The Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm f2.8 Zoom Lens Review

A hands-on review and test of the new Panasonic zoom 12-35mm f2.8 Lumix ASPH "X Vario" lens
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[@DavidThorpeMFT]

+Seamus Warren I can't answer your post for some reason, it appears to be a one way conversation! Some people think in theories, some people take pictures. If in a given situation and ISO speed correct exposure is 1/250th at f2/8 on an MFT camera it is 1/250th at f2.8. It is true that the actual quantity of light transmitted is only 25% of that of a FF lens but it gives the correct exposure. That is all that interests the photographer. The rest is for the sort of people who used to discuss how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

The Olympus 14-35 is a Four Thirds System lens, not Micro Four Thirds so it doesn't really fall in my brief. It is much bigger, heavier (makes the 12-35 look like a toy) and slower focusing than than the 12-35 Panasonic and costs twice as much - plus will need an adaptor for MFT. For a pro spec f2.8 standard zoom in MFT there is only the Panasonic - which makes your shopping easier, if less interesting. I'm glad you found the review useful, thanks for the nice words.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Hi Dale. yes, I buy and fit a Kenko or Hoya UV or Protection filter when I purchase a lens (the shop will usually throw one in or sell you one half price, I find). It provides basic protection to a very expensive few square inches of optical real estate and has no effect on the performance - no matter how hard you look. I regard people who reject the use of filters as somewhat purist - but it's their lens.

[@RealMrGreenTeaLatte]

I really enjoy your reviews. You speak very clearly and the subtle comical comments are really entertaining to listen to. I hope you keep reviewing m4/3 equipment!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Hi Paul. Yes I did sell the 12mm. I found I was just leaving the 12-35 on the camera because its performance is not very different from the zoom for my purposes. But also, the zoom has image stabilization on the Panasonics, whereas the 12mm doesn't.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Hi William. No, it's not really a replacement because in everything apart from video it only works with lower resolution. But for video, it gives you the 35mm equivalent of around 170mm which is long enough for most purposes so could well be.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Thanks - you've really gone for MFT in a big way. The two f2.8 zooms make a great combo and I agree are the way to go. And the GX7, yes built in stabilisation will be very handy with the Olympus lenses.

[@edwardrf]

We miss you here.

[@RyanAerospace1]

Thanks again, David. This will help me make a final decision. I'll check out the Olympus 45 (f?) you mentioned for the desired depth of field. Although, at the end of the day, I'll likely go with the 12-35 and 35-100 for the 'holy grail' kit.

[@10centsTeam]

Thanks a lot for that review David. I baught the 12-35mm and have no regret to have sold the 20mm and 14-42mm. This is a solid and very sharp lens, with nice contrast. As people would say, very "versatile" too. Probably one of the sharpest m43 lenses. I only deplore the range (16-50mm would have been greater for me), and the aperture considering m43 format (f2.0 would be perfect for the high price).

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

I sold my 12mm and in the time I've had my 12-35, not used the 25mm, so yes, it'll go to help fund the 35-100 when it is available. I'm happy with the performance and feel of the zoom but I am keeping my 45mm Olympus even when I get the 35-100 because it really is an outstanding lens for general portraiture.

[@victorbart]

Thank you for all good info on all lenses! I bought a GH3 this weekend with this 12 35 f2.8 lens. Used for 1325 euro with 2 remote shutters mem card extra battery and a filter.

[@Droepram]

True. I keep forgetting that the point of M43 is to have a smaller, lighter package. I have an old Zuiko 50mm f/1.8 that I could carry with me in addition to this lens. The review is very comprehensive and answered most of my wonders about the IQ. I feel the same way about sharpness, for many purposes it's not critical or desired.

[@mp4podcastDOTcom]

I have the Olympus 12-40. I got it over the Panasonic 12-35 for two reasons one it goes to 40mm to use for portraits when working really fast at weddings and the clutch manual focus is better for video. Panasonic does have better zooming the way it feels. I also have the Panasonic 35-100 and decided to go with it over the Olympus 40-150 for two reasons one its liter and it was cheaper. Later down the road I will get the Panasonic 12-35 and the Olympus 40-150. I really do like that there are two companies making lens for Micro 4.3 because then you can pick what version of a lens you might like over another for what ever reason. I know Canon and Nikon there are third parties making lens. But Sigma has had problems with Canon and Nikon and had to update their firmware. With Micro 4.3 Panasonic and Olympus are all on the same page making things work together.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

yes, one of the great advantages to Micro Four Thirds being a standard. All the lenses you mention have their plus and minus points but you can safely choose without worrying about whether they'll focus or fit properly.

