I bought the lens 8 years ago for a trip to Hawaii. I paired it with my (then) new Olympus EPL1 camera. A truly compact light weight kit, a pleasure to travel with. My subject was mostly whales and it did an outstanding job. I was truly impressed with the results I achieved, as were others who saw my images. I was restricted to shooting from the shore so the 600mm (equivalent) reach was great to have on hand. Nice review! Don
Thanks Don! Yea it’s a solid telephoto lens for travel and I was happy during my time using it as my main wildlife lens a few years back. Glad you liked it!
Nice presentation. Portability and weight seem to be a big driving factor for MFT vs full-frame. It would have been interesting to see a side-by-side comparison between the G9 with the 100-300mm compared to your full-frame gear during your talk, perhaps just an insert for a few seconds.
Hey Bruce, thanks for the compliment and you are most definitely right. Price and size are the two biggest driving factors for a MFT system as compared to FF for 97% of all MFT shooters I talk too. I actually did create a video comparing the differences between Full Frame and Micro-Four Thirds systems already. You can find it on my BEYOND THE SHOT playlist called "Does Sensor Size Really Make A Difference?" I hope that helps you in your comparisons!
lol, he may be just one of these clueless youtube kinds posing as an expert, at least he had enuf brains to put a right amazon link for mk2 (you know, the only important thing for all these YT talking heads is to make ppl buy any crap they advertise)
At 5:08 you discuss image stabilization. The lens you hold is version 1 with Mega OIS. It does not support dual IS with the in-camera IBIS of the G9 or many other recent Lumix models. A user must select one IS or the other, but not both. Version 2 with Power OIS does work in tandem with the IBIS. One knows both are engaged if the "hand" icon on the LCD has the word "dual" above. Version 1 with Mega OIS sells at a discount, relative to Version 2, in part for this reason. Version 2 supposedly has better AF and weather sealing too.
Yes this first version also does not support Panasonic DFD because the focus motor and aperture mechanism is too slow. Optical performance should be the same.
I just received this lens and loving it so far. Do you use ND, polarizer, or other filters with this lends and in what settings? I usually at least get the very basic almost imperceptive protective filter. Thanks for ideas and the recommendation of this lens. For my budget as a hobby photographer, this lens is great and already getting shots I've never been able in the past at a distance and semi-macro. Thanks.
That’s awesome! Glad to hear you’re enjoying it ☺️ I don’t throw filters on this lens, it’s pretty hardy and not worth the hassle at the price point for me to through a filter on to protect it. And ND’s are very rarely desired in wildlife photography, and polarizers would give a weird look in my opinion. But, if you’re worried about damage it’s definitely not bad to get something protective
Thanks for the video. I'm currently debating between the 100-300 and 100-400 so it's great timing. My problem is I have no plans to move to aps-c or full frame so I'm not sure if I should spoil myself with the 100-400.
No problem! I'm glad it helped in your decision. To be honest, I didn't think I was ever going to switch to full frame earlier in my career when I was a purely MFT shooter, but eventually when my business picked up enough and my skill level increased, it just became inevitable. Just some advice from a person that was in your shoes in the past haha. Let me know if you have any other questions!
I had the same choice and opted for the Leica 100-400 otherwise I’m sure I would have regretted it. It is very sharp and worth the extra. I did get it used from eBay so not so bad.
Solid review and perfect timing. I’m new to Panasonic (GH5) and am wanting to start shooting wildlife. Do you feel the Olympus 40-150 2.8 Pro is worth the extra investment? Basically low light VS reach.
That's awesome! Best of wishes on your new venture wanting to shoot wildlife. Personally, I would never use as low as a 150mm MFT for wildlife, however, that is considering that I mostly shoot birds. For other wildlife, that would be the low end of what I would use, but for birds, 150mm is nearly never enough. If you are wanting a better mix of length vs. low light, check out this test I did over on this video I'll include in the link below... turned out AMAZING and if I had to go back knowing what I know now, I would have invested into this lens for my MFT camera originally. Let me know what you think! ruclips.net/video/lVZkgULvgL8/видео.html
@@JeremyNeipp Lol now I’m really on the fence. Another fantastic review! It’s interesting you did this, because I was considering buying a used Canon EF 100-400 IS for $800 and a speed booster $449. That’s $1100 vs 1700. Appreciate your thoughts.
Glad to help! Yea that’s a hard choice, that Sigma 150-600mm in the video I used often goes on sale down to $1,000, so if you’re patient as well you may get a better price on it.
Hey Troy, just saw the Sigma 150-600mm is on sale and just wanted to let you know in case you hadn't seen it. Better price now than ever haha. amzn.to/2Xc6EqS
@@JeremyNeipp Hey thanks for the heads up Jeremy. I’ve decided to purchase the Panasonic 100-300. 1) price 2) the reach for such a small lens is amazing, and 3) I do a fair amount of video. Shooting video with that Sigma wouldn’t be ideal. Ha. I’m sure it will make the bag eventually Thanks again for the feedback and content. Love your work. You should entertain doing an in the field workshop.
