Next Lens For G9 - Zooms

Hi all,

I'm debating about the next lens for my G9. I currently run the Panny 12-35 f2.8 and the 45-150 f4-5.6.

Looking for a more do all lens when outdoors with the kids. I've narrowed it down to 3 options below. Looking back at my pictures with the 45-150, it seems I shoot a lot at 45mm (which tells me I could use something wider) to 90mm.

The lenses I'm considering are :

Panasonic 14-140mm II

Oly 12-100 f4

Panasonic 35-100 f2.8

The 14-140mm is definitely actractive for size, weight and cost. How's the image quality stack up with the other 2?

The 35-100 seems like a good fit next to my 12-35 and has f2.8 going for it. It does have the smallest focal range though.

12-100 is kind of sandwiched in the middle as far as focal length goes, is probably the best build quality but is the largest in size and weight. How's the Panasonic DFD focus work on the olympus glass?

Gotta love having options, but darn all these options. Any body gone through a similar decision? Any thoughts or ideas are welcome.

12-100 focuses very quickly on the G9 and the lens stabilisation is impressive too.

Mwh624 wrote:

Hi all,

I'm debating about the next lens for my G9. I currently run the Panny 12-35 f2.8 and the 45-150 f4-5.6.

Looking for a more do all lens when outdoors with the kids. I've narrowed it down to 3 options below. Looking back at my pictures with the 45-150, it seems I shoot a lot at 45mm (which tells me I could use something wider) to 90mm.

The lenses I'm considering are :

Panasonic 14-140mm II

Oly 12-100 f4

Panasonic 35-100 f2.8

The 14-140mm is definitely actractive for size, weight and cost. How's the image quality stack up with the other 2?

The 35-100 seems like a good fit next to my 12-35 and has f2.8 going for it. It does have the smallest focal range though.

12-100 is kind of sandwiched in the middle as far as focal length goes, is probably the best build quality but is the largest in size and weight. How's the Panasonic DFD focus work on the olympus glass?

Gotta love having options, but darn all these options. Any body gone through a similar decision? Any thoughts or ideas are welcome.

I used to have the 35-100mm that I coupled with the Oly 12-45mm mainly when traveling in Finland. It definitely is a nice lens but I ended getting a bit fed up with constantly changing lenses and got the 14-140mm instead. I really like the flexibility and also don't have complaints about the IQ. I mostly shoot outside so the relative slowness of the lens is not really an issue.

Marko

Mwh624 wrote:

Hi all,

I'm debating about the next lens for my G9. I currently run the Panny 12-35 f2.8 and the 45-150 f4-5.6.

Looking for a more do all lens when outdoors with the kids. I've narrowed it down to 3 options below. Looking back at my pictures with the 45-150, it seems I shoot a lot at 45mm (which tells me I could use something wider) to 90mm.

The lenses I'm considering are :

Panasonic 14-140mm II

Oly 12-100 f4

Panasonic 35-100 f2.8

The 14-140mm is definitely actractive for size, weight and cost. How's the image quality stack up with the other 2?

The 35-100 seems like a good fit next to my 12-35 and has f2.8 going for it. It does have the smallest focal range though.

12-100 is kind of sandwiched in the middle as far as focal length goes, is probably the best build quality but is the largest in size and weight. How's the Panasonic DFD focus work on the olympus glass?

Gotta love having options, but darn all these options. Any body gone through a similar decision? Any thoughts or ideas are welcome.

I order, I would rate the14-140 - a good all a rounder for descent light, lightest of the combos listed, IQ food but least of the ones listed, slowest lens here and not a constant aperture, but no lens changes out to 140mm, the 12-100 - works good on G, best IQ of the bunch and again a good all a rounder, heaviest of the bunch, and no lens changing out to 100mm (Best IQ of all the ones you mentioned and constant aperture.), the 12-35 and 35-100 combination - very good IQ, and constant aperture - faster by one stop over the 12-100 (could be better in low light), but constantly changing lenses could be a pita.

PS - I have them all. Mostly I use the 12-100, the 35-100 for concerts where I'm in the audience and not the photo pit - the P42.5 if in the pit (or, the 14-140 for travel, plus a fast prime.

Peace.

John

Only you know what you really want, but I have the 14-140 and it is the lens that lives on my G9 unless I have a rather special need for a fast prime lens.  It is a surprisingly excellent lens for a 10x zoom.

I had the prior version of this lens (non-weather-sealed) and with it took some of my best shots of my kindergartner running around with friends. Quite sharp, good contrast. Its image stabilizer helped a lot with my GM5. Definitely best in outdoor/sunny/bright conditions; in case we went to more dimly-lit environs I usually brought along the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7. The whole kit fit inside a large jacket pocket, and a big part of success was having that setup with me almost everywhere we went. Easy to carry alongside all the kid gear.

