Amazing Compact & Sharp Super Telephoto Lens On A Budget
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- Опубліковано 4 лип 2024
- I recently acquired a used Panasonic Lumix 100-300mm F4-5.6 lens for a job that requires long reach. While I have the lens now, I thought it would be fun to bring it out for a spin at the KL Bird Park, and share my thoughts about the lens!
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0:00 Intro
0:42 Disclaimers
1:21 Budget Supertele Zoom
2:03 Bird Shooting 1
3:11 What I Like?
5:26 Bird Shooting 2
6:23 Olympus 75-300mm
8:33 Bird Shooting 3
9:30 Should You Buy One?
10:45 Other Telephoto Options
11:17 Bird Shooting 4
12:00 Conclusion/END
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I own the Mark II version of this lens and would recommend buying this instead. It can be recognised by a silver 100-300 writing instead of the orange one of the Mark I-version.
The Mark II not only has weather sealing as you mention in your video, but also Power O.I.S. instead of Mega O.I.S., which gives better image stabilisation. And for Panasonic users, like me, it works with Dual IS, which the Mark I does not. Also the AF is quicker in the Mark II.
I think the AF is working fine, I demonstrated how effective it was at sticking to the bird continuously. As for image stabilization, while the lens has its own IS, in this video, I actually relied on the OM-1's in body 5-Axis IS.
Nicely done! Well covered and great energy!
Big zoom M4/3 save so much size and weight over full frame so great for traveling. Good looking lens but I’ll be sticking with my Olympus 75-300mm nice review again Robin.
The 75-300 is awesome. Also got one. 😊
The Olympus 75-300mm is awesome too
Apsc is best of both worlds micro four thirds suffer in low light, apsc still suffers but recoverable in post edit
I own this lens and love it. For the price it's hard to beat.
Indeed, such great value for money
My use for this lens is if I want to go on a nice walk through an open nature area, and focus on the walk, but I can still whip out a camera for something cool if I see it. I have the mark 2 of this lens, I also "had" the Olympus 100-400, and I have a full frame Sigma 150-600mm. Image quality wise Compared to full frame the difference between the 2 m4/3 lenses is very small, one might say insignificant (mostly it's f stop/iso issues that will hurt your shots 80% of the time), the extra reach isn't that noticeable, but what is noticeable is the weight. The 100-400 is heavy enough that it feels uncomfortable, and you have to alter your carrying method, and at that point I may as well get out the full frame S5 with the Sigma lens for a real advantage to make discomfort worth it.
These telephoto lenses on m4/3 can give really good images, but when taking pictures of birds you need a shutter speed of 350 minimum to get good shots (usually higher if not tame or little and jumpy), and you will realise really quickly that most of the time you are bumping your ISO to uncomfortable levels. If you live somewhere very sunny you will get more use out of it for great sharp pictures. But cloudy days or birds in underbelly of a tree can be an issue.
Hi Robin, watched the video for the Panasonic 100-300 f/4-f/5.6 lens. Thank you. I bought a used one (like new condition) off Amazon about a month ago and used it with my Olympus OM-D E-M1 II. I took some bird pictures recently with this combo and got some nice results. Works fine. I had to use a lighter touch on the focus ring when in manual mode to get smoother control. AF worked really well, however. I love the small size and compactness. Thanks so much.
Really amazing photos Robin! I liked how you recorded the process of the camera autofocus and taking the shot.
Just picked up this lens, open box for $150 USD 🤯 Would prefer the mark II with the weather sealing and dual IS (with my gh5) but I’m totally satisfied with the mark I and the steal of a price I got it for!
Thanks for your video Robin. Great lens for the money 👍
Glad to be able to share, indeed great value.
