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Lumix DMC-G5, M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R

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Lumix DMC-G5, M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R

Camera and Lenses: Images with an M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R, praised as an exceptionally sharp, quiet, and lightweight kit zoom lens for MFT (Micro Four Thirds) cameras, valued for delivering high-contrast images.

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The M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R, third in the series of standard zoom kit lenses for MFT (Micro Four/Thirds) cameras, was a follow-up of the original M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 ED (2009), M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II (2010), and was launched before the ultra compact electronic zoom pancake, the M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ (2014).

The II R was bundled as a kit lens for the Olympus PEN E-PL2 (2011), with updates to the MSC (Movie & Still Compatible) system support and an updated exterior. The lens is fitted with a lock ring and features a better manual zoom and focus ring than its predecessor, which enhances its suitability for handheld video shoots.

While the latter pancake f/3.5-5.6 EZ is a design focused on extreme portability, the f/3.5-5.6 II R is the most refined of the series and is generally considered the better all-around manual zoom lens. The lens measures approximately 56.5mm in diameter and 50mm in length, takes 37mm filters, and weighs 113 grams.

Common to the II R and the series is the 8-element in 7-group construction, which includes 3 aspherical elements to control distortion and spherical aberration. The II R, however, features a 7-blade circular diaphragm for improved bokeh and focuses slightly farther away at 0.25-0.30 meters compared to the EZ (which has 5 blades and focuses at 0.2 meters).

The II R is normally available in two colors, black and silver, which were designed to match the then-current batches of Olympus Pen camera bodies. Both color variants share the same 3x zoom capabilities, MSC (Movie & Still Compatible) technology for fast, quiet autofocus, and close-focusing distance.

On the 1.5x crop sensor Lumix DMC-G5, the M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R is equivalent to a standard 28-84mm zoom (or a wide-to-normal zoom) on a full-frame camera, a very versatile "walk around" lens ideal for travel, street, and event photography. The focal range covers from wide-angle views for landscapes and architecture to moderate telephoto for portraits and compressed scenes.

Key tips for using the focal range include the use of the wide (28mm) end for deep, immersive shots that are slightly wider than normal, but with natural and undistorted perspective; getting in close to make the subject prominent, especially at the same wide end; and setting the lens to a narrow aperture (f/8 to f/11) to keep both subject and background in focus.

The lens is also known for its quick and silent autofocus (MSC), decent close-up capabilities, and images with good center sharpness and strong, punchy colors. The 7-blade rounded diaphragm adds to the pleasant and soft background blur.

Lumix DMC-G5, M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R

The Panasonic Lumix DMC‑G5, a mirrorless MFT (Micro Four/Thirds) DSLR‑style camera with a 16MP Live MOS sensor and Venus 7 HD II engine, was released in 2012. The camera is a solid choice for a compact camera body with good image quality and solid manual controls. Though not vintage, but rather an early-generation digital, the G5 has real potential as a capable enthusiast collectible, especially when paired with suitable and appropriate lenses.

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Nikon D200, Nikon Ai-S Nikkor 85mm f/2

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Nikon D200, Nikon Ai-S Nikkor 85mm f/2

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Nikon D200, Nikon Ai-S Nikkor 85mm f/2

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Nikon D200, Nikon Ai-S Nikkor 85mm f/2

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Nikon D200, Nikon Ai-S Nikkor 85mm f/2

CCD Resurgence: A vintage, character-rich aesthetic featuring vibrant color rendering, a 127mm equivalent field of view, and manageable sharpness that improves notably when stopped down.

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One of the delights for an older or legacy camera and lens enthusiast interested in vintage aesthetics is to end up with a kit that includes a vintage or retro digital camera from the early 2000s, say a Nikon D200 (2005), paired with an equally vintage legacy prime, say a Nikon AI-S Nikkor 85mm f/2 (1981).

Though the Nikon D200 itself is not a classic, its 20-year-old CCD sensor technology is known to offer a unique, film-like aesthetic and excellent color rendition that is highly valued, and the AI-S Nikkor 85mm f/2, a compact, lightweight vintage lens and a favored portrait lens, is renowned for its sharpness, cool color rendering, and creamy bokeh that performs well even at wide open.

