Panasonic 7-14mm discontinued. New OIS version coming soon?
Long time ago trusted sources told me that Panasonic had the plan to upgrade the current Panasonic 7-14mm f/4.0 lens. The day may be close that this will happen because the lens just got discontinued at BHphoto (Click here to check). And only a bunch of them are in Stock at Amazon (Click here to check). The trusted sources told me Panasonic developed a OIS (lens stabilized) version of the lens.
Let’s see if the rumored May 21th announcement turns out to be real (reminder, this is a rumor coming form external websites!).
DonTom
2 years ago |Let’s hope it’s weathersealed as well!
Nick Clark
2 years ago |+ 10000000000000000
Couldn’t care less if it’s stabilised this wide, but oh god please make it sealed!
Olympius
2 years ago |Me too — weather sealing, and POWER O.I.S please on the new & improved 7-14.
I hope they do the same to the 100-300, in terms of weather sealing, that way you could have four good, weather sealed zooms that cover the range from 7mm to 300mm….not bad.
- Olympius
Diane B
2 years ago |I’ll buy someone’s non stabilized. I’m still shooting with ZD9-18 with adapter since it was available in first few months of m4/3 and nothing else was. I’ve been considering buying mZD version of it or 7-14. I don’t need IS or weathersealing.
Diane
TGIF
2 years ago |+10^10
If so, I gonna have new one and sell my old.
YouDidntDidYou
2 years ago |Can see the same with the 8mm and Olympus bringing out their own versions of both lenses
Uberzone
2 years ago |I would mind if it was a little faster too.
Vivek
2 years ago |Should have been a constant f/2.8 like Nikon’s 14-28 f/2.8 (for the same price of the f/4 version, I must add).
Mr. Reeee
2 years ago |Sure, at 2 to 3 times the size, weight and price. Enough people bitch about the 7-14mm’s size and price as it is now!
If you’re looking for a lens that pretty much embodies the M4/3 system, I’d start with the 7-14mm.
Vivek
2 years ago |I disagree. I brought in the Nikon zoom because Panasonic claimed (rather boasted) that it betters the Nikon lens (on a G1!). Utter crap.
The lens that “embodies” the m4/3rds system for me was a Computar-TV 25/1.3 that cost me 5 Euros.
Joshua
2 years ago |“The lens that “embodies” the m4/3rds system for me was a Computar-TV 25/1.3 that cost me 5 Euros.”
Yessir… m43 is the budget photog’s best friend. It allows amateurs like myself to get impeccable photos for a fraction of the cost and size of Nikons & Canons.
frank
2 years ago |Ha, this lens will not be improved upon, it is already excellent. It is my favorite m43 lens.
And it does not need OIS whatsoever with these focal lengths. So the only reason this will be replaced is that there will be a cheaper to fabricate version.
So, they had better focused their effort on a pancake portrait that has the quality of the 20/1.7
MJr
2 years ago |Really hope that the IS doesn’t ruin the performance like it did with a few other lenses that got ‘upgraded’ with IS. The Tamron 17-50/2.8 for SLR is a good example of that :/.
But if so one could just get the current version with a nice discount of course, no complaint there
.
Esa Tuunanen
2 years ago |Because of complex construction retrofocus lens design is indeed very sensitive to problems in lens element aligning and centering and consistent manufacturing quality needs very tight tolerances of parts and quality checks.
So having moving stabilization element could definitely be problematic for retaining image quality.
At least if they try to cram stabilization unit in without increasing price.
E-1
2 years ago |It’s also my favorite m43 lens, love it.
Anentropic
2 years ago |OIS would still be useful for video. It’s the same rationale behind Power Zoom on the new X lenses. It’s a video feature… I hope they bring it!
Marco
2 years ago |@ Mr Reeee
Why not to have two lines of lenses for the same range: consumer and pro as Panny made for the standard zoom ? For m43 it is a prerequisite to make more bright lenses compared to FF due to the depth of field issue.
Esa Tuunanen
2 years ago |You’ve mistaken systems.
4/3 had different lens quality categories with even standard lenses being mostly optically good but m4/3 doesn’t have any such categories except few accidentally good lenses (like 7-14mm) on top of lots of mediocrities.
duncan
2 years ago |At these focal lengths OIS may not be so necessary for photo, but it is good for video. GH2 is also marketed towards videographers, not only photographers.
