Panasonic 28-200mm f/4-7.1 Review: SUPER Small Superzoom!

Superzoom lenses covering a wide angle to telephoto are popular in every lens mount, but the L-Mount hasn't seen one until now. Panasonic's 28-200mm f/4-7.1 Macro OIS S lens is incredibly compact, but how does it perform optically? Chris Niccolls went to the town of Cochrane (where the bad movie "RAD" was apparently filmed) to find out.
Rental equipment provided by The Camera Store
www.thecamerastore.com
0:00 - Intro
0:40 - Sample Images
1:11 - Size and handling
2:30 - Autofocus
3:15 - Flare and sunstars
3:55 - Close-up performance
4:37 - Bokeh
5:27 - Video performance
6:26 - Sharpness
7:46 - Should you buy it?

[@PetaPixel]

The title card is incorrect, this episode WAS shot on the Panasonic S5 IIX, NOT a mythical G9 IIX.

[@solarion33]

When would such mythical g9IIx be released?😂

[@robert_may]

I'm pretty excited for this lens. Usually these super zooms are a bit bulky but with this being so small and light it gives you the possibility of taking a couple of other lenses when travelling too, e.g. a 50mm f/1.8 for lower light usage or a wider lens like the 14-28mm for vlogging. In general I've been very happy with Panasonic's lens designs lately - feels like they're making pretty sensible compromises in order to offer something a bit different.

[@0____I____0]

onion farts

[@JoJoOnTheMove]

I feel the same.. This lens combined with the 18mm, 35mm and 50mm would be excellent on vacation. I would use the superzoom during the day outside, the 18mm, 35mm and 50mm are perfect for inside and at night (cathedral, musea that kind of stuf). I do shoot mostly video... But yes this lens is coming soon to my lens set

[@CMDILL86]

This lens reminds me of Panasonics MFT 14-140 . I probably have the most pictures with that lens, just because it was "take anywhere". Nice to know I can have the same experience on my L-Mount cameras too. When a lens isn't optically great, it means the image has to be meaningful or beautiful in other ways.

[@rickysunshen5504]

That's my favorite mft lens for video!

[@xmeda]

Similar to my Pentax 18-135/3.5-5.6 which is compact fast AF and weather sealed all-in-one.

[@bkaustav]

I think the best super zoom in the market is MFT Oly 12-100 f4. Very difficult to beat. I wish MFT would bring out a 32 mp camera some day.....

[@aiseurnae5976]

indeed, the 14-140mm is smaller, lighter and it's a 28-280mm equivalent though ... However low light performance and bokeh are more impressive on this 28-200mm.

[@_o__o_]

I farted into mft

[@POVwithRC]

I'm sort of willing to take compromises on aperture for that much focal length. I'd enjoy this as a travel lens. For that matter, one-man-banding small KZbin stuff would find this right at home.

[@owlmostdead9492]

I don't know about that, as soon as it gets dark this lens is pretty much doodoo, F4 is okey especially with FullFrame but everything above F5-F6.3 is rough.

[@POVwithRC]

​​​@@owlmostdead9492I know about that so you don't have to. Modern noise mitigation nullifies your fears. KZbin particularly has transcoding that kills a lot of noise too. Me over here filming at night with an FX30 with very passable footage to prove the point.

[@POVwithRC]

Luckily I know so you don't have to. It's not much of a problem anymore. Modern post processing mitigates a ton of noise, and KZbin's transcoding pipeline ​handles a lot too. Is it gonna be perfect, no. Does that matter for a fledgling content creator? Also no. Don't make perfect the enemy of the good.

[@LAOAudiovisual]

@@owlmostdead9492no hay objetivo perfecto ni cámara perfecta. Pero el f7.1 se compensa con un iso 4000 por ejemplo. La serie S nueva funciona muy bien a isos altos.

[@_o__o_]

0:15 the lovely town of cockring

[@niccollsvideo]

I may have made that joke all day until Jordan was sick of it.

[@ProbablyAnAmateur]

@@niccollsvideodid he roll his eyes eventually?

[@sealcove2698]

Above all, I’m so glad you still have the puppets!