For a while I also had the sibling variable aperture 12-32 and 35-100 set that I believe were designed for the GM5. Optically great, maybe a bit more character than the 14-140 I. But, both needed to be extended before shooting, and the combined hassle of that and switching lenses ultimately lost out to the convenience and longer range of the latter. I appreciated being able to fill the frame with my fast-moving subject at long distances, which (with the stabilization) was sometimes easier than shooting fast movements than at closer range.

I had 35-100 2.8 and 14-140. I sold both and was happy with 12-100 on G9.

If you are happy with size/weight, I would vote for 12-100.  I personally found that combo quiet large and prefer Leica 12-60 on Olympus E-M5 mk3.

If you don’t mind the size and weight, the 12-100 is best for both range and IQ. I sold my 12-40 and 40-150 Pro lenses after getting this over two years ago. This lens, along with my PL 8-18 are essentially all I use (sold my little Oly 9-18 after getting the 8-18)

The Oly 12-100 pro is on my camera nearly all the time (G9) I love it and the images are great. 24-200 in 35mm terms is a superb handy range.

Mwh624 wrote:

Thanks for all the input

I am in the same boat so let me tell you my road to new lens.

I am just purchage a secondhand 35-100mm 2.8 mkii.

Owning a good set this is a luxuary buy.

Pl15mm f1.7 (inside and low light) great little lens excelent sharpness and rendering.

Pl12-60mm f2.8-4.0 (my first choise lens) fantastic landscape lens and city's. Balances great on the g80, nice sharpnes and contrast rendering.

Lumix 14-140mm f3.5-5.6, first lens i bought stil very nice to have works also great with extendertubes. Walking around in good light great lens to have mounted and no need to swap often. Sharp enough. Closest in macro kind ratio, the magnification factor and closest AF distance of my set except maybe the 15mm but try to shoot a dragonfly with 15mm... 😁

Lumix 100-300mm mkii, my "bird lens" rather specialised but couldn't affort a pl50-200mm nor the 100-400mm and the 45-200mm was rubbisch. Not my lens.

The minimum 100mm causes a swap often , that often that a second body would be nice. Still very nice lens in dual is2, sharp enough.

I was missing a f2.8 at a longer reach then 14mm. Inside musea or buildings i think the 35-100mm does helpout to pair with the 15mm f1.7.

Sins it's covered on hole focallenght i need it to be better then the lenses i have. IQ wise, weatherwise outdoors, speed wise.

And every review is telling it's a greatlens small, sharp, fast. So i folded. 😣

I hope it's a great indoors sportslens. The 12-60 was not fast enough zoomed in.

I am telling myself this is the missing link... Worth buying evendoh i have the focal lenght covered in one other and still on bothsides mm left.

Fitting on a g80 the 14-140mm is the only lens which isn't rainproof.

This one is rain, freeze proof and internal zoom so no pumping. (pl12-60mm does extend so could draw moist.)

Am i stupid or sensable in my selection reasoning? 😬

Design is reasonalbe old, same age as the 45-200mm i think.

Mwh624 wrote:

I'm debating about the next lens for my G9. I currently run the Panny 12-35 f2.8 and the 45-150 f4-5.6.

Looking for a more do all lens when outdoors with the kids. I've narrowed it down to 3 options below. Looking back at my pictures with the 45-150, it seems I shoot a lot at 45mm (which tells me I could use something wider) to 90mm.

The lenses I'm considering are :

Panasonic 14-140mm II

Oly 12-100 f4

Panasonic 35-100 f2.8

The two lenses I have used the most over the past 4-5 years were the Panasonic 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 and the 45-150mm f/4-5.6.

This year I purchased both the Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 and the 35-100mm f/2.8 and they have become my primary shooting lenses.

From my experience, the thing you will get with the Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8 is the ability for better subject separation, so if you are shooting the kids outdoors this would be a good choice.

If landscape is more your thing with lots of depth of field, then one of the other slower lenses may suit you better.

Having had both the 140-140 and 35-100 at one pint, I'm inclined to steer you toward the 35-100. It is a great compliment to your 12-35. Another option you might consider is the 12-60, either the Panny or the PL depending on your budget. My understanding is neither will be a let down from an image quality perspective. This is a very useful range in my experience, really limits lens switching if that's an objective.

The issue I have with the Olympus glass is you lose dual IS, and the focusing isn't quite as quick.

Cheers.

Panasonic 14-140mm II

Prob way better than it has any right to be. I borrowed this lens from time to time from a friend and if I didn't already have the 12-60 PL it would be on my radar.