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Technical Details
- Brand Name: Panasonic
- Model: H-HS12035
- Lens Type: zoom
- Minimum focal length: 24 millimeters
- Maximum focal length: 70 millimeters
Product Details
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Product Description
From the Manufacturer
Panasonic H-HS12035 LUMIX G X VARIO 12-35mm/F2.8 ASPH X Series Lens
Photography Pros Appreciate X Vario Technology
The Panasonic LUMIX G X VARIO camera lens represents the next natural step in design and build for digital interchangeable zoom lenses. A first for the LUMIX G Series, the G VARIO constant with F2.8 zoom is suitable for professionals and enthusiasts alike. You can focus on a wide range of scenes from dynamic landscapes to studio lit portraits. Panasonic’s long time collaboration with LEICA inspired an exclusive X Series design. With the X Series Lenses, LUMIX blends its own unique mix of broadcast video and advanced mirrorless camera technologies into a premium lens line. Featuring professional grade aperture in a compact body, use it in your professional studio photography.
Professional Grade Glass for Great Images in Various Shooting Conditions
The LUMIX G X VARIO interchangeable lens system is comprised of 14 elements in 9 groups. The UED (Ultra Extra-Low Dispersion) glass minimizes chromatic aberration while the UHR (Ultra High Refractive) lens realizes high descriptive performance from corner to corner. Featuring high contrast and resolution within the entire zoom range - the X VARIO lens highlights intricate details that command your attention lending a true-to-life portrait perspective in almost any scene. Advanced Focusing happens because seven blades give the aperture a rounded shape that produces an attractive smooth defocus effect for those out-of-focus areas. Mount it on any LUMIX G body and delight in high-speed Contrast Auto Focus.
Power O.I.S. Minimizes Blur and Enhances Images
By integrating POWER O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer), movement, whether slow or fast, is accounted for making your job easier to shoot in those low-lit situations at night or even indoors at a get-together. By adopting an inner focus system, driven by a stepping-in-motion motor, the lens’ superior design provides smooth and near-silent focusing action that is ideal for both picture and video recording.
Constructed to be Light and Durable for your Photo Expeditions
This interchangeable lens boasts about how light and compact it really is. As you travel, this zoom lens results in extreme mobility for your busy, on-the-go tour days and travel expeditions. It also protects against nature’s elements, countering moisture and dust with its rubber ring around the lens mount. It is ideal for outdoor photography enthusiasts. And a highly reliable metal mount assures long periods of use. Have fun and travel light.
Nano Surface Coating Reduces Reflection
With Panasonic’s unique Nano Surface Coating technology, reflections in the entire visual range (380nm-780nm) are minimized giving you a dramatic reduction in glares, flares and ghosting. The result? Unbelievably clear, professional pictures whose superior clarity tells more than a thousand words.
Lens Compatible with All Panasonic LUMIX G Series and Micro 4/3 Cameras
DMC-GH3K BodyPanasonic LUMIX DMC-GH3 16.05 MP Digital Single Lens Mirrorless Camera with 3-Inch OLED
DMC-G5K Body OnlyPanasonic LUMIX DMC-G5 16 MP Digital Single Lens Mirrorless Camera with 3-Inch LCD
DMC-GH2K Body OnlyPanasonic LUMIX DMC-GH2 16.05 MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera
DMC-GX1KKPanasonic LUMIX DMC-GX1 16 MP Micro 4/3 Compact System Camera with 3-Inch LCD Touch Screen; Black, 14-42mm Kit