[@alhOOO2O]

The quality of those photos looks fantastic!

[@BookwormSkates]

L mount ecosystem is going crazy with Sigma and Panasonic lenses. Really excited for the next Lumix body

[@jamesloop]

Shot on the Panasonic g9ii….X? Was this the thing you very much couldn’t talk about on the podcast?

[@POVwithRC]

I expect them to say whoops we meant s5iix 🤞🏻

[@PetaPixel]

Yeah, sorry. S5 IIX.

[@jamesloop]

Word yeah I thought so, just bustin some balls. Great review! Looks like an awesome lens to go along with a set of primes.

[@I4get42]

+1 came down to the comments to ask about this 😀

[@bingbong4848]

​@@PetaPixelyeah OK sure 😉

[@absolutelyeverything]

I know it’s like 3 centuries too late, but I’d love to hear your opinions on the Lumix 24-105 and maybe even how it compares to the 28-200 in both photo and video.

[@hartzogLovesScience]

Agree. I took the 24-105 to Scotland as my only lens. It was a great travel lens. So how do they compare?

[@luispires7069]

Agreed as well! The 24-105 is my main lens and I quite like it. However, I’d love that extra reach (almost double!). Would lose a little bit at the wide and the constant F4, though… I’m very tempted to buy this one and sell the 24-105, but I would love to hear some comparisons regarding image quality.

[@artemis83]

I don't know, I feel like there are smaller sensor systems that deliver on super zoom better overall image quality. Taking a full frame and then compromising so much in terms of optical performance it kinda misses the point of having compact cameras while travelling.

[@jw48335]

Oh nice! Much smaller than the Canon RF 24-240. I only really keep 2 lenses on my digital camera. The S5ii is a contender for replacing my EOS R.

[@ThroughJoesLens]

The Canon gives you a much wider FOV though at 24mm vs. 28mm and goes all the way to 240mm. Slightly faster on the long end too at f6.3 . It does rely heavily on lens profile correction on the wide end.

[@RadoDani]

Lenses like that make me have a second look at full-frame Panasonic camera system. Thumbs up. 👍🏻

[@yourtallness]

That music volume in the beginning, lol

[@scarcesense6449]

Looking forward to a review comparing the various systems' superzooms. I've been thinking about upgrading to an interchangeable lens system for a while now but am yet to take the leap. How does this compare to the 24-200mm from Nikon, for example?

[@MrJason8957]

I have the Nikon 24-200mm and it is very versatile but there is an image quality compromise. I do now wish I had just gotten the 24-70 f/4 or waited for the 24-120 f4.

[@abdozagloul]

Same here. I got it with Z5

[@ciwanski]

Love these videos

[@panospapadopoulos3909]

Finally! Jordan is back!

[@angeloplayforone]

What I want to know how many electronic correction is applied in camera to this lens.

[@vic_the_roman]

RAD! "Break The Ice" - Makes me and tons of other people want to ride their bikes instantly. Even though it wasn't played in this video it did in my head. Now , I gotta go "Bicycle Boogie". Peace out ✌

[@PanasonicAustralia]

Fun fact: Break The Ice was performed by legendary Australian John Farnham. He also had 2 other songs on the RAD soundtrack. Thanks for this trip down memory lane.

[@TimmyTechTV]

I need this in my life Chris...

[@Mathew-vlogs]

I have a question. I have the lumix s5 ii and I just recently picked up the Nikon Zf. I wanted to pick up a super zoom for a family vacation coming up. Which would you say is better, the Nikon 24-200, or the lumix 28-200? And yes, I probably will use it for video, but the main focus would be photography.

[@Wildridefilms]

The Nikon 24-200 is a lot bigger and heavier, so you might find it more difficult handling the combo given the tiny grip of the Zf.

[@TyrantTiger85]

I really want this.. I want a zoom lens next but the slow speed of this lens making it only for outdoor use bothers me as I've been using the 20-60 kit lens, although good I want better low light too.

[@Isaac________]

For the sharpness test, it would have been nice to see some results in the middle of the focal length range, for example, around 50mm.