Marco
2 years ago |@Esa
I do not speak about the optical quality in context of pro zooms often even kit zoom have high resolution – I speak about smaller aperture numbers and high resolution together. Most of “pro” pro zooms for each brand have smaller app. mums (often constant)then the equivalent consumer zooms (though for the ultra wide small app. number is not so crucial due to the already small DOF).
matt
2 years ago |OIS on this focal lenghts is not a big deal.. make it weathersealed , cheaper and with filter thread and you have me!
Henrik
2 years ago |OIS on this lens is a big deal. Filter thread is another big deal. Actually a super wide angle prime between 7 and 10 mm would be even preferable, stabilized of course.
The Oly super wide angle zoom has terrible bokeh (yes, i need it) and doesn’t reach the Pana wa zoom’s sharpness at all.
Mr. Reeee
2 years ago |I use my 7-14mm a lot. Indoors. Low light. Hand held. Shots of construction progress on apartment renovations in really bad light… bare bulbs hanging from wires and such. There’s always something to lean against. Or I’ll use a monopod, or tripod.
I’ve never felt the “lack” of stabilization hindered my ability to “get the shot” in any way. Hell, isn’t that one of the reasons we have this fixation on high ISO performance?
Henrik
2 years ago |I use my camera a lot indoors too. Unlike you, i have a fixation on *low* ISO – and on OIS. I find the *side*-hinging touch screen plus built-in flash (as a unnoticable fill flash, not as full scene flash) give me unparalleled compositional possibilities. I know all that is stupid and rejected by many others, still i can’t change my preferences in my old age; if i could, i’d long be off to Oly. But i keep my eyes open for Canon’s assumed EVIL launch this year and my investments are on hold. I am not anyone’s fanboy.
Mr. Reeee
2 years ago |Actually, I prefer low ISO, too. 800 ISO works well in a pinch.
As far as using a flash, the built-in flash on the GH2 hits the 7-14mm lens hood and makes a pretty nasty shadow. Yeah, yeah, get an external flash, I know. I’ll stick with a tripod, or lean against a wall.
Michael Meissner
2 years ago |I imagine it depends on what you are shooting. If you are shooting people, then you pretty much need the shutter speed to be at least 1/30 and preferrably 1/60 or 1/125, unless you are intentionally using a slow speed, so the subject movement is blurried and indicates motion. Given the usual rule of thumb that most people need the shutter speed to be at least 1/(35mm equivalent focal length) to eliminate camera shake, I’m not sure the majority of Panasonic users would need stabilization.
In terms of filter threads, it depends on what filters you are wanting to use. The conventional wisdom is that polarizing filters don’t work to well on wide ange lenses due to the different angle of polarization in the whole scheme. ND, split ND, and infrared filters I can see where you might want to use them. And the photographic community is split 50-50 whether protection filters are useful or harmful (I tend to think for weather sealed lenses for E-x cameras, they are useful, but for my non-sealed lenses, I’m not as convinced).
Of course in terms of sealing, there is the existing 7-14mm Olympus 4/3rds lens with a MMF-3 adapter.
theDA
2 years ago |filter threads or gtfo
Mooboy
2 years ago |Oh man, I just bought it. If they release one with weather sealing and a filter thread I’ll be pissed. If add just OIS I couldn’t care less.
ljmac
2 years ago |With the release of the 12-35, could they be changing it to 7-12, or even 6-12?
Cristián
2 years ago |PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE also filter thread for grads!!!!!!
Mr. Reeee
2 years ago |I guess nobody remembers when B&H “discontinued” the GH2 a few months ago. A funny thing though, it’s not any more.
B&H “discontinues” items pretty regularly. To them “discontinued” seems to be interchangeable with “out of stock”.
I wouldn’t lose a wink of sleep over it and the 7-14mm is one of my favorite native M4/3 lenses! It’s exceptional!
So, if they DID release a newer version, weather sealing and filter threads would be nice additions. OIS would just add weight, bulk and marginal utility. Even if they just redesigned the integrated lens hood and made it solid, that would be the only improvement I could see it needing in general use. The tulip shaped hood sometimes makes a shadow on the lens.
Bob B.
2 years ago |My sources told me that the new 7-14mm 2.8 IS will be the new kit lens on the GH3. (Just jokng).
The existing 7-14 is a great lens wish it could be a little smaller..but as it is it really delivers for this photographer.