Nice summary for my decision for m43 telephoto. My take is a little different than most because I am not a pro, but I like m43 for the tele stuff and FF for everything else. On trips, I also learned that I cannot stand switching lenses, so I bring 2 bodies and having the tele lens on my Panasonic G9 it weighs far less than a super long lens on a FF camera. I am setting up some giant sunset shots, where I zoom in all the way and get people on the pier for a very dramatic shot. Its down to what I can get used between the Olympus and the Panasonic. I notice the panny is significantly more as I think people figured out the extra aperture and stab are the difference. It is nice to hear that there probably isnt much IQ diff between the 2 in the end. Off to ebay to see what I can find. Thanks for the review.
I have the MkII version that I use with my Oly OMDEM1MkIII, Panny GX9 and have loved it.
Awesome
Awesome video, I have the same lens and I'm very happy with its performance.
Great to know!
Great video. I've owned the 100-300 Mark II for over a year and travel with it regularly. From 100mm to about 250mm a really great lens. But I've never managed to get a really sharp photo at around 255 to 300mm with the DC-G9, DMC-G81 and DMC-G80. It doesn't matter whether I photographed handheld or from a tripod in good light. My lens is of no use in this area.
Thank you :)
Cheers
I have this lens (also the Mark 1) since 2012 and I like it a lot. Even after I've bought the Olympus 100-400 f5-6.3 I still use the Panasonic 100-300 form time to time. It's the kind of lens that I had on some ocasions bring with me on holidays, because it's so compact and light fot a super telephoto. And it's indeed a sharp lens.
Yeah I agree, sometimes it is the smaller size and lighter weight that become the deciding factor on which lens to bring.
I owned this lens for a brief time as my budget setup (Pany G9 & GX8, Pany 12-60mm and Pany 100-300mm) and I enjoyed the IQ but the letdown was the AF-C of Panasonic's DFD. Now, when I am focused on wildlife I use Oly 100-400mm for more reach and for everything else Oly 40-150mm f 2.8 PRO for more light gathering and more subject separation.
Panasonic 100-300mm f 4-5.6 is a great all-around lens (for a 2 lens setup) and if you can spring for the Mark II for weather sealing it might be all you will ever need in this range. It is unfortunate that teleconverters are not compatible with the lens but it does have good close up and magnification performance for semi-macro images (and it works great with Raynox DCR adapters).
The Continuous AF works perfectly on any Olympus camera body with Phase Detect AF.
Robin, that lens is stunningly sharp, I am considering this or the 100-400 Panny. To use for Motorsports photography.
Thanks for the video. I noticed that several images were shot at 1/20 sec. That was very surprising, as my experience with birds is that they are usually very active.
This lens is why I initially bought into the mft system. I wanted lightweight telephoto that I could take cycling and on holidays. I'm very happy with its performance in good light. Even the most modest upgrade to one of the 100-400's would double the weight. I think it's getting a bad rep because most people will take a couple of shots at 300mm wide open and get blurry results. It's surprisingly sharp at shorter focal lengths or at the long end stopped down to at least 6.3.
I find the images are looking great even at wide open F5.6 at 300mm. It is not easy shooting at such a long focal length hand-held, there are dozens of reasons contributing to soft results, most of them, lack of shooting discipline, which I have discussed in a separate video.
I used to have the mk I version of this lens and loved using it and the images I got from it. Life has moved on from then though and I sold this and a couple of other lenses, last year, because I no longer used them. These days I just have my basic 3 primes plus the pana 12-32mm and 35-100 tiny kit lenses for anytime I need to go wider or longer when I'm on family outings, but mostly it's just the primes in use now. I'm experimenting to see just how often I use my lenses over the next year. I feel like I might end up as a minimalist one lens one camera shooter in the future.
Yes, we don't need that many lenses, and if we don't use them, don't keep them!
Happy Monday my brother from another mother.
Hey Rob wassup
I used to have this lens while I sill professionally worked with my old E-M1, I even used to bring it to shoot for a client at Sepang Circuit in Malaysia for a race there. This is the Budget God for any long distance shootings, use it with outdoor sports, wildlife etc but it's also really really good for landscape and cityscape too if you have the distance or plan the shootings with creative composition or minimalist style, this lens is a big gems.
