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

So this is another review by me. As some of you who already read my earlier reviews, I am not a professional photographer, so please treat this review accordingly.

Anyway, I got this lens when I started shooting Micro Four Thirds in 2014. This was not my first lens, but it was on my wish list for quite some time. The only factor that caused me not to purchase this lens is the high price, especially here where I live.

Before I bought this lens, I use the 14-140mm bolted on my GX7 most of the time, and use it for anything. It was a very solid lens, but as you know, f/5.6 isn't really that flexible in low light. I tried going to prime lens route, but it's not really convenient because I have to change multiple lenses of different focal lengths a lot (17 to 45, back and forth). And 17 is not wide enough for indoor event shooting.

Therefore, I took the plunge and bought this lens at the end of 2014. And this lens probably is my most used lens ever since. It's now bolted on to my GX8 full time, and I use my GX7 for other lenses like 35-100 f/4-5.6, 75 f/1.8, 7-14 f/4.0, or 9-18 f/4-5.6.

Let's talk about some things that I love about this lens:

It's sharp enough for my needs. It has f/2.8 which is more than enough for my needs, even for low light. It also has Power OIS, which helps me to get sharp handheld shots at low shutter speed, especially with Dual IS on the GX8.

It's weather sealed, so it can take a bit of splash together with the weather sealed GX8. And it actually survived a 15 minute heavy rain last year without any protection with the GX8! To be fair, I guess I must be lucky enough that time that nothing got damaged, so don't try to test the weather sealing ability of this lens on purpose.

The focal length is very useful to capture most of my photographic needs. About 75% of my photos are taken with this focal length. It's my number one lens that I always reach when I'm about to photograph in general.

The size of the lens is similar with my 14-140mm, and it shares the same filter diameter, which is awesome!

AF is instantaneous. It's one of the fastest AF lens on MFT! And bonus point for somewhat close minimum focusing distance. That means that this lens can help with quick emergency macro shots.

The Power OIS is quite good too. Without Dual IS on the GX8 or the GX80/85/7mkII, it can comfortably deliver sharp handheld shot at 1/20s at 35mm. Using the IS for video helps to reduce motion shakes without too many little quick jerks. I don't find any problem with the IS.

What I don't like from this lens?

The lens hood! It comes off way too easily. Already a few times I saw a very strong vignette at 12mm, only to find out that the hood wasn't properly locked on to the lens and caused the vignette.

Sharpness of the lens is very good and more than enough for what I do, but when I tried to compare the lens with the 14-140mm that I have, it doesn't show significant sharpness improvement. I guess I underestimated the 14-140mm more than I should.

How do I use this lens?

This is my always-carry lens when I'm traveling. Also this is my main event photography lens. I've also done street photography with this lens so many times, and it definitely can do it with no problem.

This could be the only lens you need when you travel. I know, 35 isn't tele enough, but if you don't plan to capture wild-life, it is more than long enough to capture some interesting distance objects during travel.

The 12mm is enough for cityscape, non-serious landscape, wide-street photography, wide environmental portrait, and so many other things. Zoom to between 17 and 25mm, and this lens will give you a good focal length for street photography, half body portrait, food photography, and tighter landscape. Zoom in to 35mm for emergency portrait, emergency macro, or emergency bokeh portrait.

Some of my best photographs came from this lens. I really recommend this lens if you need the f/2.8 aperture for low light. If you don't need large aperture, definitely check out the 14-140mm because that lens will provide you with a more generous focal length options, at the cost of smaller aperture.

I really like it! Really, almost no flaw with this lens. The 12-40mm from Oly is said to be sharper and has better built, but I have no desire to switch to the Oly lens, since I am shooting with Pan body and I need IS on lens. So, it's a 5 star lens on my book.

Hope my review helps!

Landscape

Macro/Bokeh

Product Photography

Portrait-ish

Cityscape

Environmental Portrait

Street Photography

Another Environmental Portrait

Whoops, I somehow posted this review in compact camera forum accidentally. Not sure how I did that, anyone knows how to move this thread to the correct forum? Thanks in advance.

I agree with everything said in this review.

It is glued to my GX8 and has the ability to do everything I need it to do.

If I had to change one thing, it would be to adapt the Oly 12-40 lens hood fastening system, and perhaps a less rubbery zoom ring, but this is me nitpicking.

wiryawan wrote:

Whoops, I somehow posted this review in compact camera forum accidentally. Not sure how I did that, anyone knows how to move this thread to the correct forum? Thanks in advance.

