from MP Burke: I having been using my 45-175mm lens aga...
Ansel
7 months ago |The O.I.S issue should for the 45-175 lens.
Bob Bowné
7 months ago |AND HOW Ansel! My 45-175mm exhibited some not-so-subtle Power O.I.S. problems in the 1/100sec to 1/300sec area. Panasonic included mentioning a fix for the Power O.I.S. in their firmware update announcement (which is not listed in the post at the top of the page).
I had a LOT of blurred images, with stationary subject matter whilst in mode 1 at the 175mm full extension end of the zoom range. Hopefully, this fix will attend to the problems that I and a lot of others have been experiencing with the Power O.I.S. It is a really fun lens, and hopefully once the algorithms get straightened out ..it will be a much more reliable shooting tool!
I have to commend Panasonic’s incredibly fast response to this issue. Very cool.
D3xmeister
7 months ago |Can they fix the poor optical performance of the 14-42mm X ?
Biohzrd8
7 months ago |Where did you read about poor optical quality?
biohzrd8
7 months ago |Where did you read that it has poor optical performance?
edit: sorry, my first post….didn’t mean to post it twice.
Dummy00001
7 months ago |> Can they fix the poor optical performance of the 14-42mm X ?
What precisely you are not satisfied with? Care to elaborate?
I keep an eye on the X lenses those babies would count heavily when I will be deciding whether to join the m43 camp or not.
Odd-ball opinions are appreciated. I kind of dislike the general attitude of pros and enthusiasts that cameras and lenses are allowed to have quirks and people just have to learn to live with them.
Chris
7 months ago |Has anybody actually bought this lens?
CS
7 months ago |Can a GF1 body update the X lens firmware? Is the focus performance supposed to be faster on the GX1 body than on the GF1 (even with any and all firmware updates)? Basically, are these X lenses crippled in some ways when used on a GF1? (For example, I have read that the focal length isn’t displayed, but is focus performance different?) Thanks for any info!
Bob Bowné
7 months ago |Hey CS…I may be of some help here for you. I only have a GF1 Body. I purchased the 45-175mm….and really like it a lot, I did a review at the top of the website (just click on this lens and there are some more in-depth reviews listed there, mine is one of them). I also posted quite a bit of info about my experience with the lens on this page. (The only serious issue I have with the lens is between shutter speeds of about 1/100-1/300sec I am not getting sharp photos in a consistent basis that I would expect with the IS turned on in mode 1 and the lens is at full zoom at 175mm…Panasonic has a fix for this coming on Thurs.). I am not having any focusing problems…seems pretty good…as far as nailing focus.
Now, as far as focusing speed on a GF1 specifically…it is pretty to very fast (non scientific..LOL). I would say considerably faster than my 20mm 1.7…by quite a bit. (apparently the lens focuses even faster on some of the newer sensor cameras…but it is no slouch on my GF1..and I personally have not had any major “focus searching issues”.) even in lower lighting situations. I plan to purchase a GX1 and I expect this lens and some others to focus faster on that camera which is ONE of the reasons I am buying it.
Also..you frightened me when you mentioned…”can we update the firmware for this lens on a GF1″ . LOL…I had not considered that since we cannot get some of the “extra” readout features from the lens on our camera it could be a concern, I guess. I think we are ok..though for updating. At least when I go the the set up menu…the GF1 displays the current firmware version of the lens, which is Ver 1.0.. so I bet we can update the firmware while the lens is on a GF1. I have experience updating my 8mm fisheye and my 14mm lenses..and it was pretty simple and smooth. I have Ver 1.2 for camera firmware on the camera at this time, which I think is the latest.
Hope that that helps. Guess we will know more on Thurs. ?
MP Burke
7 months ago |I having been using my 45-175mm lens again today (on a G2) and I’ve been pretty happy with the results so far. However I also have had issues with the O.I.S at 175mm focal length. The announcement on DP Review suggested that there is some fix or adjustment for the O.I.S of this lens. I suspect that is the real reason for the update (after all, nobody actually has a GX1). Depending on the light/ weather on Thursday I may try to do some quick comparisons of O.I.S before and after the update, to see if it makes any substantive improvement.