Yeah imagine the crazy perspective compression at 300mm (600mm equivalent in 35mm format)!
I ordered the Roesch Tripod Collar from Germany for my 100-300 II. A bit pricy but very nice when using this lens on a tripod or monopod.
I have no issues shooting hand-held! If I were to bring a large tripod around, I'd rather lug a full frame system. The beauty of Micro Four Thirds is the hand-held freedom.
I had 2 of these, been very happy with them. Super sharp from 100mm to about 235mm, then gradually gets softer, but even at 300mm the quality is OK
This is one of the reasons why more people should look into MFT! I used to have the Sigma 150-600 Contemporary for my Sony A7iii. I used it once or twice. It's simply not a lens you can bring along as it doesn't really fit in any photobag. What a difference with the 100-300 Mk2. I can bring it along even in my Peak design sling bag when doing a casual nature walk and that's even with a 3rd party tripod colar attached (which I actually should just take off as I rarely use it). It's also the reason why I haven't picked up the Olympus 40-150 F2.8 which is much bigger with less reach. The wider angle and then some I can easily get with my Lumix 12-60mm.
Yeah the size and weight can be the determining factor in picking up which lens and camera to use. That's where Micro Four Thirds shine.
Hi Robin. Love your videos as they are down to earth as well as being very informative. I noticed that you are using your new camera that you were gifted by a very loyal viewer. When you first got the camera you were having some focusing issues. Have they been resolved?
Thanks
Mike from Toronto, Canada.
I've been spoiled a bit by the Oly pro zooms, but this looks like a great option for some of my less gear obsessed friends :)
Lens stabilization is super important for telephoto - 300mm is very hard to use with IBIS. I've learned that the hard way, when I stuck a 2x teleconverter on my 40-150/2.8.
Amazing lens, incredible fauna and the best Host!
Thank you for sharing your opinion on this lens, i was just considering buy an Olympus 75-300, but i might get this one instead...
Both seem great either way tho!
Yeah you can't go wrong ether way, both Panasonic and Olympus are solid options.
@@robinwong thank you! 🙏🙏
I have this lens...and indeed its pretty sharp for f4.6
Yeah quite a sharp lens indeed.
Hi Robin, I have the mark ii version of this lens paired with my Lumix G9 or sometimes Lumix G80. As you say, good economic value for what you get. And especially for someone who does not need great reach daily or as a professional, this is a good option. That said, I do find that around 275-ish the image may get slightly soft up to 300 when taking telephoto landscape shots. This could be the lens or in some cases the intervening air. Obviously very distant objects at 300mm focal length will not be sharp because of atmospheric effects....
I bought a tripod collar from a German company specifically made for this lens. I there is interest I could include the link.
Happy bird (photo) shooting!
I find that anything 250mm and further is becoming softer, and that is perfectly fine. While not as sharp as 200mm, the 300mm end still can resolve a lot of good contrast and details, and used with proper shooting discipline, you can achieve some great results.
Thanks, i would like to have one)
many thnaks Robin !! i just found out that MEGA O.I.S. is working on Olympus Body (from this vdo) time to find some tele lens on my pen-F
Of course, if there is IS on the lens, it can work on any camera body. All you have to do is just enable it.
if its that good on the OM1 then imagine how it is on the G9ii! :O its a nice lens. i use a gh5m2 but ive done some photos with that lens and theyre stock images now. so theyre capable as long you can get the best out during post.
i read somewhere that stopping down to F7.1 can help with the sharpness on many copies of the 100-300ii though which is what i followed but im gonna try to trust all apertures with mine.
hey Robin, you can read my mind. I switched back from Sony to OM-SYSTEMS because of the weight especialy of telephototo lenses. The Panasonic 100-300 gets my attention because of size and price. Thank you for the Review.your shots are amazing. 👍
Thanks, glad you find the sharing beneficial!
