Bread and Butter Workhorse Lens: Pan 12-35 f/2.8

richj20 wrote:

Nice write up, Gary, and excellent photographs to demonstrate.

I haven't experienced the hood problem you and others mention. The hood snaps securely in place and doesn't change position.

I purchased the 12-35 mm lens to use primarily as a companion to my 100-400 mm. I think they go well together!

When I'm out photographing with the 100-400mm, I carry the 12-35 mm on a second body for landscape scenes, especially to give context to a particular wildlife.

An example:

Great Egret perched on a flotation dock in a local lake.

View from the shoreline.

A few more landscapes:

Kern River, California

South Creek Falls, Sequoia National Forest

Small canal, Sequoia National Forest

I use the lens for other things.

Recent environmental portrait: Secretary and her cluttered desk.

The f/2.8 is handy for helping to isolate the subject from the background. Common thistle.

All in all, a wonderful photographic tool.

- Richard

Richard, thanks for adding more observation and thoughts into the review

First of all, love that 100-400! I would love to be able to own one someday, right now I'll have to be happy with my 100-300. And I also love the pictures that you produced with the 12-35, those are really nice

Your strategy to pair the 100-400 with 12-35 is a very brilliant thinking. Your pictures really show how the 12-35 should perform as a sidekick lens when being paired with the 100-400, and I think it's one of the best ways to utilize the 12-35. I particularly love the waterfall picture, it sould give a really meaningful context to a wildlife picture that you take there.

Cheers!