DMC-G3KW, DMC-G3KBODY, DMC-G3KK, DMC-GH2HK, DMC-GX1KBODY,DMC-GX1SBODY, DMC-GX1XK, DMC-GX1KS, DMC-GX1XS, DMC-GF5XR, DMC-GF5XK, DMC-GF5XW, DMC-GF5KW, PDMC-GF5KK,DMC-GF5KR, DMC-GF3CT, DMC-GF3KR, DMC-GF3KBODY, DMC-GF3XK, DMC-GF3CR, DMC-GF3KW, DMC-GF3KT, DMC-GF3CW,DMC-GF3CK, DMC-GF3KK, DMC-GF2CS, DMC-GF2KK, DMC-GF2CK,DMC-GF2CW, DMC-GF2KS, DMC-GF2CR
Lens Comparison Chart
| Lens Construction | 18 elements in 13 groups (2 ED lenses,1 UED lens) | 14 elements in 9 groups (4 aspherical lenses, 1 UED lens, 1 UHR lens) | 15 elements in 11 groups (4 aspherical Lenses, 1 ED Lens) | 17 elements in 13 groups (4 aspherical lenses, 2 ED lenses) | 7 elements in 5 groups (2 aspherical lenses) |
| Nano Surface Coating | Yes | Yes | n/a | No (Multi-coated) | No (Multi-coated) |
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds Mount | Micro Four Thirds Mount | Full Four Thirds Mount | Micro Four Thirds Mount | Micro Four Thirds Mount |
Optical Image Stabilizer | POWER O.I.S. | POWER O.I.S. | MEGA O.I.S. | MEGA O.I.S. | No |
| Focal Length | f=35-100mm (35mm camera equivalent 70-200mm) | f=12-35mm (35mm camera equivalent 24-70mm) | f=14-150mm (35mm camera equivalent 28-300mm) | f=14-140mm (35mm camera equivalent 28-280mm) | f=20mm (35mm camera equivalent 40mm) |
| Aperture Type | 7 Diaphragm blades / Circular aperture diaphragm | 7 Diaphragm blades / Circular aperture diaphragm | 7 Diaphragm blades / Circular aperture diaphragm | 7 Diaphragm blades / Circular aperture diaphragm | 7 Diaphragm blades / Circular aperture diaphragm |
| Maximum Aperture | F2.8 | F2.8 | F3.5-5.6 | F4.0-5.8 | F1.7 |
| Minimum Aperture | F22 | F22 | F22 | F22 | F16 |
| Closest Focusing Distance | 0.85m / 2.8 ft | 0.25m / 0.82 ft | 0.50m / 19.7 in at all Focal Lengths | 0.50m / 1.64 ft at all focal lengths | 0.2m / 0.66 ft |
| Diagonal Angle of View | 34°(W) to 12°(T) | 84°(W) to 34°(T) | 75°(W) ~ 8.2°(T) | 75°(W) ~ 8.8°(T) | 57° |
| Filter Size | 58mm / 2.3 in | 58mm / 2.3 in | 72mm | 70mm / 2.76 in | 46mm / 1.81 in |
| Max. Diameter | Approx. 67.4mm / 2.7 in | 67.6mm / 2.7 in | 78.5mm / 3.09 in | 70mm / 2.76 in | 63mm / 2.48 in |
| Overall Length | Approx. 99.9mm / 3.9 in (from the tip of the lens to the base side of the lens mount) | Approx. 73.8mm / 2.9 in (from the top of the lens hood to the base side of the lens mount) | 3.56 in | Approx. 84mm / 3.31 in (from the tip of the lens to the base side of the lens mount) | Approx. 25.5mm / 1.00 in (from the tip of the lens to the base side of the lens mount) |
| Weight | Approx. 360g / 12.7oz (excluding lens cap, lens rear cap, lens hood) | Approx. 305g / 10.8oz (excluding lens cap and lens rear cap) | 1.18 lbs | Approx. 460g / 16.23oz | 3.53 oz |
| Standard Accessories | Lens front cap, Lens rear cap, Lens hood, Lens storage bag | Lens cap, Lens hood, Lens rear cap, Lens storage bag | Lens Cap, Lens Hood, Lens Rear Cap, Lens Storage Bag | Lens Cap, Lens Hood, Lens Rear Cap, Lens Storage Bag | Lens Cap, Lens Hood, Lens Rear Cap, Lens Storage Bag |
Product Description
Professional grade X Series 12-35mm, F2.8 zoom lens
Available Warranties for This Item
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
I've been waiting for this lens ever since I sold my Canon 17-55 f/2.8 lens a year ago. My wait started before any rumors this lens existed. I always dream for a fast constant aperture lens. It's no longer a dream. This lens is here and better than what I expected.
The build quality is great.
Size is about 3 times the Panasonic 20mm lens. It extends out more during zoom. This one of the larger lens in the Micro Four Thirds lineup. I uploaded some pictures of the size comparison under 'customer images' above.
It weighs 305g so it's more comfortable on a camera with hand grip - I'm using it on a GH2. It's also weather sealed so it should be difficult for dust and water to get in. Zoom and MF rings are well damped. There's image stabilization.
The lens comes with a lens pouch and petal lens hood.
