Mid-range zooms – sooo many choices!

Loving the OM-1 and the PL100-400 is glued to it. I also still had my trusty PL12-60, which I also love, but there is of course a little gap there from 60-100. This is a focal range I do use a lot (I use a 70-200 a LOT on FF).

M43 is really spoiled for choice. Incredibly hard to choose. So I am mostly curious who here might have several of the choices below and why you'd use one more over the other.

Effectively this would be more for travel and walk-around. If I want max IQ, I would use the S1 with a prime anyway. Means also I rather want light and small.

Choices I am considering:

• New OM 40-150 f4: nice size and light, great weather sealing. Bit pricey though.
• Oly 40-150 f4-f5.6 plastic-fantastic: i had it as my very first M43 zoom years ago on a GX7 and did get a lot of great images. Cheap and light. But how much "worse" it vs others?
• Pana 35-100 f2.8: nice size and weight, fast aperture. But a bit pricey.
• Pana 14-140: been reading a lot of positive things about it. Would save me swapping to the PL12-60 almost entirely, but how does it compare to that one? Very light and small. Weather sealed too apparently. 
• Olympus 14-150: I find not much about that one. How would that compare to the Pana 14-140 quality wise? 
• Olympus 12-200: i find very little good info on that one. How much compromise is IQ on that zoom range?

Things I am discarding for subjective reasons:

• Oly 40-150: too big and heavy for what I want right now.  
• Oly 12-100 f4: too big and heavy, tried it once, wasn't a big fan. It's heavier and bigger than the 40-150f4

What are you preferences? This is not a "help me choose / choose for me" question, I am genuinely looking for subjective experiences and preferences from actual use.

I’d grab a “plastic fantastic” just because and also get whatever other one you ultimately decide to get.

Marie

tt321 wrote:

If it were me I'd consider replacing the 12-60 with a 12-100/4. The size+weight, for carrying, is not a problem as you use only one lens and not two to cover that range.

For handholding the weight and size is increased, but if you could tolerate a 400mm zoom you could easily tolerate a 100mm zoom.

Also reduces the need for lens changes.

Just add a 20/1.7 for low light.

Thanks!

I had the 12- 100 for a while and I just didn't like it much. I just didn't like the combo of size+weight+f4+price. For the use case, I would always revert to the PL12-60 just because it is such a nicer package to carry around when on camera. It's a great lens for sure though.

The PL100-400 is a completely different use case. The weight here is not in comparison to a 12-60 – it's comparing the size of the package of OM-1 + PL100-400 vs e.g. an R5+100-500.

If you want small, light and cheap, there also is the Panasonic 35-100/4.0-5.6 . An underrated lens. Can be found de-kitted (new without box) for very reasonable money. Would give you exactly that 70-200 FF range you are missing. It's only 135g heavy and 50mm long. IQ is above the plastic fantastic, but not at pro-level.

Just got the 35-100 2.8ii its been fun so far, very nice lens (only a few hundred shots in so far).

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4657532

Used the lumix 45-150 4-5.6 really enjoyed that, probably a little more so (did use it a lot though).

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4567727

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4580650

I found the 45-150 balance on the G9 I didnt like, 35-100 feels good on the G9.

The 45-150 on a GX or similar weight camera is about perfect imo.

The 35-100 is obviously the better lens, the 45-150 is obviously the better value lens, both I wouldnt hesitate to use/buy.

I wouldnt swap my PL12-60 for the 12-100 f/4, but if I shot oly it would be a consideration, how could a lens that good not be!

Tough choice, good luck!

You have a good camera, get a decent lens.

MFT is my lighter better system.  FF for landscape on a tripod.  OM1 on order, GM1 carried a lot.

It was obvious that my mid tele lens would be a used 35-100/2.8 mk i.  Perfect fit to size, cost and performance.

Held a good used copy in our local shop and a bad copy of the 40-150/2.8.  New 40-150/2.8 on offer, bought that.  Life is a mystery.

Used 35-100/2.8 mk i seems ideal for you.

Andrew

The Olympus 12-100/4.0 pairs up very well with the 100-400/4.0-6.3 lens. In my case the Olympus 100-400/4.0-6.3 lens. With the 12-100/4.0 you get the dual/hybrid stabilization. Plus all the other things that the OM-1 allows. The 12-100/4.0 is a very high quality lens with great image quality. Yes, a little on the bulky side, but balanced very well on the OM-1.

My usual kit is the Olympus 12-45/4.0 and the 40-150/4.0. The 40-150/4.0 is a great lens with great image quality.

The PL 35-100/2.8 is a good lens. I don't use mine any more since I like other options better. It is nice and compact and has good image quality.
I have no rxpeywith the other lenses you listed.

Jamajuel wrote:

Loving the OM-1 and the PL100-400 is glued to it. I also still had my trusty PL12-60, which I also love, but there is of course a little gap there from 60-100. This is a focal range I do use a lot (I use a 70-200 a LOT on FF).

M43 is really spoiled for choice. Incredibly hard to choose. So I am mostly curious who here might have several of the choices below and why you'd use one more over the other.

Effectively this would be more for travel and walk-around. If I want max IQ, I would use the S1 with a prime anyway. Means also I rather want light and small.

Choices I am considering:

• Pana 14-140: been reading a lot of positive things about it.

What are you preferences? This is not a "help me choose / choose for me" question, I am genuinely looking for subjective experiences and preferences from actual use.

I’ve run through a bunch of lenses in that range.

14-140mm f4-5.8 was my first kit lens coupled with a GH2. Used it for a while, sold it. Too chunky.

Tried 14-42mm II and 45-150mm. Too much lens swapping.

Picked up a 14-140mm f3.5-5.6 to replace the pair.