It looks like quite good lens! It will be nice to do some direct comparsion with Oly 75-300 if you can borrow some for testing. Like if you take them both and do same pics just to be able to see how the resolution, bokeh and colors are compared. I like my 75-300, just sometimes the aperture is too dark.
And I also have Sigma 100-300/4 for my Pentax DLSR. Much larger FF hi-end single barrel lens with almost 1.5kg, but on APS-C it gives nice 150-450 tele, fast AF, very high resolution.. perfect for planes, birds and other animals. Also can be attached to M4/3 with adaptor, unfortunately then it is only MF. But images are great and full of fine detail + bokeh is pleasant.
I have shared my thoughts on comparison. If you want to see any difference in image quality, the Olympus is slightly better, but to be honest, any difference is so small, it is negligible.
Off topic, but from watching this video, I'm jealous you have warmth year round and being able to do Macro or nature photography anytime you want. Winter in Virgina is boring for macro. : "Look a dead leaf! So exciting! Nothing on trees ! Yay.. no bugs anywhere!". I can't wait until spring. I bought my macro in November, and that's the worst time to use it, lol.
Try looking for winter fungi in your area. Mosses and lichens should all still be vibrant. Berries on bushed and trees can be interesting. Shooting frost and water drops on trees and plants can render interesting images. Hopefully these will be helpful ideas for you to explore.
Yeah we have hot and wet all year round, depends on how you see it, we do get too much rain we have flood and landslide problems that kill people.
I recently just traded in my version two of this lens because I elected to stay with Lumix for wildlife so I upgraded to the 100-400. It’s very nice to have a tripod collar that’s for sure but it was a great lens.
I can understand why you need a tripod collar for 100-400mm, but I'd hand-hold the 100-300mm, it is small and light enough
Sometimes nice for video or tripod work. But I agree hand help often. @@robinwong
I used to have to 100-300. There is or was someone who makes a collar that fits the lens, and gives it a tripod foot, I had one of those too. Since it was one of the first lenses I bought, it took me quite some time to learn how to get goot pictures from it, but once I had learned, it really shined. Still, I didn't lilke the slow shutter speeds or high ISOs I often needed when using it, so in the end I purchased the 300/2.8. A much better lens but that doen't make the Panasonic bad. In many cases the only real difference is the better subject isolation you get.
If I were to use a tripod, I might as well bring out a full frame camera! The beauty of using Micro Four Thirds to me, is the hand-held freedom. Taking that away, I am afraid it has lost it's purpose in the first place.
great review. I'm considering either this for my panasonic or a sigma 150-500 for my nikon body. Have you got any larger full frame or apsc telephotos you could do a comparison with?
I have the Olympus 100-400mm on my OM-1 almost all the time, and I’m always using it at 400mm. The only time I’d use it at 100mm would be for maybe portraits. Even just taking photos of small birds in the garden from inside the house, I think I would get frustrated with 300mm. But I definitely think this is still a great lens for a lot of people who don’t need quite that long range.
Definitely, if you need the reach, then go for the lens with the right focal length. Not many people can find a use at such crazy long 300mm.
@@robinwong That’s kind of depressing to hear. More people need to get into super telephoto stuff. Especially with MFT where the lenses aren’t intimidatingly big and heavy.
I've always been drawn to telephoto, I definitely prefer the look over wide-angle. Recently, I did some portraits with the 300/4 and it's out of this world. It's a completely different aesthetic to most portrait shots you see online.
Any thoughts on the best aperture for this lens especially at the long end? I usually use F8, but wonder if that is best to get the most performance from the lens. Curious about your settings for those wonderful images in the video. Advice appreciated from you and/or others. Thanks in advance.
Missed this video when first published. Do you know if there is any optical difference between the MkI and MK II? I'll most likely be using Olympus 5 axis IBS or a tripod rather than the OIS on the lens and can't take advance of Panasonic dual IS
Hi Robin, another great video. Thanks. Question... You have bird detection on your Oly. My camera is an OM5 Mk2 whihch I love and find suitable for about 95% of my amateurish photography. Would this lens work well on the OM5, or would I get frustrated have to hide in a dark room? I use a Olympus 12-100mm F4 which I love but a bird lens it ain't. Appreciate any comments. Dave.
