I have just discovered your channel and love your self-deprecating humour, articulacy and effortles expertise. The Leica 100-400 is the only lens you will ever need for the great outdoors. Just add the G9's in camera TC and 4x Digital Zoom AND heavy cropping for some serious welly. The IS can still cope with it handheld at 3200mm FF! Tilt the Leica to the horizontal and the zoom friction just disappears. Twist the body with one [tiny] hand and the zoom ring with the other. Like having zoom in overdrive. Forget the massive, tripod mounting bracket. It just adds dead weight. Bung a Sirui CF monopod under the Leica ring for those longs hours at the zoo. Wear your camera strap on the diagonal and the weight simply vanishes. BTW: Full frame is a dinosaur which doesn't yet know it is extinct. ;-)
Totally, totally, totally agree with your take on keeping some context in the background rather than just an out of focus mush. At least on this lens you have the choice of how you want to take the shot,
I'm never leaving M43! So many high quality options for bodies and lenses and the results are more than enough for me. I might need to start stocking up on replacement bodies in case the whole system implodes. I hope it doesn't, but things aren't going great right now.
Absolutely agree with the comment about background blur and having enough background separation without removing all context, really pleased to hear someone saying this. That hint of context gives added narrative to the image, in my humble opinion anyway!
I have only been telling you for a year 😂😜 My top tip is to not wear a wedding ring as I have taken a lot of black off of mine. With the depth of field its an advantage especially with those birds. Nearly the whole bird is in focus and not just a beak! You can also compensate for the low light performance with moving subjects by taking a very long burst. You only need one shot or the eyes in focus and you are good! :)
I normally "um and ah" for months or years when considering buying a new lens, but just watching this one video has made me realise that I need this. There's no debate on this one. I love birds, I love photography, but I haven't tried to combine the too since attempting to shoot them with a 20' cable release on 200 ASA film on a dull day back in the 1980s (the results were decidedly murky). And I've got a GX8, so I'm imagining this'll work fairly well. Great review, thanks for putting the effort in.
My trio of lenses are the Oly 7-14, 12-100 and the 100-400 Panaleica. Fit all into a small Manfrotto shoulder bag, using EM 1 MKI and EM5 MK III. Seriously considering the G9, though...which is a bargain for what it does...
I only got this lens in May. Similar motive, to photograph wildlife. We have barn owls nearby and this is a great lens for capturing these ghostly predators whilst they sit quietly waiting and watching their meadow hunting ground. I have not tried a hide yet. Next level.
I've got my eyes on this waiting for a good price. I currently use the 100-300, which has been great, but it's a little soft at the long end and I'd love have that extra reach of 100mm!
Thanks, great review, compliments others already on RUclips. It looks like the best choice for the focal length and for serious wildlife photography. If I ever buy a super tele lens I would consider the cheaper 100-300. I don't think I'd use such a long lens enough to warrant the 100-400.
I rented the 100-300 when I still had my M43 gear, was able to get into a sporting event with it on my old GX85 and it was nice, not amazing but a good lens. Then I went to an a7iii and sold my old M43 gear for a Tamron 28-75... Then I rented the Sony 200-600. That thing is a monster, the first cream/white lens I've used and it was ridiculous. The OIS, the zoom and the AF was lightning fast. But it's $2k with barely any drop in price used, conspicuous and I'd never get into a sporting event with it unless I have a press pass! Hopefully Tamron or Sigma will make an E mount 150-600. I wouldn't move back to M43, but it is definitely the system to use for wildlife photography on a lower budget.
Yes, I have this lens and it's brilliant. Got it a year or so ago. Great for birds, animals and the 🌙. Really well made, and for most situations the aperture range is fine. No complaints at all. 👍 Love it.
If you can find one - I have 3 on dif lenses - the name is fingaZoom. It's a thick rubber strap that fits around the camera's zoom ring. Built into the rubber is a 2 pronged piece of plastic. After you've encircled the zoom ring with the rubber strap you position the yellow extended prongs in a good position. Now you can rotate the camera's zoom ring without bumping your fingers into the Panasonic's support foot metal brace. Also since the Leica 100-400 zoom ring can be a bit stiff, I find the added fingaZoom makes rotating the zoom ring on the lens smoother / easer. This fingaZoom is made in Canada, I've found them in camera stores there but the shipping cost is $ $ . Good luck. Ray
Learned something -- horses will eat your homework. Seriously, this is one of the lenses that are drawing me towards M4/3. Love cropping in to tiny details.
