I agree, the presenter knows his Lumix well. And IME using this lens it is super fast AF 1 area. Even in low light it beat my DSLRs for speed and accuracy. And IME it's much sharper than the 100-400 ELMAR. Both are great lenses, but for me the 50-200 ELMARIT is more diverse, but the 100-400 ELMAR has the range.
This really looks like a fantastic lens! I recently traded my G9 towards an S5IIX to get better low light performance & shallow depth of field capability. But I have also kept my Olympus EM5.III as MFT is such a handy, portable system to have. Panasonic's 70 - 300 came with the S5IIX kit I chose and whilst it seems like a nice lens, I actually think this 50 - 200 gets better results from the reviews I've seen, including yours. Certainly seems sharper, all the subjects in your samples really seemed to pop with vibrant colours and the background blur is really smooth. So I still think there is room for the 50 - 200 in my kit. I've also found 300mm is a bit short for subjects further away such as small birds. But going above 300mm with full-frame tends to get quite big & heavy, whereas the 50 - 200 is nicely compact. Definitely a win from Panasonic, just a shame it's kind of expensive. The 70 - 300 in my S5IIX kit was ridiculously cheap - an £85 (about $100) premium over the standard S5IIX/20 - 60 kit. Would be lovely if the PL 50 - 200 could be had for that price!
you showed the large lens hood 50-200mm lens comes with, but which hood is this? @ 1:33 > Leica 12-60mm I assume? If yes, did you find any significant differences shooting it with this small hood vs with the hood 50-200mm came with?
Rick Petersen for the way I shoot, the 8-18, 25 and 50-200 possibly with the 1.4 TC (I think it works with this lens?) would be an incredible travel kit
This is my favourite lens since I got it, the only thing I would like to have is a lock switch for the zoom ring, because the barrel always extends when carrying it on a capture clip. Other than that, I don't have any complaints and I really love to use it as a macro lens!
@@Buzza235 I can't speak for Marko, but the 45-175 w/ power ois is maybe the best money I ever spent (got it for a steal $135 shipped from Japan on eBay & I LOVE IT). I just put it through its paces doing light wildlife in Costa Rica. It did absolutely fantastic. Let me know if you want, I can pm a link of pictures I got. I think I'll keep it forever. I don't think I will ever invest in a faster telephoto (50-200 f2.8), for a longer telephoto (100-400). Better lenses are probably too much money for this amateur. The 45-175 is compact, doesn't trombone, aperture didn't feel like a roadblock to me, very sharp, great IQ, smooth zoom rocker switch for video, relatively unknown gem! Check reviews on it, not a lot to go on, but I like it. Some note a 'vibration' jitter from the stabilizer. I think this was an issue with older firmware. Day1 I updated to v1.3, and I haven't seen the problem ever. Another option I haven't tried is the 45-200 f4-5.6... The mega OIS model can be had cheap, but the updated power OIS model is harder to come by. This one has a tiny bit more reach, but it is bigger overall, and it trombones. From what I read, it is not as sharp as the 45-175. I'm sure the 50-200 f2.8-4.0 beats them all... But for the price? Definitely diminishing returns.
Hello, once again a great video. Actually i have in use the Sony HDR CX 900 E and as a second camera the Lumx G6. Do You recommend the MFT system for making videos in the future? Or would You prefer an apsc or full frame system?
You have by far the best reviews I can see in youtube and are very well explained, great to watch!! I have the 100-400 Leica, do you think it worth to buy also that one for birds, wildlife? What i mean is the F-stops, because at dark, cloudy mornings I am not very pleased sometimes with the results.
Love your reviews.. they are very informative.. good to watch with plenty of examples..thank you for taking the time to produce... one thing I would love to see more is using a lens like this in a sports scenario.. maybe a football game or similar to see how the burst modes / 6K perhaps and the AFC work with the G9...have just purchased this lens myself and am so far very impressed..
I've just bought mine and it is a very good lens. I also have the wide zoom Panasonic lens you refer to, and it is a amazing and funny lens to use. Combined with the primes "35"mm and "85" PanLeica and my G8 it is an awesome and efficient and light outfit to use in the field...! Thanks!
I gotta look at my in camera correction settings because I saw some crazy chromatic aberration when shooting wide open. I also used it on a G9. I was disappointed to see that.
Hey THS- what lens would you recommend for the G85 for video closer than the 12-60 kit lens? I’m looking to film at car shows but can’t get far enough back. I tested the 7-14 and was not a fan of the fisheye look and the 8-18 is too heavy. I was thinking a fixed Aperture ? The G85 will be on a Gimbal
i have the 7-14 and the 12-60... i much prefer the 12-60 as it has OIS and has a much bigger range. for vlogging and selfie style clips it does pretty good
i really like this lens love the ergonomics although I also get excellent results with Canon 70-200 IS II 2.8 using speedbooster where my focal stops widens to another stop but it is heavy compared to this lens so portability alone is worth it.
