You’ve given the most balanced and fair assessment of a lens I’ve ever seen. You not only demonstrated the superior performance of the lens, you made it perfectly clear of its intended realm of use. Without any mean spirited criticism, you instead politely cautioned that if used outside the lens’ designed and intended sphere of use, one could expect disappointing results. Robin your positive nature and polite gentlemanly demeanor is a welcome change to the pervasive ugliness and shouting that has engulfed most YT tech channels. Thank you.
Thanks so so much for the kind words, I appreciate them. I am still terribly new to RUclips and video making. This is not an easy learning process for me, so I am still improving. The encouragement certainly helps and I will continue to do my best to stay positive and be as neutral as I can.
I second that opinion! Robin is perpetually fair, polite, and balanced in his views. As for the ugliness and shouting elsewhere--I just imply avoid them! I'm proud to say that all the m4/3 channels I follow on RUclips all have experienced photographers describing things in a calm manner.
This is my go-to lens. I use it, probably, 80 percent of the time for my journalism work and a bunch of travel. I recently took a trip to Israel and this lens was on my OMD-EM1 Mark II about 95 percent of the time. It worked phenomenally in good light conditions, but also performed great in some very lowlight and crappy light situations. An amazing lens.
Wow, that 12-100mm of yours certainly has seen a lot! I agree in low light, if there is little need to freeze movements, the 12-100mm can do wonders. That 5-Axis Sync IS helps a lot.
Wish I had seen this video prior to last month's trip! Robin - your knowledge is shared in your writing, your humility is shared in your photography, but now your enthusiasm shared in this video!
Oh dear why and what happened during last month's trip? Thanks for the kind words, I am glad I am able to speak to an audience, all I want is to see more people go out and enjoy photography!
This is the holy grail of travel lenses, by far and undeniably so. No lens comes close to the VERSATILITY and how much it packs into ONE lens; image stabilization and sync-is, 15cm closest focus for GOOD macro, all metal body, clutch AF/MF, f/4 constant aperture, smaller and lighter than standard 24-105mm f/4 FF lenses along with smaller filter size while giving a ridiculous 24-200mm range..... and ALL of that while being RAZOR sharp, edge to edge across the entire focal range. I saw this lens on RED35's channel and couldn't believe it could do all of that. I pretty much immediately dumped all my Canon gear after 20 years just for this lens. I now travel ultra light and don't waste anywhere near as much time swapping lenses or having the need to carry extra heavy lenses. This thing is a BLAST to use on vacation and travel.
Having personally used this lens myself, I have to agree with you that it is the perfect choice for a travel lens. I used it during my trip to Thailand for the Songkran festival. To sum up, I was able to get plenty of keeper shots and since the lens is weather resistant, getting water sprayed directly at the lens didn't prove to be a problem at all! Love it.
I got away from m4/3 about 6 years ago, and am going back for the small form factor. One of the things I forgot about this system was how great your reviews are. Thanks for this informative review.
I bought this lens a little over a year ago and my experience with it confirms everything you say in your review. Sometimes I switch the 12-100 out for the 25mm F1.2 Pro if I'm walking around at night, or just want a smaller lens. I also enjoy the challenge of working with fixed focal length lenses at least some of the time. But the 12-100 is a versatile, pleasant-to-use lens. I've been really pleased with the results. Thank you for your videos!
It really is a game changer lens. I had the 12-40 and once I bought the 12-100, I found myself hardly using that faster lens anymore. The 12-100 has taken 90% of my images since I bought it in mid 2018.
I LOVE this lens! It is a wonderful partner with my M1ii and everything you say it is in quality. However, due to the size and weight, the Olympus 14-150 is my go-to with my OMD EM5ii.
I totally understand when you need something small to be used to keep the smaller overall size and lighter weight combination. The 14-150mm is also a good lens to have.
Just purchased this lens for my OMD1mk2 and its ticking all the boxes for my lockdown walks. the big 40-150f2.8 stays at home now until I go out looking for wildlife and birds. Great review, thanks.
I just discovered this channel and I feel like I ought to say a few words. I am learning a lot from these videos. Your positive and enthusiastic presentations are so refreshing. They make me want to go out and take more and more photographs. Keep up the good work. I hope this venture is very successful for you.
@@robinwong Thanks! I started my photographic journey last year at age 68 after inheriting my late sister's camera gear. I am soaking up all the learning I can find. The Olympus System seems like a good fit for me so far (back injuries); it challenges me to carefully compose and expose, for it affords a little less leeway to crop and manipulate the RAW files. I love taking photographs and it seems that I learn something every session.
Thanks Robin. This lens stays glued to my E-M1x -- it is simply the sharpest lens I've owned. Due to it's ability to render such great detail, it is also very usable with the DTC (Digital Teleconverter) Function -- giving excellent results at a 35mm equivalent of 48-400mm f/4.
I've had this lens from the start of my Olympus adventure so went back here to see what you said about it & my, how your videos have changed it's still your style but you can tell how they have changed :) As always thank you :)
A fantastic and very balanced review. Usually I'm not too fond of those "megazoom" lenses, but the 12-100 mm-f/4 Pro seems to be one of those universal travel lenses that you can just mount and be happy with for the duration of an entire holiday, no matter whether it's on the beach, in cities or whilst hiking. I would usually have preferred the 12-45 mm-f/4 Pro and the 40-150 mm-f/4 Pro to go with the E-M5 Mk. III, but now I'm seriously considering purchasing the 12-100 mm-f/4 Pro and perhaps the external camera grip ECG-5.
