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Product Description
Product Description
12-35mm Wide-angle Zoom Lens (24-70mm equiv.). F2.8 aperture available through the entire zoom range. X Lens, HD Silent AF design. Power OIS. Min focus dist. = 25cm. Nano surface coating. 4 Aspherical, 1 UED lens, 1 UHR lens. Robust Splash & Dust proof metal body construction. Fast and bright lens ideal for low light photography or indoor video use. The large aperture offers a shallow depth of field for striking visual impact. Would make a great kit bag companion for the HS35100E.
Introduction to Lumix G Lenses
High Performance and Small Form Factor
When Panasonic developed the Micro Four Thirds System Camera one of the benefits that came with it was the ability to dramatically reduce the size and bulk of the corresponding lenses. Using its expertise in aspherical lens manufacturing and with the cooperation and strict quality standards of Leica AG on board, it set about producing a wide range of lenses that would satisfy a new generation of camera users. Whatever photo opportunity arises, the growing number of high quality, creative lenses available for the MFT system ensures that you won't miss out. Many lens manufacturers now contribute to the fastest growing digital camera system with over 30 models from manufacturers such as Olympus, Sigma, Leica and, of course Panasonic, already available and more being added regularly.
High Precision Optical Performance
Aspherical Lens Elements
Traditional spherical lenses bend the light at the edges of the image causing distortion or aberration. Aspherical lenses on the other hand overcome this issue by delivering light to a more precise point on the sensor. They also reduce the number of required lens elements meaning lenses can be smaller and lighter. However Aspherical lenses are extremely difficult and costly to produce, so only a small number of manufacturers have the know-how to make them. Panasonic is one of the few lens manufacturers with this capability and therefor can create very high quality yet smaller lenses.
Anti-Ghost and Flare with Nano Surface Coating Lens
In advancement to regular multi-coating lens technology to reduce flare and reflections, the application of a Nano thin outer layer coating virtually eliminates ghost and flare entirely.
Ultra Extra-low Dispersion (UED) Lens Elements
An enhancement of the Extra-low Dispersion (ED) lens, Ultra ED are even more effective at reducing colour aberration. By reducing colour aberrations, high contrast and detail is maintained across the full width of the image, resulting in beautiful high quality pictures.
Ultra High Refractive Index (UHR) Lens Elements
The amount and speed of light passing through a lens is measured and known as its refractive index. The higher the index the better the lens is at passing light through it. UHR lenses are expensive to produce but give better results than lenses with a lower refractive index.
New Lumix Category "X" Lens
In 2011, Panasonic introduced the first of their "X Series" lenses. Lumix X lenses incorporate high-end optical technology along with the very latest digital control. Features include; Low Distortion, Corner to corner high resolution, Minimal ghost and flare, Crisp edge to edge contrast, Power optical image stabilisation and high-speed and silent contrast AF drive. All in all establishing a premium lens range amongst the Lumix line-up.
In-Lens Power Optical Image Stabilisation (Power O.I.S.)
Panasonic's extensive knowledge of building highly effective stabilisation in to our professional broadcast cameras led to the introduction of the Mega O.I.S. that compensates for tiny movements of the camera during shooting (up to 4,000 times per second). Power O.I.S. improves that compensation and doubles the effectiveness of shake suppression (when compared with Mega O.I.S.), especially for low frequency vibrations or when shooting in low light. Panasonic's lens-integrated gyro system ensures power efficient and accurate vibration compensation, matched to each lens, proving its effectiveness time after time.
Circular Aperture Diaphragm (7 Blades)
A circular aperture is essential for creating a smooth soft focus area when a large aperture is selected for the shot. Panasonic use seven aperture diaphragm blades in our lens to ensure a smooth transition at the focus edge.
High Precision Mechanical Performance
Original Lens Stepping Drive Motor for High-speed Contrast AF
In conventional digital SLR cameras, contrast AF is more accurate than phase difference AF, but ordinarily has a slower focus speed. Panasonic have overcome this problem by incorporating a unique stepping motor in the drive system. A screw unit integrated with the motor shaft moves the focus lens directly, without the need for relay gears or cams. The result is auto focusing that is swift and accurate. It could be the difference between capturing the shot or not.
Silent AF Motor Drive - Perfect for HD Video Recording
In addition to the fast stepping motor drive the improves the speed of focussing, this lens model also uses an inner linear motor that is almost silent in operation. This makes the lens ideal for use when videoing as no motor noise will be picked up by the microphone.
High Quality Metal Barrel Construction
The highly durable metal construction of the lens barrel ensures this lens will go on delivering the reliability you would expect and work with you in environments where lesser lenses may falter.