It took a while, but I’ve grown to love it as an all-day walkabout travel and hiking lens.
Great size, weight, reach and image quality, especially given that it’s a 10x zoom.

I can’t recommend it highly enough!

I know this isn’t part of your plan, but for light travel I would add a second smaller body and lenses to match. For really small and affordable I have an E-M10 IV with 14-42 EZ pancake. Total weight is 17 ounces and fits in a jacket pocket. I add the 40-150 plastic fantastic, which you already know. The whole kit, including small bag fits “into” my under-seat personal bag for airline travel. I never find myself wanting for more IQ with this travel combo. In fact, with the E-M10 IV/Plastic Fantastic combo, I recently garnered a blue ribbon in state wide competition for my “Praying Dragon” image (below). Shop carefully and you can put together the whole kit for less than the cost of the 12-40 f/4 Pro.

Go up a level with the E-M5 III. I pair mine with the 12-45 F/4 and the 40-150 f/4. Still pretty small and the f/4 lenses are so sharp wide open that a crop to get more “reach” is an easy task.

Another budget option is to start with the small E-M10 II and add the smaller lenses. IMO, the E-M10 II is still the best small 16mpx camera that Olympus ever built, and can still be counted in for great images.

“Praying Dragon”

I have the 12-200 [came as the 'kit' lens with my M1.2] and there are moderate bursts of Gear Acquisition Syndrome while I consider what lens option(s) best complement it.

My two current picks iso start at 12 mm for the wide end - either the 12-100 or the 12-40, but its not too urgent as I have that range covered - just not with a 'pro' grade lens.

gary0319 wrote:

I know this isn’t part of your plan, but for light travel I would add a second smaller body and lenses to match.

Thank you Gary! Great point – and this is absolutely part of my plan! When I bought into L-Mount, I did keep a few M43 lenses and my old GX7 body. Frankly, if Panasonic released a GX10, I probably would buy it in a second. But I am also very curious to see what the OM-5 will bring.

For really small and affordable I have an E-M10 IV with 14-42 EZ pancake. Total weight is 17 ounces and fits in a jacket pocket. I add the 40-150 plastic fantastic, which you already know. The whole kit, including small bag fits “into” my under-seat personal bag for airline travel. I never find myself wanting for more IQ with this travel combo. In fact, with the E-M10 IV/Plastic Fantastic combo, I recently garnered a blue ribbon in state wide competition for my “Praying Dragon” image (below). Shop carefully and you can put together the whole kit for less than the cost of the 12-40 f/4 Pro.

Very true. I think right now I'm happily waiting what new stuff OMS and Pana release and that'll decide if I spend bigger on the new shiny things or simply look for very nice used options.

“Praying Dragon”

Very nice!

Jamajuel wrote:

gary0319 wrote:

I know this isn’t part of your plan, but for light travel I would add a second smaller body and lenses to match.

Thank you Gary! Great point – and this is absolutely part of my plan! When I bought into L-Mount, I did keep a few M43 lenses and my old GX7 body. Frankly, if Panasonic released a GX10, I probably would buy it in a second. But I am also very curious to see what the OM-5 will bring.

My first M43 kit was a GX7, bought as a tag along for my Canon DSLR. Of course, it wasn't long before the Canon gear was on the sales block. Only a great deal on an E-M10 got me to try the Olympus flavor... but still have a fondness for that GX7.

For really small and affordable I have an E-M10 IV with 14-42 EZ pancake. Total weight is 17 ounces and fits in a jacket pocket. I add the 40-150 plastic fantastic, which you already know. The whole kit, including small bag fits “into” my under-seat personal bag for airline travel. I never find myself wanting for more IQ with this travel combo. In fact, with the E-M10 IV/Plastic Fantastic combo, I recently garnered a blue ribbon in state wide competition for my “Praying Dragon” image (below). Shop carefully and you can put together the whole kit for less than the cost of the 12-40 f/4 Pro.

Very true. I think right now I'm happily waiting what new stuff OMS and Pana release and that'll decide if I spend bigger on the new shiny things or simply look for very nice used options.

“Praying Dragon”

Very nice!

gary0319 wrote:

Jamajuel wrote:

gary0319 wrote:

I know this isn’t part of your plan, but for light travel I would add a second smaller body and lenses to match.

Thank you Gary! Great point – and this is absolutely part of my plan! When I bought into L-Mount, I did keep a few M43 lenses and my old GX7 body. Frankly, if Panasonic released a GX10, I probably would buy it in a second. But I am also very curious to see what the OM-5 will bring.

My first M43 kit was a GX7, bought as a tag along for my Canon DSLR. Of course, it wasn't long before the Canon gear was on the sales block. Only a great deal on an E-M10 got me to try the Olympus flavor... but still have a fondness for that GX7.

The GX7 was my first ILC. Used it for the longest time with the kit lens and the cheap Oly 40-150. Really great for learning and I still love the form factor and the swivel EVF.

I was for several years in m43 with GX8 and PL12-60, then about 3-4 years ago I moved to Fuji and now for about a year I am back to m43 and Olympus.

I used to dislike the 12-100 too, saying that is heavy and big, until I tried it and actually used it. What is impressive with that lens is the dual ibis and the fact that is really sharp across its focal range. It can be used for landscapes, portraits and close ups with great results and is also built like tank!

My 1st choice would be the 12-100 and then the PL12-60 and 14-140 latest version. Some samples:

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/66135991

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/66181197

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/65866963

This is a combo I have (I also have the 14-140 ll). My 2cents, forget about the 14-140, buy the 35-100 2.8 ... it is a great lens, very underrated ... I absolutely love mine... (see Gnine's post above in this thread) ...