I have seen a video of this lens with IS Lock turned on and it looked like it was mounted on a tripod but was handheld. Great review and looking forward to the GH5S video, and comparison with A7iii.
Purely on image quality and forgetting price, at 200mm which is best out of the Leica 200 prime, 50-250 and 100-400? Thanks for the reviews - always great to watch.
It is a 50 - 200mm equivalent to full frame or with Micro Third they apply a Crop Factor? How much more focal range in this particular case? Looks amazing!
I rented 50-200 and I love the feel of it. The zoom is so smooth ... TOTALLY unlike 100-400. Shame on Panasonic for giving us the zoom ring that is so stiff that I have to turn my camera. Horrible. It is also compact and lower in price than 200mm f/2.8. Lets see how it performs on the field.
Thanks for the very informative review! I'm seriously considering getting this lens, or the Olympus 40-150 Pro. Have you noticed any micro jitters when shooting handheld video Dual IS 2 on? My 35-100 F2.8 II suffers from that issue.
Hi, What about the stabilisation on an Olympus Em1X or Em1 Mk 3 please ? Only the is of the body can work or only the one of the lense ? and what about focus braketing and stacking too on the Olympys body? Thanks a lot. Sorry for my english ...I'm french. Oliver
Yes, you can choose body stabilization or lens stabilization. Dual stabilization doesn't. I haven't used this lens with Olympus body, so I am not able answer the rest of your questions.
Damn the auto focus for video was impressive! Would you choose this and the teleconverter or the 100-400mm mate? Would appreciate your advice. Cheers =)
A very useful review, although there is alot of heat haze in the test images so I think we dont see the full resolution potential of this lens. I'd be interested in a comparison video with the Olympus 45-150, surely it's competitor?
Well, it was 40 degrees Celsius, and it won't get better, some of the shots were also taken through glass, but mostly I don't think that it is critical. I don't think that 40-150 is much of a competitor, it lacks the range and image stabilization.
Great review of what looks like an outstanding lens. And it looks like it complements the G9 quite well. You might add how this combo compares to the Sony a73 and whatever Sony lens is applicable. Especially in weight, size, image quality, and ergonomics. Thanks again for a great review.
The pricing around the world is quite different, in Europe they cost around the same (without converters). Those lenses are directly comparable thought, Olympus lacks the range and IS, but it is constant aperture.
Awesome Video! I am hesitating to get either the Leica 50-200 mm f2.8/4.0 lens or to go with Sigma 50-100mm f1.8 Art DC HSM Lens with the VILTROX EF-M2 Focal Reducer Booster Adapter Auto-focus 0.71x. Perhaps f4.0 is to slow for landscape photography with winds and birds watching. The Sigma can be use in low light situation as well (eq f1/2 on M4/3). The Sigma+booster is about the same price of the Leica but heavier by 400 grammes. Anyone of you ever try the Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 on Micro 4.3? Good results? Thanks!
Hi, do you use this with a tele converter? Have you made a video about it yet? Would appreciate! Regards! I am considering this with tele coverter or the cheaper 100-300 II. But 50- is a more suitable min focal length i think.
i've scanned the comments. someone asked about a 2x converter that works with this lens. I think this lens with a 2x converter is more useful to me than the 100-400mm Panasonic -Leica. Do you have an idea about a teleconverter for this lense, ,can it achieve sharp 100 - 400mm? thank you again
Hi there. Do you think is still valid buying this lens in 2021? I'm really considering it for my G9/E-M1 system. BTW... Which lens you used to shoot the stills in this video? Like the ones on the end. Bokeh is very very beautiful in these shots, those are amazing shots of this gear. I know this is an old video, but I'd appreciate a lot if you can answer for help. Thanks a lot in advance.
Generally yes, if you intend to stay with M43. IMO it is still one of the best lenses in the system. All shots of the camera were taken with Sony A7 III and Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III RXD.
@The Hybrid Shooter Thanks a lot for fast reply! I've seen you've switched to Fuji and Sony FF (I'm also into FF). I'm concerned about the long focal lenght, that's why I'm in doubt if keep M4/3 or not. This Pana 50-200mm is 100-400mm equiv. Hard to find that in this size/price for FF. What do you think? And I'm not big fan of Fujifilm glass, it always seems softer than M3/4 or some FF. Haven't you noticed that on Fujifilm lenses? Have you tried to compare their sharpness against M4/3 or other system glass? About FF... Sure the FF world are improving a lot recently, but A7Siii is way too costy for my taste now. I need an hybrid camera that does 4k 60FPS. Thanks a lot for chating. Kind Regards.