I too have this lens and use it on a G9 which is new to me. I'm struggling to get as sharp and crisp images . Any tips or tricks are appreciated? I've tried multiple apertures to find the right spot but just struggling. Thanks,
Consulta como funcionara el 100 - 300 mm en una Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. Saludos.
Hi Robin, I tried the Lumix 100-300 II and the Leica 100-400 with the G9, I didn't like either of them, I almost preferred the photos taken with the Panasonic FZ 2000 (bridge camera). The Leica 100-400 was just a little better than the 100-300... Luckily I also tried the Olympus 40-150 f 2.8 pro and I must say that it seems much better. Perhaps even with the 2x multiplier (mc-20) it retains a better image than the other two. With the 1.4 multiplier I think it preserves a better image than both. I also had the Olympus 300, the best of all.
I cannot comment on why you don't like the images as I have not seen them, but you also can't compare a PRO lens to a non-Pro lens. There is a reason for the label and the higher price tag.
Great review, Robin! I have the Olympus 300 f4, so I am not likely to buy this lens, but will surely recommend it to others!
I seldom use any of the AF modes on my OM-1, and almost always simply use C-AF, but really enjoyed seeing it work for you with the bird tracking mode. I will do that from now on!
I’m surprised nobody pointed this moment 11:20 in the comments 😂
When using the 75-300 M. Zuiko i find that the fully extended 300mm setting is plenty sharp when capturing mid range or closer images. The extra speed of the Lumix variant might be nice, but I do like the extra 25mm of range of the Oly.
Most people who get these lenses would shoot at 200-300mm range, and mostly at the longest end. There are many other lenses that cover the wider range.
Hello Robin. I have two questions regarding the Panasonic 100-300mm lens. 1) can the lens stabilization be combined with the sensor stabilization (OM-1)? Or is it one or the other? 2) does the Panasonic suffer from lens creep? My current 75-300 Olympus lens has terrible creep. Thanks!
my 100-300mm doesnt have lens creep. albeit its the mark 2 version. i dont think it works with combined stabilisation so its one or the other.
haha this is my daily driver lens. I go out with this and a 25mm f1.7. It can get pretty nice macroish shots if you put a +2 diopter or true macro with a raynox. I take pictures of both birds and bugs with it, very sharp at f8. Got it for like 350usd. If anyone wants to check the quality let me know, I crop a lot and still get a lot of detail.
Tell that to one of the commentors here who said he can't get any good shots at all with his 100-300mm lens!
@@robinwong That’s weird, I have used it on the original em 5, em 5 mark 3 and lumix g9. Keeper rate is higher on g9, definitely easier for birds flying, but I have got some on the em 5 mark 3 even. Never feel like it was bad for the price, wish they made a version that reached 400mm at this price xD
Bought it for my OM-1 and quickly returned it. Not really sharp at 300mm, at least my copy. The Oly 100-400 is much, much better.
i had owned mk1 version, result are fine until it cant af, then i replaced with olympus 75-300mm, not as sharp as pana one, but it still can get the job done
I personally find the Olympus to be sharper (and also verified by many actual review/test sites). But of course, the differences are so small, they are negligible.
Hi Robin, I need your help. I have a Panasonic 14-140 mm lens that I'm using with my old Lumix G80, with a 16Mp sensor. In order to update to 20Mp, I'd like to buy the Olympus EM5 III, but in that case, I'd lose the optical stabilization (unfortunately, the Olympus 14-150mm is not stabilized, I wonder why). Do you think that the remaining sensor stabilization would be sufficient? Thank you for your opinion and compliments for your videos! Alberto.
hey i used a combo like that and it was absolutely fine with the IBIS! there is a switch so you could switch off IBIS and turn on Lens IS. so you have a choice using either or but not both, just choose what you find best.