Historically, the Nikon AI-S Nikkor 85mm f/2 (an update of the Nikkor AI 85mm f/2, introduced earlier in 1971) is part of the lens ensemble for Nikon F3 (with AI-S compliance), FE2, FM2, and later FA series cameras. The D200, on the other hand, with its robust magnesium alloy body and filmic CCD sensor output, is the workhorse that bridges the gap between Nikon's lower-end consumer models and the flagship D2X.

The AI-S Nikkor 85mm f/2 is a 5-element in 5-group optical design with 7 rounded blades, an all-metal barrel, and a high-precision helicoid with an aperture range from f/2 to f/22, a minimum focusing distance of 0.85 meters, measures 63mm in diameter and 52.5mm in length, accepts 55mm filters, and weighs 310 grams.

Its 'rabbit ears' coupling and AI-S metering ridge allow the lenses to be used in program, shutter-priority, aperture-priority, and fully manual exposure modes on virtually all Nikon F-mount cameras, both film and digital.

On the D200, the AI-S Nikkor 85mm f/2 is equivalent to a 127.5mm lens on a full-frame camera, a versatile telephoto prime highly revered for portrait, event and stage, landscape and cityscape, as well as macro and close-up photography.

The lens is a perfect fit on the D200, which has an AI aperture indexing ring that allows lenses configured in the camera's "Non-CPU Lens Data" menu to be used on all the camera's metering modes (including Matrix metering).

Nikon's Matrix Metering, incidentally, is an advanced, default exposure mode that analyzes the entire scene—brightness, color, contrast, and distance - using a multi-zone sensor and a database of thousands of scenarios to determine the optimal exposure. The matrix mimics human perception, often automatically applying the Zone System to prevent overexposure of highlights or underexposure of shadows in complex lighting situations.

Nikon D200, Nikon Ai-S Nikkor 85mm f/2

The Nikon D200, launched in 2005, is a very well-built and robust DSLR camera with a magnesium alloy chassis, environmental seals, and an excellent user interface. The camera is fitted with a 10.2MP CCD sensor, a shutter speed range from 30 to 1/8,000 seconds, an ISO range from 100 to 1,600, a top LCD panel for display of operating parameters, a 2.5 inch 230,00 pixels rear LCD, 7-area AF, and operates in Program, Shutter priority, Aperture priority, and Manual modes. Images are captured in JPEG and RAW (NEF).

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Pentax K-m, Meyer Optik Görlitz Oreston 50mm f/1.8

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Pentax K-m, Meyer Optik Görlitz Oreston 50mm f/1.8

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Pentax K-m, Meyer Optik Görlitz Oreston 50mm f/1.8

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Pentax K-m, Meyer Optik Görlitz Oreston 50mm f/1.8

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Pentax K-m, Meyer Optik Görlitz Oreston 50mm f/1.8

CCD Resurgence: Images with a legacy Meyer Optik Görlitz Oreston 50mm f/1.8, high praise for its dreamy vintage glow, exceptionally close minimum focus distance, and unique, characterful bokeh, a 75mm short-tele equivalent on the Pentax K-m.

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I had an earlier session with the Meyer Optik Görlitz Oreston 50mm f/1.8, a highly regarded vintage lens, mounted on a 6MP CMOS APS-C Canon EOS 300D a while back. I am back with the lens again, which was manufactured in East Germany during the 1960s and 1970s, this time mounted on a 10.2MP CCD APS-C Pentax K-m.

The Oreston 50mm f/1.8, normally available with an M42 or Exakta mount, is popular for its "zebra" or all-black styling, manual focus, and distinctive rendering.

The all-metal and glass single-coat 6-element construction in 4 groups is robustly built, comes with 6 straight aperture blades, has a minimum focusing distance of 0.33 meters, measures 52mm x 48mm, takes 49mm filters, and weighs approximately 220 grams.

It has a fast f/1.8 maximum aperture, which sets it apart as being ideal for portraits, low-light, and shallow depth-of-field images. Images, which sharpen up significantly from f/2.8 onward, are known for their creamy bokeh, subtle swirls, and a soft, dreamy character when shot wide open.

