Fun with Panasonic 100-300

[mark1000]

Thanks Mark, my pleasure.... I have uploaded many from the trip, all taken with the GH1, GH2.... and Lumix lenses.

India was very challenging, hazy skies and dull sun for the north, and the bus we spent much of our time in did not have opening windows and the seats had white covers. I used the circular polarizer a lot, but missed many shots. I shot RAW and Jpg, most uploaded images are RAW converted with LR 3.3 and then Capture One Pro 6.1 when support for the GH2 was added.

I fought continuously with the GH2 and the touch screen changing my focus point at the wrong time, that is an issue that needs adressing. When shooting fast changing street scenes from a moving vehicle, no time to check the settings on the focus point when a snap image is needed.

While the Lumix 14-140mm is a perfect range travel lens, it is just too slow for dull lighting and fast shooting.... but, it did the job. Most used lenses were the 14-140mm and 7-14mm, I had the 20mm and 100-300mm as well, but they were very specialized.


http://photos.photo-matix.com.au/f1003535074

Phil

Your not the first to complain about the touchscreen, i have had a problem with touching it by mistake quite a few times myself, it needs a firmware fix to add a software button that disables the touch focus point feature, just like the button we have to disable the one touch focus and shoot.

Mark.

 

[ustein]

Your not the first to complain about the touchscreen, i have had a problem with touching it by mistake quite a few times myself, it needs a firmware fix to add a software button that disables the touch focus point feature, just like the button we have to disable the one touch focus and shoot.

Mark.

Yes, this can be a problem. On the other side changing the focus point with one touch is nice.

 

[biglouis]

Goldfinches

Just amazed again at what can be captured with the GH-2 and the 100-300. These Goldfinches were quite tame and allowed me to get fairly close to photograph them. They were really chowing down on the seeds - either they are brave birds or very greedy!

 

[ustein]

 

[Glenn]

Both at 300mm, hand-held:

 

[biglouis]

Looking at the samples here (including my own - haha!) I can't believe how good this little lens is.

LouisB

 

[ustein]

Looking at the samples here (including my own - haha!) I can't believe how good this little lens is.

LouisB

Yes, this is a nice lens (balancing price, size, weight and quality).

 

[ustein]

I love this lens because I can reach for subjects otherwise out of my reach. Ok, that is not new. But in such a small package it is. We have the 100-300mm now always with us.

 

[biglouis]

One more, today - Long Tailed Tits feeding on suet balls (GH-2)

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

One more, today - Long Tailed Tits feeding on suet balls (GH-2)

This lens is starting to look seriously good. The photographer too :thumbup:

 

[biglouis]

This lens is starting to look seriously good. The photographer too :thumbup:

Thanks, Jorgen. That's the first time this year that I have been able to shoot at a reasonable iso, so the detail has improved considerably.

LouisB

 

[mark1000]

Hi guys, took advantage of the great weather yesterday, pics taken with the GH2 and 100-300 zoom.

Cant seem to keep the EXIF intact since installing W7, haven't changed my workflow, lightroom/cs3 and resized with BDsizer, UL to Picasa.


Camera: Panasonic
Model: DMC-GH2
ISO: 320
Exposure: 1/1250 sec
Aperture: 5.6
Focal Length: 286mm

Camera: Panasonic
Model: DMC-GH2
ISO: 160
Exposure: 1/1250 sec
Aperture: 5.0
Focal Length: 210mm

Camera: Panasonic
Model: DMC-GH2
ISO: 320
Exposure: 1/1250 sec
Aperture: 5.0
Focal Length: 201mm

Camera: Panasonic
Model: DMC-GH2
ISO: 400
Exposure: 1/1250 sec
Aperture: 5.0
Focal Length: 201mm

Mark.

 

[slosync]

Hi guys, took advantage of the great weather yesterday, pics taken with the GH2 and 100-300 zoom.

Cant seem to keep the EXIF intact since installing W7, haven't changed my workflow, lightroom/cs3 and resized with BDsizer, UL to Picasa.

Mark.

Hi Mark,

Just an FYI: I am able to see the EXIF on Foxfire but not in IE9 using Opanda.

Nice clear and sharp pictures of those little birds!!

A few questions:

What distance are you from the birds?

Are you using any camera support:

IS OIS on or off?

Cheers,
Don

 

[mark1000]

Hi Mark,

Just an FYI: I am able to see the EXIF on Foxfire but not in IE9 using Opanda.

Nice clear and sharp pictures of those little birds!!

A few questions:

What distance are you from the birds?

Are you using any camera support:

IS OIS on or off?

Cheers,
Don

Hi Don, thanks for the kind comment, OIS is on, no camera support other than me, and the distance was about 10 feet, these birds are on a good thing with the photographers who visit and feed them on a daily basis, so we get the chance of getting really close.

Mark.

 

[biglouis]

Mark

Those are spectacular captures. As we experience more sun here I am lowering the iso and getting fantastic detail in my pictures using this lens. It really is a very good piece of glass, regardless of its price or mount.

I particularly like the blue tits where the colours of the blue cap and the yellow breast really come through beautifully.

Here is another I shot on Sunday:

 

[Matix]

Very nice Mark and Louis, great shots... you have hit the sweet spot on this lens, it is there for sure. Mid range 100 to 290, just stay away from 300mm, or greater than 285mm as it gets harder to nail a sharp image I find. This is quite common on many lenses though in my experience, even way more expensive Nikon lenses.

Phil

 

[DHart]

Nice images Mark and Louis... with perfect subject matter for such a long lens. If I ever decide to get into bird images, that's the first lens I will buy!

 

[f6cvalkyrie]

Very nice birdshots, both from Mark and Louis !
I've never had any pics in that quality, even when bringing out the "BIG" cavalery (Nikkor IF-ED 300/2.8 on tripod)

Congrats,
Rafael

 

[mark1000]

Mark

Those are spectacular captures. As we experience more sun here I am lowering the iso and getting fantastic detail in my pictures using this lens. It really is a very good piece of glass, regardless of its price or mount.

I particularly like the blue tits where the colours of the blue cap and the yellow breast really come through beautifully.

Thanks, Louis.

Very nice Mark and Louis, great shots... you have hit the sweet spot on this lens, it is there for sure. Mid range 100 to 290, just stay away from 300mm, or greater than 285mm as it gets harder to nail a sharp image I find. This is quite common on many lenses though in my experience, even way more expensive Nikon lenses.

Phil

Thanks, Phil.

While i agree that the lens is best pulled back from 300mm, i wouldn't say to stay away from it, see my Duck shot @ 300mm wide open below.

Nice images Mark and Louis... with perfect subject matter for such a long lens. If I ever decide to get into bird images, that's the first lens I will buy!

Cheers, Don.

Very nice birdshots, both from Mark and Louis !
I've never had any pics in that quality, even when bringing out the "BIG" cavalery (Nikkor IF-ED 300/2.8 on tripod)

Congrats,
Rafael

Thanks, Raf.

Cheers guys, here is a portrait @ 300mm taken on the same day.

Camera: Panasonic
Model: DMC-GH2
ISO: 200
Exposure: 1/1250 sec
Aperture: 5.6
Focal Length: 300mm

Mark.

 

[biglouis]

I agree with Mark. A lot of my shots are at 300mm and fully open. Incidentally, I have noticed that the EXIF data often does not state 300 but states something like 285mm. There may be some problem there with recording the exact focal length?

LouisB