I have and love this lens. The 12-40 PRO was my favorite walking around lens but the 12-100 is slowly replacing it for everything but street photography at night. Used this lens at an air show with the EM1X and only replaced it with the 40-150 PRO once the aircraft were in the air. I do wish the lens hood was a bit more robust as it was damaged when a man fell into me and the camera. Was unable to remove the hood until I got home and was able to remove the 4 small screws that hold the hood to the mount. It wasn’t broke but it wouldn’t stay in place and I couldn’t remove it.
Thanks for sharing your experience and stories. The hood of any lens is designed to be fragile, to absorb harmful impacts from accidental knocks or falls. Otherwise, the impact will cause physical damage to the glass inside the lens, and subsequently the camera itself. By allowing the hood to be damaged first, it is sacrificed to protect the precious gear!
Hey Robin! It's so funny, but your name sounds almost like mine (pronounced in Spanish something like roonbenguo) and we both talk about photography. Such a coincidence 😆😆
Hi great presentation, allot of people are asking what combination of lenes are better. I think I have the best combo of all, 2 lenses olympus 12-100 and the panasonic 100-400, which gives me ff equivalent to 24 to 800 ... ok not the fastest but the range is second to none.
I just brought this lens and today had the first trial on field. Today the sky was dull, and I found shots with the dull white sky as background blew out that I was a little surprised that so many reviews did not mentioned. The flare is much stronger than my shots with Canon gear. I shall do more test later.
When I found out I was moving to Australia, that sealed the deal for getting this lens. I already have the 12-40 but I wanted the reach and the IS is a big plus. I rarely take it off my M1 MK II. I'll switch to the 45mm f1.8, the thr 40-150 4.5.6 R, or the 12-40 f2.8 when I really want the wider aperature or that little bit of extra reach. Having the 12-100mm does make me want the 40-150 f2.8 and a TC now though
Having the 40-150mm and TC makes sense, as that combo provides the coverage that the 12-100mm cannot reach. Also depends on your photography and how often are you shooting with the longer reach. If you do enough shooting with it then the purchase is surely justified.
I use this lens if I don't have the place or time to change lenses or if I use video with my EM1mk2. The only compromise is that I miss 2.8 sometimes. It is no compromise in picture quality. It renders persons perfectly. Micro-contrast and contrast are fine, especially in portraits or when I do reproduce art (pictures or sculptures). Prints can be enlarged to A3 without any negative effects, they look great (if I have done everything right of course). Stabilisation works well in dark churches and I can handhold even half a second to get pictures without any additional artificial light. Everything look natural, clear and sharp. I would not do sports with it but documentaries, art and landscape are great for every professional task or a simple one lens holiday trip.
Thanks for sharing your experience using the 12-100 PRO lens. Wow, you sure did a lot with that lens, and I have not heard anyone using this to reproduce art pieces yet (usually other lenses). Glad to know it worked well for you. Yes, I do miss the F2.8 lens, but I guess they do have to make some compromises to keep the lens size manageable.
Hi Robin Great video clip. Now here is an interesting issue for me. Out today with EM1 mark ii and DC-G9 cameras. Took Olympus 60mm macro and Panasonic 100mm - 400mm telephoto and excellent 12mm - 35mm lenses. Decided to use focus stacking on Wood Anemone flowers using EM1 mark ii with Panasonic 12mm - 35mm lens. Does NOT work 😢😢. And Panasonic Focus Stacking with DC-G9 is not as easy as Olympus. So what to do?? I think the Olympus 12 - 100mm F4 IS Pro has to be the answer especially as I can get close to object I am shooting. And this lens also has a good zoom of 100mm. Guess this will replace my 14 - 140mm Panasonic lens. Just a thought - does the Olympus F1.8 Fisheye work with focus stacking ?? Stay safe and well in these awful virus times everyone.
Just read that this Pro Lens does NOT work with focus stacking. So no improvement on my Panasonic 12 - 35mm and 35 - 100mm f2.8 lenses. Looks like I am stuck with my Olympus 60mm f2.8 macro and 8mm F1.8 Fisheye lenses with my EM1 mark ii for focus stacking and using the Panasonic bracketing / stacking system with their above lenses. Oh Well thats life.
Depends on how you see it. This is one of its kind, two lenses in one having massive zoom range, yet no compromise in optical performance. I'd say the size, considering the quality, is reasonable.
Probably my favourite lens when paired with my EM1-mkII, though it does vie for position the my 12-200, which isn’t as fast or sharp but does have an extra 100mm for the times I don’t want to carry a second lens. Not so good on a PEN-F unless you purchase an add-on grip to help balance the camera in your hand.
That's a big lens for you, even without the lens hood ;) I own 12-40 and 40-150 PRO lenses, so I have tried the 12-100 just for a couple of days, but my thoughts are very positive. I really think that is a very versatile lens and I'm waiting for an opportunity to do like you one body + one lens combo... well maybe I'll add my beloved 17mm f/1.2 PRO ;)
If you already have 12-40mm and 40-150mm and don't mind carrying both around, the 12-100mm adds nothing to your arsenal. However, if convenience is your priority, then the 12-100mm is a good choice. Oh please throw the 17mm F1.2 in! That is one great lens.
@@robinwong for my professional work I'll choose always 12-40 and 40-150 PRO lens, for travel and especially hiking the 12-100 is an amazing option, but for now, can't afford it to own it, it will take just a small portion from my work. The other option is if you shoot a lot of video handheld, because of the dual IS, but I still prefer prime lenses for video.