Hi Gary, next time this happens, just send me a quick PM and I'll take care of it.

You can find it now on the micro 4/3 forum

Cheers

Hi Martin, thank you so much for the assistance

Darn It wrote:

I agree with everything said in this review.

It is glued to my GX8 and has the ability to do everything I need it to do.

If I had to change one thing, it would be to adapt the Oly 12-40 lens hood fastening system, and perhaps a less rubbery zoom ring, but this is me nitpicking.

Hi Darn It, thanks for the comment

Yes, the hood locking mechanism needs to be fixed in my opinion too, it is way too easy to accidentally knock the hood. I didn't really find the zoom ring to be rubbery though, but that is, again, personal preference and I can see why we might need less rubbery zoom ring

Cheers!

curiosifly wrote:

Nice pictures, Gary. Since I just read your review about LX100, and I happen to have LX100 and am thinking of getting my first ILC camera. how do you think GX8 or 85 plus this lens comparing to LX100? Image quality, low light capability, focus speed and accuracy? I am always hesitating because I feel the two might be too close to each other? Thanks.

Hi Curiosifly

Thanks for the kind comment on the pictures!

Surprisingly, the image quality will be very similar between the GX8 or the GX7 + 12-35mm f/2.8 and the LX100 if you don't pixel peep. And a few times already I had a hard time trying to identify which camera did I use for a few of my pictures without looking to the EXIF. Keep in mind that I mostly shoot RAW, so I can't really comment on using the JPEGs.

Low light up to ISO 800-1600 in LX100 is similar to the GX8 and GX7, but once you start to go higher, the LX100 will appear slightly noisier.

For focus speed, I do really think that the GX8 or even the GX7 wins hands down. Not that the LX100 is sluggish or unusable, but it's just a fraction slower than the GX8 and GX7, which in my opinion is still fast enough for most needs.

Where the advantage lies for the ILC like the GX8 or GX85 in my opinion is in terms of overall snappiness and responsiveness of the camera. It took almost a second for the LX100 to go into the gallery after you shoot. It also took more than a second when you power up the LX100 to wait for the lens to extend and be ready to shoot. It's just not fast enough when you want to instantly shoot after you power it on. The GX8 and the GX7 can shoot instantaneously after you power it on. Literally push the power slider and press the shutter button, and it will boot the camera, focus the image, and capture a focused image, all in just a fraction of a second.

Also the 12-35mm f/2.8 doesn't use electric motor, you can just zoom by rotating the ring, which can give you 12mm to 35mm instantaneously, as opposed to the motorized electric zoom on the LX100, which is overall slow. You can set the camera to remember your last zoom setting, but I find myself wanting to zoom more often than staying in one focal length. This could be a point to consider

Sorry, I haven't tried the GX85 enough to get an idea of how it will perform and how the image quality will be, but theoretically it should produce image as sharp as the GX8, as clean as the GX7(yes, the GX7 is slightly cleaner than the GX8, but not as sharp), and focus speed as fast as the GX8, while keeping the size as big as the GX7.

I hope my explanation helps, Curiosifly

curiosifly wrote:

Hi Gary

Thank you very much! Good point. That slow power zoom of LX100 + the lens always retracts when viewing photo is a pain for me indeed. I have missed my shots many times because of that.

Good to know that AF is faster. LX100 is good already for me most of the time. A little better might be enough for me. But based on your opinion, I may consider some other lens if I do get a GX8 or 85 since I already have LX100 cover this focal range. The 14-140 ii is very attempting. Best lens that shows advantage of MFT system in my opinion. People say it's susceptible to shutter shock. Does it bother you on GX8?

Curiosifly, you're very welcome!

I agree with the 14-140 ii, it's actually my second MFT lens that I purchased long time ago, and is still a very solid performing lens. That lens doesn't have any significant IQ compromise on all focal length so far in my experience, and it could be the lens that you will use the most, for traveling or for general use to complement the LX100.

Unfortunately, the shutter shock issue is also happening on my GX8 . It wasn't as bad as with the GX7 though, when I used the GX7 on mechanical shutter with the 14-140 ii, even at 14mm there will be some occasions of soft images due to shutter shock. That isn't helped by the fact that the electronic shutter on the GX7 still produces a lot of banding when shot under some light conditions when compared to the electronic shutter mode of the LX100 or the GX8.