Bob Bowné
7 months ago |GREAT idea!
CS
7 months ago |Thanks for the comments! I got this lens to take pictures of our kids’ soccer games. Though a soccer dad, not a soccer mom, I fit the stereotype of mostly wanting better snapshots of the kids, my main subject it turns out.
My other goal is better pictures of climbing and backpacking trips, so I’m always after light weight and ease of use. I was pretty happy with a Canon P&S but moved up to u43 and overall am basically happy with the GF1. I think the Canon colors/snap were better, and my GF1 tends to blow out highlights in the mountains. But I have a lot to learn about getting the pics I want at home and in the mountains. (In fact, somehow my AWB got set off center (I suspect the 5 year old, who loves to use the GF1!), and my pics (JPGs) from my last trip all have a purple cast that I did not notice on the LCD–d’oh!) Now I know that if the screen says, “AWB_” that the underscore means it’s not set to center default.
I’ve had trouble getting sharp, well composed shots at the soccer field with the 45-175 X, but I think that’s more user error and inexperience than camera troubles. Still, I’ll have to take some test shots before/after firmware if I can find the time.
mpgxsvcd
7 months ago |Is it just me or does Panasonic seem more like a firmware company than a camera company lately?
Mr. Reeee
7 months ago |Pansonic releases firmware updates, while Olympus wants you to buy a whole new lens. I’ll opt for firmware updates, thank you.
Jim
7 months ago |+1 – be nice to have more FW updates from oly!
Paulo Teixeira
7 months ago |You can read about people who bought it in this forum:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1041
marsupial2go
7 months ago |My 45-175 does not AF on a GH2! I posted a video to prove my point in the reviews section at the top of this page. It can’t even focus on a bus, and how BIG is a bus? Hint: pretty freakin’ BIG!
Come Thursday that fix better be for the lens and not just for the GX1. Then I’ll go bus hunting again.
Henrik
7 months ago |Try power plants, in the meantime.
Anonymous
7 months ago |Maybe your lens is just defective. I’ve had no focussing issues whatsoever with the X 45-175mm on my GH2, it’s fast and accurate, more so than the 45-200mm which also does well on the GH2.
Like everybody else, I have OIS issues with the 45-175mm. While I hope they will be solved soon, I’ll think twice before jumping in immediately on a new product. Next time I’ll probably wait for field reviews etc.
Ad
7 months ago |Maybe your lens is just defective. I have no focussing issues whatsoever with the X 45-175mm on my GH2, it focusses fast and accurately even in dim light.
Like everybody else I have OIS issues with it and I hope they will be solved soon. While I agree that Panasonic took quick action on this, I’ll probably won’t be jumping in immediately on a new product again; next time I’ll wait for field reviews etc.
Bob Bowné
7 months ago |OK, marsupial…I read your review of the 45-175mm lens at the top of the website. Sorry, but I do not see where you are coming from here. You go on and on about all the things you say the lens does poorly and how the lens does not function properly and then you say it is a good lens in your review? Huh? That does not make any sense to me. Perhaps If your lens cannot focus on a bus, you should not say it is good, and should send it back and/or try another copy.
You also mention the use of “the tele extender” in your review. A tele extender is a separate mechanical/optical device that is put between the lens and the camera to increase its focal length. It usually has an increase factor of 1.4x or 2.0x etc. First of all, this lens does not have a tele extender included with it, second, as far as I know there are not any tele extenders for Micro Four Thirds (but I could be wrong there), and thirdly..even if there was a TE for MFT..this lens would be a poor choice to use it on as it is a small aperture, zoom lens.
My lens has the Power O.I.S problems (which are confined to a small area of functionality of the lens), and it seems Panasonic has addressed these problems in this firmware fix coming on Thursday as a lot of people are experiencing the same limited issue with the lens, (we shall see). I am not experiencing any focusing problems with my lens, but your problems seem much more dramatic than what Ad (above) and I are experiencing with the lens. Overall I am having a good experience with mine. Maybe you should try another copy of the lens, and/or check up on you basic photo/video knowledge and/or skills and technical jargon.