Nice photos, as usual, Robin. Do you have any formal photography training? I like the lens, but it would make my M10.3 so heavy around my neck. I wish Olympus made something like a 12-60/4 Pro... That lens would make a good kit with one of those camera+lens camera bags.
I get you, the 12-100mm is heavy if you use a neckstrap. I never had any formal training in photography. I am a self-taught photographer! With online resources, and everyone being connected via Internet, all information is out there!
Olympus created a lot of great lens for the m4/3 system. Hope they will roll out new update sensors with higher pixels, better high iso noise control and better DR.
This seems like a pretty niche lens. However, I think having a 12-40mm F2.8 Pro and a 50-150mm F4-F5.6 is a better offer. Cons: 2 lenses, and @100mm you are losing maybe half of a stop of light, along with the 40-150mm not being weather sealed. Pros: Gaining a full stop of Light from 12-40mm and gaining the ability to reach up to 150mm. I don't look at the IS as a big seller as Olympus IBIS is already amazing. With the 12-40 and 50-150 lenses now flooding the used market they are much cheaper to acquire and in my opinion a much better option unless having only 1 lens is a requirement.
Thank you Robin for nice description of 12-100 mm lens. I will be using this lens with OMD EM1 Mk2, what are default settings shall I use to get best results with this combination?
Hi Robin! Thanks for your always enthusiastic explanations. I'm about to buy an EM5 Mark III (my first mirrorless) and I need to decide the kit lens... 12-40 f2.8? 12-45 f4? or this versatile 12-100??? I do mainly "travel" and nature photography, also landscape and family pictures. Thanks.
Hi Rob,This channel is very inspiring. Thanks for all tips. I have got OMD em10 mark2. I Bought with kit 14-150. I Sold it , and buy Leica 12-60 (2.8-4). What do You think about this lenses, can You compare to 12-40 2.8 Pro by Olympus?
I think 12-200mm is a great lens. But in terms of optical performance, it is nowhere near a PRO grade lens, certainly quite far from what the 12-100mm PRO can do.
I own the 12-100 mm lens (on a OM-D E1 MkIII) but I think about exchange it for the Zuiko 40-150 mm 2.8 Pro. In addition with my Zuiko 12-40 mm 2.8 Pro and the Zuiko 7-14 mm 2.8 Pro this would give me a good range of reach from 7-150 mm (or even more with converter) with a constant apperture of 2.8. I also think about the exchange due to the fact that the 12-100 mm is quite similar to the 12-40 mm but a x-150 mm lens would give me an additional benefit because of the extended reach.
I have this lens with the EM5II. It's very sharp in day light but I got struggling at night while taking portrait with Christmas lights. I used the flash with EM5II and I got another problem that this lens is long that it blocks partially of the flash light, making a shadow in the image. I am still prefer one lens setup so I ordered the full size flash FL700WR. Will see how it perform.
Has anyone seem a not so great Olympus lens from review conducted by Olympus ambassador? LOL, i have this lens myself, picked it up used with great price, less than half of what the current MSRP going for , but I would suggest unless you are using camera like EM1X like myself or EM1 series with vertical grip, this lens will so badly balance on those small bodies like the OMD E-M10 series bodies, also it's just as big as those full Frame equivalent, such as the Tamron 28-200 or Nikon Z 24-200, so not sure I would still use it as a " travel lens" in 2023. the cool thing about this lens is F4 constant aperture al the way, that's one good selling point of the lens though.
@@dayeah765caoni3 image quality wise i don't see any advantage, in fact my cheap old z7+ 24-200 z still offer way better image quality than my EM1X+ 12-100, so that "pro" grade doesn't offer me anything at the end.
@@dannyli9424 Well it's funny to see others perspective on different things. Personally I wouldn't call z7 cheap :) Despite that I agree with your statement about z7 + 24-200 to be better combination than M4/3 + 12-100(I own EM5 MIII with 12-100).
@@dayeah765caoni3 True, but at the end they still produce much better final image with the FF sensor than that " pro" MFT lens mounted in front of a MFT camera though.
Hi could you help me i was wondering would the 12-40mm f2/8 pro lens or 12-100mm f4 pro is better kit len for my pen camera? I want to find one len as my only zoom len everyday use len and maybe one prime len to carry around. have try the 12-40mm love how fast it take picture the sharpness but the zoom arent enough for me. I use my camera to take picture of my toddler and family picture. Would this be a better len for me to own?
On my old full-frame system my 24-105 f/4 was my workhorse. This lens, in my experience so far, is much better. It gives me the range I need and at f/4 there is no vignetting or distortion like I had previously especially at the short end.
18-135/3.5-5.6 is my most used lens on my Pentax... and now I'm trying to add this 12-100/4 for my EM5III :D I was thinking about 14-150, but then decided to rather keep the small kit lens duo 14-42+40-150 for travelling light or for my EPL6 and add this 12-100/4 for any serious shooting. While covering many events it is sometimes the only way to cover quickly changing environment without having two cameras with two lenses. Just hope it will arrive in good condition :D And it will also go nicely together with 75-300 including some overlap.
At the end I have 12-100, 12-50/3.5-6.3 and 14-150II. Each has its use. 12-100/4 is optically excellent lens, perfect match for various events photography BUT a bit hefty for light hiking or bike trips into nature where 14-150II shines. And 12-50 is small lens with WR which fits nicely in casual photowalks as EM5III with such lens is still some small camera that does not grab attention like 12-100/4. Since that 14-42 is mostly sitting in cabinet or is attached to EPL-6. And also my Pentax DSLR gear is less and less used since I bought EM5III with these lenses... damn M43 :D
I moved from Nikon FF to the Olympus OM-D M1-MkII and bought three lenses. The 45mm f1.8, 60mm f2.8 mm macro and last but not least the 12-100mm f4.0. I leave the 12-100mm on my camera probably 98% of the time. I love its range and versatility and have managed wonderful shots with and without flash. I was considering the 12-40mm f2.8 but ultimately decided on the longer zoom and have never looked back. The combination of the M1 MkII and the 12-100mm is a very powerful combination of capability.