[@gopolarisstudio]

When you say clutch, do you mean non focus by wire?

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Thanks very much, Peter. The lens is a lot of money but it's built to last and a great performer. If you reckon the cost of ownership over the many years and the pleasure of using it, it works out looks like a very good buy.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

It's the 45mm f1.8. The extra aperture gives it a nice narrow depth of field by M43 standards. Yes, those two zooms could be pretty much all anyone would need.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Much of my career was before there were zoom lenses! If I had to choose between primes or zooms, I'd choose primes. Zooming with your feet means you see the difference in perspective different lenses give. For a given subject, with a zoom I set a focal length and walk back and forward to see how it looks. Zooming to fill the frame loses the art of perspective. Set 12mm and take your picture. Set 35mm and take it again. Different pictures. Primes make you walk but they also improve your work.

[@AdamLoretz]

I loved the excessive audio level at 2.41 it cut through the noise of my kids playing in the same room and reminded me not to always affix both lens hood and camera to tripod. I am looking at a lens for a GH3 and a Pocket BMCC and I'm sold on this lens. Thanks David. I'd politely suggest a drop shadow or color bar behind text to make it easier to read.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Yes, true. Mind you, I paid nearly £200 less than the UK price when I bought mine. There are good prices around if you look hard. But there's a lot to be said for not being an early adopter - with cars and other thing too. With Olympus it works differently but they do some quite amazing special offer deals. I just bought an e-pl5, kit zoom, case, wifi card and 40-150 for just over £500. I do like a bargain!

[@vincentcwu]

I have this lens and it was the reason why I switched to Micro 4/3 format. An amazing lens with impressive optics and small size (compare to APS-C sensor lens). I had it attached to my camera body 80% of the time. Only the Olympus 12-40 pro was able to chip away its magic. (I have both and sharpness are about the same)

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

I think that the Olympus lens is best for Olympus and Panasonic for Panasonic. Both are excellent lenses and it's great to have the choice.

[@baze3SC]

Thanks for the review. This one and the 35-100mm f2.8 X lens cover pretty much everything. It will be a hard decision for me whether to stick with a set of slightly faster primes or ditch them in favour of these two zooms. The idea of having just two additional lenses in my travel bag is very tempting.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

I carry four lenses, 7-14, 12-35, 35-100 and 100-300. I don't like to duplicate focal lengths any more than I have to. I can get my GH3 with battery grip and all the lenses in a Lowepro slingshot, the smallest one. Great for when I'm out on my bike.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

You could look at the 20mm Panasonic. But the Nokton 25mm might be what you want if you can get on with manual focussing.

[@PeterLinyov]

I have a mark 3, but I rarely use the open diaphragm. It's not because you can not, it's more because it's little need! It is important to understand what the camera for? Now I will buy G6, because I need more detail and sharpness on the general plans video.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Yes, if only. My feeling is that it would mean a smaller aperture or a larger lens. It's all compromises in the end.

[@danieldougan269]

I love my Olympus 12-40mm f2.8 PRO. It has all that plus closer focusing distance and a proper manual focus clutch with hard stops and a distance scale.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Yes, my 12-40 gets a lot of use. I actually sold an Olympus 12mm f/2 becuase the zoom was sharper.

[@sellmerpeter]

Beautiful, intelligent and poetic review David -I am a micro four thirds convert and enjoy the comfort of a practical zoom - but was a bit afraid of making such a heavy investment until I heard your Kowan: "you get what you pay for"...

[@w4s]

I was not sure about buying this lens or the 35-100 but this was perfect for my needs. If you need more zoom in video mode you can activate the tele.converter and make sure to shoot in 30,25 or 24 fps. (don't work in 50p or 60p) I have it activated all the time since I shoot all my videos in 50p, then I just switch to 25p if I need more zoom. great lens.

[@iDealMedley]

I drop my gh4 with the same lens, it does exactly what you said. The lens hood protects the lens really well

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Yes - and being a plastic material it absorbs the shock much better than a metal hood would.

