Olympus M.ZUIKO Digital ED 12-100mm F4.0 PRO lens available

[Elliot]

Thanks for your thoughts.

Right now I have these lenses:
Panasonic 12-32
Panasonic 20 f/1.7 (original)
Olympus 45 f/1.8
Olympus 40-150 f4-5.6 (original m.Zuiko)
Panasonic 100-400

I am thinking of getting the Olympus 12-40 because of its quality and pair it with the Panasonic 35-100 (good used copy available). The instinct for the 12-100 is the synchronized stabilization and the one lens for most uses, albeit at a weight cost. The total dollar amount for either strategy is about the same. I need to make a decision about the 35-100 right away, though. I really am looking for good color rendition, sharpness, and as good a bokeh as one can get.

I have gone "Olympus" with the OM-D E-M1 Mark II and E-M10 Mark III combination.

[Elderly]

I am thinking of getting the Olympus 12-40 because of its quality and pair it with the Panasonic 35-100 (good used copy available). The instinct for the 12-100 is the synchronized stabilization and the one lens for most uses, albeit at a weight cost. The total dollar amount for either strategy is about the same.

I have gone "Olympus" with the OM-D E-M1 Mark II and E-M10 Mark III combination.

It's all VERY personal, but if you usually carry the 2 bodies, I'd go for the 2 lenses.

For MY use and style of photography I usually like to carry just one body, the E-M1 Mk II fitted with the 12-100.

I had the 12-40 and 40-150 Pro, but often found that I had the 'wrong' lens for the shot, and by the time
I'd changed lenses, the photo opportunity had passed.
Not missing the moment, is more important to ME than ultimate image quality and the 12-100 gives me my Goldilocks range.

For ME, the dual synch that my lens/body combo offers is not that important, as often it's my subject that is moving.

[Jorgen Udvang]

It's all VERY personal, but if you usually carry the 2 bodies, I'd go for the 2 lenses.

For MY use and style of photography I usually like to carry just one body, the E-M1 Mk II fitted with the 12-100.

I had the 12-40 and 40-150 Pro, but often found that I had the 'wrong' lens for the shot, and by the time
I'd changed lenses, the photo opportunity had passed.
Not missing the moment, is more important to ME than ultimate image quality and the 12-100 gives me my Goldilocks range.

For ME, the dual synch that my lens/body combo offers is not that important, as often it's my subject that is moving.

Exactly! If I carry two bodies, it's to have a long telephoto lens on one and some kind of "normal" lens on the other. In this system, there are two high quality "normal" zooms that fall in the do-it-all category, the Zuiko 12-100mm and the somewhat shorter but also smaller PL 12-60mm. With an Olympus body, I would clearly go for the Zuiko. Even with GX8 bodies, I consider that option.

[Elliot]

I usually have just one camera. Last week, for example, I took the E-M10.3 with me and the small Panasonic 12-32 and Olympus 40-150 lenses to Portland, Maine, where I had a day to explore.

A Great Black Hawk from southern Mexico and points south was in town. He had been seen elsewhere in Maine in August and October, and now this time. The only other place in the United States one has been seen was southern Texas.

Fortunately, I got some decent photos for documenting the event, even though at quite a distance and with an overly busy background.


Whoops -- this is one of several people with big (and bigger) lenses.


Great Black Hawk

[scho]

I'm looking for a companion for this lens (for use with OMD 1MKII) that has more reach. Thought about the Panasonic 100-300, but sharpness (with my copy) is not quite good enough. See screen grab comparison below. 100% crop, both the 100-300 (L) and 12-100 (R) at 100mm, f/5.6, ISO 200. I want to keep the kit relatively small and light so thinking about either the Oly 40-150 Pro or Pana/Leica 200 + 2x TC. I like the 40-150 that I had and sold earlier, but I'm not familiar with the 200.

[Knorp]

Wow - Carl, that 100-300/4.0-5.6 is really poor. But it seems there has been some serious vertical movement. Are you sure the lens was steady at the moment of shooting ?

[scho]

Wow - Carl, that 100-300/4.0-5.6 is really poor. But it seems there has been some serious vertical movement. Are you sure the lens was steady at the moment of shooting ?

Bart,

I will reshoot, but camera was on tripod and just switched lenses w/o removing camera. Set a 12 sec delay for shutter release. I might have forgotten to check what the IS settings were for both the lenses and camera so will do it again after paying more attention to settings. I have noticed that the 100-300 has been producing less than stellar images in terms of sharpness. Otherwise would have been an ideal companion lens to the 12-100.

OK, shot again and made sure this time that IS was set to OFF. Looks better but still lower contrast than the 12-100. This is the 100-300 original shot on left and new 100-300 shot on right with IS OFF.

[Jorgen Udvang]

My experience with the 100-300 is that it needs to be stopped down to f/8 to be reasonably sharp, but I doubt that it will be as sharp as the 12-100. The PL 50-200 is much sharper, and can be used with the Panasonic 1.4x TC. From what people tell me, the TC doesn't affect sharpness much. It's a much more expensive lens though.

[scho]

Trying my old Canon EF 100-400 L on the Oly via a Fotodiox Fusion adapter. Seems to work ok. Transfers all lens exif data, IS works, and focus is OK. Problem is the weight of the lens



On tripod with IS off. Oly 12-100 L and Canon 100-400 R, both at 100mm



A few handheld snaps with the 100-400 at various FL settings

[Jorgen Udvang]

That 12-100mm is very impressive. I think I need one

[ptomsu]

That 12-100mm is very impressive. I think I need one

This lens is a beast! From all I have seen and heard from my friends who shoot this lens here in Austria it really does not disappoint. Only thing one has to be aware of is that it is "only" a maximum of aperture 4 lens, but compared to the options and given the excellent IS it is kind of a no brainer.

I am currently looking to get a used one - yes there are always people who sell this lens