Great review and the photos are always very inspiring. I have a question: if I use this lens with my EM10, I will loose the 5 axis IS will this affect still photo quality a lot? Better to upgrade the body before buying this lens? Thank you
Are you referring to E-M10, or E-M10 Mark II/III? E-M10 original only has 3 Axis IS, and it never has 5-Axis. You won't lose it, you will still have the 3-Axis IS.
@purepure0 if you have no issues carrying the 12-40mm and 40-150mm lens around, and you can change lens without worrying about difficult environment, then I see no need to get the 12-100mm. However, if you hate changing lenses and just want one lens to do it all, the 12-100mm is a great solution!
One advantage even with the range already covered, is that the MZ12-100mmF4 has Synchronised Stabilisation up to 7.5stops with the X - allowing handheld 80mp(?) shots -- probably overkill, but a unique advantage for those who will use it.
Hi Robin, great video, as usual! I would like to ask your opinion between the 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 II and the 40-150mm f2.8 pro with mc-20 teleconverter. Thank you!
Of course, the 40-150mm PRO and teleconverter wins. No questions asked. a PRO lens is a different grade than the normal/standard lens. Also, even with MC-20, the largest aperture is F5.6, better than F6.7 on the 70-300mm lens.
@@robinwong Thanks for the tip ;) I already own the pro lens, and in that case, i will get the mc-20 instead. Thanks again and keep up with the awesome videos! This is one of my favorites channels. 👍
HI, I had the Pen E-PL10 and Lens i think it was the 14-150mm for the zoom and all rounder i was told. But i have a bit of a shake and found this lens and camera together quite cumbersome, awkward and heavy for me. So i returned it. Which small and light lens woudl you recommend for good all rounder and good zoom for bit of distance? The zoom on that lens was ok distance wise. Just too big. And which other lens ie panasonic etc may do please?
I have this problem with the 12-40. The hot shoe flash isn't high enough to avoid all shadows. I do remember to take off the lens hood, that helps some. But you may need to get another flash that stands away from the body further than the small ones like LM2.
You’ve given the most balanced and fair assessment of a lens I’ve ever seen. You not only demonstrated the superior performance of the lens, you made it perfectly clear of its intended realm of use. Without any mean spirited criticism, you instead politely cautioned that if used outside the lens’ designed and intended sphere of use, one could expect disappointing results. Robin your positive nature and polite gentlemanly demeanor is a welcome change to the pervasive ugliness and shouting that has engulfed most YT tech channels. Thank you.
Thanks so so much for the kind words, I appreciate them. I am still terribly new to RUclips and video making. This is not an easy learning process for me, so I am still improving. The encouragement certainly helps and I will continue to do my best to stay positive and be as neutral as I can.
I second that opinion! Robin is perpetually fair, polite, and balanced in his views. As for the ugliness and shouting elsewhere--I just imply avoid them! I'm proud to say that all the m4/3 channels I follow on RUclips all have experienced photographers describing things in a calm manner.
This is my go-to lens. I use it, probably, 80 percent of the time for my journalism work and a bunch of travel. I recently took a trip to Israel and this lens was on my OMD-EM1 Mark II about 95 percent of the time. It worked phenomenally in good light conditions, but also performed great in some very lowlight and crappy light situations. An amazing lens.
Wow, that 12-100mm of yours certainly has seen a lot! I agree in low light, if there is little need to freeze movements, the 12-100mm can do wonders. That 5-Axis Sync IS helps a lot.
Wish I had seen this video prior to last month's trip! Robin - your knowledge is shared in your writing, your humility is shared in your photography, but now your enthusiasm shared in this video!
Oh dear why and what happened during last month's trip? Thanks for the kind words, I am glad I am able to speak to an audience, all I want is to see more people go out and enjoy photography!
@@robinwong lol - "trip" as in travels - 3 weeks in Ireland! Cheers. -
This is the holy grail of travel lenses, by far and undeniably so. No lens comes close to the VERSATILITY and how much it packs into ONE lens; image stabilization and sync-is, 15cm closest focus for GOOD macro, all metal body, clutch AF/MF, f/4 constant aperture, smaller and lighter than standard 24-105mm f/4 FF lenses along with smaller filter size while giving a ridiculous 24-200mm range..... and ALL of that while being RAZOR sharp, edge to edge across the entire focal range. I saw this lens on RED35's channel and couldn't believe it could do all of that. I pretty much immediately dumped all my Canon gear after 20 years just for this lens. I now travel ultra light and don't waste anywhere near as much time swapping lenses or having the need to carry extra heavy lenses. This thing is a BLAST to use on vacation and travel.
Having personally used this lens myself, I have to agree with you that it is the perfect choice for a travel lens. I used it during my trip to Thailand for the Songkran festival. To sum up, I was able to get plenty of keeper shots and since the lens is weather resistant, getting water sprayed directly at the lens didn't prove to be a problem at all! Love it.
Ohhhh I have not been to and shot a Songkran festival before in Thailand! I must include that in my to do list!