[@10centsTeam]

I do use the hood, following the tripod advice, and this hood looks nice and protects well the lens.

[@dalen52]

Great review. I'm currently using this on a AF100. There is a kind of fish-eye effect when zoomed out on pans but I overlook that because it is the best wide angle lens to counteract the "crop factor" when shooting video.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

You've been reading my letters there, Clive. The one extra lens I would sneak in would be the 45mm too.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Yes, good point. Quicker is not always better.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

A G6 plus 14-140 f3.5 on a bike sound just about perfect to me. I've just been out on my bike with the 14-140 - in the past week since I've been in France I've not used any other lens.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

I think maybe it is a bit big. The GF1 is such a neat and compact camera and the 12-35 throws away that advantage. The little compact zoom would be perfect for the GF1. I love mine.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Glad you liked the review. Don't forget that wide DOF is very useful, at least as often as narrow. But at 70mm and f4 or 2.8, you can restrict DOF well enough. I'm waiting on my GH3 from Germany at the moment.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Thanks! The 12-35 is a better lens than the GH2 kit lens or the compact 14-42 as it ought to be at the price but if I didn't need the f2.8 aperture, I wouldn't buy it. The kits are good lenses in their own right. I haven't got the kit lens to compare now but I did sell the 12mm because it didn't offer enough advantage to warrant keeping both. The 45mm Olympus, that ain't goin' nowehere outa my sight!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

This would be ideal for a baptism. It is expensive but you won't want to sell it or change it so in the long run it can be cheaper than lenses costing less up front.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Glad you liked it!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

I've not used the Olympus much but there's no question the 12-35 is better optically and of course it is much faster with a constant aperture too. It's a different class of lens, really, hence the price difference. That's not to say the Olympus is a bad lens - it's not but if Olympus did a similar lens to the 12-35 f2.8, it wouldn't cosy any less, that's for sure.

[@raksh9]

This was my first expensive m43 lens, and I liked it so much that I bought the v2 of this lens when my first became faulty after years of hard use.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Yes, nice compact lens, too.

[@HarutheShibaInu]

Just got the Gh4 and the 12-35 together for $1500 of eBay! Can't wait to vlog with that baby

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

+PeterandAnnieTV You're going to enjoy that, I can tell!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

I'd be very happy if one was made - the choice would be great. Yes, the new lens should be good.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

For an all purpose lens, the 14-140 takes some beating. It's the one I take when I'm out for a walk. Yes, you lose some speed over the 12-35 but in daytime, when I mostly walk unless I'm up to no good, it doesn't matter. Especially with the now the high ISO quality of MFT .

[@MManv84]

The thing about Panasonic (good or bad) is that you can count on it selling for a significantly lower price this time next year. That's my plan - it's already not difficult to find it for under $1000 :)

[@johnmcfarland2055]

Off topic, but I like your back "garden". That tomato plant looks really healthy. At first glance I wondered if that green tarp was covering a hot tub. Ha, ha, ha.

[@davidthorpe7732]

I will tell my wife - she does the gardening and she'll be delighted!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Thanks. The G5 and 12-35 would make a great pairing, I'd think.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

I have a GH3 on order but I've found my GH2 to be a Swiss army knife as you aptly put it and I expect the GH3 to be even more adaptable. I like the Olympus OM-D too but it is a little too small for my taste even for my not large hands. The Olympus 45mm is good for shallow depth of field, movie or stills. Also there are many older 50, 85 etc film lenses, cheap to buy, and easily fitted with cheap adaptors. They lack auto focus but with movie you have to manually focus a lot of the time anyway.

[@SuchetB]

fantastic! I want to get this - Ive got the lumix 12 to 32mm lense - Im also thinking of getting the 14mm to 140mm lense - your video has helped me.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Glad to hear that!

[@lindamcmullin785]

Hi, David, Today is May 6, 2016, almost four years after this video, and I'm wondering if you still love this lens and what your thoughts are. Do you find that it stays on your camera most of the time, or are there newer lenses in this range that you use more? Thanks, David, for all your hard work trying to educate us regular folks. I appreciate it a lot.