Great review and I think this will be what I end up with for my Pany G85 to get into better wildlife shots on a budget. One thing I wondered is the lack of tripod mount on the lens and the balance since you have to mount just the camera on the tripod. Was this a factor you noticed with the weight of the lens pulling down the camera when on a tripod? Any options to remedy this?
Thanks Greg! Most definitely. It does affect it a little if you’re using something basic like a cheap ballhead tripod for example. It will wind up setting slightly lower than you angle it. However, if you use a higher or more sturdy tripod head like a video head or gimbal head you’ll be able to either balance it well enough on the plate since it’s a small lens for a telephoto, or the head is strong enough to hold the weight
Hey Greg! It is hard to get a tripod that doesn't cost a lot that does the job really well for wildlife photography. If you wanted to go really affordable you can go for something like a Ballhead, however, you will experience a little lack of accuracy when locking it into place due to the weight of the lens. Next level up you can go for a video head. These work great and will lock off powerfully, however, they are heavy and clunky so that's the inconvenience of them even though they are relatively affordable. Lastly you can go for a gimbal head setup which is by far the most expensive, but its magical in practicality and functionality. I'll list the links below: Ball Head:amzn.to/3qvXaVY Video Head: amzn.to/3szDfbi Gimbal Head (2 Links): amzn.to/3z6db8U amzn.to/3eureLH
Good job! Thanks for the review. There are a lot of review videos (I guess because more chance of getting people to purchase from affiliate links), but I would love to see a video that shows how you use the lens, to help less experienced photographers. What focus settings you use, whether (or when) a filter is recommended, what aperture settings work best for what effects, how high can you take ISO with this lens (camera-specific, maybe, but still interesting to learn), any other settings to be aware of to get best use of this lens.
Thanks man! Most definitely, if you look around my channel you should find answers to all those questions you asked. I have videos showing how I pull focus, what I use my telephoto lenses like this one for (which is all wildlife photography), and many other things. In regards to the ISO, that depends on the camera body not the lens, so I recommend you watch one of my camera review videos to see those features such as the G9 review video I pair with this lens specifically. Also, in regards to telephoto lenses, there is virtually no situations in which you would use a filter to answer that question. I hope that helps!
Great video! I'm actually looking for a telephoto lens for filmmaking / video, so I was wondering if the zoom ring was sticky at all if the focus ring was. I wouldn't get this lens unless the zooming in / out could be slow and smooth for video. Thanks for answering if you see this!
It is a little sticky, I’ve reviewed many more lenses since these early days of reviews and I can tell tell how “cheap” this lens is in retrospect, but it will be hard to find any smooth zoom and focus ring lens at this price point
What a sweet setup! This hits all my needs and budget, i think ill get this with the G9 for my first camera setup to shoot wildlife thanks so much!!! Does this lens come with a hood?? If not what hood do you use with it?? Many thanks after a lot of research im sold!!!
For me, it was both weight AND price. I was torn between the Olympus pen series and the panasonic gx series. Ended up going panasonic because at the time, panasonic had better dual stabilization, and also had the 100 to 400 lens. Olympus only had the 300 prime (too expensive) or the 75 to 300. And the panasonic reviews for the 100 to 300 were better than the Olympus when used with a panasonic body. I went with the panasonic gx85. And for now, the 100 to 300. Eventually I will get the 100 to 400 as well.
I’d say this is the perfect lens for a camera like that! You can’t get too much cheaper in the super telephoto range so this almost as close to baseline as you can get
I need a telephoto lens. Been using the nikon for long range but it lacks the image quality of my G9. I'm tempted by this lens but also the 100-400. You didn't seem impressed but many say its sharper at 300 and decent at 400. And with birds that 200mm equivalent extra seems important. Dunno what to do now 😀
@@JeremyNeipp just watched it. Must have missed that one. I would love that lens but I think now its not a lot cheaper than the 100-400 in the UK and the speed booster would take it past it by a few hundred. Plus its twice the weight of the 100-400 and I was thinking that was heavy 😀 It gave me an idea of what the extra reach would give me though. I am tempted to get the olympus 75-300 and the Panasonic 100-400. The olympus can be had for £329 and it would be for the times I wanted to pack light. I walk a lot and I'm not sure how heavy I really want. I just used to carry my bridge camera around before on walks and that was like 1.5lbs.
Good review! Good presentation. I like the outdoor video more than indoor. It feels like you are out in the nature and actually shooting. Almost 600 subs too!
Thanks man! Yea I try to mix it up to not always be indoors haha. It's been difficult to get out recently since I'm having 60+ hour work weeks lately but I do my best haha. I know! 1k will come soon hopefully!
Thank you for this excellent review! But i was wondering if you think that this lens with a gh5 is a good combo please, i also want to film so is it great for video too? And last question, can this lens be my only lens if i want only to film wildlife please?
Yes and yes! This lens works great with the GH5 and if you’re only looking to film wildlife and nothing else, you can get away with just purchasing this one lens. If you’re ever looking to learn how to film well and create your own RUclips channel I offer mentorships as well. If you’re interested let me know and I can send you more details!