I got away from m4/3 about 6 years ago, and am going back for the small form factor. One of the things I forgot about this system was how great your reviews are. Thanks for this informative review.
Welcome back 🎉
I bought this lens a little over a year ago and my experience with it confirms everything you say in your review. Sometimes I switch the 12-100 out for the 25mm F1.2 Pro if I'm walking around at night, or just want a smaller lens. I also enjoy the challenge of working with fixed focal length lenses at least some of the time. But the 12-100 is a versatile, pleasant-to-use lens. I've been really pleased with the results. Thank you for your videos!
It really is a game changer lens. I had the 12-40 and once I bought the 12-100, I found myself hardly using that faster lens anymore. The 12-100 has taken 90% of my images since I bought it in mid 2018.
I'm sold on this lens because of your thorough review.
Robin, I really like musics in you video. Always thanking for your videos!
I LOVE this lens! It is a wonderful partner with my M1ii and everything you say it is in quality. However, due to the size and weight, the Olympus 14-150 is my go-to with my OMD EM5ii.
I totally understand when you need something small to be used to keep the smaller overall size and lighter weight combination. The 14-150mm is also a good lens to have.
Just purchased this lens for my OMD1mk2 and its ticking all the boxes for my lockdown walks. the big 40-150f2.8 stays at home now until I go out looking for wildlife and birds. Great review, thanks.
I just discovered this channel and I feel like I ought to say a few words. I am learning a lot from these videos. Your positive and enthusiastic presentations are so refreshing. They make me want to go out and take more and more photographs. Keep up the good work. I hope this venture is very successful for you.
Thanks John! I shall do my best to produce more content. Please do go out and take more photographs! The camera deserves some love.
@@robinwong Thanks! I started my photographic journey last year at age 68 after inheriting my late sister's camera gear. I am soaking up all the learning I can find. The Olympus System seems like a good fit for me so far (back injuries); it challenges me to carefully compose and expose, for it affords a little less leeway to crop and manipulate the RAW files. I love taking photographs and it seems that I learn something every session.
Thanks Robin. This lens stays glued to my E-M1x -- it is simply the sharpest lens I've owned. Due to it's ability to render such great detail, it is also very usable with the DTC (Digital Teleconverter) Function -- giving excellent results at a 35mm equivalent of 48-400mm f/4.
I've had this lens from the start of my Olympus adventure so went back here to see what you said about it & my, how your videos have changed it's still your style but you can tell how they have changed :) As always thank you :)
A fantastic and very balanced review. Usually I'm not too fond of those "megazoom" lenses, but the 12-100 mm-f/4 Pro seems to be one of those universal travel lenses that you can just mount and be happy with for the duration of an entire holiday, no matter whether it's on the beach, in cities or whilst hiking. I would usually have preferred the 12-45 mm-f/4 Pro and the 40-150 mm-f/4 Pro to go with the E-M5 Mk. III, but now I'm seriously considering purchasing the 12-100 mm-f/4 Pro and perhaps the external camera grip ECG-5.
I have and love this lens. The 12-40 PRO was my favorite walking around lens but the 12-100 is slowly replacing it for everything but street photography at night. Used this lens at an air show with the EM1X and only replaced it with the 40-150 PRO once the aircraft were in the air. I do wish the lens hood was a bit more robust as it was damaged when a man fell into me and the camera. Was unable to remove the hood until I got home and was able to remove the 4 small screws that hold the hood to the mount. It wasn’t broke but it wouldn’t stay in place and I couldn’t remove it.
Thanks for sharing your experience and stories. The hood of any lens is designed to be fragile, to absorb harmful impacts from accidental knocks or falls. Otherwise, the impact will cause physical damage to the glass inside the lens, and subsequently the camera itself. By allowing the hood to be damaged first, it is sacrificed to protect the precious gear!
Hey Robin! It's so funny, but your name sounds almost like mine (pronounced in Spanish something like roonbenguo) and we both talk about photography. Such a coincidence 😆😆
Good work. Have used this lens and loved it too. Nice photos Robin
Thanks Wayne, glad you have found this lens working for you!
Well I learned about this lens Yesterday and now you realease that video. Thanks from France !
Hello from Malaysia! Glad you have learned about the lens.
Great video and I agree with your review. It is my main travel lens. Top notch and no complaints
Glad that it is also a travel lens for you!
Creo que será mi próxima compra, gracias Robin!
Hi great presentation, allot of people are asking what combination of lenes are better.
I think I have the best combo of all, 2 lenses olympus 12-100 and the panasonic 100-400,
which gives me ff equivalent to 24 to 800 ... ok not the fastest but the range is second to none.
This lens is one I am considering. Thanks for the helpful review.
No worries, glad I could share!
A very good review. I have the 12-40 and I will be ordering the 12-100. Thanks!
A great review. Your enthusiasm is inspiring!
It also has great close focusing abilities, very very good in that regard.
I’m loving these Olympus vids. Great work. Great reviews.
Thanks! I shall have more contents coming!
My go-to travel lens, Robin. Your assessment is accurate right through. The 12-40 tends to be my day-to-day workhorse though.
Thanks Doug, it is a marvelous travel lens!
Great review. I like your energetic approach, and open discussion. You have convinced me to go with this lens over the Leica 12-60.
Great review, Robin. I agree with what AerialCameras wrote a few months back, below. Thank you again for your informative videos and inspiration.
Your Top Notch Robin
I just brought this lens and today had the first trial on field. Today the sky was dull, and I found shots with the dull white sky as background blew out that I was a little surprised that so many reviews did not mentioned. The flare is much stronger than my shots with Canon gear. I shall do more test later.