I think it's a marvel to get a 24-70mm field of view with a f/2.8 into this size. It's way lighter than the 17-55mm lens from Canon and Nikon that weigh 645g and 755g respectively. Weight is the reason why I sold my Canon lens. I still love Canon's image quality, but I prefer a lighter photography setup.
Image quality is great. Sharpness is reasonably good, best at f/4. There's little discernible fringing at the wide end.
The depth of field is deeper but difference isn't that drastic, especially on the wider end.
Kit zoom lens usually start around 28mm field of view (FOV). This starts at 24mm which means you are already equipped with a useful wide lens.
At the long end, it's a 70mm FOV. I generally shoot around 24mm to 50mm FOV, so I'm happy my range is covered. Anything extra is useful. The focal length and f/2.8 aperture is suitable for most general purposes. Minimum focal distance is 25cm.
The AF speed is silent and fast.
I shoot video often and this lens is a godsend. I usually shoot from far to get context, and near to get a close up. In an ideal situation, I need two lens (or cameras), if not I move my feet which is almost all the time because it's more convenient than swapping lens. Not having to swap lens with the 12-35mm is a huge benefit for me.
With the 3x Tele mode in GH2 during video, it gives a working focal range of 24-70 & 72-210mm. How's that for range? Video quality drops in tele mode but I still find the result quite respectable. To see a video I've made with this lens, go to Vimeo and search for "armenian street sketchwalk".
This lens sacrifices some shallow depth of field as compared to lens with larger apertures, such as the 25mm lens that I usually use. The difference is noticeable since there's 2 stops difference. So if you require background blur, it's still better to use lens capable of f/2 or faster. Wide angle depth of field difference is minimal though because it's already quite deep to begin with.
AF during zooming in video mode is quite accurate. I notice that the AF hunts less when you set the AF box to smallest. Even if it hunts, it's really quick to get back into focus. I use MF anyway because there's no chance of focusing on the wrong subject.
MF is focus by wire and the implementation is flawless, as usual. I always say this for Micro Four Thirds lens and camera because it is true. MF is as responsive as you can get compared to an actual manual lens.
About the price. Yes, it's expensive. I don't like comparing with the Canon and Nikon 17-55mm lens because they are not Micro Four Thirds but the Canon is cheaper and Nikon much more expensive. I want emphasize that both are more than twice as heavy and will always be.
Still, it's a lot of money to pay for the lens. I feel it's worth it considering its performance, that and the value of a good lens will always stay with it.
The build quality is great.
Size is about 3 times the Panasonic 20mm lens. It extends out more during zoom. This one of the larger lens in the Micro Four Thirds lineup. I uploaded some pictures of the size comparison under 'customer images' above.
It weighs 305g so it's more comfortable on a camera with hand grip - I'm using it on a GH2. It's also weather sealed so it should be difficult for dust and water to get in. Zoom and MF rings are well damped. There's image stabilization.
The lens comes with a lens pouch and petal lens hood.
I think it's a marvel to get a 24-70mm field of view with a f/2.8 into this size. It's way lighter than the 17-55mm lens from Canon and Nikon that weigh 645g and 755g respectively. Weight is the reason why I sold my Canon lens. I still love Canon's image quality, but I prefer a lighter photography setup.
Image quality is great. Sharpness is reasonably good, best at f/4. There's little discernible fringing at the wide end.
The depth of field is deeper but difference isn't that drastic, especially on the wider end.
Kit zoom lens usually start around 28mm field of view (FOV). This starts at 24mm which means you are already equipped with a useful wide lens.
At the long end, it's a 70mm FOV. I generally shoot around 24mm to 50mm FOV, so I'm happy my range is covered. Anything extra is useful. The focal length and f/2.8 aperture is suitable for most general purposes. Minimum focal distance is 25cm.
The AF speed is silent and fast.
I shoot video often and this lens is a godsend. I usually shoot from far to get context, and near to get a close up. In an ideal situation, I need two lens (or cameras), if not I move my feet which is almost all the time because it's more convenient than swapping lens. Not having to swap lens with the 12-35mm is a huge benefit for me.
With the 3x Tele mode in GH2 during video, it gives a working focal range of 24-70 & 72-210mm. How's that for range? Video quality drops in tele mode but I still find the result quite respectable. To see a video I've made with this lens, go to Vimeo and search for "armenian street sketchwalk".