The only problem i have with this is from my camera. The camera is so small and broken that when I put it on some trackers and tripods the lens gets pushed against from the bottom. Then since the camera’s so busted it goes out of focus. I need a camera replacement. G9 ii? Maybe. Maybe not.
Yea there is a difference. It is supposed to be a little better cause it can do dual I.S. as opposed to having to select one from either the body or the lens.
There is a slight improvement but nothing crazy. I would still argue unless you’re wanting to spend over $1k it’s probably about as good as you’ll get for the MFT lineup though
It’s funny the comments you made against the 100-400 but now that seems to be all you shoot with. Could you do an update on your thoughts of M43rds telephoto lenses?
I've actually only ever shot with the 100-400 5 times in my whole life, so I'm not sure where you got that it's all I shoot with haha. But, I still feel very indifferent about it and it's pretty much just a standard purchase if you're on the MFT line anyways, but nothing phenomenal and not quite very low budget friendly like this 100-300. If you're looking for a really nice piece of glass on MFT I'd suggest checking out my Olympus 300mm f/4 review.
I have a lumix g7 right now and im really trying to get into bird photography. I own a 42-150 right now its pretty cheap but im debating on saving my money to either buy the g9 first or this lens. Whats your opinion on what i should do?
Personally, I would 100% go for the lens first! It’s a game changer going from a 150mm focal length to a 300mm on the MFT system and will allow you to get shots you physically couldn’t have gotten before. The G7 yo G9 upgrade is also great, but definitely not as large of a difference as that lens switch.
Small point, the lens you have in the video is the 100-300 mega ois, which has been replaced by the 100-300 II dual stabilisation one. You can tell by the grey colour round the mount. I own a copy of original lens and bought it NEW for £200!! It has been the perfect intro to wildlife for me, something that was more or less financially out of reach for me. However, the new version may be worth the extra money as I have read numerous reports that the second version is much better at fast focussing, and the dual IS kicks in. I believe the mega OIS version doesn’t function with in body stabilisation, but not 100% sure on that
Thanks for your comment! Yes the price I quoted and link I included in my description was actually the updated version. You are right that mine is the older OIS version, however to be honest, they difference in image stabilization in my opinion is relatively minimal between Mega and Power and has mostly been hype around it. In regards to the compatible dual I.S., it is my understanding that Panasonic varies it lens to lens. Anotherwards, not every Power O.I.S. lens has it and some Mega O.I.S. lenses do have it with updates, however, that subject seems to be pretty murky haha. I wouldn't know about the autofocus differences, however, I can say even the "older" version I own still does AF lightning fast. It's a matter of the accuracy which is controlled by the camera body that I still find myself unsatisfied by with the Panasonic system. It's amazing you got a new one for the price you mentioned, that must have been a steal! I believe I purchased mine back in the day for around $550 so a good amount more than you got yours.
There is a light, well made tripod / collar for the 100~300 that is made in Germany. Cost is $75.60 which includes shipping. I've seen a couple of u tube vids reviewing it. I got my G9 and the 100~300mm lens 2 weeks ago & found this collar & was about to order it . . . but I changed my mind on the lens. I have a Fz 2500 bridge,1 in sensor, camera - 24~480mm ( RAW ) optical that can reach to 960mm ( jpeg only with no loss of quality ) and when I compared it - same composition shot - between the Fz & the G9 w the 100~300 zoomed to 300m my Fz was sharper ! Part of my adding the G9 w a good zoom lens ' was ' to get better quality shots of distant birds. The camera store gave me full credit on the 100~300 & I put this toward a 100~400m lens which was $1400 ( minus the 100~300 credit came to @ $900 more). It is heavier - more internal glass & I find the zoomed images to be sharper than the 100~300. Another Big plus is it's 100% made in Japan - so the build quality is top notch. I've made an adjustable short mono-pod that helps to keep the camera steady when zoomed out. Contact info on the collar is: kontakt@roesch-feinmechanik.de Enjoyed the video.
Hey Ray! That's awesome thanks for your input, and thank you for the compliment! It's great to hear your experience with the Fz camera, it's important to remember that there are many reasons for the sharpness turning out like it did in your tests. Firstly, when being shot in jpeg, the sensor automatically tries to enhance the sharpness of an image, so comparing a jpeg shot to a camera that is meant to shoot RAW are incorrect comparisons. If you take that RAW image and through it into a editing program and do the proper edits you are supposed to on it, I guarantee you'll find the results better on a RAW image shot. By nature, RAW is simply a drastically better format. I have example images of the difference between RAW and jpeg files in which you can see the drastic differences in ability to recover highlights and shadows, and details in images. (Someday I plan on making a video showing these examples). Also, I'm sure that you have heard this before, but it really is true that lenses that try to specialize in everything often specialize in nothing... meaning that lenses that cover huge focal distances always have sacrifices in other areas of their IQ. While the 24-480mm gives terrific range, there is a big sacrifice of chromatic aberration, corner sharpness, etc. Ultimately, you get what you pay for, as seen primely in the example of why people pay tens of thousands of dollars for specialized super telephoto prime lenses. While there is no doubt that the Lumix 100-400mm is a better lens than the 100-300mm, for 3x the price, it isn't worth it for me due to the reasons I listed in the video. If I am going to be spending that amount of money personally, I would much rather do it the right way, than investing into something slightly better yet 3x the cost. If I were to ever invest into another telephoto lens for MFT, (which I won't because it just makes more sense to invest into a proper FF system and lens) I would much rather invest into Olympus' 300mm prime than the Lumix 100-400mm because of the superior low light and image sharpness. All in all however, this is my opinion and definitely isn't law! Thanks again for your input.