[@davidthorpe7732]

+Linda McMullin Thanks Linda! I actually sold this lens for an Olympus 12-40mm and 40-150mm simply because I bought an E-M1 body and wanted to use them on it for the stabilization. I rather regret selling the 12-35 because of the size but I can't keep everything and I'd love to still have it for my GX8. My most used lens is the 14-140mm, actually.

[@lindamcmullin785]

Thanks for your response and honesty. I too have sold lenses that I regret selling... Guess most of us have that love photography and want to improve our images by trading or buying what we perceive to be better ones. I hate to admit that I'm a pixel peeper, but mainly because I love to crop in on my bird photos, and I'm wondering if I could get crisper shots with Olympus and their fantastic stabilization. Before I do that, tho, I'd like to know if the GX8's system is as stable. (I have a G7). If you don't mind one more question, do you think the GX8's IS stands up to Oly's? Thanks again.

[@davidthorpe7732]

+Linda McMullin Hi Linda - the GX8's body stabilization isn't as good as Olympus's but the dual IS with the lens is just as good. The GX80/85 from what I've read so far has better IS than Olympus but whether that means anything in practical photography is another matter. It will be interesting to see if the GX80+lens stabilization is even better than that! If you are photographing moving birds then you'll be using 1/750th and higher shutter speeds and IS of any kind is irrelevant anyway. Probably better switched off actually, if you are using C-AF. Have you seen my comparison of Pen F and GX8? I compare the stabilization there.

[@lindamcmullin785]

Thanks so much for the info, David. I'd forgotten that my very fast shutter speed makes the IS rather irrelevant in that situation. Thank you for reminding me. But I'd never thought of switching it off when using continuous AF, and I'm trying that today! Thanks again!

[@lindamcmullin785]

And yes, I will watch the comparison video today. Thanks for going to the trouble of making it and helping us. :-)

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

It is a hard decision. There is something about primes but for sheer convenience and practical performance these two lenses take some beating. With the pair of 2.8 zooms you have the same filter sizes too. Almost made for travel....

[@10centsTeam]

I use a 58mm ND filter for videos. For this 12-35mm i would recommend the polaroid ND variable filter (that is great for the other lenses i have). I tried the Hama ND variable that is cheaper, and really (!!) not quite as good as the Polaroid one. As UV filter, Hoya is good, and serves as a protection.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

You can but if VERY shallow depth of field is what you want I'd get an Olympus 45mm f1.8 or the newer 75mm. Both less versatile being fixed focal length - and the 75mm is expensive. The 45mm Olympus is a bargain though. If you value shallow DoF before anything else, look at that one first.

[@MarcHillM]

Nice review and spot on . It's a potent lens on my GH3 and superb with video and stills. You answered my questions re the 25,mm Panasonic. I use the 25mm f0.5 Voightlander which has great macro ability but can be awkward in nailing that focus (worth it). Oh re the flicker aspect, the GH3 has a anti flicker function, which was belatedly discovered after the event.

[@kipling1957]

Important to mention the reported discontinuous aperture stepping artifacts while zooming - which can be a problem for videographers.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

kipling1957 Yes, thanks for the heads up on that. I try to avoid zooming in video but sometimes you need to. I wonder if anyone has come up with an answer?

[@RoundTheClockTV]

David, great review! Would love to see LOW-LIGHT examples/comparisons to the Olympus lenses...and maybe an actual comparison with the kit lens on the GH2. I have the standard kit lens, and a few Sony Alpha/Minolta and Canon adapters that I use with my old Minolta primes and Canon 70-200mm lens, looks superb..but some of those lenses are four-times larger than the camera body...plus the manual focus and loss of image stabilizers really offer shooting challenges. Thanks for the advice

[@artistjoh]

12-35 f2.8 - Is it worth it? Heck yeah. This and the 35-100 2.8 are the basic default lenses for my G9. Good walk around lens.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Both retain the Micro Four Thirds compactness, very important.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

The sound is there 'cos I wanted to put it there and its my video. You can ask for a refund on your viewing fee if you wish but I wouldn't fancy your chances of getting anything :-) If you had to have one lens only, it's have to be the 12-35 of the two f2.8 zooms because the longer one limits you to exterior shots only. Unless you have a 50 metre studio, of course. If you had to work with one lens, only, however, the 14-140 would be a better bet.

[@WilkesMcD]

David Thorpe Have you had a chance to compare this to the Olympus 12-40mm f2.8 zoom?