@@andredaister3528 I am generally getting better sharpness with Fujifilm than with M43. M43 cameras use a lot of pre-sharpening which may be confusing. FF options are larger, but the image quality and light gathering is much better, so it depends on your preferences.
very good video, well presented, narrated and your reasoning explained - I have 3 Panasonic/Leica premium lenses and after your video am looking to save for this lens :)
i just re-watched that segment and can see the f stop changing on the g9's top info screen. i had not noticed that during my first screening. 50-55mm is 100mm equivalent and at f2.8 a great portrait set-up. again, thanks for the quick reply. thumbs up.
@@TheHybridShooter OK cool thanks need a long zoom lens that's fast and thought this would be a good option although v pricey I love my g80 and yes would love the g9 but I can't seem to break away from the g80 would the 100 - 300 be a better option although I know its 5.6 at the longest focal length is it sharp and fast enough in your opinion
Neither is fast (bright) enough IMO, M43 telephoto zooms aren't particularly suitable for indoors of low light shooting. Both are sufficient for use in good light conditions.
Those are not comparable lenses, this Panasonic Leica is completely different league, but I have some comparison shots, so maybe I will include that in some future video.
It depends on the camera system you already have. If you have Olympus body, get Olympus lens otherwise you won't get much of the additional advertised IS benefit from Panasonic lenses. The playing field has changed a while ago, it's not longer as simple as f-stop numbers and mm focal lengths when you lens shop. Olympus has in-body IS, Panasonic has both in-lens IS and in-body IS. You have to match Panasonic body+lens to get the advertised benefit in the real world use from the dual-IS (or even triple-IS dubbed as 5-axis Hybrid IS on some upper range Panasonic bodies that also do electronic-IS). For example on Lumix DMC-G9 you get up to 6.5 stops of stabilization with dual-IS vs no IS. It's a pretty big deal because Panasonic even re-issued their most popular lenses with support for dual-IS around 2015 (my guess is with addition of low-latency communication link between body and lens specifically for this).
logiotek i have gh5,g82 and gx80 they all have ibis. I use stabilized leica, panasonic lenses with ibis and unstabilized olympus lenses without ibis. In my opinion ibis body and non stabilized lenses is good enough. When i use my 12-40 2.8 olympus pro lense i never notice that the lense has no ibis, no matter which panasonic body i use.
@@andersistbesser You won't know until you do objective comparisons between Oly 12-40 f2.8 against Pana 12-35 f2.8 (recent version 2 with dual-IS support) on your GH5. Btw G9 has even more advanced IBIS than GH5.
logiotek i have panasonoc 12-60 stabilized lense and also 14-140 , stabilized too using the unstabilized oly lense, nothing is missing. My next buy will be the 40-150 from olympus and the 7-14 2.8 olympus. Those oly lenses are just too good.
Just shoot manual or aperture priority at f/4. That's what it would be, if it were to be constant aperture at this price and size. No way would it be constant aperture at 2.8.
Hello, how this lens feel on the Gx9? And can you compare it with the 35-100mm f2.8? Thanks, sorry if my English is approximative. Your video helped me a lot!
I have never tested it on the GX9, so I can't tell you. I prefer this 50-200 over 35-100, it has more useful zoom range, especially if you have Leica 12-60 and I also like the optical character on 50-200 more.
@@TheHybridShooter My first plan was 12-35mm f2-8 + 35-100mm f2-8 + 100-300mm but for the same price I can get the 2 Leica and a teleconverter. I'll take this.
I have a question bro. I just picked up a used panasonic 50-200m f2.8-4.0 telephoto lens for my GH5. The lens performs fine but just wondering while turning the zoom ring at around 120mm I feel a bit a resistance. If you look at the back of the lens, this is the point where the elements reverse direction. Do you think this is normal? I was expecting to have the same feel all the way through the zoom range but it just feels a bit rough at that point then smooths out. Its not major and doesn't require excessive force to turn, but you definitely feel a change in the smooth turning of the ring.
I got a brand new one and it does the same thing, maybe soft click, around 120mm, where the internal direction changes. Also, if I zoom too fast, I can feel the cam catching up as well. Forums messages are similar - quality of zoom varies between lenses.
This may have been asks and answered many times no doubt, but I am a big fan of the channel and want to know: Why don't Micro four thirds camera makers like Panasonic and Olympus put the relevant focal length on their own lenses? these lenses will never be use on anything but MFT. I am sure there is a reason, and the math isn't hard, but its just funny when I grab a 100-300mm Panasonic zoom I know its it's really a 300-600mm (which is awesome). And nobody is putting MFT lenses on on a Fuji, Canon or Sony so no confusion about that. I suppose its simply for univerality.
Right. But I am talking about dedicated MFT lenses. But I get the confusion will still be there.. the one example of a more logical approach for certain cameras is on point and shoot, many they talk about 1 to 10X magnification, or 25X or whatever. It is more useful for more users. choosing a camera etc.