@@JeremyNeipp Your welcome ! I'm glade I started down my photography road - 3.5 yrs now in retirement - learning on the Pany Fz 2500 - with the integrated touch screen, lots of function capabilities & well designed menu, it was & is ' fun ' to use. Besides the G9 being a big step up in many respects, It's sensor size is over twice that of my Fz . I get the points you made @ shooting RAW, editing, & having good glass & I'm moving in that direction. I have subscribed & thanks for responding. Looking to capture/shoot a Great Blue Heroin this Sunday at sunup.
I have the 100-300mm and love the light weight. I recently bought a Sony RX10 IV and compared long zoom shots and found that the Sony is a sharper. I’ve owned an FZ2500 in the past and found it to be pretty sharp as well. I still have an FZ1000. . Now I am selling the 100-300 in favor of the 400. I haven’t tried one yet but your feedback certainly reinforces what I am expecting. Thanks!
Hey Rod! Thanks for your input. I am actually releasing a video in 1 week from now on an awesome alternative to the 100-400mm, I would highly suggest waiting to watch that video before making a decision if you do upgrade! I am glad you have enjoyed your 100-300mm and hope you continue to love it while you use it!
1:35 - Olympus 75-300 was $520 new when released - now you can have one for $350-400 (new) it has a bigger range - is lighter, is smaller, is sharper - but is also slower.
I got the Oly 75-300 MkII w/ a Panasonic body and even if the lens is objectively sharper than the Pana 100-300 MkI & MkII (with the best results at the widest aperture, that's rare !), the lack of stabilization and the fact that it is a f/4.8-6.7 make the lens less interesting in practice (without mentionning that it is not weather sealed). In comparison to a Dual IS and an aperture of f/4-5.6, if you have a Pana body there is no reason to pick the Oly (at this point in focal lenghts, you're not getting that much "wider" at 75mm instead of 100)
It's about the weight and gear volume for me. Traveling with full frame lenses, especially zooms and longer focal lengths is tedious. Seriously considering selling my Sony a7c kit because I'm using the EM-1 Mark II more right now. Because of the lenses.
Exactly, the best camera is the one you have with you. Sure, full-frame is better in quality, but not everyone wants to carry around a whole studio with them all the time. It's an incredible hassle, and I've met a good share of people who upgraded from full-frame to micro four thirds for that reason alone.
I bought the lens 8 years ago for a trip to Hawaii. I paired it with my (then) new Olympus EPL1 camera. A truly compact light weight kit, a pleasure to travel with. My subject was mostly whales and it did an outstanding job. I was truly impressed with the results I achieved, as were others who saw my images. I was restricted to shooting from the shore so the 600mm (equivalent) reach was great to have on hand.
Nice review!
Don
Thanks Don! Yea it’s a solid telephoto lens for travel and I was happy during my time using it as my main wildlife lens a few years back. Glad you liked it!
Nice presentation. Portability and weight seem to be a big driving factor for MFT vs full-frame. It would have been interesting to see a side-by-side comparison between the G9 with the 100-300mm compared to your full-frame gear during your talk, perhaps just an insert for a few seconds.
Hey Bruce, thanks for the compliment and you are most definitely right. Price and size are the two biggest driving factors for a MFT system as compared to FF for 97% of all MFT shooters I talk too. I actually did create a video comparing the differences between Full Frame and Micro-Four Thirds systems already. You can find it on my BEYOND THE SHOT playlist called "Does Sensor Size Really Make A Difference?" I hope that helps you in your comparisons!
Just for clarification. The 100-300mm M1 version (you´re holding) isn´t weather sealed. Only the Mark 2 version is.
Also, if I am not mistaken, the Mk 1 with Mega OIS cannot do Dual IS. That feature is exclusive to the Mk II with Power OIS.
And better focus ring on the V2
lol, he may be just one of these clueless youtube kinds posing as an expert, at least he had enuf brains to put a right amazon link for mk2 (you know, the only important thing for all these YT talking heads is to make ppl buy any crap they advertise)
I have the mk 2 got some great shots with it,
I noticed this, too... He's telling how it's sealed, and I'm like Bro, no you got the old one 😅
At 5:08 you discuss image stabilization. The lens you hold is version 1 with Mega OIS. It does not support dual IS with the in-camera IBIS of the G9 or many other recent Lumix models. A user must select one IS or the other, but not both. Version 2 with Power OIS does work in tandem with the IBIS. One knows both are engaged if the "hand" icon on the LCD has the word "dual" above. Version 1 with Mega OIS sells at a discount, relative to Version 2, in part for this reason. Version 2 supposedly has better AF and weather sealing too.