Hey Robin what shutter mode do you use with your camera(s)? Mechanical, electronic or EFC?
In this particular shooting, Anti-Shock "0 sec".
I have the lens and the EM1-MKIII camera. Robin, did you turn on the IBIS of the OM-1 and the lens stabilization or did you turn off the OM-1 and just use the lens. I was told by some to turn off on the camera and use the lens stabilization. True? or Not?
I have seen a number of videos that recommend using both for best results.
I used the OM-1's 5-Axis IS, which is enabled by default. If you want to use the lens IS instead, you have to choose the setting "Lens IS Priority".
I noticed you used antishock shutter on the om-1. How do you activate that?
It is in the super control panel - drive mode
How does it compare with Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 75-300mm F4.8-6.7 II?
Watch the video to find out!
I purchased the 75-300 after trading in the image stabilized Panasonic. Big mistake. The 75-300 was too light for me. Sold the 75-300 bc no image stabilizer. Gave the 100-300 to my son who has the Panasonic G85. Given my commitment to Olympus, OM, I will buy the Panasonic 100-300 now that OM has lost their minds not introducing IS to their 40-150 pro.
Hi Robin, How the IS of this lens work with a Olympus body? Still work in conjunction with the Olympus IS camera body?
No, it doesn‘t. Dual IS is the biggest advantage but reserved for Lumix bodies. I recommend 75-300 for Olympus bodies, Lumix lens for Panasonic bodies.
By default, the camera body's 5-Axis IS was used. You can choose to use the lens IS instead, by selecting "Lens IS Priority".
Amusing to see "bird mode" get confused by the peacock's plumage, evolution doing its thing.
Yeap, the AI still needs more evolving
If I use this lens with an Olympus body do I get IBIS, OIS, or both?
You can choose whichever, both works fine.
So what do you think? I bought this lens in December and have not had a chance to really use it. I have a Panasonic G9ii and am in the process of buying the Panasonic 100-400 which more people seem to be using for bird photography. I can send the 100-300 back for a credit. I can't imagine having both. Which one is better with the camera I have now?
I never had the 100-400mm Panasonic, so no comment from me.
@@robinwong Sorry I did not watch carefully. I love your channel, so informative. Thanks.
well well well...I was considering getting something between 75 and 300 (non-pro)...and now we have rumor of potential om system 150-600 f5-f6.3 .... 😂😂😂😂
The price will probably be 5 times what the 75-300mm is asking for
Kinda suck panasonic stuff were not really existed in Malaysia market. As in they are there sitting in sales rack for the sake of being there😅
It is the case of demand and supply. No demand, no supply.
I sold this lens the manual focus was stif and it was never sharp for bird photography very hard to make clear photos with this lens
I find every single photo taken (and abundantly shown in this video) to be more than sufficiently sharp. I wonder what happened in your case.
Also, why would you want to use manual focus when the AF on any Olympus or Panasonic cameras are so fast and reliable? I had like 99% hit rate!
hello, I've had one. Good reach but I was never 100% satisfied with the results. Too soft for me on the 300mm end. This was the heaviest lens I had own and I used it less and less, so I sold it.
Many people have been "satisfied" with the lens. And looking at the 300mm images I have shown here, they are plenty sharp, don't you think?
I think better sharp lumix.. because lens more big too..
Not true, many review/test sites concluded Olympus to be the better performer. However, I'd argue the difference is so small, you can't really see them any way.
@@robinwong ok. Hahaha i buy olympus.. Because lumix have a purple fringing so bad and olympus more small😁
FYI, if you back off the zoom to 275mm from 300mm, you will get noticeably sharper images, without losing a lot of magnification.
I have tested this and is not true. While at 200mm, it is significantly sharper, anything above 250mm looks almost the same.
Robin you can make a Coke bottle look good 😁! Nice vid. How does it compare to the Oly 100-400? @wb2pics
Thanks for the kind words. I don't have the 100-400mm lens though, and it is quite expensive, for a lens that I find no need for.