This lens sacrifices some shallow depth of field as compared to lens with larger apertures, such as the 25mm lens that I usually use. The difference is noticeable since there's 2 stops difference. So if you require background blur, it's still better to use lens capable of f/2 or faster. Wide angle depth of field difference is minimal though because it's already quite deep to begin with.
AF during zooming in video mode is quite accurate. I notice that the AF hunts less when you set the AF box to smallest. Even if it hunts, it's really quick to get back into focus. I use MF anyway because there's no chance of focusing on the wrong subject.
MF is focus by wire and the implementation is flawless, as usual. I always say this for Micro Four Thirds lens and camera because it is true. MF is as responsive as you can get compared to an actual manual lens.
About the price. Yes, it's expensive. I don't like comparing with the Canon and Nikon 17-55mm lens because they are not Micro Four Thirds but the Canon is cheaper and Nikon much more expensive. I want emphasize that both are more than twice as heavy and will always be.
Still, it's a lot of money to pay for the lens. I feel it's worth it considering its performance, that and the value of a good lens will always stay with it.
59 of 66 people found the following review helpful
By BookWorm
Amazon Verified Purchase
Due to the best lineup of lenses and multiple bodies, m43 system is considered the most mature smaller alternative to DSLRs. A big part of it is availability of bright prime lenses 12mm f2, 14mm f2.5, 20mm f1,7, 25mm f1.4, 45mm f2.8 (and upcoming 75mm f1.8) that provide increased light gathering and shallower depth of field on the smaller size sensor. There is a number of good to excellent m43 zooms but none of them is bright, the latest Oly 12-50mm was a huge disappointment in this respect. This compact constant 2.8 aperture zoom starting at 12mm takes m43 system to a new level.
It was planning to upgrade from Panasonic G1 and G3 to Olympus OM-D and use my Pentax lenses on the IBIS body but due to the lack of focus peaking and articulated LCD decided that similarly priced 12-35mm f2.8 would serve me better for now and be a better long term investment (especially for lower than MSRP price and promise to ship on July 26 that popped up at Amazon). All-in-one weather sealed compact traveling companion.
Received a brand new from Panacam in 3 days! The lens build is excellent, feels a bit hefty (heavier than 45mm f2.8 and 25mm f1.4), m.b. it's just a different balance. Silky smooth zooming and focusing, it extends a bit but w/o any play. Sits well on G1 and, surprisingly, on a smallish G3. It seems the weight is concentrated in the glass and the lens plastic body and G3 body are "floating around" this center of the mass, like on controlled tension tripod head. Great low angle shots with shallow depth of field and ability to change POV on the fly.
I don't do video but this should be a terrific video lens for advertising and movie making. Going from longish to wide with constant aperture and shallow DOF w/o need to change lenses/cameras - a dream coming true!
Definitely Leica colors similar to 25mm f1.4 and 45mm f2.8 in low to medium light with great color/contrast. It seems that both nano-coated 45-175mm and 12-35mm in the bright sunlight provide a brighter "non-linear" compared to traditional lenses. Get a good ND or CPL filter with it! Good size/grip MF ring.
No lens is perfect, any zoom at the shorter end will be less sharp with less even sharpness across the field. If you need the ultimate sharpness (real estate advertising, architecture, landscapes etc) then the venerable 43 Olympus 12-60mm with m43 adapter and manual focusing is your cup of poison. For people who want to draw attention to a central subject these small imperfections are not deal breakers. The charts published on line show that the 12-35mm is almost as good as it gets (Lensrentals mounted on OM-D sample pics compared to Canon 24-70mm f2.8 on 5D MK III and MFT50 peak/average: Olympus 12mm f2 @f/2.8 1000/845, Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8 @12mm 875/710 [960/745 @f4], @35mm 865/760 [910/800 @f4], the complete list is more comprehensive).
Cons.
Price! It is worth it and comparable with the price of 2 bright primes in the same focal length range but still...
The finish is so good that it looks almost like a piece of jewelry (polished titanium ring), attracts unwanted attention.
MF ring is rigid plastic and slightly recessed relative to the raised rubberized zoom ring, so the tactile is there (nice touch). I wish they used different textures on the zoom and MF rings for easy tactile identification in the dark (diamond pattern on the MF?) (minor)
Not really a con but it is too sharp for a "regular" portraiture (unless you specifically want to emphasize wrinkles etc) at any focal length wide open. Even "worse" stopped down, files are brutally sharp and require PP to keep your clients happy...