@@boutrosboutrosboutrosboutros I don't think so. Majority of people using interchangeable lens cameras know about the crop factor so, the the other option would actually cause confusion. 25x is also useless information on it't own because it depends on the widest angle on that lens.
@@TheHybridShooter Agreed, X25 on its own would be useless. but general information about the zoom factor is useful on point and shoot with fixed lens. I should have said fixed lens in the beginning.
When you invest into a camera system, the glass (lenses) is the most valuable asset. Camera bodies depreciate fast just like cars or rendered completely archaic by new coding standards like HEVC HDR HLG video. Just look at the price of GH4 when it was released in 2014 ($1500) and what it is now (sub-$500). The same depreciation as cars. Lenses on the other hand don't depreciate like that.
Also take a look at my *Panasonic GH5S* Review: bit.ly/GH5Sreview This video was also shot on GH5S.
Building quite a collection here :)
Looking forward to that review!
I have watched many videos on zoom lenses and this one seems to be one of the best , sharp with nice contrast and pleasing color rendition
I agree, the presenter knows his Lumix well. And IME using this lens it is super fast AF 1 area. Even in low light it beat my DSLRs for speed and accuracy. And IME it's much sharper than the 100-400 ELMAR. Both are great lenses, but for me the 50-200 ELMARIT is more diverse, but the 100-400 ELMAR has the range.
This really looks like a fantastic lens! I recently traded my G9 towards an S5IIX to get better low light performance & shallow depth of field capability. But I have also kept my Olympus EM5.III as MFT is such a handy, portable system to have.
Panasonic's 70 - 300 came with the S5IIX kit I chose and whilst it seems like a nice lens, I actually think this 50 - 200 gets better results from the reviews I've seen, including yours. Certainly seems sharper, all the subjects in your samples really seemed to pop with vibrant colours and the background blur is really smooth. So I still think there is room for the 50 - 200 in my kit.
I've also found 300mm is a bit short for subjects further away such as small birds. But going above 300mm with full-frame tends to get quite big & heavy, whereas the 50 - 200 is nicely compact. Definitely a win from Panasonic, just a shame it's kind of expensive. The 70 - 300 in my S5IIX kit was ridiculously cheap - an £85 (about $100) premium over the standard S5IIX/20 - 60 kit. Would be lovely if the PL 50 - 200 could be had for that price!
you showed the large lens hood 50-200mm lens comes with, but which hood is this? @ 1:33 > Leica 12-60mm I assume? If yes, did you find any significant differences shooting it with this small hood vs with the hood 50-200mm came with?
Thank you for the review! I own the PanLeica 8-18, 12-60 and 25. Would be a nice addition to the camera bag and round out my collection.
You're welcome, those 3 zooms and a good prime would make great collection. Thank you for watching!
Rick Petersen for the way I shoot, the 8-18, 25 and 50-200 possibly with the 1.4 TC (I think it works with this lens?) would be an incredible travel kit
This is my favourite lens since I got it, the only thing I would like to have is a lock switch for the zoom ring, because the barrel always extends when carrying it on a capture clip.
Other than that, I don't have any complaints and I really love to use it as a macro lens!
That is true, I forgot to mention that. I also like to use it as semi-macro lens.
Max Shean )
Another excellent review - thanks. This would be the lens I use 90% of the time. Now I need to upgrade from my Panasonic 45-175 mm that I really like.
Thank you, this lens would be a significant upgrade.
Hi, how did you find the 45-175? I'm thinking about the 40-200 ii have you any use of that, also how good for wildlife was your 45-175?
@@Buzza235 I can't speak for Marko, but the 45-175 w/ power ois is maybe the best money I ever spent (got it for a steal $135 shipped from Japan on eBay & I LOVE IT).
I just put it through its paces doing light wildlife in Costa Rica. It did absolutely fantastic.
Let me know if you want, I can pm a link of pictures I got. I think I'll keep it forever.
I don't think I will ever invest in a faster telephoto (50-200 f2.8), for a longer telephoto (100-400). Better lenses are probably too much money for this amateur.
The 45-175 is compact, doesn't trombone, aperture didn't feel like a roadblock to me, very sharp, great IQ, smooth zoom rocker switch for video, relatively unknown gem!
Check reviews on it, not a lot to go on, but I like it. Some note a 'vibration' jitter from the stabilizer. I think this was an issue with older firmware. Day1 I updated to v1.3, and I haven't seen the problem ever.
Another option I haven't tried is the 45-200 f4-5.6... The mega OIS model can be had cheap, but the updated power OIS model is harder to come by. This one has a tiny bit more reach, but it is bigger overall, and it trombones. From what I read, it is not as sharp as the 45-175.
I'm sure the 50-200 f2.8-4.0 beats them all... But for the price? Definitely diminishing returns.