[@igetsmart]

Thanks for a super nice review - I love hearing from a Pro who knows what he is talking about and uses common sense. I have 2 MF3's OMD-5 and GX1 and waiting on my GX7. So I have a mix of Panasonic and Olympus lenses and now with IS built in to GX7 makes system so nice. I have Oly kit and Pany PZ kit- nice and short also 20 1.7 and 45 1.8 and 14-140 4.0-5.8 but that one is heavy. now a new one 3.5-5.6 which I would like to get. but main focus on getting 12-35 and 35-100 so appreciate review

[@MrVoayer]

Fine review, reasonable comparison with other lenses and sound advice. You won me over, David !

[@10centsTeam]

It does quickly change the aperture while zooming, yes. But i don't actually zoom while filming short films.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Thanks - I'll take a look at it.

[@Frankvanmanen]

I just read a couple of reviews. The quality is good, but the speed difference is too big to even compare these by zoom range. At the end, I should be better off with the Panasonic 14-45mm, which has an f-stop at 3.5/5.6. Beside this, thank you for your opinion.

[@paultaylor5513]

Thanks David. Have you tried the 12-35 on one of the smaller m43 bodies? I have a GF1 and would like the 12-35 but perhaps it's too big for that camera.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Thanks Adam, and for the suggestion. Which text do you mean?

[@10centsTeam]

Yep, but i would personally not be bothered by a bigger and heavier lens if it was the ultimate one. I got the point a big part of Panasonic challenge is miniaturization, but... Needing OIS for short movies i'm now expecting their 43mm (42.5) f1.2 that would replace the fantastic 45mm f1.8.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

I doubt that its price will ever halve. Nothing wrong with primes, though but some of those cost much the same as this lens anyway. Say 12mm Olympus, 25mm Panasonic and 45mm Olympus come to about £200 more, for example.

[@ThePhotoSoup]

Great review! I just bought this lens and the GH3... I'm doing a little bit more research before I crack the box open... I'm really concerned over DOF.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Thanks! The lens works great with the GH3, feels like it was made for it. It probably was, of course...

[@RyanAerospace1]

Thank you, David, the lebs comparison was more than I was expecting. A rather entertaining edit / narration too. As a newbie (GH3 would be) I'll have to watch this again. And again. Any thoughts on the GH3. I'm looking for a 'swiss army knife' of cameras for photography / video. Weather sealing is important to me too. In order to get that desired DOF for the 'movie look' are there any other lenses (in addition to the 12-35mm you recommend? Respectfully, Ryan Curtis Montreal, QC, Canada

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Yes, Panasonic have judged the parameters of the GX7 well, a great balance between size and controls. Small enough to carry around with you, large enough to be ergonomic. It's all a balancing act!

[@conradsenior5843]

I am surprised you would ditch the 25mm f1.4 Summilux. I love that lens. I'lll have to try one of these.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

I wish I could keep everything but I have to buy stuff and I don't have unlimited money :-(

[@DynamixWarePro]

I have this lens lens on my GH4, was the first one I bought since I wanted a general purpose short to medium zoom for wide landscape shots and liked the weather sealing and sometimes need stabalisation as I often shoot in places prone to wind which can shake the camera a little, even with a tripod. I like the lens, its sharp but it does have issues with slight distortion at wider angles like 12mm like you said, and found the edges to be a little softer than the centre which is sharp especially at f/5.6 to f/8. I did find that some videos I took had quite a bit of chromatic aberrations such as purple, green and red fringes on thin lines and as I take more videos than photos, that is an issue for me as you can't really (or I have never found out how to) remove that in editing, except for photos. I now use this lens and the Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 II lens for general video work where I don't need a macro or telephoto shot, and both work great together and I can use the 12-35mm when I need the wider angle shots and use the 20mm when I don't need as wide an angle and its a bit sharper overall and has quite a bit less chromatic aberrations.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

I wouldn't know but I suppose CA could be removed from video in post processing? It would be a very computer intensive task, I'd imagine. Video and stills do test lenses in different ways and from what I've seen of lenses expressly designed for video with their T numbers and so on, very expensive. For the rest of usm compromise os the only answer. The 20mm would be a nice angle of view for video - close to a true 'standard' lens for Micro Four Thirds.