[@volkmarweber1791]

A great addition for lightweight traveling. I own a lot of vintage manual glas, but planning my next trip i was always looking for a compact super zoom i can carry all day long.

[@AirGunWeb]

Looks like a great lens. I bought the S5II based mostly on your reviews and demos. I love it. I’ve run Panasonic GH4s (moved them over to one of my creators), the FZ2500, and have two G95s. I also have the Sony RX10 IV, RX100 V, and various other gear. The S5II is my first full frame digital and the difference is just WOW. I will be getting this lens once I pay off the 24-105 that I just bought. Have you all reviewed that lens? I have 16 years into creating social media content and with this new camera I feel like a total noob starting from scratch. I’m having fun again so thank you for your work. I recently went to a warbirds museum with my S5II and realized that there are cameras that take pictures and then there are cameras that take photographs. The S5II has opened my eyes to what I’d been missing. Thanks again Rick

[@michaelbell75]

The FZ2500 is excellent and cheaper than this lens. I'll take it if you dont want it any longer 😃

[@AirGunWeb]

@@michaelbell75 - Hey there.. I still use my FZ2500 but the image quality is not in the same class as the S5II. I would have never thought that to be the case until I got the S5II for a job, and there's a big difference. The FZ2500 is still super useful, and I love the all-in-one bridge camera format with unlimited record time (why i bought it). But when image quality is critical, the S5II is top of the stack for my current set of gear. Cheers Rick

[@michaelbell75]

@@AirGunWeb depends on the look you want. I also had an S5II but sold it. I don’t want the modern, over sharpened digital photo look like 90% of these cameras have these days. 2500 photos at least have some character to the look.

[@AirGunWeb]

@@michaelbell75- I guess it's all very subjective. For me, the S5II delivers more depth.. but that's just me. I'll use whatever tool suits my needs at the moment. I'm not wed to any brand or product. Glad you like the FZ2500 it's a great rig. Cheers Rick

[@gharel396]

Would love your take on the RF 24-240 4-6.3 Seems like a pretty close matchup.

[@LoightaFluwid]

I would've loved to see them make it bigger and heavier but instead make the aperture much brighter ie. F5.6 like the one from tamron.

[@FCSNT54]

L mount now has a superzoom now. any chance of getting a gauntlet of the superzooms? Z-mount 24-200, RF 24-240, L 28-200, olympus 12-200, XF 18-120. FE 24-200.

[@funtaril]

Also Tamron 18-300 for APS-C on E and X mounts

[@anthonysikorski4100]

what camera bag is it?

[@DanniPortillo]

That's why the 14-140mm MFT lens is always with me for every travel adventure. Great that the full frame users have a little taste of what we love as MFT users.

[@__Mr.White__]

MFT? At this point you can just use your phone.

[@DanniPortillo]

@@__Mr.White__ yes, you're right! But remember that's your opinion and I prefer to have a proper camera. Just remember that MFT cameras are still great even though you prefer phones.

[@truthseeker6804]

this range has been there for full frame for quiet along time now. canon rf 24-240, sony fe 24-240, tamron 28-200, Nikon Z 24-200mm VR etc

[@DanniPortillo]

@@truthseeker6804 you are right! Canon RF 24-240mm f4-7.1 Weight 1.65 lb / 751.26 g Price: $899 USD Sony FE 24-240mm Weight 1.72 lb / 780 g Price: $962.98 USD Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 Weight 1.25 lb / 570 g Price: $796.95 USD Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-140mm Weight 9.3 oz / 265 g Price: $449 USD

[@whippedcreampictures]

normally when comparing superzoom lenses, even on full frame cameras the image quality wouldn't reach to the level of the Sony rx10 series. has this lens managed to break that barrier?

[@hansn.433]

Even the ancient Nikon 28-300 f mount broke that barrier. Much more the newer Tamron 28-200 and I am sure also this. Your lens needs to be real crappy if you Wanne loose against the rx10

[@Volcano_oso]

Oh what song is that at the end credits?

