[ Lens ] First review of Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8 OIS

[wonglp]

He's referring to the 43 version.

Oh really? Then it's no brainer haha...

 

[MichaelLee]

Just gotten the 12-35 must say it's awesome so far, with a very good built to accompany the excellent optics!

U get it ? Poison snake get himself poisoned !

 

[116520]

Thanks for the advice. I shot my kids or "portrait" since my kids are humans but running around humans.
I was thinking to get the 12-35 as a travel lens but I already have the kit lens which is not too bad except low light but I HAVE MY 25mm f1.4!
So if I have too much cash in hand, I should get the Oly 75mm f1.8 instead?

I think it depends what you shoot more. if you do more portrait shoot PL25 is better in that aspect, it's "less" sharp wide open (but still pack a punch in sharpness) and DOF is certainly much more shallow with 2 stops gained, stop down to f2.8 it's sharper than 12-35 @ 25mm F2.8. 12-35 is more for the convenience of zoom with excellent optics. One reason I stopped using walkaround zoom since Olympus 14-54 mkII is due to slow AF, and large size, though the optics is very good, none of the kits lenses come close to 14-54 (of course the kit price there's not much to complain about). Once you started primes, it's hard to look at kit lens zooms IQ (imo), but 12-35 is the lens that has brought me back to zooms once again.

There's compromises whichever choice you make just which is more important (suited) for your shooting style. My 2 cts of honesty not poison

 

[seafood]

Thanks for the advice. I shot my kids or "portrait" since my kids are humans but running around humans.
I was thinking to get the 12-35 as a travel lens but I already have the kit lens which is not too bad except low light but I HAVE MY 25mm f1.4!
So if I have too much cash in hand, I should get the Oly 75mm f1.8 instead?

The L12-35/f2.8 is a darn good travel lens. Esp with the wide of 12mm (24 equi) FOV. Good for indoor shots; restaurant, hotels, homes, etc. Fantastic for sceneries; mountains, sea, street scenes etc.

The 25/1.4 is great for indoor low light shots. And of people.

If you have too much cash in hand should get both the 75/f1.8 and the 12-35/f2.8

 

[As7eroidS]

He's referring to the 43 version.

oic. ok im not sure about the 43 version :X

 

[Agrivar]

The L12-35/f2.8 is a darn good travel lens. Esp with the wide of 12mm (24 equi) FOV. Good for indoor shots; restaurant, hotels, homes, etc. Fantastic for sceneries; mountains, sea, street scenes etc.

The 25/1.4 is great for indoor low light shots. And of people.

If you have too much cash in hand should get both the 75/f1.8 and the 12-35/f2.8

The 12-35 is also a damn good video lens!! Took recent video during the CJ concert and I was blown away by the video quality of the 12-35 coupled with the hacked gh2. And at lowlight concert lighting (aka no lights except stage).. This is one versatile lens. Worth every cent IMHO..

 

[Oly5050]

I am using the leica 25 f1.4 now... should I get the 12-35? Let's be honest and not poison... please... thank you!

Well, in my travels, i carry the 25 1.4, 20 1.7, 12-35 and 7-14. I will tell you which gets used the most!
The 12-35, followed closely by 7-14. The 20 is far behind. As for the 25, never even mounted it. Why? The 2.8 aperture on the 12-35 on E-M5 is more than enough for low light. I dun even need f1.4. Btw Im shooting inside churches etc and night scenes. In fact f4 is quite doable. As such the benefits of f1.4 is moot in the face of a more flexible focal length. Unless you just wanna shoot bokeh. But honestly, on travel, i just wanna get the shot. Not go for bokeh. Btw, i carry 2 E-M5 bodies, so if i wanted to, i could hv two setups ready to go. The 2 lenses that are on are the 7-14 and 12-35. Just dun see the need for the 25. Mind you, im not bashing the 25. I think its a great lens. But strangely, when it comes to deciding, it just does not get chosen.

 

[116520]

Thanks for the advice. I think I will try it out and see it for myself...