[@ChrisReyzShowReel]

Thanks for the review. I'm looking to buy a 25mm lens which is sharp and good in low light. I had my heart set on the Leica 25mm f1.4 but after seeing your review I am wondering is this much sharper than the 25mm? And how good is it in low light compared to the leica? Also, what makes this lens so much better than the kit 14-45mm, apart from being a bit faster and wider?? Is it really worth the extra money? I am a beginner to DSLRs so forgive me if that's a stupid question.

[@Frankvanmanen]

Ok. I decided to go for this one. Just because I have no idea what I else need. Basically, because I do not need an extra zoom lens. I only need one for extreme lowlight conditions. Maybe the 25mm 1.4, but as you said, no image stabilization. I'm going to use it a lot for video. Despite the stabilization would I still go for the 25mm, or could you recommend another?

[@theedrc]

David, i am curious if you ever use or recommend any filter or lens cover on any of your lenses while shooting? Thanks Dale

[@paultaylor5513]

A nice video thanks. I'm curious if you did sell the Olympus 12mm in the end.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

I meant to add (but pressed the post button too soon) that logical or not, Americans pronounce it 'Naikon' and since they probably buy more NIK.ON or Naikon than anyone else, I doubt that Nippon Kogaku object :-)

[@Snowczar]

Hello David. I was just going to ask mention the same thing. I've decided on the 12-35mm first to go along with my 45mm Oly. With the Tele on, is it possible that this lens makes the 35-100 not worthwhile? I mean....it seems unlikely that I'd ever need to go over the 35mm equiv of 70mm, and I still have the 45mm (90mm equiv). In short, do you consider the 12-35mm with the Tele ON as a possible replacement for the 35-100 with its TELE off?

[@andrewdominguez6181]

Hey David, I wanted to ask you about this lens. I'm shooting a baptism in July and wondered if this would be good lens for this. I'm not going to shoot too much at night, but was just wondering if this was an all around good lens. The price is kinda steep.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Yes, more than most pursuits, photography is a long series of trade-offs. Probably just as well - if there was a perfect camera and lens combination and it would be terminally boring.

[@martinthatsall1518]

Thanks for a really useful review. Average price now down to around £450.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

+Martin Halley That's the beauty off competition within the MFT standard, I guess. Once Olympus bring out a similar lens there's a choice and the prices come down. And vice versa, of course.

[@baze3SC]

Exactly my thoughts, in most situations one would be set and I'd much rather take 200 shots with these two lenses out of sheer convenience than 20 shots while having to swap glass. One basically trades off one type of flexibility for another.

[@pavelp80]

Nice review as always (i watched several of them when deciding whether to upgrade to G80), but you missed two minor flaws - bokeh is not pleasant compared to fixed lenses (20mm/f1,7 or oly 45mm/f1,8) and it suffers from reflections and flare effects when there is light source in the picture. It's somewhat annoying for taking city pictures when it's dark and there are street lamps or taking photos with sun at horizon. For indoor photos is prefer 20mm/f1.7 due to time/iso restrictions.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

The out of focus component of zoom lmes images is never as pleasant as some primes. I never came across the flare and reflections you mentioned so thanks for bringing it up. The only time I had reflections was when using a filter but obviously I took that off for night shots.

[@igetsmart]

Got my GX7 and love it. I see Sony out with A7 / 7R and it looks nice. Rumor is that Sony is only producing slow lenses due to size and weight as for FF the fast lenses will be close to as large and heavy as with DSLR. A7 will be nice with some fast primes with IS but to heavy with fast zoom. The Pro Panasonic M43 lenses are fantastic. GX7 so much more fun to use then my Fuji X100s & NEX7 & NEx5n & OMD-5. OMD-M1 & GH3 more rugged and larger - GX7 to me nice size and great controls

[@aynakokuyan7]

Hi David, love your review... Are you able to do review of the olympus 14-35mm 2.0 SWD?? And do a comparison with the lumix variant... I'm on a shopping mode for a pro zoom lens on a m43. Thanks again for your review :D

[@Frankvanmanen]

How does it compare to the Olympus 12-50mm? There is a pretty huge price difference, but is that worth the money? I still see people saying the 12-35mm is good, but still a little overpriced.