With the GX8 and the electronic shutter, things are much much better because there's no trace of weird banding under specific light conditions :-). All you have to take care is the rolling shutter, which I almost never encounter except when I shoot a fast moving car without panning at 35mm++ focal length, thus not becoming an issue for me since I never need to shoot such a photograph. So, I almost use electronic shutter all the time with the GX8, except when I shoot with flash, and the problem of shutter shock is not an issue anymore.

Hope this helps! Cheers!

wiryawan wrote:

curiosifly wrote:

Hi Gary

Thank you very much! Good point. That slow power zoom of LX100 + the lens always retracts when viewing photo is a pain for me indeed. I have missed my shots many times because of that.

Good to know that AF is faster. LX100 is good already for me most of the time. A little better might be enough for me. But based on your opinion, I may consider some other lens if I do get a GX8 or 85 since I already have LX100 cover this focal range. The 14-140 ii is very attempting. Best lens that shows advantage of MFT system in my opinion. People say it's susceptible to shutter shock. Does it bother you on GX8?

Curiosifly, you're very welcome!

I agree with the 14-140 ii, it's actually my second MFT lens that I purchased long time ago, and is still a very solid performing lens. That lens doesn't have any significant IQ compromise on all focal length so far in my experience, and it could be the lens that you will use the most, for traveling or for general use to complement the LX100.

Unfortunately, the shutter shock issue is also happening on my GX8 . It wasn't as bad as with the GX7 though, when I used the GX7 on mechanical shutter with the 14-140 ii, even at 14mm there will be some occasions of soft images due to shutter shock. That isn't helped by the fact that the electronic shutter on the GX7 still produces a lot of banding when shot under some light conditions when compared to the electronic shutter mode of the LX100 or the GX8.

With the GX8 and the electronic shutter, things are much much better because there's no trace of weird banding under specific light conditions :-). All you have to take care is the rolling shutter, which I almost never encounter except when I shoot a fast moving car without panning at 35mm++ focal length, thus not becoming an issue for me since I never need to shoot such a photograph. So, I almost use electronic shutter all the time with the GX8, except when I shoot with flash, and the problem of shutter shock is not an issue anymore.

Hope this helps! Cheers!

What Gary said. I wouldn't let shutter shock deter you from buying the GX8 if it interests you. I was choosing between the GX8 and GX85 but with the auto electronic shutter option, it's hardly an issue unless like Gary said, you shoot very fast moving subjects (ie. a moving car)

If you're trying to decide between cameras, really the best thing to do is go somewhere and hold all of your contenders. I decided instantly when I held the GX85 and went with the GX8. It is an amazing piece of hardware.

My experience is much the same as yours, using the 12-35 on the GX7 and the G6. An all round lens of considerable quality which is my main lens these days. I have had no problems with SS with this lens on either my GX7 or G6.

I don't believe the Oly 12-40 is sharper and certainly it could not be better built -- the build quality of the 12-35 is exceptional.

Flare

I don't think you mentioned flare. I find the lens is subject to flare of the general nature of light across the frame over a pretty narrow angle when the light is just outside the frame. A small adjustment of viewpoint eliminates it.

I also came across it when I was photographing singers at a concert -- lights behind them could show up as double images around the center point of the frame. Again, once aware of this you can avoid it by a small change of viewpoint or if not avoid it, turn it into a positive by positioning to take advantage of the flare as a picture element. I first noticed it when I gave a rotund rock singer a large green navel! LOL.

Lens hood

It is incredible, isn't it, that Panny could make a beautifully engineered lens and add a lens hood that doesn't stay on properly! The hoods I have on the 45-150 and 100-300 are fine -- they stanp int oplace and stay in place and those are cheap lenses (comparatively).

It appears the teeth on the lens hood track and the sockets on the lens bayonet are not matched. Someone on this forum suggested some surgery involving cutting a new socket and enlarging the teeth with epoxy resin. That’s a bit beyond my level of finesse. Someone else suggested tape -- I now have a thin strip of plastic electrical tape right around the the lens bayonet. It takes a little bit of force get the hood over it and then twist it into position, and once in place, it is pretty much a permanent installation. The only time that troubles me is on the odd occasion when I want to use the pop-up flash with the lens, in which case you get a big shadow in the bottom of the frame which is much reduced when the hood is removed.

But at least I am now assured of it staying in position and not spoiling photos by slipping around, and not spoiling my day by being falling off and being lost altogether!