Well, in my travels, i carry the 25 1.4, 20 1.7, 12-35 and 7-14. I will tell you which gets used the most!
The 12-35, followed closely by 7-14. The 20 is far behind. As for the 25, never even mounted it. Why? The 2.8 aperture on the 12-35 on E-M5 is more than enough for low light. I dun even need f1.4. Btw Im shooting inside churches etc and night scenes. In fact f4 is quite doable. As such the benefits of f1.4 is moot in the face of a more flexible focal length. Unless you just wanna shoot bokeh. But honestly, on travel, i just wanna get the shot. Not go for bokeh. Btw, i carry 2 E-M5 bodies, so if i wanted to, i could hv two setups ready to go. The 2 lenses that are on are the 7-14 and 12-35. Just dun see the need for the 25. Mind you, im not bashing the 25. I think its a great lens. But strangely, when it comes to deciding, it just does not get chosen.

 

[116520]

Buying both lenses are super poison...

The L12-35/f2.8 is a darn good travel lens. Esp with the wide of 12mm (24 equi) FOV. Good for indoor shots; restaurant, hotels, homes, etc. Fantastic for sceneries; mountains, sea, street scenes etc.

The 25/1.4 is great for indoor low light shots. And of people.

If you have too much cash in hand should get both the 75/f1.8 and the 12-35/f2.8

 

[microcosm]

Ya, i wouldn't treat it like i would with dslr. i would treat it like a pen, perhaps the "pen pro" or whatever pro model it may be would be better in this aspect? Just gotten the 12-35 must say it's awesome so far, with a very good built to accompany the excellent optics!

It carries the famous "OM" tag, and it would be disrespectful to treat it like a Pen. :sticktong

 

[microcosm]

I am using the leica 25 f1.4 now... should I get the 12-35? Let's be honest and not poison... please... thank you!

You shouldn't. Unless you are selling the 25mm f1.4. The 12-35mm can be the 25mm replacement.

 

[As7eroidS]

You shouldn't. Unless you are selling the 25mm f1.4. The 12-35mm can be the 25mm replacement.

Dont really think that it can be the 25mm replacement. Maybe after i test it

 

[116520]

That's what I thought because the focus length of the two lenses are so similar... maybe I should just stretch out my arms further when I need to "zoom" and hold the camera on my chest when I need "wide" shot.... ha ha... thank you for your advise...

You shouldn't. Unless you are selling the 25mm f1.4. The 12-35mm can be the 25mm replacement.

 

[Oly5050]

That's what I thought because the focus length of the two lenses are so similar... maybe I should just stretch out my arms further when I need to "zoom" and hold the camera on my chest when I need "wide" shot.... ha ha... thank you for your advise...

Seriously, its not possible.

 

[wonglp]

U get it ? Poison snake get himself poisoned !

Poisoned snake is easily poisoned that's why got lotsa poison to share

Thanks for the advice. I shot my kids or "portrait" since my kids are humans but running around humans.
I was thinking to get the 12-35 as a travel lens but I already have the kit lens which is not too bad except low light but I HAVE MY 25mm f1.4!
So if I have too much cash in hand, I should get the Oly 75mm f1.8 instead?

It seems like a status quo then unless of course you can have cash for both. Otherwise, 12-35 + 45mm for kids portrait if you need the blurrer backgorund, but you do have to stand rather far than PL25. 75 is very long for general portraits, certainly the best for it if space is ok.

 

[116520]

Thanks for the advise. I think I will stick to my PL25 + kit lens for now.

It seems like a status quo then unless of course you can have cash for both. Otherwise, 12-35 + 45mm for kids portrait if you need the blurrer backgorund, but you do have to stand rather far than PL25. 75 is very long for general portraits, certainly the best for it if space is ok.

 

[aleksandr]

After getting my 12-35mm I find myself never or hardly ever going back to 25mm. Might sell my 25mm and get a 45mm or 75mm for times when looking for maximum bokeh.

 

[116520]

REALLY???? OMG

After getting my 12-35mm I find myself never or hardly ever going back to 25mm. Might sell my 25mm and get a 45mm or 75mm for times when looking for maximum bokeh.

 

[As7eroidS]

After getting my 12-35mm I find myself never or hardly ever going back to 25mm. Might sell my 25mm and get a 45mm or 75mm for times when looking for maximum bokeh.

Pls pm me how much u selling the 25mm f1.4 thanks

 

[Oly5050]

After getting my 12-35mm I find myself never or hardly ever going back to 25mm. Might sell my 25mm and get a 45mm or 75mm for times when looking for maximum bokeh.

Same here.
But i wun sell it altho i rarely use it.
The 12-35 is like a wife. The 25, like a lover/girlfriend. Ok lar maybe the 12-35 is more utility like a porsche cayenne and the 25 is like a porsche gt3. Haha.