7-3-2012. Had 2hr on the town with G1/G3 and the lens between 6-8pm. Street shooting with low sun and tall buildings around, high contrast, backlit, low light, candids. Still getting used to the lens but that was 2hr of fun. No way I could have done it swapping 12mm f2 (that I don't have) with 20 1.7, 45 2.8 etc. Was shooting at the right angle and over the shoulder w/o people noticing it :-)
It was planning to upgrade from Panasonic G1 and G3 to Olympus OM-D and use my Pentax lenses on the IBIS body but due to the lack of focus peaking and articulated LCD decided that similarly priced 12-35mm f2.8 would serve me better for now and be a better long term investment (especially for lower than MSRP price and promise to ship on July 26 that popped up at Amazon). All-in-one weather sealed compact traveling companion.
Received a brand new from Panacam in 3 days! The lens build is excellent, feels a bit hefty (heavier than 45mm f2.8 and 25mm f1.4), m.b. it's just a different balance. Silky smooth zooming and focusing, it extends a bit but w/o any play. Sits well on G1 and, surprisingly, on a smallish G3. It seems the weight is concentrated in the glass and the lens plastic body and G3 body are "floating around" this center of the mass, like on controlled tension tripod head. Great low angle shots with shallow depth of field and ability to change POV on the fly.
I don't do video but this should be a terrific video lens for advertising and movie making. Going from longish to wide with constant aperture and shallow DOF w/o need to change lenses/cameras - a dream coming true!
Definitely Leica colors similar to 25mm f1.4 and 45mm f2.8 in low to medium light with great color/contrast. It seems that both nano-coated 45-175mm and 12-35mm in the bright sunlight provide a brighter "non-linear" compared to traditional lenses. Get a good ND or CPL filter with it! Good size/grip MF ring.
No lens is perfect, any zoom at the shorter end will be less sharp with less even sharpness across the field. If you need the ultimate sharpness (real estate advertising, architecture, landscapes etc) then the venerable 43 Olympus 12-60mm with m43 adapter and manual focusing is your cup of poison. For people who want to draw attention to a central subject these small imperfections are not deal breakers. The charts published on line show that the 12-35mm is almost as good as it gets (Lensrentals mounted on OM-D sample pics compared to Canon 24-70mm f2.8 on 5D MK III and MFT50 peak/average: Olympus 12mm f2 @f/2.8 1000/845, Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8 @12mm 875/710 [960/745 @f4], @35mm 865/760 [910/800 @f4], the complete list is more comprehensive).
Cons.
Price! It is worth it and comparable with the price of 2 bright primes in the same focal length range but still...
The finish is so good that it looks almost like a piece of jewelry (polished titanium ring), attracts unwanted attention.
MF ring is rigid plastic and slightly recessed relative to the raised rubberized zoom ring, so the tactile is there (nice touch). I wish they used different textures on the zoom and MF rings for easy tactile identification in the dark (diamond pattern on the MF?) (minor)
Not really a con but it is too sharp for a "regular" portraiture (unless you specifically want to emphasize wrinkles etc) at any focal length wide open. Even "worse" stopped down, files are brutally sharp and require PP to keep your clients happy...
7-3-2012. Had 2hr on the town with G1/G3 and the lens between 6-8pm. Street shooting with low sun and tall buildings around, high contrast, backlit, low light, candids. Still getting used to the lens but that was 2hr of fun. No way I could have done it swapping 12mm f2 (that I don't have) with 20 1.7, 45 2.8 etc. Was shooting at the right angle and over the shoulder w/o people noticing it :-)
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
I borrowed this lens from a pro photgrapher friend who purchased it in Japan (have since purchased my own lens). Paired it up with my new Olympus OMD E-5 Micro 4/3 and was totally blown away by the lens and of course camera combination. The other reviewer went into great detail about it's technical merits - so wont bore you with mine as he was spot on and we are on the same page.
This lens coupled with the OMD E-5 produced photographs as good as my Nikon D700 with fixed prime lens at a much lighter weight factor. Could not beleive the quality of the construction on lens and camera - both built like Army tanks. The Lens (like the camera) is all metal, very small not quite 3" in length. AF is very smooth and the zoom is manual via turning a ring on the lens with absolutely no slippage. Unlike most of the Oly lens, the Panasonic comes with a case and a very useful petal style lens shade. Olympus should not charge extra for a lens case or a much needed Lens shade for their high end expensive lenses, are you listening Olympus?
