Panasonic 100-300mm II autofocus problems

[Dan99265]

I've had the Panasonic 100-300mm f4-5.6 II for about 2.5 years. It's paired with an OMD-EM1 Mark I, and I've shot about 15,000 frames with it. I've been extremely happy with it until...

Recently the autofocus just stopped working past 150mm. When I turn the camera on it will focus up to 150mm; if I extend the zoom it immediately blurs and then will not focus again, even at 150 or shorter. Manual focus also does not seem to work.

I tried updating the firmware (on a Mac) but the Olympus updater doesn't recognize the lens. It also doesn't look like there is much newer firmware?

I found an older thread about this but nothing newer. Thoughts?

 

[Skeeterbytes]

I've had the Panasonic 100-300mm f4-5.6 II for about 2.5 years. It's paired with an OMD-EM1 Mark I, and I've shot about 15,000 frames with it. I've been extremely happy with it until...

Recently the autofocus just stopped working past 150mm. When I turn the camera on it will focus up to 150mm; if I extend the zoom it immediately blurs and then will not focus again, even at 150 or shorter. Manual focus also does not seem to work.

Weird!

I tried updating the firmware (on a Mac) but the Olympus updater doesn't recognize the lens. It also doesn't look like there is much newer firmware?

This is probably a clue. Oly updater recognizes and updates Panny lenses so if your zoom isn't identified there's something preventing communication. When you zoom, does the camera display show the focal length changing? Is the aperture working?

I found an older thread about this but nothing newer. Thoughts?

The only other thing I can think of is OIS or IBIS acting up. What happens when you switch it on and off?

Good luck!

Rick

 

[JakeJY]

I don't know if it's related to your Olympus software not seeing the lens, but the 100-300mm II (H-FSA100300) does not appear to have a firmware update available (the old H-FS100300 version did).

https://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/support/global/cs/dsc/download/index.html

 

[Terry L]

I had the same issue. In my case with E-M1.2 Sent lens to Panasonic for repair. While they had it it worked perfectly so it was sent back. Now I am nervous whenever I go out with it in the bag.

 

[dinoSnake]

Bad focus motor flex ribbon, it'll need to go in for service. Until you zoom past a certain point the lens can communicate with the body; once flexed past that point, the flex ribbon loses continuity and the body registers a communications failure.

It is not an uncommon problem with electronic zoom lenses after a certain age.

 

[Wasabi Bob]

Bad focus motor flex ribbon, it'll need to go in for service. Until you zoom past a certain point the lens can communicate with the body; once flexed past that point, the flex ribbon loses continuity and the body registers a communications failure.

It is not an uncommon problem with electronic zoom lenses after a certain age.

This would be an accurate diagnosis "if" you are getting the "lens not connected" error. This error message occurs when communication is lost.

 

[dinoSnake]

Bad focus motor flex ribbon, it'll need to go in for service. Until you zoom past a certain point the lens can communicate with the body; once flexed past that point, the flex ribbon loses continuity and the body registers a communications failure.

It is not an uncommon problem with electronic zoom lenses after a certain age.

This would be an accurate diagnosis "if" you are getting the "lens not connected" error. This error message occurs when communication is lost.

It's intermittent and it sounds like the aperture motors are still registering. To me, still, it most likely sounds like a flex ribbon failure, the most common fault mode on these lenses.

 

[TwoMetreBill]

While Panasonic typically has excellent quality control, they put CaNikon to shame, the 100-300 has been an exception unfortunately. The II is superior to the original but not up to their usual quality. At least the II usually is decent optically.

At under 4 cents per shot, I think you got your money's worth. IMHO we should not expect pro grade durability from kit lenses.

 

[Wasabi Bob]

While Panasonic typically has excellent quality control, they put CaNikon to shame, the 100-300 has been an exception unfortunately. The II is superior to the original but not up to their usual quality. At least the II usually is decent optically.

TMB - the original 100-300 was one of the first zoom lens that Panasonic introduced. This was designed long before the partnership with Leica matured to where it is today. It was, and to some extent still is an entry level lens. From a repair standpoint the only reoccurring issue I saw was some minor lens creep that took several years of heavy use to show itself. For this lens, flex cable failure was never an epidemic problem.The majority of lens repairs are due to customer mishaps.

Panasonic revamped the original design and increase the AF frame rate in the "II" version to make it more compatible with today's cameras. In all fairness, you can't compare it to the 100-400, which it was never intended to compete against.

 

[Terry L]

"The majority of lens repairs are due to customer mishaps." Of course! Why didn't I think of that? It is always the customer's fault isn't it? And to think that meddling governments have enacted consumer protection laws when the law should protect corporations from their clumsy, careless ungrateful customers.

 

[JakeJY]

"The majority of lens repairs are due to customer mishaps." Of course! Why didn't I think of that? It is always the customer's fault isn't it? And to think that meddling governments have enacted consumer protection laws when the law should protect corporations from their clumsy, careless ungrateful customers.

I think this is a bit of an overreaction. Believe he's just saying a majority (aka more than half) of repair requests are from accidental damage (which may or may not be true, would need to look at breakdown of service records to determine). If you have a relatively reliable lens design, I don't see why that would be anything unusual.

He's not saying all of the lens repairs fall under this.

 

[Wasabi Bob]

"The majority of lens repairs are due to customer mishaps." Of course! Why didn't I think of that? It is always the customer's fault isn't it? And to think that meddling governments have enacted consumer protection laws when the law should protect corporations from their clumsy, careless ungrateful customers.

I think this is a bit of an overreaction. Believe he's just saying a majority (aka more than half) of repair requests are from accidental damage (which may or may not be true, would need to look at breakdown of service records to determine). If you have a relatively reliable lens design, I don't see why that would be anything unusual.

He's not saying all of the lens repairs fall under this.

"meddling governments" - Seriously? This is a hobby - You need to take a chill pill.

Yes, "more than 50%." When a customer's lens comes in with dings, dents or scuff marks, and sometimes broken lens mounts I think it's a pretty safe assumption that the problem was not caused by natural causes. Occasionally I've seen flex cables become unseated which results in a dead lens. Aborted firmware updates, usually involving Oly bodies were also something I've seen. But in general, incidents involving the outright failure of an internal motor or other electrical parts was not very common - for Panasonic and Oly. In general they are both pretty reliable.