Yes this first version also does not support Panasonic DFD because the focus motor and aperture mechanism is too slow. Optical performance should be the same.
That’s actually the mark 1 version you’re using, currently goes for around $350, thanks for the vid!
I just received this lens and loving it so far. Do you use ND, polarizer, or other filters with this lends and in what settings? I usually at least get the very basic almost imperceptive protective filter. Thanks for ideas and the recommendation of this lens. For my budget as a hobby photographer, this lens is great and already getting shots I've never been able in the past at a distance and semi-macro. Thanks.
That’s awesome! Glad to hear you’re enjoying it ☺️ I don’t throw filters on this lens, it’s pretty hardy and not worth the hassle at the price point for me to through a filter on to protect it. And ND’s are very rarely desired in wildlife photography, and polarizers would give a weird look in my opinion. But, if you’re worried about damage it’s definitely not bad to get something protective
Thanks for the video. I'm currently debating between the 100-300 and 100-400 so it's great timing. My problem is I have no plans to move to aps-c or full frame so I'm not sure if I should spoil myself with the 100-400.
No problem! I'm glad it helped in your decision. To be honest, I didn't think I was ever going to switch to full frame earlier in my career when I was a purely MFT shooter, but eventually when my business picked up enough and my skill level increased, it just became inevitable. Just some advice from a person that was in your shoes in the past haha. Let me know if you have any other questions!
I had the same choice and opted for the Leica 100-400 otherwise I’m sure I would have regretted it. It is very sharp and worth the extra.
I did get it used from eBay so not so bad.
That's awesome Michael! Glad you've been happy with your lens choice. Nothing better than feeling like you made good use of your money.
Solid review and perfect timing. I’m new to Panasonic (GH5) and am wanting to start shooting wildlife. Do you feel the Olympus 40-150 2.8 Pro is worth the extra investment? Basically low light VS reach.
That's awesome! Best of wishes on your new venture wanting to shoot wildlife. Personally, I would never use as low as a 150mm MFT for wildlife, however, that is considering that I mostly shoot birds. For other wildlife, that would be the low end of what I would use, but for birds, 150mm is nearly never enough. If you are wanting a better mix of length vs. low light, check out this test I did over on this video I'll include in the link below... turned out AMAZING and if I had to go back knowing what I know now, I would have invested into this lens for my MFT camera originally. Let me know what you think!
ruclips.net/video/lVZkgULvgL8/видео.html
@@JeremyNeipp Lol now I’m really on the fence. Another fantastic review! It’s interesting you did this, because I was considering buying a used Canon EF 100-400 IS for $800 and a speed booster $449. That’s $1100 vs 1700. Appreciate your thoughts.
Glad to help! Yea that’s a hard choice, that Sigma 150-600mm in the video I used often goes on sale down to $1,000, so if you’re patient as well you may get a better price on it.
Hey Troy, just saw the Sigma 150-600mm is on sale and just wanted to let you know in case you hadn't seen it. Better price now than ever haha.
amzn.to/2Xc6EqS
@@JeremyNeipp Hey thanks for the heads up Jeremy. I’ve decided to purchase the Panasonic 100-300. 1) price 2) the reach for such a small lens is amazing, and 3) I do a fair amount of video. Shooting video with that Sigma wouldn’t be ideal. Ha. I’m sure it will make the bag eventually Thanks again for the feedback and content. Love your work. You should entertain doing an in the field workshop.
Great review and I think this will be what I end up with for my Pany G85 to get into better wildlife shots on a budget. One thing I wondered is the lack of tripod mount on the lens and the balance since you have to mount just the camera on the tripod. Was this a factor you noticed with the weight of the lens pulling down the camera when on a tripod? Any options to remedy this?
Thanks Greg! Most definitely. It does affect it a little if you’re using something basic like a cheap ballhead tripod for example. It will wind up setting slightly lower than you angle it. However, if you use a higher or more sturdy tripod head like a video head or gimbal head you’ll be able to either balance it well enough on the plate since it’s a small lens for a telephoto, or the head is strong enough to hold the weight
@@JeremyNeipp Thanks for the advice. Do you recommend any tripods that are reasonable that would do this? Thanks
Hey Greg! It is hard to get a tripod that doesn't cost a lot that does the job really well for wildlife photography. If you wanted to go really affordable you can go for something like a Ballhead, however, you will experience a little lack of accuracy when locking it into place due to the weight of the lens. Next level up you can go for a video head. These work great and will lock off powerfully, however, they are heavy and clunky so that's the inconvenience of them even though they are relatively affordable. Lastly you can go for a gimbal head setup which is by far the most expensive, but its magical in practicality and functionality. I'll list the links below:
Ball Head:amzn.to/3qvXaVY
Video Head: amzn.to/3szDfbi
Gimbal Head (2 Links): amzn.to/3z6db8U
amzn.to/3eureLH
Good review of this lens. I am also using this lens. Very light and easy to handle. I sold off all my DSLR because of the weight and heavy tripod.