Best F stop range is 3.5 to 8 for absolute sharp photos from center to corners. Bokah is very good for the 2.8 f stop range. No noticable distortion from 24mm to 70mm blown up to 8x10, will try bigger sizes photos down the road but most photos are printed 5x7, and most people print 4x6 anyway. Very lightweight for an all metal lens with 14 extremely excellent pieces of glass inside and very easy to handle with the larger micro 4/3 cameras and has in-lens IS, which is not needed with the Oly OMD E-5, but yes on other brands. Note it has an on off switch on the lens for the IS. The lens may ba a little front heavy for the smaller micro 4/3 cameras.
I have been into photography as a hobby with my first kodak brownie camera as a young child.
Previously 35mm film Nikon F4s (a rather large but excellent camers which I still have) and my Contax G2 were the constant companions. My favorite combination now is the Panny 12-35mm lens, coupled with the Olympus OMD Digital Camera. The OMD E-5 is one great little camera that I cannot find much fault with and a carry around always now. My next lens purchase, once the reviews are all in or if I can borrow it from my photog friend will be the Panasonic 35-100mm f2.8. Panny, where is this lens, been waiting since the announcement in May?? I think that will be the only other lens I will need for the present time. Either buy the lens and camera combo (or any of the other micro 4/3 cameras) or rent it to try it out, you will love the light weight and the outstanding performance of the panny - omd combination.
UPDATE: Enlarged some photos to 11x14 and still perfectly clear with no loss of clarity.
Tried the Child photo sub-set of 'SCN' function and it worked perfectly, capturing my 2 year old, very active nephew as if he was standing still. The more I use this lens camera combination the better I like it! Have not been this excited over a camera lens combo since my beloved Contax G-2.
Amazingly 13 people have reviewed this lens and almost all gave it 5 star rating!! UPDATE: 13 reviews now: score 11 gave 5 star, 2 gave 4 star, perhaps once they have more time with the lens will change to 5 star.
The Lens is just super, does what it is supposed to do and although some think it may be pricey, it is cheaper than its DSLR counterparts, lighter and performs just as well.
Further update: Have had the lens and om-d camera for months now and love it as much as my film Contax G-2. Am constantly learning more and more about it via trial and error. My only two complaints are: 1. The user manual is nothing more than a very short, un-imaginative and poorly written waste of paper. There is not even a good instruction telling one to take off certain pieces of the supplied flash in order to attach it to the camera, really no excuse for this. 2: The Flash is not that great and does not fire all the time, unless I am doing something wrong? Of course if anyone knows a solution to my dilemma please contact me, would also like to know if anyone knows of a good smallish replacement flash that they have used.
Am hoping that David Busch or someone will come out with a very complete substitute user guide/manual that will explain in detail all the features and how to use them properly, especially the flash, or recommendations for a replacement flash that is not bigger than the camera itself.
Am also waiting for the just announced (finally), and a little pricy at $1,500 35-100mm Panny lens to be released. My 12-35 lens came directly from Japan and was a couple of hundred less than here in the states. WIll probably go the same route for the new lens when available sometime in Dec or Jan. While I like the 12-35 totally, sometimes I want just a little further reach. Note that the new 35-100 is 3.9 inches in lenght.
Other than that the camera lens combo is top notch!
Good Luck and Good Shooting.
Last Update 12-22-12: Well since we apparantly made it past the hyped Mayan Doomsday I am here to report that I have tested the 35-100mm Panny lens. It is superb giving me a reach of 70-200mm and when I put the OMD-5 on the extra built in zoom I get a very clear 140-400mm zoom, absolutely amazing.
The new book just out by David Busch on the OMD is also something that should be ordered with the camera lens combination. As I stated previously the OMD owners manual is nothing but a waste of paper. Cannot believe that Olympus put out a great camera with the worse owners manual I have ever experienced?
Still have not found out much about a flash unit that is smaller than the camera and better than the flash unit that came with it, the only use for the included flash unit is very close up fill in flash.