I have the 300mm which is great,light and fits in my camera bag while attached to my camera. But i want this lens for when i'm not walking as far and specifically looking to get bird photo's. I also don't want ridiculous toneh northrup bokeh :) I like to context as you say. One of my best bird photo's is of a chaffinch i took with my nikon bridge camera. The background is out of focus deep blue sky and branches. The bird is isolated but you can tell its sky and branches behind and not a bluey,brown mush. So even a tiny sensor and f6.5 can produce nice results if the background isn't too close.
Fantastic comment about context in the blur. I think it is wonderful to have different opinions about that. I think neither smooth blur with no context or blur with context are both right and neither of them is wrong. Thank you for being brave and commenting about the context. A great cheerful and informative review.
I've had my 100-400 for about 3 weeks and love it. The dual OIS/IBIS is remarkable on my G85. With a close focus distance of 1.3m, I shoot insects @400mm with a 100% crop and get good sharp images. Not quite macro, but really close.
Hi Emily, great review! Regarding the Lumix 100-400 lens; I am trying to justify the budget, and since I own the Pana 100-300mm , this is quite difficult! What I like very much about your videos is the entertaining way of presentation, the great pics and videos, last but by no means least, your unbiased and fair assessment! There are advocates for both Panasonic and Olympus, but they clearly lean to one side.
This is my best lens in telephoto holding very less in weight compared to big huge lenses in the market, even the senior people (THEY ARE UNABLE TO HOLD THEIR HUGE LENSES WITH TRIPOD/MONOPOD) asking me by seeing these your lens are such a light weight and great photos with ease . seriously I love M4/3.
Me encantan tus videos la verdad tengo una lumix como mi primera cámara y soy fan hay muchas cosas que simplemente mi cámara no puede hacer pero soy solo un aficionado y me gusta de dictarle algo del tiempo libre ❤
Hi there! Thank you for your review. I am considering purchasing this lens. Your photography and videography is outstanding. Congratulations! I also enjoyed your humor and genuine personality during the video presentation. Everything was very well put together. Best regards!
I got this lens last year and love it. Did a cruise to South Africa and took clear stable moon shots while the ship was moving. Best of all, I managed a day safari and got great close ups of wild animals. The lens was paired with my GX8 and I have recently upgraded to a G9... then COVID-19 happened!!! I have not managed to use it much, however I am going to Inverness this weekend, so I will try and get some dolphin shots at Chanonry point on the Black Isle.
I will probably get the 100-400mm Olympus because i have an Olympus and can't use the double stabilisation. But just see you so enthousiastic make the Pana super attractive :D
I have the lens, and I love it. Been doing both bird and night sky photography, and some landscape and "tele-macro", as it focuses quite close as such lenses go.
Thanks for your ramblings! Having shot with Canon 500mm f4 monster in the past I totally dig why you are so jazzed about "smallish" panny lens. However, this focal lens is for such limited use for me that I would totally skip it. If I get the itch I might adapt my legacy MF glass first. Enjoy!
You sold me...almost😉 I borrowed the 100-400mm from a friend to test against my 100-300mm. Right now I'm in "shoot, shoot, shoot" mode with my G9. Doesn't matter, near-far, plant-animal, planet-star, incredibly distant-macro. Just testing under every condition. Will the results push me over the edge? I am going to the Amazon and Galapagos after all. So hard to decide!😄 In the end, I suspect that I'll love the 100-400mm as much as your review! Keep us smiling😃
I now own a slightly used (Ex+ from KEH) 100-400mm. Having a blast shooting photos and videos with it on my G9. My lens arrived without the tripod foot (later supplied by KEH). The lens is way more comfortable to use without the tripod foot. Easier to hold and focus. If you don't use a tripod, take it off! My lens is less stiff focusing, but still slow to zoom in. Then I got a brilliant idea from photographers shooting in the rain with their cameras covered. Grab the lens hood and trombone slide the lens like the old push/pull lenses. Tried it on the 100-400mm lens. Boom! Zoom! Smooth as butter zooming while the stiff zoom ring spins. So much better than wrestling with the zoom ring! Great for the "tiniest" hands😉
I own the PL 12-60 f/2.8-4 and the PL 50-200 f/2.8-4 with the 2x teleconverter. I spent a lot of time debating between the 100-400 or the 50-200 with the teleconverter. The final convincing factor was getting a deal that included the teleconverter for free with the 50-200. I can shoot from 24 - 800mm equivalent with 2 lenses. I'm also not a fan of the completely obliterated backgrounds. Can I get it? Sure... but like you, I feel those pictures lack context. To each their own :)
It's a unique lens, focal length, aperture wise, just like the oly 75mm. Trades speed for size. The closest other systems have is the rf 600/800 f11s, but those are primes. I'm not one for extreme zoom and I shoot stationary subjects, so the adapted 50-200 oly is fine for me, but I'm really glad this exists in case I need to rent it.