Incredible channel and content, i still have to learn a lot! Cheers and thanks for sharing the Video 😊
Excellent review! I always like to watch your videos.
Thanks! I have more interesting stuff coming up. stay tuned!
You never mentioned the manual focus clutch. Great review!
When I found out I was moving to Australia, that sealed the deal for getting this lens. I already have the 12-40 but I wanted the reach and the IS is a big plus. I rarely take it off my M1 MK II. I'll switch to the 45mm f1.8, the thr 40-150 4.5.6 R, or the 12-40 f2.8 when I really want the wider aperature or that little bit of extra reach. Having the 12-100mm does make me want the 40-150 f2.8 and a TC now though
Having the 40-150mm and TC makes sense, as that combo provides the coverage that the 12-100mm cannot reach. Also depends on your photography and how often are you shooting with the longer reach. If you do enough shooting with it then the purchase is surely justified.
I have the 40-150 f2.8 and although heavy, it is an absolute work horse that produces stunning images.
@@ameretsu I actually ended up getting 40-150 f2.8 and MC20. I don't leave home without that and the 12-100.
Excellent review, awesome lens, Robin your just great!!
I use this lens if I don't have the place or time to change lenses or if I use video with my EM1mk2. The only compromise is that I miss 2.8 sometimes. It is no compromise in picture quality. It renders persons perfectly. Micro-contrast and contrast are fine, especially in portraits or when I do reproduce art (pictures or sculptures). Prints can be enlarged to A3 without any negative effects, they look great (if I have done everything right of course). Stabilisation works well in dark churches and I can handhold even half a second to get pictures without any additional artificial light. Everything look natural, clear and sharp. I would not do sports with it but documentaries, art and landscape are great for every professional task or a simple one lens holiday trip.
Thanks for sharing your experience using the 12-100 PRO lens. Wow, you sure did a lot with that lens, and I have not heard anyone using this to reproduce art pieces yet (usually other lenses). Glad to know it worked well for you. Yes, I do miss the F2.8 lens, but I guess they do have to make some compromises to keep the lens size manageable.
Thanks for the review robin. I hope you can also review its little brother, the 12-40mm f2.8.
I don't think I will get to talk about many lenses, but I will see what I can do with the 12-40mm lens.
errr... 12-40 pro is actually the older brother, it came earlier :) in fact its the first born of the pro trinity zooms, 12-40, 40-150, 7-14 :)
I've had this for a couple of years, and wish I had bought it before any of my other lenses. It just maked the task done every time
Hi Robin! Derek Forss loves this lens.
Hi Robin Great video clip. Now here is an interesting issue for me. Out today with EM1 mark ii and DC-G9 cameras. Took Olympus 60mm macro and Panasonic 100mm - 400mm telephoto and excellent 12mm - 35mm lenses. Decided to use focus stacking on Wood Anemone flowers using EM1 mark ii with Panasonic 12mm - 35mm lens. Does NOT work 😢😢. And Panasonic Focus Stacking with DC-G9 is not as easy as Olympus. So what to do?? I think the Olympus 12 - 100mm F4 IS Pro has to be the answer especially as I can get close to object I am shooting. And this lens also has a good zoom of 100mm. Guess this will replace my 14 - 140mm Panasonic lens. Just a thought - does the Olympus F1.8 Fisheye work with focus stacking ?? Stay safe and well in these awful virus times everyone.
Just read that this Pro Lens does NOT work with focus stacking. So no improvement on my Panasonic 12 - 35mm and 35 - 100mm f2.8 lenses. Looks like I am stuck with my Olympus 60mm f2.8 macro and 8mm F1.8 Fisheye lenses with my EM1 mark ii for focus stacking and using the Panasonic bracketing / stacking system with their above lenses. Oh Well thats life.
Hello Robin, I recently purchased this lens, and I’m experiencing wobble of the inner tube. Is this a normal occurrence? Thank you in advance.
A great review and a great lens.
It is big and heavy in the m/43 world but so sharp like you said and does just about everything great.
Depends on how you see it. This is one of its kind, two lenses in one having massive zoom range, yet no compromise in optical performance. I'd say the size, considering the quality, is reasonable.
Love this Lens, when my former primary 12-60 died, After it was fixed, I got this lens... stays on my camera, probably 95% of the time...
Probably my favourite lens when paired with my EM1-mkII, though it does vie for position the my 12-200, which isn’t as fast or sharp but does have an extra 100mm for the times I don’t want to carry a second lens. Not so good on a PEN-F unless you purchase an add-on grip to help balance the camera in your hand.
Just got this lens. It is terrific!
Thanks for the review, very helpful. BTW, what is the camera used to record this video? Image quality is very good!
Hello Robin. In the picture at 7.26 (the woman with the daughter in moto)... It is a 1/40! Did you move the camera fast in their direction right?
superb lens. but you cannot use extension tubes with it as you get significant blurring around the edges of images.
What singnircant blurring are you talking about? The lens is sharp edge to edge. There must be some problem with your lens.
That's a big lens for you, even without the lens hood ;)
I own 12-40 and 40-150 PRO lenses, so I have tried the 12-100 just for a couple of days, but my thoughts are very positive. I really think that is a very versatile lens and I'm waiting for an opportunity to do like you one body + one lens combo... well maybe I'll add my beloved 17mm f/1.2 PRO ;)
If you already have 12-40mm and 40-150mm and don't mind carrying both around, the 12-100mm adds nothing to your arsenal. However, if convenience is your priority, then the 12-100mm is a good choice. Oh please throw the 17mm F1.2 in! That is one great lens.