[@albedo0point39]

But does Panasonic or Leica have any compact full frame body to match it? As far as I can see, it’s a no… at least nothing like an a7c or R8 🤷‍♂️

[@LucasRocksFilms]

What is a G9 IIX?

[@JericTamayo]

Also it smoothly stops down the aperture as you zoom in for video

[@yash_kambli]

Tamron 28-200 is optically better but don't have image stabilization which could be deal breaker for many. I want to ask how well IBIS perform in long range zoom lenses

[@Benderlaiv]

1/25 at 200mm has acceptable success rate on A7IV. It's more of a "people" lens than nightscape lens.

[@NeonShores]

Samyang is going to be releasing their 35-150 f/2.0-2.8 on L mount soon and while its bigger and more expensive I feel like thats the zoom I'd personally go for. If it was 28-150 it'd be near perfect for me.

[@HesselFolkertsma]

On the topic of superzooms… The Tamron 28-200 was actually a really good performer, even with the f/2.8-5.6 it wasn’t that large.

[@JericTamayo]

0:19 it was shot on a G9iix?!

[@CartyCantDance]

WHEN DID YOU GUYS GET THE G9IIX???

[@jasonmarotta9545]

Came here to ask this! Easter egg or typo?

[@andreasbulowhansen9413]

Looks like a nice lens but the real question is if the pricepoint is too high. Not many ppl spend a 1000 usd on a vacation lens.

[@timstiv]

What is a G9iiX ?????? 0:19

[@cazschiller]

Without watching yet, this lens reminds me of a full frame, sup'd up version of the Olympus 12-100 m zuiko pro. Which I own and enjoy very much.

[@cazschiller]

Dang and at $900 it's a compelling buy if I wanna jump to full frame Pani

[@mrheng562]

Remind me of the 14-140mm more.

[@cazschiller]

@@mrheng562 I never tried that one. Great video fellas, glad Panisonic is still focusing on making great hybrid lenses!

[@chrisklugh]

Why is it every time I watch your videos its winter time? It is winter all year round in Canada?

[@TheNewTravel]

We often have snow up here from October - April

[@chrisklugh]

@@TheNewTravelYa, it was more pointing out some obvious. I lived in Edmonton for 10 years. I don't miss the snow before Halloween and I sure don't miss it at Easter!

[@HoomanBhr]

Haven't reviewed the Tamron 28-200 for Sony E-mount?

[@PetaPixel]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/noqUiGypp7ODgacfeature=shared

[@OttoRascon]

This was shot on the G9 II x? What do you all know that we don’t? 😊

[@AprilClayton]

This lens is exactly what I needed when I visited Windsor. I hated changing lenses while walking around. I don’t need a fast lens outdoors.

[@sambrumley_productions]

Did Panasonic come out with the new G9 IIX without telling any of us?

[@brianmckeever5280]

Typo or did I misread: "...episode was shot on the Panasonic G9 IIX"? What you talkin' 'bout Jordan?

[@harryvlogs7833]

Best lens ever

[@bingbong4848]

Its probably being marketed to people who already own an L mount camera and lenses and don't want another body... That being said I totally agree that the rx is awesome. I'm planning to upgrade from fz300 to the rx. It's the gold standard for bridge cams.

[@jeffszurgot]

Is it parfocal?

[@mex5341]

very strange lens . what prevented them from making at least a copy of Tamron 28-200 2.8-5.6 ?

[@9Mtikcus]

Not a fan of Zooms in general, for the type of work I do, when having to stop lenses down two stops to make then "usable", maybe good for a walk around lens on a bright day, but if at 200mm at F/8 it is not great, it's a hard sell with UK weather. But every lens has its place :)

[@mjr333]

The nikon 24-200 f4-6.3 is very light and compact but rumours are nikon is working on a 28-300 or 400 for Z mount

[@christill]

I’m a bit sceptical of more compact full frame lenses. Presumably a MFT equivalent would have less or no optical compromises.

