Panasonic Lumix G Vario 100-300mm F4-5.6

paris1968 · Apr 1, 2015

Can you tell me of your experience and your opinion of this lens? I am considering whether I should buy it or not. I have read a number of reviews, some of which say the lens is unacceptably soft beyond 250mm, while others say it is too soft at any length. I expect to use it for a little birding, and explore what else it might be good for. I have a Nikon 300mm f4 which I enjoy, but nothing in my MFT kit of a similar focal length.

bigley Ling · Apr 1, 2015

I own it, and love having such a large tele focal length is such a compact unit. I find this lens is is adequately sharp wide open up to 250mm, then after that depending on the scene, it can do with a bit of stop down to 7.1 or similar.

If you have a Panasonic body excluding the GX7, this is the lens to get as it has built in stabilization. If you are using Olympus, then there seems to be an option to use the Oly 75-300 which has much and much the same performance but does seem to be 1/2 stop slower than the Pany 100-300.

This lens is ideal for travel for it's smallish size, and when I am not travelling and do not require that reach I use my Oly 50-200 with 1.4x EC-14 teleconverter. This is a much larger setup, but the faster aperture through the whole range is advantageous.

hope this helps

bridgebolt51 · Apr 1, 2015

this is a very sharp lens for me... here's my sample using this lens https://www.flickr.com/photos/bridgebolt/sets/72157650325807671/

jeffharris · Apr 1, 2015

paris1968 said:
Can you tell me of your experience and your opinion of this lens? I am considering whether I should buy it or not. I have read a number of reviews, some of which say the lens is unacceptably soft beyond 250mm, while others say it is too soft at any length. I expect to use it for a little birding, and explore what else it might be good for. I have a Nikon 300mm f4 which I enjoy, but nothing in my MFT kit of a similar focal length.

Search this forum and you'll find dozens of threads that discuss the 100-300mm in detail… and ad nauseum.

jalywol · Apr 2, 2015

paris1968 said:
Can you tell me of your experience and your opinion of this lens? I am considering whether I should buy it or not. I have read a number of reviews, some of which say the lens is unacceptably soft beyond 250mm, while others say it is too soft at any length. I expect to use it for a little birding, and explore what else it might be good for. I have a Nikon 300mm f4 which I enjoy, but nothing in my MFT kit of a similar focal length.

I really enjoyed mine. There is a caveat: You have to realize this is a LONG lens, and use appropriate support and shutter speeds, or you will get soft shots.

Keep the speed up, brace it well (or use a tripod), and use the zero second anti shock (Oly) or silent shutter (Panasonic) when the circumstances allow, and you will get good results. Sloppy holding and slow shutter speeds will give you less than perfect results.

It's a nice lens. It also has particularly nice color rendition (worked very well for a lot of flower photography I was doing, with extension tubes). Just don't forget it is a really long lens, and you should be good to go.

-J

LMNCT · Apr 2, 2015

The 100-300 is a good lens if you know how to use it. First of all, support the lens from below with your left hand, when full out to 300 set the f stop to 7.1. If the lens fails to attain focus at full extension, switch to manual focus and all will be well. My camera bodies have focus confirmation (blinkies around the focused area) and it is very easy to use. If you have a Panasonic body, this lens is very good due to the OIS (leave it ON unless mounted on a tripod). This lens has taken a beating from people who have not taken the time to get to know it...if you take the time, you will be rewarded with sharp shots.

LMNCT · Apr 2, 2015

Why would you exclude the GX7 from use with the 100-300. I use it on a GM5, GX7 and GH4 and it works equally as well.

bigley Ling · Apr 2, 2015

sorry, what I meant is if you have a GX7, there is two options in that range of lens, the pany 100-300 or the non optically stabilized Oly 75-300. Since the Gx7 has stabilization in body, it has the flexibility to use either optimally.

jeffharris · Apr 2, 2015

LMNCT said:
Why would you exclude the GX7 from use with the 100-300. I use it on a GM5, GX7 and GH4 and it works equally as well.

Works great with the GX7. GH2, as well.

I discovered a nice little trick for shooting with the GX7's tilty EVF and 100-300mm. I'll call it MyBIS… My Body Image Stabilization. ;-)

I was out shooting, carrying an UltraPod II, a $20 plastic folding tripod, but didn't think to bring my monopod. I decided to try using the UltraPod propped against my body for stability. So, I rest two feet of the tripod around my shoulders, with the third one pointing down reating in the solar plexus zone, then tilt up the EVF. It may look a little dorky, but it works really well and allows me to use slower shutter speeds in darker areas, like hiking in rainforests in Costa Rica. It's really good shooting up and critters in trees, too.

jeffharris · Apr 2, 2015

bigley Ling said:
sorry, what I meant is if you have a GX7, there is two options in that range of lens, the pany 100-300 or the non optically stabilized Oly 75-300. Since the Gx7 has stabilization in body, it has the flexibility to use either optimally.

I'm not sure the GX7's stabilization can match the OIS of the 100-300mm. You'd be better off pairing Panasonic camera and lens for whatever image correction is applied for the lens, too.

NCV · Apr 2, 2015

paris1968 said:
Can you tell me of your experience and your opinion of this lens? I am considering whether I should buy it or not. I have read a number of reviews, some of which say the lens is unacceptably soft beyond 250mm, while others say it is too soft at any length. I expect to use it for a little birding, and explore what else it might be good for. I have a Nikon 300mm f4 which I enjoy, but nothing in my MFT kit of a similar focal length.

