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PANALEICA DG 100-400mm / F4.0-6.3

biglouis

Well-known member
Bart

I think the problem for me will be price. I can get a s/h 100-300 for about GBP250.

The 100-400 I think will be closer to GBP 2,000 if the rumours above are true.

Mind you I like the idea here.

A lot of people think me mad for suggesting the 100-300 for birding but I have produced some excellent captures of birds from it and it is of course incredibly portable for an equivalent 600mm lens.

A 100-400 would give you even more reach and one would expect stellar IQ from it as well.

LouisB
 

Annna T

Active member
Bart

I think the problem for me will be price. I can get a s/h 100-300 for about GBP250.

The 100-400 I think will be closer to GBP 2,000 if the rumours above are true.

Mind you I like the idea here.

A lot of people think me mad for suggesting the 100-300 for birding but I have produced some excellent captures of birds from it and it is of course incredibly portable for an equivalent 600mm lens.

A 100-400 would give you even more reach and one would expect stellar IQ from it as well.

LouisB
The problem with the 100-300mm is sample variation. Mine couldn't be shot longer than 240mm : longer the E-M5 it wouldn't even be able to AF at long distance. And in MF it was clear that the lens wasn't able to focus at infinite at the long end : I wanted to turn the focusing ring just a little to be OK, but I had reached the furthest distance possible. I went as far as buying a special tripod collar made in Germany hoping my problem was due to camera movement, but it didn't improve anything. I sent the lens to Panasonic support service, but the lens came back with the comment that it was inside of the admitted tolerances.

BTW I still remember your nice bird pictures !
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Bart

I think the problem for me will be price. I can get a s/h 100-300 for about GBP250.

The 100-400 I think will be closer to GBP 2,000 if the rumours above are true.

Mind you I like the idea here.

A lot of people think me mad for suggesting the 100-300 for birding but I have produced some excellent captures of birds from it and it is of course incredibly portable for an equivalent 600mm lens.

A 100-400 would give you even more reach and one would expect stellar IQ from it as well.

LouisB
Problem with the 100-300 is exactly what the problem is with the Oly 75-300: IQ degrades significantly at the longer end. Nothing changed here. This was the reason I finally bought the Oly 2.8 40-150 with TC1.4, which is an excellent lens over the complete range.

My main issue with Panasonic and Olympus m43 is, that their long range telezooms suck at least for me. Why not build a slightly more expensive 75-300, with max aperture 5.6 and with improved IQ at 300, even if it becomes a bit more bulky. I start hating the concept that the whole system HAS TO BE small and lightweight, this is just not working for serious photography.
 

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
Problem with the 100-300 is exactly what the problem is with the Oly 75-300: IQ degrades significantly at the longer end. Nothing changed here. This was the reason I finally bought the Oly 2.8 40-150 with TC1.4, which is an excellent lens over the complete range.

My main issue with Panasonic and Olympus m43 is, that their long range telezooms suck at least for me. Why not build a slightly more expensive 75-300, with max aperture 5.6 and with improved IQ at 300, even if it becomes a bit more bulky. I start hating the concept that the whole system HAS TO BE small and lightweight, this is just not working for serious photography.

I dunno. I always thought the Oly 75-300 II did pretty well, here on the E-M5.2 = E-M5 Mark II at 300 mm, uncropped.

 

Knorp

Well-known member
Problem with the 100-300 is exactly what the problem is with the Oly 75-300: IQ degrades significantly at the longer end. Nothing changed here. This was the reason I finally bought the Oly 2.8 40-150 with TC1.4, which is an excellent lens over the complete range.

My main issue with Panasonic and Olympus m43 is, that their long range telezooms suck at least for me. Why not build a slightly more expensive 75-300, with max aperture 5.6 and with improved IQ at 300, even if it becomes a bit more bulky. I start hating the concept that the whole system HAS TO BE small and lightweight, this is just not working for serious photography.
My problem is I hardly ever shoot at infinity ... :eek:
Always thought of my 100-300 copy as a 'stellar' lens: especially at the long end.
But it's the sample variation that's at play here resulting in mixed user experiences.
I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for my 100-400 ... :)

Kind regards.
 

Knorp

Well-known member
My problem is I hardly ever shoot at infinity ... :eek:
Always thought of my 100-300 copy as a 'stellar' lens: especially at the long end.
But it's the sample variation that's at play here resulting in mixed user experiences.
I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for my 100-400 ... :)

Kind regards.
This is why I think I liked my 100-300 ...baboon; peacock; lion

Shot with the G1: gone also ...
 

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
Thanks Bart. Terrific images! I don't think they would have been better taken with an FF camera - well to my eyes anyway.
 

dhsimmonds

New member
It will be the Panaleica DG100-400 for me, most definitely.

Reasons:
* I prefer to use a zoom for wildlife as their unpredictable behaviour means that it is so easy to lose the shot. should a lens change become necessary.
* The extra reach is so useful and I am not so keen on using the 1.4 converter on the mZuiko Pro 300 prime. I get mixed results using it with the mZuiko Pro 80-150.
* I just like the Panaleica DG lenses! Their bokeh is usually silky smooth and not so 'clinical' as the mZuiko Pro premium and primes, even though the latter are so very sharp. They have their uses though for certain jobs.

Just my tuppence worth!

Happy New Year everyone.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Rather the PanaLeica for me as it is a zoom which I prefer for wildlife.

The Oly is too expensive and restrictive. Also shows where IBIS is coming clearly to an end finally!
 

Knorp

Well-known member
Rather the PanaLeica for me as it is a zoom which I prefer for wildlife.

The Oly is too expensive and restrictive. Also shows where IBIS is coming clearly to an end finally!
The 100-400 is also high on my wish-list, but I'm not too sure about the Oly to be "too expensive": expensive maybe, but let's wait and see what we've to shell out for the 100-400 ...
I guess we'll know by the end of this week :)

All the best.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
The 100-400 is also high on my wish-list, but I'm not too sure about the Oly to be "too expensive": expensive maybe, but let's wait and see what we've to shell out for the 100-400 ...
I guess we'll know by the end of this week :)

All the best.
The Oly is rumored to cost €2600.- which would be a lot for a m43 lens, especially if it is "only" fixed focal length.

http://www.mirrorlessrumors.com/oly...nicleica-100-400mm-specs-leaked-on-colorfoto/

The PanaLeica seems to be a bit cheaper (below €2000.-) according to rumors, plus has the flexibility of being a zoom.

Decision would be no brainer IMHO.
 

dhsimmonds

New member
I have just placed my pre-order for this lens. If it does what it say's 'on the tin', I shall be well pleased!
 
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