@@robinwong for my professional work I'll choose always 12-40 and 40-150 PRO lens, for travel and especially hiking the 12-100 is an amazing option, but for now, can't afford it to own it, it will take just a small portion from my work. The other option is if you shoot a lot of video handheld, because of the dual IS, but I still prefer prime lenses for video.
@@AnastasTarpanov I am using primes for everything I shoot in this channel for now!
Great video , very thorough . I'm thinking of buying the 12-100 pro. I already own the 12-40 2.8 Pro
My best olympus buy it does everything besides very low light as mentionned in the video!
Nice photos, as usual, Robin. Do you have any formal photography training?
I like the lens, but it would make my M10.3 so heavy around my neck. I wish Olympus made something like a 12-60/4 Pro...
That lens would make a good kit with one of those camera+lens camera bags.
I get you, the 12-100mm is heavy if you use a neckstrap.
I never had any formal training in photography. I am a self-taught photographer! With online resources, and everyone being connected via Internet, all information is out there!
Get the Panasonic 12-60 it's a bloody good lens
thank you for this video !!
and hello from Mexico
Hi Leon! Thanks for the kind words.
Olympus created a lot of great lens for the m4/3 system. Hope they will roll out new update sensors with higher pixels, better high iso noise control and better DR.
This is GOAT!
Excellent review - thanks.
Hi Rob
Just purchased omd M1 MkIi + 12-100mm f4 Pro , do I have to setup IS Sync or is it set automatically with Body and Lens IS on
This seems like a pretty niche lens. However, I think having a 12-40mm F2.8 Pro and a 50-150mm F4-F5.6 is a better offer. Cons: 2 lenses, and @100mm you are losing maybe half of a stop of light, along with the 40-150mm not being weather sealed. Pros: Gaining a full stop of Light from 12-40mm and gaining the ability to reach up to 150mm. I don't look at the IS as a big seller as Olympus IBIS is already amazing. With the 12-40 and 50-150 lenses now flooding the used market they are much cheaper to acquire and in my opinion a much better option unless having only 1 lens is a requirement.
Thumbs up to you. I don't own Olympus or Fuji. But this video really wants me to get this lens and perhaps a Olympus. Thanks
Do consider getting an Olympus!
Thank you Robin for nice description of 12-100 mm lens. I will be using this lens with OMD EM1 Mk2, what are default settings shall I use to get best results with this combination?
i think ur my new favorite channel
Thanks! That means a lot!
me too.
Hi Robin! Thanks for your always enthusiastic explanations. I'm about to buy an EM5 Mark III (my first mirrorless) and I need to decide the kit lens... 12-40 f2.8? 12-45 f4? or this versatile 12-100??? I do mainly "travel" and nature photography, also landscape and family pictures. Thanks.
Would it not be a good lens to pair with Panasonic G85 interms of stabilisation
Could it be used for weddings on an e-m1x or the om1 for both portraits and video.
Hi Rob,This channel is very inspiring. Thanks for all tips. I have got OMD em10 mark2. I Bought with kit 14-150. I Sold it , and buy Leica 12-60 (2.8-4). What do You think about this lenses, can You compare to 12-40 2.8 Pro by Olympus?
Thanks for this useful review.
Would this allow enough light for Forest photography ?
Great video. Did you shoot this video with 12-100/f4 lens ?
I think 12-200 is a good option for travellers. What you think?
I think 12-200mm is a great lens. But in terms of optical performance, it is nowhere near a PRO grade lens, certainly quite far from what the 12-100mm PRO can do.
Thanks Robin.. Very Helpful
I own the 12-100 mm lens (on a OM-D E1 MkIII) but I think about exchange it for the Zuiko 40-150 mm 2.8 Pro. In addition with my Zuiko 12-40 mm 2.8 Pro and the Zuiko 7-14 mm 2.8 Pro this would give me a good range of reach from 7-150 mm (or even more with converter) with a constant apperture of 2.8. I also think about the exchange due to the fact that the 12-100 mm is quite similar to the 12-40 mm but a x-150 mm lens would give me an additional benefit because of the extended reach.
I have this lens with the EM5II. It's very sharp in day light but I got struggling at night while taking portrait with Christmas lights. I used the flash with EM5II and I got another problem that this lens is long that it blocks partially of the flash light, making a shadow in the image. I am still prefer one lens setup so I ordered the full size flash FL700WR. Will see how it perform.
hello great video, I have to buy a lens between 40-150 f 2.8 and 12-100 f 4 for your experience what do you recommend? tank you
Great review. I love this lens, but would it work with the 1,4 converter?
Hi Miguel, in short no, see my answer to Peter K
Thx man. I need an Olympus lens for BMPCC4K. Do you think 12-100 is as good as 12-40? I terms of IQ and such!
This will be great as I have a Z CAM E2.
Very informative.. Thank you sir
Has anyone seem a not so great Olympus lens from review conducted by Olympus ambassador? LOL, i have this lens myself, picked it up used with great price, less than half of what the current MSRP going for , but I would suggest unless you are using camera like EM1X like myself or EM1 series with vertical grip, this lens will so badly balance on those small bodies like the OMD E-M10 series bodies, also it's just as big as those full Frame equivalent, such as the Tamron 28-200 or Nikon Z 24-200, so not sure I would still use it as a " travel lens" in 2023. the cool thing about this lens is F4 constant aperture al the way, that's one good selling point of the lens though.