This is a bit of a specialist lens which needs good technique to get the most out of it. Camera shake is your enemy with this lens, which perhaps explains its bad reputation from “testers” with bad technique.

I have put this lens on a tripod to get some crushed perspective shots for a little project I did and was very pleased with the results from a technical standpoint. ttp://nigelvoak.blogspot.it/2014/04/reggio-emilia-av-mediopadana.html

On another occasion I took a hand held, but steadied against the car roof shot of a mountain many kilometres away and was amazed that it resolved the cross on the summit.

For those of us who grew up with 35mm film cameras the size of this 600mm equivalent lens is amazing.

http://nigelvoak.blogspot.it/

jb89100 · Apr 2, 2015

Samples all at 300mm with GH2, GH3, GH4, EM5 MkII here

https://picasaweb.google.com/115197727134168732320/Lumix100300300mm#slideshow/6133027956572376130

I use the center AF area (better quality of the lens) to target the subject and I do my composition on the computer; so, the subject has optimum sharpness. All my pictures are made without tripod

Robiro · Apr 2, 2015

The lens is what it is. Should've been long revisited by Panasonic.

Have a look at my 100-300 gallery and be the judge yourself.

Loading…

www.dpreview.com

(macro shots taken with extension tubes attached)

Vesku · Apr 2, 2015

It is not very sharp when using JPGs. With RAW you can correct sharpness and distortions much better and the results are very good, like completely different lens.

Zoom is sticky and very nasty to use with video.

At 300mm you must use 1/500s or higher ss. If you take a burst of photos you can sometimes get some sharp photos even with 1/50s at 300mm. The lens handles flares and contrast very well.

Aperture system is slow. You can get only 2-3 fps even with GH4 using AFC.

Build quality is not good. I have had two copies of that lens and the AF has died with both.

SterlingBjorndahl · Apr 2, 2015

I find I only get consistently good results if I keep the shutter speed at 1/800th or faster. I find this to be the case even if it's tripod-mounted. I think it's more a matter of shutter shock than camera shake. At full zoom, keeping the shutter speed fast makes more difference than stopping down the lens. I can shoot wide open and get perfectly acceptable shots. But if I stop down and let the shutter speed fall to 1/640, results are not as good.

Sterling
--
Lens Grit

intruder61 · Apr 2, 2015

Vesku said:
It is not very sharp when using JPGs. With RAW you can correct sharpness and distortions much better and the results are very good, like completely different lens.

Zoom is sticky and very nasty to use with video.

At 300mm you must use 1/500s or higher ss. If you take a burst of photos you can sometimes get some sharp photos even with 1/50s at 300mm. The lens handles flares and contrast very well.

Aperture system is slow. You can get only 2-3 fps even with GH4 using AFC.

something wrong with your camera?...or it is how you are using it.

Vesku said:
Build quality is not good. I have had two copies of that lens and the AF has died with both.

billbourd · Apr 2, 2015

paris1968 said:
Can you tell me of your experience and your opinion of this lens? I am considering whether I should buy it or not. I have read a number of reviews, some of which say the lens is unacceptably soft beyond 250mm, while others say it is too soft at any length. I expect to use it for a little birding, and explore what else it might be good for. I have a Nikon 300mm f4 which I enjoy, but nothing in my MFT kit of a similar focal length.

You say you are looking or a similar focal length you should look at the Oly f2.8 40-150 PRO lens which is equiv of your Nikon. Much, much more $$ but a much better lens from what I have read. I bought the 12-40 Pro to replace my 12-50 but keeping my 100-300 and am quite happy with it. Just can't justify $1,500.

gary0319 · Apr 2, 2015

I have the Pan 100-300 matched with my GX7. I'm sharp to 286mm, if I'm at f/7.1. As was stated, keeping the shutter speed up helps, but I now shoot mine with the electronic shutter and can get by at lower speeds. I also find the lens works acceptably well with the GX7's built in 1.4 teleconverter. Makes a good close up lens for flowers and bugs as well.

I've tried it on my Oly E-M10, but think the match with the GX7 is better.

I think this lens is sharper than my old Canon 100-400L/7D outfit. However it's (the Panny) a bust when it comes to birds in flight. at least in my hands.

jcr4486 · Apr 2, 2015

What can I say... the lens has served me well. Could it be improoved ? Certanly and I will promptly buy the new version, but will also not discard it for any other currently existing one.

Some samples below ... a small Flower from a upper branch in a Macau Garden last year still with G3, A bird head also with G3 in the Summer 2013 in Portugal and another bird at the end of last year in Amsterdam with G6.

Now, judge yourself...

Vesku · Apr 2, 2015

intruder61 said:
Vesku said:

It is not very sharp when using JPGs. With RAW you can correct sharpness and distortions much better and the results are very good, like completely different lens.

Zoom is sticky and very nasty to use with video.

At 300mm you must use 1/500s or higher ss. If you take a burst of photos you can sometimes get some sharp photos even with 1/50s at 300mm. The lens handles flares and contrast very well.

Aperture system is slow. You can get only 2-3 fps even with GH4 using AFC.

Click to expand...

something wrong with your camera?...or it is how you are using it.

Do you mean 2-3 fps or other things above.

With continuous AF (AFC) this lens is very slow. It slows further when stopping down.

intruder61 said:
intruder61 said:

Build quality is not good. I have had two copies of that lens and the AF has died with both.

Click to expand...

Panasonic Lumix G Vario 100-300mm F4-5.6

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