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Archive 2015 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.

  
 
Jman13
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


So, I don't usually get consumer-grade lenses for review, but ever since Photokina I wanted to try out the new, super small Panasonic 35-100mm f/4-5.6. It's a slow lens, but it's the size of the standard m4/3 kit lenses, which are extremely small. It's almost hard to believe it's a telephoto zoom lens. Put this, the Oly 9-18 and the Panny 12-32mm pancake zoom and you've got an ultra-wide to medium telephoto kit with pretty good quality, where all three lenses combined are only 360g.

http://www.jordansteele.com/2015/tiny_35100.jpg

The lens is actually decently built. The exterior is a (thin) metal casing, and the lens collapses with a hard stop at the 35mm position that doesn't require using a locking mechanism to get past. The lens tube extends about an inch at 35mm and two inches at 100mm. The tube has minimal wobble (only when you physically try and move it), and the zoom action is nice and smooth. I've only taken a handful of shots with it so far, but what I've seen is quite impressive, I have to say.

It's quite sharp across almost the entire frame at all focal lengths, with just a touch of corner softness.Very good performance here for a tiny, relatively inexpensive lens.

Contrast is moderate, and bokeh ranges from decent to nervous, depending on focus distance, but generally fairly good considering the speed and type of lens. So far I'm pretty impressed.

A few quick random samples.

@ 100mm, f/5.6:
http://www.jordansteele.com/2015/goose_35100.jpg

100% crop:
http://www.jordansteele.com/2015/goose_crop.jpg

@ 100mm, f/5.6:
http://www.jordansteele.com/2015/broken_light.jpg

@ 68mm, f/5.5:
http://www.jordansteele.com/2015/lock_box.jpg

@78mm, f/5.6:
http://www.jordansteele.com/2015/tree_grass.jpg

@100mm, f/5.6:
http://www.jordansteele.com/2015/tables.jpg

@100mm, f/5.6:
http://www.jordansteele.com/2015/lips.jpg



Apr 14, 2015 at 07:38 PM
Gary Clennan
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


Looks like decent performance in a very, very small package.


Apr 14, 2015 at 07:40 PM
Kit Laughlin
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


Hey, Jordan, I am in SE Asia right now, preparing to buy a few more lenses when I get to Hong Kong, in a week's time. My needs are mainly video (and I have to travel with the kit), so this lens looks great for me. Do you have the ƒ2,8 version for a quick comparison pair of images? This looks like a winner for my needs.


Apr 14, 2015 at 07:49 PM
Jman13
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


I used to have it, but I sold it when I switched to Fuji as my main kit.


Apr 14, 2015 at 07:55 PM
Kit Laughlin
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


Thanks Jordan; anyway, these images say plenty for me

Cheers, K



Apr 14, 2015 at 08:14 PM
Kit Laughlin
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


Thanks Jordan; anyway, these images say plenty for me

Cheers, K



Apr 14, 2015 at 08:14 PM
galenapass
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


This lens is a sleeper IMO. Coincidentally, I ran across a review at ephotozine the other day, and was surprised at how well this lens did in terms of sharpness.

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/panasonic-lumix-g-vario-35-100mm-f-4-0-5-6-asph-mega-o-i-s--review-26467



Apr 14, 2015 at 09:01 PM
DaveOls
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


Don't own a Panasonic m4/3 camera, but this might influence me to get one.


Apr 15, 2015 at 05:37 AM
Jman13
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


If you have an Olympus m4/3 camera it works just as well. I'm using it in the E-M5. (I'll shoot some on my Gx1 to test the OIS, but otherwise will shoot it on Oly.


Apr 15, 2015 at 06:54 AM
Kit Laughlin
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


The other sleeper's that Oly 40–175/4-5.6, from what I see around the net, and the price is just silly ($150 or less).


Apr 15, 2015 at 07:05 AM
galenapass
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


The only problem with these slow lenses is that at f/5.6 and above diffraction is starting to take away from the image sharpness.


Apr 15, 2015 at 07:16 AM
Kit Laughlin
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


At the performance levels I have seen these lenses do fine wide open—and for video more than good enough for my work (1080p is way more than what I need, actually, but we get stills for e-books directly out of the footage, then output the final master files at 720p). I would probably never stop either of them down in actual use.


Apr 15, 2015 at 07:20 AM
riveredger
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


Great range in such a small package ... very nice


Apr 15, 2015 at 07:22 AM
Jman13
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


Still pretty darn impressed with this little guy. Really nice compact lens with good optics.

http://www.jordansteele.com/2015/side_falls1.jpg

http://www.jordansteele.com/2015/redorange_tulips.jpg



Apr 16, 2015 at 06:14 PM
Kit Laughlin
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


That's more than good enough for me. I will get one in HK, along with the plastic fantastic Oly 45–175/4-5.6.


Apr 16, 2015 at 06:32 PM
gary0319
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


Nice set of images, Jordan. My wife has this lens on her GX7 and I've used it on my E-M10 Oly to compare against my Pan 45-150. IQ on the 35-100 is easily equal to the 45-150, IMO.

I'm considering a swap out of the 45-150 just to get the smaller size of this little gem.



Apr 16, 2015 at 07:20 PM
bobbytan
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


Your sample images are awesome! Makes me wonder what I am doing with my 40-150 PRO lens! Ah yes … for the long end, of course. 300mm at f2.8 in a small package is just fabulous!

But that new super-compact 35-100 or even the older 35-100/2.8 would make an awesome travel kit.



Apr 16, 2015 at 07:31 PM
kwalsh
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


Would love to see some infinity shots with this lens at around F/6.3 or so. Basically the standard "how does this do for landscape shots" kind of test. I've been very curious about this little lens since it seems to test quite well.


Apr 18, 2015 at 03:46 PM
LDR99
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


This looks like a perfect travel lens for my needs. One question though: when using the lens on an Olympus OMD-5mkII with its in body stabilization, does the lens stabilization default to "off". And if not, can you turn the IS off in the Olympus menus?


Apr 19, 2015 at 12:05 AM
galenapass
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · The new tiny Panasonic 35-100mm.


You can chose lens IS or IBIS in the Oly menu. There is no physical switch on the lens as far as I know. Good question.


Apr 19, 2015 at 12:54 AM
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