Hello, once again a great video. Actually i have in use the Sony HDR CX 900 E and as a second camera the Lumx G6. Do You recommend the MFT system for making videos in the future? Or would You prefer an apsc or full frame system?
Thank you, it depends on your preferences, each system has it's advantages, but MFT is definitely one of my favorite systems.
Thank You :)
Great review again looking forward to the GH5s review thanks
Thank you!
Any idea if the Dual I.S. in this 50-200 is better than the stabilization in other panasonic telephoto zooms like the 14-140 or the 45-175?
You have by far the best reviews I can see in youtube and are very well explained, great to watch!!
I have the 100-400 Leica, do you think it worth to buy also that one for birds, wildlife?
What i mean is the F-stops, because at dark, cloudy mornings I am not very pleased sometimes with the results.
Great video. Is this lens parfocal? That is super important for video. I got the Leica 12-60 because it was parfocal. Thanks.
Thank you, it is not, but the focus point doesn't that much, so AF can compensate for that.
Love your reviews.. they are very informative.. good to watch with plenty of examples..thank you for taking the time to produce... one thing I would love to see more is using a lens like this in a sports scenario.. maybe a football game or similar to see how the burst modes / 6K perhaps and the AFC work with the G9...have just purchased this lens myself and am so far very impressed..
Thank you, I haven't had opportunity so shoot anything like that so far, but I intended to do so in the future.
on my christmas list!
I've just bought mine and it is a very good lens.
I also have the wide zoom Panasonic lens you refer to, and it is a amazing and funny lens to use.
Combined with the primes "35"mm and "85" PanLeica and my G8 it is an awesome and efficient and light outfit to use in the field...!
Thanks!
You're welcome, I'm glad you are happy with these lenses!
Could you make video about your editing setup, what hardware you use(desk, monitor, computer...) please?
I might do that in the future.
I gotta look at my in camera correction settings because I saw some crazy chromatic aberration when shooting wide open. I also used it on a G9. I was disappointed to see that.
man nice job you really did a good review thanks does this lens works with the Olympus cameras as well
Is it compatable with GH4
Yes, it is.
Hey THS- what lens would you recommend for the G85 for video closer than the 12-60 kit lens? I’m looking to film at car shows but can’t get far enough back. I tested the 7-14 and was not a fan of the fisheye look and the 8-18 is too heavy. I was thinking a fixed Aperture ? The G85 will be on a Gimbal
Those are unfortunately the only options, there is also 9-18mm Olympus, but it doesn't have very good reputation.
Nokton 10.5mm 0.95
i have the 7-14 and the 12-60... i much prefer the 12-60 as it has OIS and has a much bigger range. for vlogging and selfie style clips it does pretty good
Laowa 7.5mm f/2 has been getting fantastic results
Great review man!
Thank you!
i really like this lens love the ergonomics although I also get excellent results with Canon 70-200 IS II 2.8 using speedbooster where my focal stops widens to another stop but it is heavy compared to this lens so portability alone is worth it.
Thanks for your comment! And whith what lens the photo are more sharper and more detailed? With this panasonic 55-200 or canon 70-200?
I have seen a video of this lens with IS Lock turned on and it looked like it was mounted on a tripod but was handheld. Great review and looking forward to the GH5S video, and comparison with A7iii.
Thank you, E-stabilization in the G9 can also be used, but IBIS + Lens IS is already pretty incredible.
Would this be good with my g85? Do you have any suggestions.
Great video and commentary as always.
How do you feel about the 200 2.8 vs this lens 200 f4? In your opinion would you ever find the 2.8 more compelling to pay that extra cost?
Purely on image quality and forgetting price, at 200mm which is best out of the Leica 200 prime, 50-250 and 100-400? Thanks for the reviews - always great to watch.
Leica 200mm F2.8 of course, zooms can't beat a prime.
It is a 50 - 200mm equivalent to full frame or with Micro Third they apply a Crop Factor? How much more focal range in this particular case? Looks amazing!
It is like using 100-400mm on the full frame.
I rented 50-200 and I love the feel of it. The zoom is so smooth ... TOTALLY unlike 100-400. Shame on Panasonic for giving us the zoom ring that is so stiff that I have to turn my camera. Horrible. It is also compact and lower in price than 200mm f/2.8. Lets see how it performs on the field.
I haven't tested 100-400 yet, but the zoom ring on all F2.8-4 Panasonic Leica lenses is indeed extremely smooth.
Thanks for the very informative review! I'm seriously considering getting this lens, or the Olympus 40-150 Pro. Have you noticed any micro jitters when shooting handheld video Dual IS 2 on? My 35-100 F2.8 II suffers from that issue.
Not at all, it is super stable.
Hi,
What about the stabilisation on an Olympus Em1X or Em1 Mk 3 please ? Only the is of the body can work or only the one of the lense ? and what about focus braketing and stacking too on the Olympys body?