Thank you! Yea it's a great lens for being so light weight and affordable. Glad to hear you have been liking it too.
Good job! Thanks for the review. There are a lot of review videos (I guess because more chance of getting people to purchase from affiliate links), but I would love to see a video that shows how you use the lens, to help less experienced photographers. What focus settings you use, whether (or when) a filter is recommended, what aperture settings work best for what effects, how high can you take ISO with this lens (camera-specific, maybe, but still interesting to learn), any other settings to be aware of to get best use of this lens.
Thanks man! Most definitely, if you look around my channel you should find answers to all those questions you asked. I have videos showing how I pull focus, what I use my telephoto lenses like this one for (which is all wildlife photography), and many other things. In regards to the ISO, that depends on the camera body not the lens, so I recommend you watch one of my camera review videos to see those features such as the G9 review video I pair with this lens specifically. Also, in regards to telephoto lenses, there is virtually no situations in which you would use a filter to answer that question. I hope that helps!
Or what the lens can do at all. More sample footage/pictures, less talking head. It’s a video about a lens after all.
Is this lens good working with Lumix g80/85 ?
Yep! Made for a camera like that one
Great video! I'm actually looking for a telephoto lens for filmmaking / video, so I was wondering if the zoom ring was sticky at all if the focus ring was. I wouldn't get this lens unless the zooming in / out could be slow and smooth for video. Thanks for answering if you see this!
It is a little sticky, I’ve reviewed many more lenses since these early days of reviews and I can tell tell how “cheap” this lens is in retrospect, but it will be hard to find any smooth zoom and focus ring lens at this price point
@@JeremyNeipp noted, thank you!!
Nice Review does this lens work with the GX880? Just wondering
Thank you! And It does!
@@JeremyNeipp great thanks for reply, I'm still deciding on which one is for me. Your video seems the best.
What a sweet setup! This hits all my needs and budget, i think ill get this with the G9 for my first camera setup to shoot wildlife thanks so much!!!
Does this lens come with a hood?? If not what hood do you use with it??
Many thanks after a lot of research im sold!!!
For me, it was both weight AND price. I was torn between the Olympus pen series and the panasonic gx series. Ended up going panasonic because at the time, panasonic had better dual stabilization, and also had the 100 to 400 lens. Olympus only had the 300 prime (too expensive) or the 75 to 300. And the panasonic reviews for the 100 to 300 were better than the Olympus when used with a panasonic body. I went with the panasonic gx85. And for now, the 100 to 300. Eventually I will get the 100 to 400 as well.
Yep I had lots of similar thoughts back in the day when I was purchasing and have now lived those experiences! Hope you have fun with it all.
Would this be overkill for a Panasonic gx85?
I’d say this is the perfect lens for a camera like that! You can’t get too much cheaper in the super telephoto range so this almost as close to baseline as you can get
Thank you so much for your honest appraisal with pros and cons. You are very good in front of the camera, and explain the finer points really well.
Thanks for the encouragement! Definitely always hope to point out all sides of a piece of gear in my reviews. Hope it helped!
I need a telephoto lens. Been using the nikon for long range but it lacks the image quality of my G9.
I'm tempted by this lens but also the 100-400.
You didn't seem impressed but many say its sharper at 300 and decent at 400. And with birds that 200mm equivalent extra seems important.
Dunno what to do now 😀
It's a hard choice! You should check out this video I made below, it might give you a better option!
ruclips.net/video/lVZkgULvgL8/видео.html
@@JeremyNeipp just watched it. Must have missed that one.
I would love that lens but I think now its not a lot cheaper than the 100-400 in the UK and the speed booster would take it past it by a few hundred.
Plus its twice the weight of the 100-400 and I was thinking that was heavy 😀
It gave me an idea of what the extra reach would give me though.
I am tempted to get the olympus 75-300 and the Panasonic 100-400. The olympus can be had for £329 and it would be for the times I wanted to pack light.
I walk a lot and I'm not sure how heavy I really want. I just used to carry my bridge camera around before on walks and that was like 1.5lbs.
Jeremy, I am very interested to get that particular hoodie that you are using. What is the brand?
It's actually Costco brand! A great hoodie, unfortunately I can't send a link cause I just bought it in the store.
@@JeremyNeipp, thank you so much.
Quality images at 100-200mm. I try to avoid using it at more than 250mm. At f/6.3 ... sound advice 👍 or even f/7.1
Good review! Good presentation. I like the outdoor video more than indoor. It feels like you are out in the nature and actually shooting. Almost 600 subs too!
Thanks man! Yea I try to mix it up to not always be indoors haha. It's been difficult to get out recently since I'm having 60+ hour work weeks lately but I do my best haha. I know! 1k will come soon hopefully!
Thank you so much for the video. Can we use this on sony aps-c (sony a6000) ?
