Panasonic 100-300mm f4.0-5.6 LUMIX G Vario Lens - Micro Four Thirds Fit

Comments about Panasonic 100-300mm f4.0-5.6 LUMIX G Vario Lens - Micro Four Thirds Fit:

an excellent lens easy to use not cumbersome/

Flowers. Scenery.Carving photos.

Comments about Panasonic 100-300mm f4.0-5.6 LUMIX G Vario Lens - Micro Four Thirds Fit:

I bought this lens to complement the other lenses I have bought for my Panasonic GX1 camera. I was tempted by the thought of owning a 600mm (equivalent)lens small enough to able to carry around with me comfortably.

When the first lens arrived the box that it was in was damaged. I took the lens out and tested it by shooting some local wildlife. I was disappointed with the results and returned the lens to WEX who replaced it with another.

I have tested this and it would seem that the original lens had nothing wrong with it. I think I may have set my expectations too high for this lens (I have a Nikkor 300mm F2.8 and a 500mm F4.0) and it is unrealistic to compare it to my Nikkors?

Having said that this lens is capable of turning in some very pleasing results if handled carefully. Panasonic make no claims for the effectiveness of the VR function in this lens and it is difficult to tell just what it is doing (more testing needed?). So I would suggest that the lens is used with an appropriately high shutter speed (at least 1/1000th at "600mm") and stopped down a little, at which point it gives very good results indeed.

It is a pity that there isn't a tripod ring available for this lens as I am sure that one would be of benefit. Whilst the lens isn't very heavy it does feel a little odd mounting this on my GX1 and then mounting the pair on a heavy duty tripod and head combination.

So this is something that I would recommend to a friend with the caution that you treat it like a full size 600mm and use with care.

Comments about Panasonic 100-300mm f4.0-5.6 LUMIX G Vario Lens - Micro Four Thirds Fit:

I bought this to use with a GH2 (and now G5 as well) for wildlife. It has an equivalent field of view to a 200-600mm lens in "full frame" terms and as a result is a very versatile addition to my kit.

The AF is fast, completely internal (no rotating bits on the outside) and very quiet. In good light it's very accurate but it can hunt a bit in poor contrast conditions - you sometimes have to find something for it to lock on to. I've taken wildlife shots I'm really happy with already - and this is coming from a Canon 7D and 400mm f5.6 L lens! AF tracking isn't so hot, but that's as much down to the bodies as the lens. Micro 4/3 has a way to go yet in this area.

The stabiliser is very effective indeed, allowing me to get down to 1/50s if I'm careful. If you're a big video shooter though, don't use it handheld as the stabiliser noise comes through in the footage - best used on a tripod with the OIS off.

For hand-held stills it balances really well on the GH2 or the G5 and is just so easy to carry around.

Image quality is really good, even at f5.6 on the 300mm end. I would suggest that if you're not happy with the long end it could be a bad sample or perhaps the shutter speed used was too low.

In a nutshell this is a great lens for the micro 4/3 system, in my opinion. I'm really happy I bought one and have no desire to sell it any time soon!

Ideally I'd give it 4.5 stars, as it's not quite perfect, but 4 stars would be too low!

Comments about Panasonic 100-300mm f4.0-5.6 LUMIX G Vario Lens - Micro Four Thirds Fit:

Purchased for my wife, the lens has yet to be repeatedly tested. On its first outing, the subject was Kingfishers, not the easiest of birds to photograph and the camera and lens were handheld braced against a wooden hide, not on a tripod. Nevertheless, some good results were obtained and we are delighted with the purchase.

Comments about Panasonic 100-300mm f4.0-5.6 LUMIX G Vario Lens - Micro Four Thirds Fit:

I have used for close and long distance without any problems and with very good results

Comments about Panasonic 100-300mm f4.0-5.6 LUMIX G Vario Lens - Micro Four Thirds Fit:

Excellent and light weight. This has now replaced my 45 - 200 mm lens.

Comments about Panasonic 100-300mm f4.0-5.6 LUMIX G Vario Lens - Micro Four Thirds Fit:

This is a good lens from Panasonic. A good zoom range especially using the Extended tele range on GH2. Getting really sharp photos with this lens than other so called great lenses from other manufacturers. Still testing, but so far so good.

Comments about Panasonic 100-300mm f4.0-5.6 LUMIX G Vario Lens - Micro Four Thirds Fit:

This lens is really a no brainer. It gives you an effective reach of 200-600. Coupled with the new 16mp Panasonic cameras it is capable of amazing results. Stopped down it is very sharp and produces pleasingly detailed photographs. It is a slow lens (min aperture 5.6 fully extended) but then the better higher iso performance of new Panasonic bodies like the GH-2 and G3 effecively compensate for that. About the only negative is the inevitably plastic build, although the quality of the build (as with all Panasonic lenses) is very good.

Comments about Panasonic 100-300mm f4.0-5.6 LUMIX G Vario Lens - Micro Four Thirds Fit:

I bought this lens for a mixture of street photography and gig photgraphy when I'm stuck in a seat a distance from the stage. It's delivered on all fronts. Colours aren't very saturated but the lack of CA, even at full zoom is brilliant. Good bang for the buck for M4/3rds users.