Panasonic 35-100 f4/5.6

[Woollyback]

I am considering this telephoto whilst saving up for the 40-150 pro but can't find much in terms of real world use info

Anyone use it or has used it that could share thoughts especially IQ

Thanks

Rob

[Melaka]

Re: Panasonic 35-100 f4/5.6

I have the 35-100/2.8 which is a very good lens and not too expensive. You'd probably find it a more satisfactory interim lens. Apart from the focal length and the fact you can't fit a teleconverter there's not much difference in performance between it and the 40-150/2.8 which I also have.

[drmarkf]

Re: Panasonic 35-100 f4/5.6

I've actually got all 3 of these. I endorse what David says about the f2.8, add that as far as I can tell subjectively it focuses on the E-M1 just as well as the Oly Pro, and is usefully light and compact. It's very good for travel since it fits across the bottom of even my smallest LowePro SlingBack bag with hood on. They do come up sometimes s/h in good condition (ffordes had one a few weeks ago, for example).

The variable aperture one is amazingly small and light: truly pocketable. I've got it with me at the moment on a euro city trip along with an M5ii, 12-32 and PL 15 and it all fits in a tiny shoulder bag with enough room for a few daily items. I use it for isolating architectural details and some perspective shots: I have actually never tried CAF with it, but it focuses OK and even at full aperture the results are very usable (you can see a difference in sharpness across the frame at full aperture cf the other two but only at 100%). It looks a bit flimsy zoomed right out, but since it's so easy to carry around I'm very happy to do so for my occasional usage on this sort of trip.

I suspect both Panasonic lenses might not be fully corrected on non-OMD Oly bodies, in case you were thinking of doing that.

[pdk42]

[Bruce Clarke]

Re: Panasonic 35-100 f4/5.6

I second Paul. The 12-35 f2.8 and 35-100 f2.8 are my main lenses for several years, and make a superb set, more compact than the Oly equivalents, and with interchangeable lens caps that don't self-destruct I tend to leave the 12-35 on my E-M1 which corrects the slight CA well, and the 35-100 on my old E-M5, as it doesn't basically have any CA.

[Woollyback]

Re: Panasonic 35-100 f4/5.6

Thanks all for the informative posts, I will have a look into the panasonic f2.8

[CJJE]

Re: Panasonic 35-100 f4/5.6

I've just sent my Panasonic 35-100 f2.8 up to Ffordes for them to sell for me! It's near-mint condition, boxed with all accessories and updated firmware. It should be appearing on their website by the middle to end of next week.

Why have I sold it? Well I've just bought a boxed mint condition Olympus 40-150mm f2.8 from them plus the 1.4x converter! That's certainly a much bigger and heavier lens than my old Panasonic, with perhaps a marginally better performance at the longer focal lengths, and I'm hoping its extra reach will make my Panasonic 100-300mm lens redundant too.

Chris

[CJJE]

Re: Panasonic 35-100 f4/5.6

Update... Ffordes are now showing my Lumix 35-100mm f2.8 lens on their website at http://www.ffordes.com/product/16083111261781

[ye_moc]

[Loup Garou]

Re: Panasonic 35-100 f4/5.6

I have the Panasonic 35-100mm f4-5.6 and agree that optically it is an excellent lens. It also combines well with the Panasonic 100-300mm f4-5.6, which also I have. But the only grouse I have with the 35-100 is that unlike its bigger brother, it is too lightweight and the build quality is somewhat poor.

I did consider the f2.8 but since I use zoom lenses for "casual" photography (with the exception of the superb Olympus 7-14,, f2.8), I did not think the additional cost was justified.