Thanks a lot.
Sorry for my english ...I'm french.
Oliver
Yes, you can choose body stabilization or lens stabilization. Dual stabilization doesn't. I haven't used this lens with Olympus body, so I am not able answer the rest of your questions.
Damn the auto focus for video was impressive! Would you choose this and the teleconverter or the 100-400mm mate? Would appreciate your advice. Cheers =)
Depends on what you primarily intend to shoot. For me personally 50-200 with converter is more useful.
A very useful review, although there is alot of heat haze in the test images so I think we dont see the full resolution potential of this lens.
I'd be interested in a comparison video with the Olympus 45-150, surely it's competitor?
Well, it was 40 degrees Celsius, and it won't get better, some of the shots were also taken through glass, but mostly I don't think that it is critical. I don't think that 40-150 is much of a competitor, it lacks the range and image stabilization.
Andrew Higgins
Love my 40-150 pro. My favourite lens on my EM1mkii
Great review of what looks like an outstanding lens. And it looks like it complements the G9 quite well. You might add how this combo compares to the Sony a73 and whatever Sony lens is applicable. Especially in weight, size, image quality, and ergonomics. Thanks again for a great review.
Thank you, I unfortunately don't have Sony 100-400 for comparison, hopefully I will be able to compare those in the future.
Looks like a nice lens, but so much more expensive than the Oly 40-150 pro and TC in Australia
The pricing around the world is quite different, in Europe they cost around the same (without converters). Those lenses are directly comparable thought, Olympus lacks the range and IS, but it is constant aperture.
Solid build, beautiful , fast , nice image quality, ibis+ ois much much demanding lens for wildlife photographer .
Thanks for great review
You're welcome, thank you for watching!
Great review with some excellent example footage/shots.
Thank you!
Awesome Video! I am hesitating to get either the Leica 50-200 mm f2.8/4.0 lens or to go with Sigma 50-100mm f1.8 Art DC HSM Lens with the VILTROX EF-M2 Focal Reducer Booster Adapter Auto-focus 0.71x. Perhaps f4.0 is to slow for landscape photography with winds and birds watching. The Sigma can be use in low light situation as well (eq f1/2 on M4/3). The Sigma+booster is about the same price of the Leica but heavier by 400 grammes. Anyone of you ever try the Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 on Micro 4.3? Good results? Thanks!
Thank you, those are very different options, so it mostly depends on what you will mainly use it for.
Well native is going to give you a lot more reach, compared to that sigma with a speed booster.
Hi, do you use this with a tele converter? Have you made a video about it yet? Would appreciate! Regards! I am considering this with tele coverter or the cheaper 100-300 II. But 50- is a more suitable min focal length i think.
Yes, I have used it with teleconveter, but I haven't made video about that. This lens is a big upgrade over 100-300.
Yes, but also 4x the price, so will be well to decide. Thanks. Keep on. Great Channel!
Thank you, will do my best to keep it up!
i've scanned the comments. someone asked about a 2x converter that works with this lens. I think this lens with a 2x converter is more useful to me than the 100-400mm Panasonic -Leica. Do you have an idea about a teleconverter for this lense, ,can it achieve sharp 100 - 400mm? thank you again
I have never tested the teleconvetror, so I can't tell you that.
but wouldnt you want f8 if you are doing telephoto landscape shots to make everything in focus? or is 5.6 good enough for that?
Depends on the situation. I definitely want to have option to use lower F values.
Favorite reviewer teacher. thanks
Hi there. Do you think is still valid buying this lens in 2021? I'm really considering it for my G9/E-M1 system. BTW... Which lens you used to shoot the stills in this video? Like the ones on the end. Bokeh is very very beautiful in these shots, those are amazing shots of this gear. I know this is an old video, but I'd appreciate a lot if you can answer for help. Thanks a lot in advance.
Generally yes, if you intend to stay with M43. IMO it is still one of the best lenses in the system. All shots of the camera were taken with Sony A7 III and Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 Di III RXD.
@The Hybrid Shooter Thanks a lot for fast reply! I've seen you've switched to Fuji and Sony FF (I'm also into FF). I'm concerned about the long focal lenght, that's why I'm in doubt if keep M4/3 or not. This Pana 50-200mm is 100-400mm equiv. Hard to find that in this size/price for FF. What do you think? And I'm not big fan of Fujifilm glass, it always seems softer than M3/4 or some FF. Haven't you noticed that on Fujifilm lenses? Have you tried to compare their sharpness against M4/3 or other system glass? About FF... Sure the FF world are improving a lot recently, but A7Siii is way too costy for my taste now. I need an hybrid camera that does 4k 60FPS. Thanks a lot for chating. Kind Regards.
@@andredaister3528 I am generally getting better sharpness with Fujifilm than with M43. M43 cameras use a lot of pre-sharpening which may be confusing.
