Reddit reviews Olympus 11-22mm f/2.8-3.5 Zuiko Zoom Lens for 4/3 Cameras

Congratulations on the new camera! I'll do my best to answer your questions:

> 1) I have a case from my old Nikon DSLR, but it's too big for the G7. It moves back and forth a lot inside and I'd like something better to protect my camera. Does anyone have any recommendations for a better fitting G7 case (preferably one with an extra compartment for a spare lens and pocket for spare batteries/cards)?

The [$49.99 Panasonic DMW-PGS19 case for Lumix G] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&icep_item=130947122491&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg) will fit your camera plus an extra lens or two.

If you want something a little less expensive that doesn't have a "Panasonic" badge on it, you might want to consider the [$19.99 USA Gear Camera Gadget and Accessories Bag with 4 Accessory Pockets] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YE8PR20/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00YE8PR20&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20).

> 2) What lenses are you using? I got the kit lens and the 25mm f1.7, what should I be looking at next? I like wider lenses. Should I stick with MFT lenses or should I learn to use an adapter?

I use an old [Oly 11-22mm for 4/3] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001M47FG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0001M47FG&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) with a [Panasonic DMW-MA1 4/3 to micro 4/3 adapter] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ISKNKK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001ISKNKK&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) at the wide end. It produces very nice images, but it's an expensive, clunky, slow solution.

If I had to do it all over again, I would get the [$477.77 Olympus 9-18mm] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&icep_item=291645623735&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg) for wide angle work. It would be hard to find an adapted lens with a 9mm focal length. Here are some day/night exteriors shot with the G7 and the 9-18:

• [Panasonic Lumix DMC G7 Video test on Osaka by Sanyontama] (https://youtu.be/4O6iVfWf9VU)
  
  This is a great value-for-money wide angle lens.
  
  > 3) Any recommendations for affordable and portable tripods? I want something I can fold up and put in my bag and have with me as I'm out and about during the day either in the city or hiking in the hills. It needs to be stable, reasonably light and have a quick release platform that is narrow enough that it doesn't block the battery door.
  
  I am a big fan of the [$74.99 Amazon Basics Video Tripod] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CEH7VG8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CEH7VG8&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20).
  
  This tripod is small and light, but has the same head and quick release plate as my heavy duty [Ravelli AVTP Professional] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00139W0XM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00139W0XM&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20). It is all metal and very high quality for the price, with very smooth pans and tilts.
  
  > 4) Is there any way to shoot videos with automatic ISO while manually setting aperture and shutter speed?
  
  Yes - you can set the ISO to AUTO in P, A, S, M or movie modes. Press the ISO button on the back of the camera and rotate the rear dial to AUTO (please see pages 175-176 in the [Owner’s Manual
  for advanced features] (http://panasonic.ca/viewing/ALL/DMC-G7PP/OI/sqw0392/sqw0392.pdf)).
  
  Hope this is helpful, good luck with the new camera and Happy New Year!
  
  

Thank you so much!

I used a relatively affordable Panasonic G7 mirrorless camera. It's not the most high end tool, but I tend to put a premium on size over other features, since I mostly do travel and street photography. This camera it tiny, so I can just throw it in my cupholder, when I'm in the car, and it doesn't attract too much attention when I'm in public. But it also has a very comfortable grip, which is a big deal for me, because I have pretty large hands.

I used an Olympus Zuiko Digital 11-22mm lens, which I've had for about eleven, maybe 12 years, at this point. For my purposes, it's easily the best lens I've ever used. It gives me the option of shooting with a fairly wide angle or shooting at "standard" length, meaning it's approximately the same perspective as our eyes have. At wide angles, it has incredible optical quality. At standard length, it's got a decently wide aperture, which lets me keep backgrounds blurred and take really nice portraits.

The lens is quite old and designed for an obsolete lens mount. So I use it with a really affordable adapter. Other adapters like this one cost well upwards of $100.

I then worked on the photo in Photoshop. I did pretty standard stuff for the most part - made the shadows a little bit more blue, light spots a little bit more yellow/orange, added some more saturation to the greens, reds, pinks, and blues of the lights. Then, I went ahead and also darkened the background on the right side of the frame - there were some distracting streetlights and reflective road signs visible. Then, finally, I viewed the photo on my phone and decided to crop it to a 5:4 vertical format, since this is the longest vertical format that Instagram accepts (originally, this was a horizontal shot with 3:4 proportions). Personally, I think it would look a little better if it was vertical but, like I said, I was really optimizing towards Instagram.

> HybridCameraRevoluti: How is the GH4 doing? What kind of use does it see? I'm assuming a bit of extra cash would be needed for an ois capable lens? It seems like to be able to use the gh4 in my case, I would need a lens with a better zoom as well? Its from far back in the large room. Still, I didn't look to hard at the gh4 because of the added price for lenses. Is there a lens config. that can work for me under 2k? Also, would it be a better investment in my first changeable lens camera to buy the aging gh3? Less cost up front and lenses will be usable in the future.
>

Hi /u/lordnibbla - Sorry not to have seen this sooner. Yes, I love both the 4K and 96fps 1080p from the GH4. I shoot mostly personal stuff with it and I'm editing a GH3/GH4/BMPCC comparison for my vlog.

I shoot with classic 4/3 f2.8 lenses indoors ([Olympus 11-22mm f2.8-3.5] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001M47FG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0001M47FG&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) and [Sigma 18-50mm f2.8] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&icep_item=131361821721&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg) with the [Panasonic MA1 adapter] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&icep_item=191394541566&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg) plus a first generation [Panasonic 14-140mm f3.5-5.6 OIS lens] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0028Y5GLO/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0028Y5GLO&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) for outdoor use. [Here] (https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gVr8wdjjVyU/UpnGGaj0IfI/AAAAAAAAI7A/CmmB7b3W_Lk/w815-h543-no/S1030005.JPG)'s a picture of some of my lenses and cameras.

I'm not wiling to pay $1500 for fast Panasonic f2.8 OIS glass.

For a little over $2000, you might want to consider a [$1498 GH4 bundle] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LXB9UME/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00LXB9UME&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) and a [$650 used Olympus 75mm f1.8] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&icep_item=191424910716&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg) for the back of the room. Assuming you're going to be on a tripod, you shouldn't need OIS.

Here is what this lens looks like indoors on the GH4: http://youtu.be/5okFfBS-9RE

Hope this is helpful!

Compared to the sensor in "full frame" DSLRs, the Super 35 sensor in the Arri Alexa that Hollywood uses to make most of the movies you see in theaters is "relatively small" too:

http://cvp.com/index.php?t=helpCentre/page/39/image+sensor+size+comparison

Some APS-C and full frame DSLR folks will argue that wide angles and shallow depth of field are a challenge for the micro 4/3 sensor - but for me, these issues are not as significant as they are made out to be.

To capture wide angles, I bought an [11-22mm f2.8-3.5 olympus lens for classic 4/3] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001M47FG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0001M47FG&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) and a [4/3 to micro 4/3 adapter] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ISKNKK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001ISKNKK&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) - and to get shallow depth of field, shooting wide open with fast lenses works just fine, as seen here with the GH4 and the [Voigtlander Nokton 25mm f0.95] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0046EC1OE/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0046EC1OE&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20) [Referral Links]: http://vimeo.com/97096167

Bottom Line - it's the skill of the shooter, not the size of the sensor, that matters :)

Best,

Bill