The lens also has the potential to perform well in low-light situations, especially for indoor events or night photography. Its increased reach, when used on a digital SLR with a crop sensor, allows for a non-intrusive stance while maintaining proper social distancing etiquette.

While the lens was initially manufactured by VEB Feinoptisches Werk Görlitz (formerly Hugo Meyer & Co) in East Germany, it was later rebranded as the Pentacon 50mm f/1.8 when Meyer-Optik merged with VEB Pentacon.

On the Pentax K-m, the Meyer Optik Görlitz Oreston 50mm f/1.8 is equivalent to a 75mm short-telephoto lens, a very versatile focal length for portraiture, as it isolates subjects and compresses perspective, providing a flattering compression of facial features and a tighter field of view than the human eye.

Pentax K-m, Meyer Optik Görlitz Oreston 50mm f/1.8

The Pentax K‑m (K2000 in the US), launched in 2008, is a 10MP CCD entry-level APS-C digital SLR camera with Pentax KAF2 bayonet mount, an optical viewfinder, a shutter speed range from 30 seconds to 1/4000 seconds, a 5‑point AF system, a 230,00 dot 2.7-inch LCD, ISO sensitivity from 100 to 3200, and in‑body image (sensor‑shift) stabilization. The camera runs on 4 AA batteries. Images are praised for color and depth, suitable for both portrait and landscape photography.

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Lumix DMC-G5, M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ

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Lumix DMC-G5, M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ

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Lumix DMC-G5, M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ

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Lumix DMC-G5, M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ

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Pinpoint AF on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5

Cameras and Lenses: The Pinpoint AF function on the Lumix DMC-G5 lets you magnify a tiny cross-section of the image frame, an aid for getting precise macro shots or critical focusing.

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Pinpoint AF, a feature I recently explored on the 2012 Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 (an early-generation, older Micro Four Thirds mirrorless digital), is designed to achieve highly precise focus on a specific, small area of a subject, commonly used for stationary subjects or macro photography. The mode allows me to zoom in on the focus area to confirm focus before taking the shot.

The function is akin to using peak-focusing with manual-focus lenses mounted on applicable digital bodies.

The pinpoint AF, however, works only when the camera is set to AFS (Autofocus Single) mode, and the selection is made via the Quick Menu or AF Mode menu by selecting the last icon (with the crosshair) from the four displayed options. Pinpoint AF does not work when using third-party lenses or adapters that do not communicate with the camera.

A disadvantage mentioned on BirdForum is the way the function enlarges a portion of the screen for a digital zoom, a distraction when trying to keep the camera handheld on the moving subject.

The crops and close-ups here were shot with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ, an ultra-compact MFT (Micro Four/Thirds) pancake launched in 2014. The lens was then one of the world's slimmest wide-angle zoom lenses. While it is not as sharp as premium primes, the lens is excellent for center sharpness, more so when stopped down slightly, and is also known for its electronic power zoom.

The 8-element in 7 groups lens, which equates to a 28-84mm equivalent on 35mm full-frame cameras, includes 3 aspherical, 1 ED (Extra-low Dispersion), and 1 S-HR (Super High Resolution) element, has 5 circular blades, a minimum focusing distance of 0.2 meters in wide mode and 0.25 meters in tele mode, takes 37mm filters, and weighs 93 grams.

This highly pocketable lens (the fourth in the series after the M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6, M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II, and M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R) is recommended for travelers and casual users who prefer portability over professional-level sharpness. Being an MSC (Movie & Still Compatible) system lens, it is fast and silent, and works well with video shoots. Bokeh is pleasant and smooth, especially at the 42mm end, while colors are generally described as vibrant and accurate.

Lumix DMC-G5, M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 is a highly capable 16MP Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera with excellent autofocus speeds, a sharp electronic viewfinder (EVF), and a fully articulated touchscreen. The mirrorless digital is widely considered a solid, ergonomic, fast-performing enthusiast camera, noted for good image quality up to ISO 1,600 and effective 1080/60p video.