Darn It wrote:

What Gary said. I wouldn't let shutter shock deter you from buying the GX8 if it interests you. I was choosing between the GX8 and GX85 but with the auto electronic shutter option, it's hardly an issue unless like Gary said, you shoot very fast moving subjects (ie. a moving car)

If you're trying to decide between cameras, really the best thing to do is go somewhere and hold all of your contenders. I decided instantly when I held the GX85 and went with the GX8. It is an amazing piece of hardware.

Hi Darn It, thanks for adding in to the review. Yes, the ergonomics of the GX8 wins hands down, it makes handling a relatively hefty lens like the 12-35mm f/2.8 very comfortable and the front positioned shutter button makes all the difference in the world.

Hen3ry wrote:

My experience is much the same as yours, using the 12-35 on the GX7 and the G6. An all round lens of considerable quality which is my main lens these days. I have had no problems with SS with this lens on either my GX7 or G6.

I don't believe the Oly 12-40 is sharper and certainly it could not be better built -- the build quality of the 12-35 is exceptional.

Flare

I don't think you mentioned flare. I find the lens is subject to flare of the general nature of light across the frame over a pretty narrow angle when the light is just outside the frame. A small adjustment of viewpoint eliminates it.

I also came across it when I was photographing singers at a concert -- lights behind them could show up as double images around the center point of the frame. Again, once aware of this you can avoid it by a small change of viewpoint or if not avoid it, turn it into a positive by positioning to take advantage of the flare as a picture element. I first noticed it when I gave a rotund rock singer a large green navel! LOL.

Lens hood

It is incredible, isn't it, that Panny could make a beautifully engineered lens and add a lens hood that doesn't stay on properly! The hoods I have on the 45-150 and 100-300 are fine -- they stanp int oplace and stay in place and those are cheap lenses (comparatively).

It appears the teeth on the lens hood track and the sockets on the lens bayonet are not matched. Someone on this forum suggested some surgery involving cutting a new socket and enlarging the teeth with epoxy resin. That’s a bit beyond my level of finesse. Someone else suggested tape -- I now have a thin strip of plastic electrical tape right around the the lens bayonet. It takes a little bit of force get the hood over it and then twist it into position, and once in place, it is pretty much a permanent installation. The only time that troubles me is on the odd occasion when I want to use the pop-up flash with the lens, in which case you get a big shadow in the bottom of the frame which is much reduced when the hood is removed.

But at least I am now assured of it staying in position and not spoiling photos by slipping around, and not spoiling my day by being falling off and being lost altogether!

Hi Hen3ry, thanks for adding some observations that I missed on my review, that will make this whole review thread more complete.

I completely forgot to mention flare, and you explained it very well! I don't find flare to be an issue with this lens, but maybe it's because I wasn't sensitive enough to notice it in my pictures so far, and maybe because the kind of pictures I was taking aren't prone to flares so far.

As for the lens hood, thank you for the suggestion of using tape, I will have to try it. Right now, I mostly shoot without the lens hood except when I'm going to a crowded place, to avoid bumping the front element.

Excellent photos too Hen3ry, those really showcase what the 12-35 can do!

Cheers!

You illustrated how well thel ens works in a range of situations.

A small amount of plumbers tape will tighten up the hood connection.

This was the first lens I bought when I went MF3 from Nikon full frame this year. It seemed quite a bargain compared to the Nikon 24-70 f/2.8 I had always coveted and it mated well with the first body I bought, a GX8.

I've added the Pen-F and an OMD M5 MK II and it's a little big on the Pen-F even when I add a grip, at least as a walkaround option.

I do like my results with it very much...if I had to pick one downside or complaint....I don't like that it's........PURPLE!   Come on, couldn't it be black...all my gear is black vs. silver. I don;t love the color but it's a goto lens for me.

As a walkaround / eveready lens on the Pen-F I have gone to the little Olympus 14-42 f/4-5.6 electric zoom lens. At $199 US it was a deal and that I can zoom it over Wi-Fi for video is wild.

Thanks for the good review of the 12-35!

My standard lens too. Bought it when it first came out along with the 35-100 f2.8 and use them exclusively on my Em1. Wanted faster better glass than was avaiable so took the leap  since Olympus had nothing to offer then. Would have bought the Olympus lenses if they were available then I might add, I am a long time Oly user and love their glass. With that said I just don't see a need for me to swap the Pannys for Oly's right now. If I stay with u4/3   longer term I may down the road I may add some of the Oly pro lenses.

I am on that FF fence, waiting patiently for the next gen gh and Em flagship cameras.....waiting patiently......

Bill