This lens coupled with the OMD E-5 produced photographs as good as my Nikon D700 with fixed prime lens at a much lighter weight factor. Could not beleive the quality of the construction on lens and camera - both built like Army tanks. The Lens (like the camera) is all metal, very small not quite 3" in length. AF is very smooth and the zoom is manual via turning a ring on the lens with absolutely no slippage. Unlike most of the Oly lens, the Panasonic comes with a case and a very useful petal style lens shade. Olympus should not charge extra for a lens case or a much needed Lens shade for their high end expensive lenses, are you listening Olympus?
Best F stop range is 3.5 to 8 for absolute sharp photos from center to corners. Bokah is very good for the 2.8 f stop range. No noticable distortion from 24mm to 70mm blown up to 8x10, will try bigger sizes photos down the road but most photos are printed 5x7, and most people print 4x6 anyway. Very lightweight for an all metal lens with 14 extremely excellent pieces of glass inside and very easy to handle with the larger micro 4/3 cameras and has in-lens IS, which is not needed with the Oly OMD E-5, but yes on other brands. Note it has an on off switch on the lens for the IS. The lens may ba a little front heavy for the smaller micro 4/3 cameras.
I have been into photography as a hobby with my first kodak brownie camera as a young child.
Previously 35mm film Nikon F4s (a rather large but excellent camers which I still have) and my Contax G2 were the constant companions. My favorite combination now is the Panny 12-35mm lens, coupled with the Olympus OMD Digital Camera. The OMD E-5 is one great little camera that I cannot find much fault with and a carry around always now. My next lens purchase, once the reviews are all in or if I can borrow it from my photog friend will be the Panasonic 35-100mm f2.8. Panny, where is this lens, been waiting since the announcement in May?? I think that will be the only other lens I will need for the present time. Either buy the lens and camera combo (or any of the other micro 4/3 cameras) or rent it to try it out, you will love the light weight and the outstanding performance of the panny - omd combination.
UPDATE: Enlarged some photos to 11x14 and still perfectly clear with no loss of clarity.
Tried the Child photo sub-set of 'SCN' function and it worked perfectly, capturing my 2 year old, very active nephew as if he was standing still. The more I use this lens camera combination the better I like it! Have not been this excited over a camera lens combo since my beloved Contax G-2.
Amazingly 13 people have reviewed this lens and almost all gave it 5 star rating!! UPDATE: 13 reviews now: score 11 gave 5 star, 2 gave 4 star, perhaps once they have more time with the lens will change to 5 star.
The Lens is just super, does what it is supposed to do and although some think it may be pricey, it is cheaper than its DSLR counterparts, lighter and performs just as well.
Further update: Have had the lens and om-d camera for months now and love it as much as my film Contax G-2. Am constantly learning more and more about it via trial and error. My only two complaints are: 1. The user manual is nothing more than a very short, un-imaginative and poorly written waste of paper. There is not even a good instruction telling one to take off certain pieces of the supplied flash in order to attach it to the camera, really no excuse for this. 2: The Flash is not that great and does not fire all the time, unless I am doing something wrong? Of course if anyone knows a solution to my dilemma please contact me, would also like to know if anyone knows of a good smallish replacement flash that they have used.
Am hoping that David Busch or someone will come out with a very complete substitute user guide/manual that will explain in detail all the features and how to use them properly, especially the flash, or recommendations for a replacement flash that is not bigger than the camera itself.
Am also waiting for the just announced (finally), and a little pricy at $1,500 35-100mm Panny lens to be released. My 12-35 lens came directly from Japan and was a couple of hundred less than here in the states. WIll probably go the same route for the new lens when available sometime in Dec or Jan. While I like the 12-35 totally, sometimes I want just a little further reach. Note that the new 35-100 is 3.9 inches in lenght.
Other than that the camera lens combo is top notch!
Good Luck and Good Shooting.
Last Update 12-22-12: Well since we apparantly made it past the hyped Mayan Doomsday I am here to report that I have tested the 35-100mm Panny lens. It is superb giving me a reach of 70-200mm and when I put the OMD-5 on the extra built in zoom I get a very clear 140-400mm zoom, absolutely amazing.
The new book just out by David Busch on the OMD is also something that should be ordered with the camera lens combination. As I stated previously the OMD owners manual is nothing but a waste of paper. Cannot believe that Olympus put out a great camera with the worse owners manual I have ever experienced?
Still have not found out much about a flash unit that is smaller than the camera and better than the flash unit that came with it, the only use for the included flash unit is very close up fill in flash.
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Professional quality pics & video
We are not photographers, but every picture & video we take with this camera and lens are crystal clear and lifelike.
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