Olympius
2 years ago |Hey Bob,
Just buy yourself the Olympus 4/3 7-14mm, and you’ll be jumping for joy how very tiny the Panasonic 7-14mm really is.
- Olympius
Bob B.
2 years ago |it’s funny…I should NOT complain, especially since the zoom goes all the way to 14mm equivalent. Which is amazing! That is REALLY wide for a zoom. I have 9 MFT lenses and it is the biggest one. So I just want it to be smaller. WHAH! LOL! Many times I leave it at home and get by with the 12mm and the fisheye.
spam
2 years ago |I remember the discontinued GH2, and it has happend a lot of times with other products. The products usually get undiscontinued again as soon as somebody discover the error, but that rarely makes the news for some reason.
I’d like a IS-version though. Maybe Panasonic feels the pressure from Olympus bodies with their IBIS.
mclarenf3
2 years ago |Yay for having an Olympus body. I can happily keep my 7-14, knowing that (at this moment) the new 7-14 offers no improvement.
uth
2 years ago |for me… I hope it can used with ND filter.
Nikku
2 years ago |Love this lens. Will be interested to see if they are actually replacing.
John
2 years ago |I agree with the sentiment above. 7-14 is fine as is. They should be upgrading the 20mm. That was the lens (coupled with the gf1) that started it all.
avds
2 years ago |+1
Marco
2 years ago |THREAD FOR THE FILTER WANTED!
This optically good lens sucks without the threading for the filters. Please, thread in the next version, Panasonic.
Mr. Reeee
2 years ago |There are people who have done their own homegrown Frankenstein filter setups for the 7-14mm. Search the DPReview M4/3 forums.
My thought is to buy a second lens cap. (Panasonic sells them for about $10 in their spare parts area if you dig on their web site a bit.) Cut out the front disk with a Dremel tool… my D-handle router or laminate trimmer are a bit unwieldy for that
… then epoxy a 72-77mm step-up ring to the front. The inside diameter of the cap is about 72mm. Voilá, a removable filter ring!
Brod1er
2 years ago |It won’t work!! You will be restricted to 10-14mm without vignetting. The cut outs in the hood are there for good reason.
Jemes
2 years ago |I also hope 20mm gets an update as well with faster AF.
Marco
2 years ago |@ Mr Reeee
.
You shall produce it and sell on Ebay in volume
Pat
2 years ago |Im not sure why a 7-14 would need ois, I would venture a guess they are either making it cheaper or faster. one of the two (not both obviously)
Nico Foto
2 years ago |For handheld video work.
Pat
2 years ago |Im a videographer that uses a GH2 and an Af100, and its never been a problem for me.
Camaman
2 years ago |Weather sealed 6-12mm f4 comming?:-)
Johannes
2 years ago |Just ordered one.
Alan
2 years ago |This is one of the lenses that makes m43 a viable alternative to the Big Guys (C&N). It is spectacular. It does not need to get any wider. Compares to lenses costing 3 times as much. I would not change anything.
Montego
2 years ago |I love my 7-14. Nice and contrasty. Doesn’t need OIS (and I shoot video with it as well). Weather seal and filter thread would be nice, but not enough for me to upgrade. I’ve got other lenses on my “buy list” on my slow trek to build a good collection. Also, when shooting vid I never do zoom shots…personal thing…don’t like the aesthetic. Love slider and crane shots.
Fan
2 years ago |Zooming is generally forbidden in video.
uke
2 years ago |I was planning to grab this in the next few weeks.
OIS seems pretty dumb on such a lens and might ruin the excellent optics. But a constant f3.5, filter, better hood would do it for me. $100 price drop wouldnt hurt either
asdf
2 years ago |get the 12-35x out first!
JF
2 years ago |Don’t care about OIS since I have E-M5 but I care about price (current price of 7-14 in europe is to expensive for me) and filter thread (GND)
yo
2 years ago |haven’t bought one yet, but add weatherseal, OIS, filter threads, and i’ll buy it over the 12-35
Björn Utpott
2 years ago |I’m shooting with NEX now, but the current 7-14 is so good that I kept a GF2 to shoot it with – not to mention the lack of a quality NEX ultra wide. My guess would be that Panasonic will replace the current 7-14 with a cheaper to produce lens which they’ll also sell at a lower retail price. They’ll add image stabilization to make it seem more desirable than its predecessor.
Maybe some need OIS on an ultra wide lens; I don’t and nor do I want any moving elements that might adversely impact image quality.
mahler
2 years ago |To me, this could be bad news.