FF options are larger, but the image quality and light gathering is much better, so it depends on your preferences.
Why isn't there any comparisons here on UA-cam regarding lens vs thr olympus 40-150 2.8.....😪
Probably because there is no UA-camr who has both.
Thank you
do you also review Leica 50-200 with both teleconverters?
Not yet, but I will test it with 1.4x teleconverter.
very good video, well presented, narrated and your reasoning explained - I have 3 Panasonic/Leica premium lenses and after your video am looking to save for this lens :)
Thank you, it really is worth saving for.
Nicely done review, thanks very much!
How close does the optical quality get to the PL 200mm prime?
Unfortunately, I haven't had opportunity to test both side by side, but the 200mm F2.8 is definitely sharper, there can be like 30% difference.
Could you please do a video between the pana 7-14 and 8-18 Leica?
THank you
I will do that in the future, but I'm not sure when.
The Hybrid Shooter appreciate it. 😊
Thank you for another excellently made video with very relevant information.
Morrie
You're welcome, thank you for watching!
Hi, Can you switch off IS from the body of the camera ?
Yes.
@@TheHybridShooter I don't have the option in my menu on the G9, but it gives the the option on my GX80 ?
Is it also a para focal like the 12-60mm?
No, but the AF can adjust the focus while zooming-in pretty well, you can see that at 0:39
thank you for the effort and the sharing. i am an appreciative subscriber. one question: what is the longest fov that is still f/2.8? thumbs up.
You're welcome, you can see that on the top display at 0:52 you can only use F2.8 at about 50-55mm.
i just re-watched that segment and can see the f stop changing on the g9's top info screen. i had not noticed that during my first screening. 50-55mm is 100mm equivalent and at f2.8 a great portrait set-up. again, thanks for the quick reply. thumbs up.
Can you use this lens in combination with the Panasonic G7?
Yes, you can.
@@TheHybridShooter Thanks! 👍
love the Panasonic cameragear
So do I.
Would this lens pair well with the panasonic g80?
It would work, but it is a bit of overkill for G80.
@@TheHybridShooter OK cool thanks need a long zoom lens that's fast and thought this would be a good option although v pricey I love my g80 and yes would love the g9 but I can't seem to break away from the g80 would the 100 - 300 be a better option although I know its 5.6 at the longest focal length is it sharp and fast enough in your opinion
Neither is fast (bright) enough IMO, M43 telephoto zooms aren't particularly suitable for indoors of low light shooting. Both are sufficient for use in good light conditions.
Can you compare this lens to Canon 55-250 STM?
Those are not comparable lenses, this Panasonic Leica is completely different league, but I have some comparison shots, so maybe I will include that in some future video.
So do you prefer the 7-14 over the 8-18?
No, I generally prefer 8-18.
Hey! Is this a 4x zoom lens?
Yes, it is. 50*4=200
@@TheHybridShooter Thanks for you answer! As im a beginner i was not sure how to compare the mft lens to ff lens
Will this lenses fit on g85?
Yes
Hmmm olympus has a 40-150 it has 2.8 the leiva has 50mm more but at 150mm the olympus still is 2.8 and the leica 3.9.. what lense you would choose?
It depends on the camera system you already have. If you have Olympus body, get Olympus lens otherwise you won't get much of the additional advertised IS benefit from Panasonic lenses. The playing field has changed a while ago, it's not longer as simple as f-stop numbers and mm focal lengths when you lens shop. Olympus has in-body IS, Panasonic has both in-lens IS and in-body IS. You have to match Panasonic body+lens to get the advertised benefit in the real world use from the dual-IS (or even triple-IS dubbed as 5-axis Hybrid IS on some upper range Panasonic bodies that also do electronic-IS). For example on Lumix DMC-G9 you get up to 6.5 stops of stabilization with dual-IS vs no IS. It's a pretty big deal because Panasonic even re-issued their most popular lenses with support for dual-IS around 2015 (my guess is with addition of low-latency communication link between body and lens specifically for this).
logiotek i have gh5,g82 and gx80 they all have ibis. I use stabilized leica, panasonic lenses with ibis and unstabilized olympus lenses without ibis. In my opinion ibis body and non stabilized lenses is good enough. When i use my 12-40 2.8 olympus pro lense i never notice that the lense has no ibis, no matter which panasonic body i use.
@@andersistbesser You won't know until you do objective comparisons between Oly 12-40 f2.8 against Pana 12-35 f2.8 (recent version 2 with dual-IS support) on your GH5. Btw G9 has even more advanced IBIS than GH5.
logiotek i have panasonoc 12-60 stabilized lense and also 14-140 , stabilized too using the unstabilized oly lense, nothing is missing. My next buy will be the 40-150 from olympus and the 7-14 2.8 olympus. Those oly lenses are just too good.