[@conradsenior5843]

I've read there are two issues with this lens when using video. First that you can't turn off image stabilization on a tripod and it jitters. Can you confirm that? And second that it has aperture related flickers on zooming during video-. Perhaps these have been fixed in the latest software update. In any event given the Panasonic GH4 popularity for video, this might bear investigation.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

There's a switch on the side that turns off stabilization. There were issues on some models with jitter but software updates have cured that I believe. This and the Olympus 12-40 appear to have some aperture flicker in video but I have to admit I only noticed it when told it was there.

[@thekalf9991]

Question for you David> Why would i choose this lens over the 14-140mm ?

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

The reasons would be the constant f/2.8 aperture, smaller size and wider angle. In terms of sharpness, the 12-35 wins out for centre sharpness but the 14-140 is much more consistent across the frame. The 14-140 is the closest thing to an all in one solution. There's the Olympus 12-100 f/4 which is fantastic but much bigger, heavier and more expensive. That's probably the nearest to a true all in one lnes. Until someone comes up with a 7-200 f/2 the same size as the 12-35, of course.

[@thekalf9991]

Thanks David, i am pretty sure ill go with the 1235mm now

[@LifeSouthCBC]

yea just being picky and wishful thinking on my part. I LOVE my gh3, just started doing video interviews for a bigger client and they keep complaining saying i need to get a shallower depth of field. I just cant decide if I should spend that much on this lens and the 12-35mm when I could be getting the 5dmIII for the same price.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Chendil Kumar Hi I received notification of a comment from you via email from KZbin but your comment isn't there - so I can't reply. I don't think I'll ever understand Google+ and KZbin and the Inbox commenting - does anyone?

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

***** £600 is a very, very good price. Given the build and optical quality of the lens, it makes it a bargain.

[@davidmadrid8637]

***** Where did you find the lens for 600?

[@jkennan]

Thanks for a great series of reviews. I'm seriously considering this lens now to go with a new GX7. I've previously had a GF1 and a GX1 but was always a little disappointed with them somehow. The GX7 seems to be the camera I had expected the previous two to be. With the GF1 I bought an adapter which lets me use my old Canon FD lenses with it; however, as that then requires manual focus my ancient eyes struggled a bit so it didn't get much use. Interestingly, I find I can now use the adapter with the GX7 and make use of its focus peaking facility so that makes life much easier for me. I'm enjoying reading your blog too thanks.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Thank you! I hadn't thought of the focus peaking with older manual lenses, yes very handy. To tell the truth, I hadn't been bothered about focus peaking until I tried it and then found that in some situations it is simply the best answer.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Trouble is,such a lens would be big and heavy even for MFT - yet the reason most people buy into MFT is for the balance of weight and bulk v performance. The laws of optics mean that you are always trying to square a circle. If I wanted lenses such as the Sigma I'd have stuck to my Pentax or other APS-C. But I got rid of that because....great lenses like this Sigma are so big and heavy.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

The projected Panasonic 42.5 f1.2 might fill the bill. But for a talking head, I'd have thought the 45mm at f2 gave shallow enough depth. If not there's the 75mm but you're getting a bit distant from the subject at that length. Otherwise, yes, sounds like the FF is your best bet. It's all trade-offs in the end.

[@RyanAerospace1]

I hope Panasonic hooks you up with a GH3 and lenses for a thorough review. (If so, consider telling them it was a 'geh' move to limit IS to the lenses.)

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

It's there on the GH2. I haven't used a G5 but I expect it's on there too.

[@iSpike]

Hello David, new sub here mate. Just purchased the mark 2 version of this lens. MAN O MAN I love you narration, your description of this lens is second to none! Well done 👍🏻 cheers from #iSpike Western Australia

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Cheers back, Spike! I was a motorcycle rider for many years, one of my great loves in life. Biking in Australia must be paradise. Glad you like my stuff- thank you.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

I'd like f2 and 16-50 too but I suppose Panasonic has to strike a balance on weight and size/ aperture and zoom range. I'd hate to think what they'd charge for an f2!

[@jamesk8131]

Hi David, I am getting ready to go on vacation and want to know which lens do you think would be the better one to use. I have the Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 and 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 lenses.

[@davidthorpe7732]

I'd take the 14-140mm without question. The versatility of that wide zoom range will suggest and open up pictures that you wouldn't even see with the 12-35. The constant f/2.8 is nice but the zoom range is definitely restrictive on its own.