Neither of two lenses you mentioned is of pro grade
@@dayeah765caoni3 image quality wise i don't see any advantage, in fact my cheap old z7+ 24-200 z still offer way better image quality than my EM1X+ 12-100, so that "pro" grade doesn't offer me anything at the end.
@@dannyli9424 Well it's funny to see others perspective on different things. Personally I wouldn't call z7 cheap :) Despite that I agree with your statement about z7 + 24-200 to be better combination than M4/3 + 12-100(I own EM5 MIII with 12-100).
@@dayeah765caoni3 True, but at the end they still produce much better final image with the FF sensor than that " pro" MFT lens mounted in front of a MFT camera though.
Hi could you help me i was wondering would the 12-40mm f2/8 pro lens or 12-100mm f4 pro is better kit len for my pen camera? I want to find one len as my only zoom len everyday use len and maybe one prime len to carry around. have try the 12-40mm love how fast it take picture the sharpness but the zoom arent enough for me. I use my camera to take picture of my toddler and family picture. Would this be a better len for me to own?
On my old full-frame system my 24-105 f/4 was my workhorse. This lens, in my experience so far, is much better. It gives me the range I need and at f/4 there is no vignetting or distortion like I had previously especially at the short end.
Hi, what camera body do you reccomend? Ty!
18-135/3.5-5.6 is my most used lens on my Pentax... and now I'm trying to add this 12-100/4 for my EM5III :D I was thinking about 14-150, but then decided to rather keep the small kit lens duo 14-42+40-150 for travelling light or for my EPL6 and add this 12-100/4 for any serious shooting. While covering many events it is sometimes the only way to cover quickly changing environment without having two cameras with two lenses. Just hope it will arrive in good condition :D And it will also go nicely together with 75-300 including some overlap.
At the end I have 12-100, 12-50/3.5-6.3 and 14-150II. Each has its use. 12-100/4 is optically excellent lens, perfect match for various events photography BUT a bit hefty for light hiking or bike trips into nature where 14-150II shines. And 12-50 is small lens with WR which fits nicely in casual photowalks as EM5III with such lens is still some small camera that does not grab attention like 12-100/4.
Since that 14-42 is mostly sitting in cabinet or is attached to EPL-6. And also my Pentax DSLR gear is less and less used since I bought EM5III with these lenses... damn M43 :D
Great Video Thank You Sir
I moved from Nikon FF to the Olympus OM-D M1-MkII and bought three lenses. The 45mm f1.8, 60mm f2.8 mm macro and last but not least the 12-100mm f4.0. I leave the 12-100mm on my camera probably 98% of the time. I love its range and versatility and have managed wonderful shots with and without flash. I was considering the 12-40mm f2.8 but ultimately decided on the longer zoom and have never looked back. The combination of the M1 MkII and the 12-100mm is a very powerful combination of capability.
Hi Robin, do you think is that a choice for em10 markiii?
Great review and the photos are always very inspiring. I have a question: if I use this lens with my EM10, I will loose the 5 axis IS will this affect still photo quality a lot? Better to upgrade the body before buying this lens? Thank you
Are you referring to E-M10, or E-M10 Mark II/III? E-M10 original only has 3 Axis IS, and it never has 5-Axis. You won't lose it, you will still have the 3-Axis IS.
Hi Robin,
How would you compare it to the 14-150? Thank You
I have 7-14, 12-40, 40-150 separately. Will you recommend to have this lens in this situation?
@purepure0 if you have no issues carrying the 12-40mm and 40-150mm lens around, and you can change lens without worrying about difficult environment, then I see no need to get the 12-100mm. However, if you hate changing lenses and just want one lens to do it all, the 12-100mm is a great solution!
One advantage even with the range already covered, is that the MZ12-100mmF4 has Synchronised Stabilisation up to 7.5stops with the X - allowing handheld 80mp(?) shots -- probably overkill, but a unique advantage for those who will use it.
@@zardosspinosa6944 Indeed, just pointing out this capacity which is unavailable with those three lenses
Is the image quality of this lens substantially better than the 14-150mm zoom lens ? Worth the extra cost ?
Hi Robin, great video, as usual! I would like to ask your opinion between the 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 II and the 40-150mm f2.8 pro with mc-20 teleconverter. Thank you!
Of course, the 40-150mm PRO and teleconverter wins. No questions asked. a PRO lens is a different grade than the normal/standard lens. Also, even with MC-20, the largest aperture is F5.6, better than F6.7 on the 70-300mm lens.
@@robinwong Thanks for the tip ;) I already own the pro lens, and in that case, i will get the mc-20 instead. Thanks again and keep up with the awesome videos! This is one of my favorites channels. 👍
Will it do good with macro, using t extensions?
What happen if I use M.Zuiko Digital 2X Teleconverter MC-20 with 12-100mm F4 PRO. Why is it not compatible?
Does the Sync IS work with the E-M10 mark IV body?
HI, I had the Pen E-PL10 and Lens i think it was the 14-150mm for the zoom and all rounder i was told. But i have a bit of a shake and found this lens and camera together quite cumbersome, awkward and heavy for me. So i returned it. Which small and light lens woudl you recommend for good all rounder and good zoom for bit of distance? The zoom on that lens was ok distance wise. Just too big. And which other lens ie panasonic etc may do please?
Great guy!
How do you fix the flash light problem? I’m new and just got my lens, however I used flash and it’s being blocked by the big lens body.
I have this problem with the 12-40. The hot shoe flash isn't high enough to avoid all shadows. I do remember to take off the lens hood, that helps some. But you may need to get another flash that stands away from the body further than the small ones like LM2.