-
Welcome to the new forums! Please read this first. For known issues we are working to resolve, click here.
Panasonic Announces Three New Lenses
- Thread starter 0MitchAG
- Start date
VariableScope
Leading Member
But they're pretty much identical to what we have. Even their color seems mostly the same only instead of having yellow and red accents, it's all white. Looks a little cleaner but really Panasonic could do with overhauling some of the older lenses in the lineup like the 7-14, 100-300 and 45mm Leica macro or with getting us some brighter long lenses (200-400 f4 constant would be nice for instance).
Eric Nepean
Veteran Member
- Messages
- 6,418
- Solutions
- 8
- Reaction score
- 4,069
They don't seem willing to invest in development of new lenses.
I've been a Panasonic customer since 2008, but since last year all my purchases have been Olympus.
I'm surprised that if they're bothering to go down this route, why they wouldn't update the PL-25 F1.4 to the original Four Thirds styling with aperture ring. I really hope they fired their industrial designers for producing what is undoubtedly a very inconsistent portfolio.
Well they did just introduce the new 42.5 1.7 and 30mm macro this spring. The 15 1.7 wasn't released long ago either. They also had their 2.8 zooms and 7-14 out before Olympus.
These styling changes are almost certainly just to match up with new camera styles and the introduction of 4k video throughout the range, which renders the "HD" moniker seemingly out of date.
jeff
jeffharris
Forum Pro
This is a non-event. Besides, I'd call that satin finish, not matte.
Panasonic is doing well. They're released a number of new lenses in the past year and their camera releases, with plenty of new features and improvements, appear to be on schedule.
Next up… the GX8.
What the M4/3 SYSTEM needs on the whole are improved sensors. Wider dynamic range, improved low noise performance at higher ISOs … OR why not reintroduce ISO100 or even lower without having to resort to "Extended ISO" features which eliminate the use of the electronic shutter. I won't blink at a bit more resolution (20MP or 24MP) as long as noise and dynamic range doesn't suffer. Otherwise 16MP is sufficient.
Terminal Boy
Senior Member
Wow. I went to relived to underwhelmed in about 5 seconds.
Relived as I've just recently picked up a 100-300mm and underwhelmed as Panasonic have simply brought the styling used on the 35-100mm f4-f5.6 and 42.5mm f1.7 to 3 more of their popular lenses.
Not that BWM and Apple don't very successfully "update" their products in a similar manner and sell them by the container ship load...
But again, it was just more of the same and that's just underwhelming for me and many others who were hoping for a tele-prime - something new. The other problem with these reskins is that they lower the value of second-hand and new versions of the original. This is bad for consumers and retailers (who will have to update their catalogue and take a loss on their existing stock). Should we expect a third version of the 20mm because they aren't going with the metallic finish anymore? Surprised again that they haven't updated the ugly finish on the 12-35 and 35-100 F2.8's. I study design - and I'm just in such a cringe right now.
You're kidding about that last sentence, right? How many reskins do we have to see before Panasonic considers to address user criticisms of their products and head back to the drawing board to find a solution? It's not what I'd call inspiring...
The renders are never accurate so I guess we should take their word for it. If the GX-8 has anything better than the GH4, it won't be much. Their lineup is fairly restricted by the Venus Processing Engine development cycle, as some may have noticed. I'd certainly like to see ISO 100 in the next generation, and an increase in resolution. Oh, and better firmware support (but it seems this is again more of a hardware issue.)
Anyone who complains about Panasonic updating the cosmetics of their lenses to better match their newer cameras is just being bizarre.
All companies do this from time to time. Olympus has abandoned their "silver base ring Pen look" on their lenses, and Panasonic has already departed from their two-tone black and grey look from their early models. They departed from their two tone lens styling on their new versions of their 14mm, 20mm, and 14-42mm lenses.
The eggplant color for their high end lenses should go next. That bizarre shade of black that Panasonic used on their high end 12-35mm and 35-100mm lenses. The color that matched no body they ever made.
Hopefully, there will be no price increase for the newer lens finishes. (Remember when Olympus was charging $400 more for a black "Special Edition" of their 12mm f/2.0 lens? Sure, it came with a deluxe lens cap, but... really!)
--
Marty
my blog: http://marty4650.blogspot.com/
All companies do this from time to time. Olympus has abandoned their "silver base ring Pen look" on their lenses, and Panasonic has already departed from their two-tone black and grey look from their early models. They departed from their two tone lens styling on their new versions of their 14mm, 20mm, and 14-42mm lenses.