Unfortunately no
no, it can't cover the APSC sensor
Are you on speed?
Thank you for this excellent review! But i was wondering if you think that this lens with a gh5 is a good combo please, i also want to film so is it great for video too? And last question, can this lens be my only lens if i want only to film wildlife please?
Yes and yes! This lens works great with the GH5 and if you’re only looking to film wildlife and nothing else, you can get away with just purchasing this one lens. If you’re ever looking to learn how to film well and create your own RUclips channel I offer mentorships as well. If you’re interested let me know and I can send you more details!
@@JeremyNeipp oh thank you so much! Yes i could be intrested!
You can send me an email at jeremy.neipp@gmail.com if you’re interested in the Mentorship and I can send you the details to you personallt!
It's amazing you don't have more subscribers. Keep up the great content!
Thank you for the encouragement!
The only problem i have with this is from my camera. The camera is so small and broken that when I put it on some trackers and tripods the lens gets pushed against from the bottom. Then since the camera’s so busted it goes out of focus. I need a camera replacement. G9 ii? Maybe. Maybe not.
how about the version II? with the power OIS is there any different?
Yea there is a difference. It is supposed to be a little better cause it can do dual I.S. as opposed to having to select one from either the body or the lens.
@@JeremyNeipp oh i see. Thanks. Besides the dual IS is there any image quality improvement too?
There is a slight improvement but nothing crazy. I would still argue unless you’re wanting to spend over $1k it’s probably about as good as you’ll get for the MFT lineup though
It’s funny the comments you made against the 100-400 but now that seems to be all you shoot with. Could you do an update on your thoughts of M43rds telephoto lenses?
I've actually only ever shot with the 100-400 5 times in my whole life, so I'm not sure where you got that it's all I shoot with haha. But, I still feel very indifferent about it and it's pretty much just a standard purchase if you're on the MFT line anyways, but nothing phenomenal and not quite very low budget friendly like this 100-300. If you're looking for a really nice piece of glass on MFT I'd suggest checking out my Olympus 300mm f/4 review.
@@JeremyNeipp thank you! Sorry about my assumptions
You did this in 2020...why wasn't the II version used in lieu of version i?? However, the advertisement you show PIP was version ii. I'm confused!
No pictures?
No blow ups to see the resolution, distortion, CA?
A Great review you got a new subscriber.
Thanks man! I appreciate it and hope you continue to enjoy the channel!
I have a lumix g7 right now and im really trying to get into bird photography. I own a 42-150 right now its pretty cheap but im debating on saving my money to either buy the g9 first or this lens. Whats your opinion on what i should do?
Personally, I would 100% go for the lens first! It’s a game changer going from a 150mm focal length to a 300mm on the MFT system and will allow you to get shots you physically couldn’t have gotten before. The G7 yo G9 upgrade is also great, but definitely not as large of a difference as that lens switch.
Small point, the lens you have in the video is the 100-300 mega ois, which has been replaced by the 100-300 II dual stabilisation one. You can tell by the grey colour round the mount. I own a copy of original lens and bought it NEW for £200!! It has been the perfect intro to wildlife for me, something that was more or less financially out of reach for me. However, the new version may be worth the extra money as I have read numerous reports that the second version is much better at fast focussing, and the dual IS kicks in. I believe the mega OIS version doesn’t function with in body stabilisation, but not 100% sure on that
Thanks for your comment! Yes the price I quoted and link I included in my description was actually the updated version. You are right that mine is the older OIS version, however to be honest, they difference in image stabilization in my opinion is relatively minimal between Mega and Power and has mostly been hype around it. In regards to the compatible dual I.S., it is my understanding that Panasonic varies it lens to lens. Anotherwards, not every Power O.I.S. lens has it and some Mega O.I.S. lenses do have it with updates, however, that subject seems to be pretty murky haha. I wouldn't know about the autofocus differences, however, I can say even the "older" version I own still does AF lightning fast. It's a matter of the accuracy which is controlled by the camera body that I still find myself unsatisfied by with the Panasonic system. It's amazing you got a new one for the price you mentioned, that must have been a steal! I believe I purchased mine back in the day for around $550 so a good amount more than you got yours.
There is a light, well made tripod / collar for the 100~300 that is made in Germany. Cost is $75.60 which includes shipping. I've seen a couple of u tube vids reviewing it. I got my G9 and the 100~300mm lens 2 weeks ago & found this collar & was about to order it . . . but I changed my mind on the lens. I have a Fz 2500 bridge,1 in sensor, camera - 24~480mm ( RAW ) optical that can reach to 960mm ( jpeg only with no loss of quality ) and when I compared it - same composition shot - between the Fz & the G9 w the 100~300 zoomed to 300m my Fz was sharper ! Part of my adding the G9 w a good zoom lens ' was ' to get better quality shots of distant birds. The camera store gave me full credit on the 100~300 & I put this toward a 100~400m lens which was $1400 ( minus the 100~300 credit came to @ $900 more). It is heavier - more internal glass & I find the zoomed images to be sharper than the 100~300. Another Big plus is it's 100% made in Japan - so the build quality is top notch. I've made an adjustable short mono-pod that helps to keep the camera steady when zoomed out. Contact info on the collar is: kontakt@roesch-feinmechanik.de Enjoyed the video.
