For your situation, I’d suggest starting with Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. MEGA O.I.S. if “actually fits in a pocket” is the top priority. It’s tiny, sharp enough in good light, and used prices are usually like $120–$200. Range is the only downside (24–64mm equiv), but as an always-on lens it’s kinda unbeatable for size/weight.

If you want more “one lens” flexibility without going full chonk, my pick is Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-45mm f/4 PRO. Used it’s often ~$350–$500 depending on condition, and it’s pretty fantastic: constant f/4 (so exposure doesn’t change while zooming for video), weather sealing, close focus that feels almost cheat-code for food/kids/details, and it’s sharper than most small zooms. Low light? f/4 isn’t magic, but with IBIS + modern ISO it’s honestly fine for cafés/museums.

If you’re on Panasonic bodies and care about video AF/quiet, Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 ASPH. POWER O.I.S. is the “stretch” option—used around $450–$650. More reach, a bit brighter at the wide end, still not huge… but yeah, not jacket-pocket tiny.

Quick caution: check for zoom creep on used copies (esp. 12-60), and test AF noise if you record on-camera audio. What body are you on (OM/Oly vs Panasonic)? That changes the stabilization math a lot

Curious about one thing: are you on an OIS body (Panasonic) or IBIS-heavy body (Olympus/OM)? If IBIS is solid, I’d look at Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ (~$150–$250 used) or Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II ASPH MEGA O.I.S. (~$90–$170) for max pocketability.

TL;DR: I’d go with a compact Panasonic or Olympus/OM System “pancake-ish” standard zoom and just lean on stabilization + ISO.

For your situation, the tiny kit-style zooms are honestly the only ones I’ve actually carried daily in a jacket pocket… the brighter zooms were soooo nice indoors but i stopped bringing them (too chunky, same problem you have). Look for one that stays short when zoomed and has quiet AF for video. Do you have IBIS on your body, or are you relying on lens IS?

Commenting to find later

Love the focus on a slim EDC kit! I have spent way too many nights doing DIY teardowns and checking MTF charts for these tiny zooms, so I am stoked to help you find a winner. To give you the best technical recommendation, I need to know a couple specifics. What camera body are you rocking? It makes a massive difference for balance and whether we can exploit things like Dual IS or weather sealing. Also, do you prefer a physical mechanical zoom ring or an electronic power zoom? Mechanical is usually better for quick street adjustments, but power zooms stay way flatter for pocketing. TL;DR: Need to know your specific camera model and if you want a physical or electronic zoom ring!

Just found this thread and honestly, id be a bit careful with the super tiny pancake zooms everyone is mentioning. I know they are great for saving space, but I have always been nervous about the electronic power zoom mechanisms. Those tiny motors and ribbon cables can be pretty fragile if you are actually carrying the camera everywhere in a sling or pocket without a hard case. I have heard too many stories of the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ jamming or just giving out after a year of heavy use because of how thin the internal parts are. If reliability is the goal, I would actually suggest looking at something like the Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH POWER O.I.S.. Its definitely not a pancake lens, but its still surprisingly light and feels way more robust than the ultra-compact options. Plus, having a physical manual zoom ring instead of an electronic switch feels a lot safer for long-term use and won't drain your battery as fast. Its better to have a slightly larger lens that you can trust than a tiny one that might fail when you are out on a trip, imo. Just something to consider before going for the absolute smallest thing you can find.