[@andresgonzalezcerda7635]

Already exist. Olympus 12-100. Sharp in every corner but F4…(F8 In bokeh terms which is very similar to this 7.3

[@christill]

@@andresgonzalezcerda7635 Yeah. That’s probably a similar size to this one, which considering that it has half the sensor size as full frame, this Panasonic one must be making significant compromises. I guess firstly that it’s not f4 throughout the zoom range, as the OM Lens is. And I suppose other things too. I know you mention the bokeh effect. But it’s still a brighter aperture though right? If I understand this correctly, it only affects the depth of field. Which to be honest, I don’t find to be a big deal. You can blur the background pretty well. You just have to be a bit more careful to have space between your subject and the background. I think it’s overstated how much it affects bokeh.

[@Paul_Rohde]

​@@christillYes, between sensor size systems, the same aperture number affects depth of view, not exposure. However, although exposure may be the same, desired sensor noise threshold will be surpassed sooner in lower light conditions for the smaller sensor (often counteracted with better IBIS for still life). Personally, I'm one of those that usually want the greater depth yielded from a smaller sensor, and AI software cleans up noise wonderfully.

[@ThePhotographyHobbyist]

Hard to beat the Nikon Z 24-200mm (and it's pretty lightweight). Best quality superzoom I've ever used. Shame Panasonic focused on small instead of a wider focal length (24) and overall optical quality (better control of flare and so on). They could have even made the sacrifice to give up some of the reach if they wanted to make it small but still better quality and still 24mm on the wide end. I need 24mm for indoors if I'm going to have a single lens to travel with. Right now I just take the Z 24-120mm f/4 on vacations. I wish I had a bit more reach, but honestly, 120 is almost always enough for what I want to shoot.

[@aldiosmio]

Jordan merch is official now?!

[@ruff1draft]

Panasonic could have released a 28-300 like Nikon did with there F Mount and Z Mount line up. Also like Tamron did in both Nikon and Canon DSLR mounts

[@garreswe]

I don't like f/4-7.1 so I'd rather buy the Samyang 35-150 (when it's released) if I want a travel lens, even if it's heavier and larger.

[@I4get42]

Ooh, I wonder how this compares to the 14 to 140 mft lens.

[@grumpyrocker]

I don't really see a 35mm camera like that as a compact travel option. The camera is so big the lens doesn't seem to make much difference.

[@user-pv4oz5vg9e]

I Was excited until I saw the images!! never compromise quality

[@studioprairie]

Sorry, G9 IIX?

[@harryburnett7086]

I remember in 90s 28 200 2.8 5.6 from them and tamron

[@JacobRoc]

Did you guys accidentally leak a new camera? G9 iix? Haha

I found my self at f8 more and more… this lens is not bad or slow from my perspective

[@filmcat_youtube]

Would.

[@PawFromTheBroons]

Episode shot on G9IIx? x?! Let's hope you haven't inadvertently broke an NDA. 😆

[@nicknico4121]

Constant F4 would've been nice. I guess I'll go with the samyang 35-150 f2-f2.8

[@michaelbell75]

Thats not a constant aperture either. Its also larger, heavier and more expensive....

[@jessejayphotography]

What the hell is a G9 II X

[@igielfoto]

"This episode was shot on the Panasonic G9 II X" ??? X???

[@ericaceous1652]

8:20 a clue - the game's afoot, guys! A 60MP sensor... Could it be? Secrets, secrets

[@Wildridefilms]

The SL3 is around the corner apparently

[@Bayonet1809]

Could just be the Sigma fp L

[@mauricio.montoya]

Wait wait wait wait!! G9 IIX???? 😮

[@PetaPixel]

Typo.

[@mauricio.montoya]

@@PetaPixel love you guys!! Thank you for shattering my dreams to have an X version of the G9 😂

[@Garrus4Spectre]

Looking at the samples I would say that we live in golden times if this is a badly performing lens. For this kind of lens, the sharpness seems perfectly fine to me. It seems like a great combination with the similar sized 1.8 primes.

[@imagesbirds5066]

Does this new Haukland sponsorship mean we nevver gonna see Jordans leather jacket again?

[@alexlford]

nice - considering selling my 24-105 and getting this... one lens to rule them all!