The eggplant color for their high end lenses should go next. That bizarre shade of black that Panasonic used on their high end 12-35mm and 35-100mm lenses. The color that matched no body they ever made.
Hopefully, there will be no price increase for the newer lens finishes. (Remember when Olympus was charging $400 more for a black "Special Edition" of their 12mm f/2.0 lens? Sure, it came with a deluxe lens cap, but... really!)
--
Marty
peppermonkey
Veteran Member
You make it sound as if all Panasonic's efforts are put into these re-skins. They aren't. They haven't stopped R&D on bodies and lenses. They haven't stopped production of other lenses and bodies. They are just re-skins to better suite their new bodies and upcoming bodies, development done in parallel with everything else they are doing. Nothing more, nothing less. Frankly, there really is no news here, nor is this a big deal or frankly, even a small deal.
Adam-T
Forum Pro
I Prefer the originals by a mile - they had a "made of metal" look even when they weren`t - the Matt black ones look like cheap plastic . the 14-140-II is half metal and they`ve even managed to make that look cheap too !! . glad they didn`t do the 12-35
Anyway - Panasonic need to spend time fixing the Video and shock issues with the 14-140-II instead of trying to make it look like a cheap kit lens
--
** Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist **
Anyway - Panasonic need to spend time fixing the Video and shock issues with the 14-140-II instead of trying to make it look like a cheap kit lens
--
** Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist **
Last edited:
Zensu11
Senior Member
I think it's possible that Panasonic (i.e. 7-14mm f4.0 zoom) and Olympus (i.e. 9-18mm f4.0-5.6 zoom) are afraid to "re-skin" these older designs because people will complain that the changes are cosmetic only and they haven't upgraded the actual design of the lens.
Maybe Panasonic re-introduced these three lenses with cosmetic changes only to test the waters so to speak. From many reactions here people seem to be negative about this which means we'll be looking at those older lenses I mentioned in my first sentence for a while more.
Bobby
Maybe Panasonic re-introduced these three lenses with cosmetic changes only to test the waters so to speak. From many reactions here people seem to be negative about this which means we'll be looking at those older lenses I mentioned in my first sentence for a while more.
Bobby
peppermonkey
Veteran Member
No. I don't think it matters if we ALL hated that Panasonic was spending any time reskinning their lenses and not spending that time on new lenses or doing real upgrades to existing ones. Why? Simple. These are entry level consumer lenses which we wouldn't be (mostly) interested in any case. These lenses are to entice new customers. And if these lenses make potential new customers like Panasonic lenses/cameras even a little more, then that's a success. Sad truce is that they need an influx of new customers more than annoying a few of us old m43 timers.
jeffharris
Forum Pro
The 12-35mm, 14-42mm II, 45-150mm, 20mm II and 14-140mm II all have a similar exterior finish.
Here are the 3 consumer zooms, but they really do look like the 12-35mm. There may be minor differences, but that's it.
Adam-T
Forum Pro
the biggest diff between them and the 12-35 cosmetically is that the 12-35 is actually a purpley black rather than black (also has a rubber zoom ring the others don`t have, even the metal bodied 14-140-II
the trio you posted pics of (below) look very classy for consumer zooms with the gold and red writing on - Maybe Panasonic wanted these lenses to now LOOK like cheap kit lenses (even the metal 14-140-II) hence the matt black ??
--
** Please ignore the Typos, I'm the world's worst Typist **
... don't forget the lens hood and the filter ....Anyone who complains about Panasonic updating the cosmetics of their lenses to better match their newer cameras is just being bizarre.
All companies do this from time to time. Olympus has abandoned their "silver base ring Pen look" on their lenses, and Panasonic has already departed from their two-tone black and grey look from their early models. They departed from their two tone lens styling on their new versions of their 14mm, 20mm, and 14-42mm lenses.
The eggplant color for their high end lenses should go next. That bizarre shade of black that Panasonic used on their high end 12-35mm and 35-100mm lenses. The color that matched no body they ever made.
Hopefully, there will be no price increase for the newer lens finishes. (Remember when Olympus was charging $400 more for a black "Special Edition" of their 12mm f/2.0 lens? Sure, it came with a deluxe lens cap, but... really!)
--
Tom Caldwell
Keyboard shortcuts
- f
- Forum