Hey Ray! That's awesome thanks for your input, and thank you for the compliment!
It's great to hear your experience with the Fz camera, it's important to remember that there are many reasons for the sharpness turning out like it did in your tests. Firstly, when being shot in jpeg, the sensor automatically tries to enhance the sharpness of an image, so comparing a jpeg shot to a camera that is meant to shoot RAW are incorrect comparisons. If you take that RAW image and through it into a editing program and do the proper edits you are supposed to on it, I guarantee you'll find the results better on a RAW image shot. By nature, RAW is simply a drastically better format. I have example images of the difference between RAW and jpeg files in which you can see the drastic differences in ability to recover highlights and shadows, and details in images. (Someday I plan on making a video showing these examples). Also, I'm sure that you have heard this before, but it really is true that lenses that try to specialize in everything often specialize in nothing... meaning that lenses that cover huge focal distances always have sacrifices in other areas of their IQ. While the 24-480mm gives terrific range, there is a big sacrifice of chromatic aberration, corner sharpness, etc. Ultimately, you get what you pay for, as seen primely in the example of why people pay tens of thousands of dollars for specialized super telephoto prime lenses.
While there is no doubt that the Lumix 100-400mm is a better lens than the 100-300mm, for 3x the price, it isn't worth it for me due to the reasons I listed in the video. If I am going to be spending that amount of money personally, I would much rather do it the right way, than investing into something slightly better yet 3x the cost. If I were to ever invest into another telephoto lens for MFT, (which I won't because it just makes more sense to invest into a proper FF system and lens) I would much rather invest into Olympus' 300mm prime than the Lumix 100-400mm because of the superior low light and image sharpness. All in all however, this is my opinion and definitely isn't law! Thanks again for your input.
@@JeremyNeipp Your welcome ! I'm glade I started down my photography road - 3.5 yrs now in retirement - learning on the Pany Fz 2500 - with the integrated touch screen, lots of function capabilities & well designed menu, it was & is ' fun ' to use. Besides the G9 being a big step up in many respects, It's sensor size is over twice that of my Fz . I get the points you made @ shooting RAW, editing, & having good glass & I'm moving in that direction. I have subscribed & thanks for responding. Looking to capture/shoot a Great Blue Heroin this Sunday at sunup.
Of course I am always glad to talk! I hope you capture beautiful photos of that Heron!
I have the 100-300mm and love the light weight. I recently bought a Sony RX10 IV and compared long zoom shots and found that the Sony is a sharper. I’ve owned an FZ2500 in the past and found it to be pretty sharp as well. I still have an FZ1000. . Now I am selling the 100-300 in favor of the 400. I haven’t tried one yet but your feedback certainly reinforces what I am expecting. Thanks!
Hey Rod! Thanks for your input. I am actually releasing a video in 1 week from now on an awesome alternative to the 100-400mm, I would highly suggest waiting to watch that video before making a decision if you do upgrade! I am glad you have enjoyed your 100-300mm and hope you continue to love it while you use it!
Nice review bro. Well explained
Glad it was helpful!
Nice and clear sharing. Hope to see more pics please thank u
Great review 👌💯🙏
Thank you so much! Appreciate the encouragement.
1:35 - Olympus 75-300 was $520 new when released - now you can have one for $350-400 (new) it has a bigger range - is lighter, is smaller, is sharper - but is also slower.
Actually I've seen its not as sharp as the 100-300. Varies per lens perhaps.
I would put the Oly 75-300 into the debate as well. Similar price and you can go a bit wider.
I got the Oly 75-300 MkII w/ a Panasonic body and even if the lens is objectively sharper than the Pana 100-300 MkI & MkII (with the best results at the widest aperture, that's rare !), the lack of stabilization and the fact that it is a f/4.8-6.7 make the lens less interesting in practice (without mentionning that it is not weather sealed). In comparison to a Dual IS and an aperture of f/4-5.6, if you have a Pana body there is no reason to pick the Oly (at this point in focal lenghts, you're not getting that much "wider" at 75mm instead of 100)
Better stick with brand to brand then.
Du laberst zu viel und sagst zu wenig!
It's about the weight and gear volume for me. Traveling with full frame lenses, especially zooms and longer focal lengths is tedious. Seriously considering selling my Sony a7c kit because I'm using the EM-1 Mark II more right now. Because of the lenses.
Exactly, the best camera is the one you have with you. Sure, full-frame is better in quality, but not everyone wants to carry around a whole studio with them all the time. It's an incredible hassle, and I've met a good share of people who upgraded from full-frame to micro four thirds for that reason alone.
The focus ring is lot better on the second version !
The panisonic 100-400mm is amazing i have a new one and the zoom ring is smooth on the one i have
That is true! The zoom ring is clean on the 100-400.
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Ehm, afaik the Olympus equivalent is cheaper.
ping