[@scarcesense6449]

Kudos for the Rad reference. 😆

[@wparo]

I feel Panasonic had the worst deal with the L alliance. They are making all the f8 lenses and Sigma and Leica are making all the fast primes. The reason why I haven't switched to Panasonic.

[@benja1378]

I mean they are making fast lenses? Just not releasing much. But honestly Sigma is amazing - I have the 28-70 2.8 and couldn't be happier :)

[@glennaremoy]

Lol

[@xmeda]

Oh.. what will come next? 28-300mm F5.6-F9? :D

[@SuchanBajracharya]

Get yourself a Sony RX100 VII and be done with it! The world's smallest superzoom that fit's in your pocket. My 2 cents 😆

[@robert43g]

These type of lens are a good walk around lens where you don't have to keep switching out lens

[@the_wiki9408]

Given that it is on a FF sensor, this is not a "slow" lens compared to smaller sensor solutions which are often used for traveling. Compared to a Sony RX10 it's like having a f1.5-2.6 lens on a 1" sensor. And even Canon APS-C it is a 2.5-4.4, which would be considered "fast" if it had been on the M system. You can still do a lot with these apertures on FF sensor.

[@xanedan4565]

G9IIX...?

[@jumpmansz]

This was shot on a G9II… x? Excuse me

[@EmmaKAlexandra]

Chris decided to record the audio for the test chart in a public bathroom or something lmao

[@bunnatang]

low light = museum property

[@Sombra.]

Mmmmm l mount, tamron makes a 28-200 and a 18-300 for fuji and sony, soo i guess is best than nothing

[@evernam993m8]

this is the kind of lens i will take on any day just shoot RAW and you have plenty options to enhance image quality something soft? - get AI sharpening noisy high iso? - get AI denoise want to background more blurry? - get AI blur

[@kentmemories]

Great size and weight come with sharpness penalty.

[@cOcOmOo92]

So far I've seen it will be around 1000 Euros. Hope it will go down at least by a hundret..

[@pmc7105]

Super excited about this lens. Been obsessed with lightening my full frame gear for a while now. This allows for a two lens set-up (as soon as you have to go to three lenses you're upping the weight) with that 14-28mm it would tempt me to switch over to Panasonic, as long as their next high-res body is also lightweight. Or if it's not good on a high-res body, I might look at the Nikon 14-30/24-200 combo, as long as the Z7iii is light. The 28mm is disappointing though; I was just on a long trip with the Tamron 28-200mm and it was shocking how often I had to change lenses because the 28mm was just not quite wide enough. I'd put up with it though to lighten my gear. It's just unfortunate that Sony doesn't have a similar lens, and Sony also doesn't have a zoom that starts at 14mm with filter use possible. They have the light bodies but they don't have a lens combo like Panasonic/Nikon have. Can't comment on the Canon ecosystem; they're dead to me (playing too many market segmentation games).

[@CartyCantDance]

This looks like an incredible B Roll lens! It’s got a creamy sharpness, and it’s not too heavy. If you travel or do b roll for anything, this will be more than enough

[@joeperrone6677]

The lens would be a lot cooler if Panasonic had a full frame body that was the size and weight of a Sony A7CR.

[@PrimalShutter]

ff getting smaller, m4/3 getting bigger 😅

[@HappyHubris]

Why doesn't Panasonic just license the excellent Tamron 28-200mm F2.8-5.6. This lens is very mediocre in comparison, especially for a higher price.

[@jjchockey]

This is the most compact and lightest super zoom ever made. That is why you buy it. It also has image stabilization unlike the Tamron.

[@yawningmarmot]

Thank you for the review! Seems like for the price one would be better off with something like a Panasonic 24-105. It's not as much reach, of course, but it's supposedly better optically and not nearly as dark. Maybe one day Panasonic will take Tamron out on a date and we'll finally have their lenses for L mount :)

[@I922sParkCir]

It’s crazy how much better the Tamron 28-200mm f2.8-5.6 is than this lens. Much brighter, sharper, and cheaper. It they joined the L-Mount Alliance, there would be no reason the buy the Panasonic.

[@MathewPanicker1010]

Not a fan of the weird stock audio clips