@@andersistbesser You seem to have your mind already made up even without objective comparisons. Why ask the question?
If this had a constant aperture, I'd be interested. I shoot too much sports and entertainment to deal with the variable ap, unfortunately for me.
Adam Roy its just one stop, keep auto iso to compensate...
That is always a compromise, FF 100-400 are not constant aperture either, and using auto ISO to let the camera deal with it is indeed a good solution.
Just shoot manual or aperture priority at f/4. That's what it would be, if it were to be constant aperture at this price and size. No way would it be constant aperture at 2.8.
Love a bit of wild photography. ;)
So do I.
I envy you, it looks like an excellent lens though the price is kind of steep for me.
It sure is an excellent lens, and considering the competition, the price is actually quite reasonable, although it is definitely not a cheap lens.
This or olympus 40-150 with 1.4x teleconverter? which makes more sense?
Depends on what camera you have.
@@TheHybridShooter i have em1 ii
Then I would probably go with 40-150. The main benefit of Leica 50-200 would be the dual IS, but you won't get that on Olympus.
Thanks THS !
You're welcome!
Compared with 50-150 Samsung?
I have on idea.
I still have this lens. I think the bokeh of the 50-150mm is better.
Nice work. Thank you.
You're welcome, thank you for watching!
Aaaah my dream combo! :-)
Thanks for sharing
How about focus breathing? Does AoV become narrower when focus closely or wider?
There are no problems with focus breathing on this lens.
Hello, how this lens feel on the Gx9? And can you compare it with the 35-100mm f2.8? Thanks, sorry if my English is approximative. Your video helped me a lot!
I have never tested it on the GX9, so I can't tell you. I prefer this 50-200 over 35-100, it has more useful zoom range, especially if you have Leica 12-60 and I also like the optical character on 50-200 more.
@@TheHybridShooter My first plan was 12-35mm f2-8 + 35-100mm f2-8 + 100-300mm but for the same price I can get the 2 Leica and a teleconverter. I'll take this.
I definitely recommend the Leica variant.
I have a question bro. I just picked up a used panasonic 50-200m f2.8-4.0 telephoto lens for my GH5. The lens performs fine but just wondering while turning the zoom ring at around 120mm I feel a bit a resistance. If you look at the back of the lens, this is the point where the elements reverse direction. Do you think this is normal? I was expecting to have the same feel all the way through the zoom range but it just feels a bit rough at that point then smooths out. Its not major and doesn't require excessive force to turn, but you definitely feel a change in the smooth turning of the ring.
Not really, Panasonic-Leica lenses usually have completely smooth zooming. I have encountered that on PL lens yet.
I got a brand new one and it does the same thing, maybe soft click, around 120mm, where the internal direction changes. Also, if I zoom too fast, I can feel the cam catching up as well. Forums messages are similar - quality of zoom varies between lenses.
This may have been asks and answered many times no doubt, but I am a big fan of the channel and want to know: Why don't Micro four thirds camera makers like Panasonic and Olympus put the relevant focal length on their own lenses? these lenses will never be use on anything but MFT. I am sure there is a reason, and the math isn't hard, but its just funny when I grab a 100-300mm Panasonic zoom I know its it's really a 300-600mm (which is awesome). And nobody is putting MFT lenses on on a Fuji, Canon or Sony so no confusion about that. I suppose its simply for univerality.
Focal length is never stated as full frame equivalent on any interchangeable lenses, that would just make things confusing.
Right. But I am talking about dedicated MFT lenses. But I get the confusion will still be there.. the one example of a more logical approach for certain cameras is on point and shoot, many they talk about 1 to 10X magnification, or 25X or whatever. It is more useful for more users. choosing a camera etc.
@@boutrosboutrosboutrosboutros I don't think so. Majority of people using interchangeable lens cameras know about the crop factor so, the the other option would actually cause confusion. 25x is also useless information on it't own because it depends on the widest angle on that lens.
@@TheHybridShooter Agreed, X25 on its own would be useless. but general information about the zoom factor is useful on point and shoot with fixed lens. I should have said fixed lens in the beginning.
Panasonic just make me love MFT system more and more
M43 is really easy to like nowadays.
Walking with a camera for hours at 40 degrees Celsius is not recommended. That's a torture.
Thanks for the advice.
I personally think that price is too much. A premium price for a lens that still has CA and vignetting.
Yes i am designer 😉
This lens costs as much as the g9 &;g7 body! Ridiculous
That comparison doesn't make much sense.
When you invest into a camera system, the glass (lenses) is the most valuable asset. Camera bodies depreciate fast just like cars or rendered completely archaic by new coding standards like HEVC HDR HLG video. Just look at the price of GH4 when it was released in 2014 ($1500) and what it is now (sub-$500). The same depreciation as cars. Lenses on the other hand don't depreciate like that.