If (and only if) the current 7-14mm is discontinued to be replaced with a version, which has OIS, that could mean, that Panasonic won’t implement IBIS any time soon.
Now, with the release of the Olympus EM-5, I would consider this as a big strategic mistake. Even if the 7-14mm and other upcoming Panasonic lenses would have an improved OIS on par with the EM-5 IBIS, older lenses and non-stabilized lenses would not gain from this.
Formerly, I prefered OIS over IBIS, because the view finder image wasn’t stabilized. This was – amongst other reasons (multicontroller) – a dealbreaker to buy any Olympus m4/3 camera.
The EM-5 has changed this situation, because the IBIS is not only much more effective, but it also stabilizes the view finder image, so that the use of long focal ranges becomes much more comfortable.
I replaced my GH2 with the EM-5, despite of some usability quibbles and can only say that for my five unstabilized prime lenses (and the 7-14mm) the advantage is considerable.
Thus, in the future, Panasonic will loose market share, if they don’t switch to IBIS. I say this with the same conviction as when I claimed that Olympus made a mistake with their stubborn PEN-only strategy, which is the past with the release of the OM-D product line.
With the EM-5 and the upcoming two new prime lenses (1.8/75mm and the 60mm Macro) Olympus will have the more attractive product portfolio of the m4/3 partners. Panasonic created quite a mess with the problem ridden X-series lenses, and failed to release substantial new lenses during the past year. Instead they made only reincarnations of zooms, which they already had in their portfolio.
Within the past year, I bought more Olympus products than Panasonic, which was a 180° turn:
O: 2.0/20mm
P: 1.4/25mm
O: 1.8/45mm
O: EM-5
O: 12-50mm (with the EM-5)
O: 14-150mm (because the P 14-140mm isn’t a good match with the EM-5)
O: 1.8/75mm is planned
The new Panasonic X-lenses (X 14-42mm, X 45-175mm) did not catch my interest. The new fast zooms are long overdue, my 2012 budget is likely to close with the 75mm lens, so a lot of things Panasonic does, is simply too late, not innovative enough at the moment.
I say this as an until now very loyal Panasonic customer and a person very critical with Olympus.
Last, another reason for the replacement of the 7-14mm is the move to PowerZoom and PowerOIS to be more compliant with Panasonic’s video strategy.
spam
2 years ago |What was the problem with 14-140 on E-M5?
mahler
2 years ago |Due to the different ergonomics, the 14-140mm is too bulky for an EM-5 (the GH2 has a better grip) and the aperture was kind of flickering around on an EM-5 body. I can’t tell if that was an individual lens problem though. On the other hand it works fine on my GH2.
The 14-140mm’s aperture is optimized for video usage so that the change of aperture does not lead to visible steps in the rendering of the video. It could be that this “seamless” aperture behaviour does not work on Olympus bodies well enough.
spam
2 years ago |Thanks, I’ll do a test of the aperture. I can agree with the comment on size. 14-140 is usable, but barely on the E-M5. I’d want the optional grip for the E-M5 for use with any lens larger than the kit zoom.
mahler
2 years ago |The grip is absolutely necessary. Without it, holding the camera for a long time, becomes tiring. I mostly only use the landscape grip.
spam
2 years ago |I tried the 14-140 now and didn’t notice the aperture moving, but it was indoors only and not much contrast. Do you have the camera in a particular mode when you notice the aperture changing? The only sound I hear is the constant buzzing from the IBIS.
Atlasman
5 months ago |mahler
I too replaced my GH-2 with the E-M5 and won’t be purchasing the GH3.
But unlike you, I own mostly Panasonic lenses, the 7-14mm, 25mm, 45-175mm, 100-300mm.
I won’t buy Olympus on principle: they believe I should be punished for like black; they believe I should have to make a separate purchase for something that should be included: the lens hood.
What makes my lens-set work, is the IBIS of the E-M5.
Richard
2 years ago |It does seem that the trend in new lenses is to add/improve video capability. While they are at it, I suspect Panasonic has revised the lens coatings and is working on designs which are easier to manufacture and assemble. Although a 7-14 lens will remain a specialized lens, if panasonic can control its costs and just perhaps lower the price the sales could take off.
avds
2 years ago |I have yet to see any discontinued Panasonic m43 lens except maybe the failed 3D lens (which is still in stock at that whopping 80% discount). They are still selling 3 similar 14-42/45 zooms and 2 similar tele zooms though, even despite solid competition from Olympus.