High Reliability Metal Mount
Continually fixing and unfixing lenses to your camera body puts a lot of strain on the lens mount. As an important part of the lens barrel, a metal mount is more durable and retains an accurate fixing to the camera body. Resulting in a more reliable performance for many years to come.
Dust & Splash Proof Construction
Some shooting situations come with tough conditions for a high precision camera and lens to face. This lens comes with the added protection of a dust and splash proof construction that can withstand a light shower of rain or dusty situation.
Box Contains
Lens Cap
Lens Hood
Lens Rear Cap
Lens Storage Bag
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Customer Reviews
The micro 4/3 system is clearly the most highly evolved of the compact mirrorless systems in relation to lenses, and particularly fast primes. However, what has been clearly lacking thus far are fast zooms. Well, this mid-range F2.8 from Panasonic, together with its companion 35-100, now clearly plug that gap.
Is it any good? I tested it quite throughly against my existing m4/3 mid-range zoom, the excellent Panny 14-45 (far superior to its disappointing 14-42 kit successor) as well as some exemplary primes such as the stunning Leica 25mm F1.4. Optically and ergonimically, it fared extremely well. The first thing you notice is the biting centre sharpness at all apertures; corners are down a bit, but still good. Field curvature appears limited, and stopping down to F4 seems to result in maximum edge/corner performance. My sample appeared well centered, with no apparent performance asymmetry.
This lens clearly surpasses the already excellent 14-45 at all apertures and common focal lengths. It's performance wide open surpasses that of the 14-45 stopped down, a fine performance. Its clear forte is centre sharpness and acuity, where it even gives (at 25mm) the superb Leica a run for its money.
In general, the lens seems to perform marginally better at the long end, although the crucial 12mm is still fine.
Ergonomically, the lens is a delight; it feels perfectly balanced on my Olympus OM-D, solid and high quality, with superb focus and zoom ring feel.
Given all this, why no five stars? Well, I give you two words- chromatic aberration. Yes, the dreaded CA is there at corners and wide open on difficult content such as dark back-lit subjects. That's disappointing, although a quick dab in Photoshop or Lightroom fixes things. Needless to say, the Panasonic m4/3 bodies neatly resolve this problem in-camera with firmware. This lens should therefore be considered a five star purchase if you shoot with Pannys. And it will in due course become so on the OM-D when Olympus pulls its finger out and finally introduces an in-camera CA firmware fix. What are you waiting for, Oly?
Despite this fly in the ointment, this lens remains a fine performer, and is self-recommending if you need a fast, high-quality mid range zoom for your m4/3 body. At a price!
The zoom range is a modest 3:1. This is small enough to allow us all to believe (including reviewers) that high image quality will be maintained. Normally with 10:1 lenses reviewers grizzle about image quality.
So in classic 35mm parlance you get 24mm to 70mm, or 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm and 70mm. So from a decent wide angle to a shortish portrait. A useful range for landscapes, tourism, and night time.
This being a Panasonic Lumix lens it does contain its own Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). Normally I have it switched off and let my Olympus body wiggle the sensor around for image stabilization. But for the future it does mean that I could buy a Lumix micro four thirds body and still get image stabilization - an option which would be closed had it been an Olympus lens. Not that Olumpus (or any other lens manufacturer who serves micro four thirds) has anything like this.
So, if it is fast, handsome, and useful, how come it didn't get 5 stars? Good question. The only failing I have found so far is that at the shortest focal length 12mm (which with micro four thirds is equivalent to a 24mm lens on 35mm film) there is some vignetting in the 4 corners. With vignetting the 4 corners are dark. Not just under-exposed, but black, there is no information there for Photoshop (or similar) to recover. All you can do is to knock the focal length up to 14mm or 18mm, either will see the vignetting gone. Or you can try to fill in the corners on your PC by just colouring the corners in. Hardly ideal, and hardly to be expected when you just paid the best part of £1000 on a lens.
Apart from the 12mm vignetting, this is a lovely lens, and I don't regret the purchase. Whether you buy this lens or not, having fast lenses is good for those who can afford them. In low light you get more of it, and in reasonable light you have a wider range of apertures which will return good quality images - note that nearly all lenses have a smallest aperture of f22, and if good image quality is to be found between (Fmax minus 2 stops) and (Fmin plus one stop), then a fast lens offers a much wider useful aperture range than a slow one.
The Olympus 75mm f1.8 does appeal to me, but using the same value proposition for fast zoom versus 2 fast primes, I am waiting for the Lumix 35-100mm F2.8 to come out, and when it does, I will definitely buy one.
Great lens for stills
The problem is with its use for video
The image stabilisation does not turn off when switched for tripod work. Read more
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