Olympius
2 years ago |3D TV / Video was the stupidest idea ever. What a tremendous waste of resources.
- Olympius
Ageha
2 years ago |They discontinued the 12.5mm F12? I doubt it: http://panasonic.net/avc/lumix/systemcamera/gms/lens/g_3dlens.html
Len Metcalf
2 years ago |I have been thinking of buying this lens. How sharp is it? Would I be better off buying the Panny 8mm 3.5 & the Olympus 12mm or would I be happy with the results from this lens. Zoom aside. It would be for landscapes and architecture mainly.. so I am concerned about nice sharp images… anyones 2 cents worth of opinion would be great. As it would be wise to snap one up if it is being discontinued..
Fish
2 years ago |Hey Len,
It truly is as good as people claim. I have both the Oly 9-18mm and the Panasonic 7-14mm (just waiting to see which one I will keep).
The results from the Pany are amazing – especially considering it is a zoom lens! And people take for granted just how tiny it is. Sure, the Oly is shorter when it is collapsed, but you have to extend it to use it and the Panasonic is actually shorter than the Olympus is when wearing a lens hood.
When using this lens, the only problem I have identified is with myself… it is a real challenge for me to wrap my head around UWA shooting and I really need to push myself to get closer.
The filter threads are the only thing that I miss.
(If you are a fisheye shooter, that option might work for you. I personally don’t like that look, except for the odd photo every now and then. In this respect, the 7-14mm is a better lens for me.)
Esa Tuunanen
2 years ago |Especially in landscapes you can’t often control shooting conditions/environment completely and can’t use foot zoom well so zoom lens is lot more flexible than prime…
And difference in angle/field of view between 7mm and 12mm is so major that unless you love stitching panoramas from multiple shots there’s no comparison.
Quality wise Lumix G 7-14mm is probably the best native zoom for m4/3 and its zoom range complements standard zooms very well.
That Panasonic 8mm is fisheye whose distortion isn’t good for architecture and general landscapes.
Fiesheye is more special use lens when you want that special look or for example for very wide angle sky images… for which use that Panasonic fisheye is way overpriced.
Samyang 7.5mm is lot better choise for that with price under half the Panasonic fisheye which is great for experimenting if you like those images (got it for 260€ to complement 7-14mm) and if you end up liking you already have optically very good lens. Cheap and good don’t usually meet but this is that rule proving exception.
http://www.photozone.de/olympus–four-thirds-lens-tests/714-samyang7535?start=2
http://www.lenstip.com/317.11-Lens_review-Samyang_7.5_mm_f_3.5_UMC_Fish-eye_MFT_Summary.html
JimD
2 years ago |“New OIS version”
This is code for put up the price and cut quality to reduce cost of manufacture. The provenance of the original lens will be foisted onto the new.
Ageha
2 years ago |I wouldn’t mind a F2.8 version but unlikely, would be too bulky and even more expensive.
Doug
2 years ago |f2.8 version, bigger, more expensive…. probably not too much so…. Heck, if it was as good as the Nikon 14-24, that would be amazing
!
Ben
2 years ago |Probably 7-12 f/2.8 X OIS, on top of the new 12-35 f/2.8 and 35-100 f/2.8 X OIS!!!
Miroslav
2 years ago |@Panasonic
Stabilize the sensor and leave this lens as it is.
fta
2 years ago |You know what would be funny? If they did what they did with the 14-45mm “upgrade” to 14-42mm. So the new one would be worse, maybe even f4-5.6
You never know…..
T3
2 years ago |ARGH!
DO NOT change this lens before I have the funds to buy a new one, in it’s current state!
Jim H.
2 years ago |I’m not sure what the point of stabilization is on a 14mm lens. I guess there is always some rare circumstance for every feature, but I’d rather have a smaller lens, or a brighter lens, but anyone can stabilize this focal length with basic technique.
james
2 years ago |How much will this cost?
To me most important:
1) Threads
2) f2.8
3) Weather-Sealed: As long as it doesn’t up the price ‘too much’.
4) OIS
These are all good things to upgrade. I really hope this is a true rumor.
Khµfµ
2 years ago |The lens status on B&H changed to “Back-ordered”…but the price increased to 954.36$
I’m glad I bought it a month ago when it was still 888$