Good review. I just bought the lens and the first thing I noticed was how stiff the zoom was. Two lens hoods are weird. Why not provide just provide one that extends all the way. Other than that image quality is great. Very compact compared to my Sigma 150-600 which was a beast and was impossible to handhold.
I've been thinking about buying this lens, so I checked out a few vids, but you just sold it. I do a fair bit of bird photography but I think with this lens doors will open. Thanks.
Excellent video. I've been looking at the G9 and either 100-300 or 100-400 lens for wildlife. Other RUclips reviews for this setup are generally Australian. As a North UK resident I am worried of the performance in overcast weather. Your images look stunning, have you managed to get good images in low light with wildlife. Thanks keep the content coming.
I tried this lens in a Japanese camera store and found that while recording video it is very jittery (even with the IS of the gh5) whereas the 50-200 Leica was very smooth. Have you noticed this at all?
HA! 🤓 I just got mine yesterday, and had a nice walk around the garden with it an hour ago: followed an ant for a few feet as it hauled some chunk of chow toward home.
Nice Review of the Leica Lumix 100-400mm Lens...What plate is used to mount the lens on a tripod/monopod (Video 4:44)?...while i find handholding for stills easy enough it is tough to steadily handhold this lens for video especially when we have to point the lens upward at a 75 degree angle ...I am thinking of going for a Monopod and a wimberly MH 100 set up for such a situation...Look forward to hear from you...Thanks.
I just got my new GH6 today along with this 100-400mm lens. So far, I can't get dual stabilization to work although it works with the 12-60mm lens that came with the camera. I'll try updating the firmware for both camera body and lens and, hopefully, that will do the trick.
Best review I’ve seen on this lens. Very practical. Thanks! Got mine one week ago, quite impressed so far by its potential. And with a good deraw software (trying dxo) noise is not so much of an issue
That looks like a great lens with so much reach. Ever try the 300 F/4 prime version? I like the compactness of 4/3 compared to FF. I use my GH5s for video more than my FF Nikon DSLR, which I use for stills.
I replied below to the questions about why I prefer the new Olympus 100-400 over the Panasonic. As one reviewer said about the Olympus "how is this not a Pro lens?"!
Emily, I have been using the Panasonic/Leica 100-400mm for about 18 months now. I totally agree, this is a very good lens. It produces really great images, both for distant and close but small subjects. It really is amazing for birds. I always wanted to try bird photography but the weight and cost of most other lenses were a blocker. This lens may not be tiny, but relative to full frame lenses of this reach, it is very small, light and cost effective. I have had huge amounts to fun working with it. Now I find myself about to sell my copy, which just feels so wrong. However, a few months back I made the switch to Olympus for a number of reasons. I know the G9 is a great camera too, but there were several reasons I decided to move to the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. At about the same time Olympus announced
It definitely makes sense to keep to the same branded lenses. The smaller primes have been great on opposite branded bodies but the teles in my experience don’t focus as fast on the wrong body. I’m sure the only equivalent is just as good if not better!
Micro Four Nerds Thanks! Yep, and I am excited to see what the Olympus is like. BTW if you have not seen it you might like Ian’s channel ruclips.net/channel/UC3EaiDOLsC3JE-J0RTd2Xdw
@@MicroFourNerds FYI - I just got the Olympus lens. I waited like a child at Christmas for the delivery :-). Of course I then had to at least take a few shots of backyard birds ASAP. The lens does not disappoint, and yes, is just that tiny bit more in sync with the camera IS, and maybe a tiny bit sharper at 400mm. That last bit is hard to say on small birds since shutter speed and camera/is sync all contribute (and the Panasonic/Leica is still really sharp anyway). However, I can now say that both lenses are really nice, but, yes, if you are on an Olympus body the Olympus lens is just a little better option. Now to find a good home for my Panasonic/Leica where it can make someone else's dreams come true!
Got the 100-300, because I can't justify spending over a grand on a lens for a hobby huehue (and I'm also a uni student who needs to save money) though I did at least get the second gen.
I've just purchased a Lumix G9 with the Leica 8-18mm and the Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8 and 35-100mm f2.8. Thinking this lens would absolutely complete the collection. One thing I have noticed though is that the build quality on the Leica wide angle just feels that little bit better. Is that the same for the longer telephoto?
Hi! I'm absolutely in love with the photos this lens takes, really want to get one for myself one day. Have you tried it on the GX80/85 by any chance? That's the body I have so I'm really curious to know if it works well enough to spend the money on it or if I should wait for a new camera first
I'm glad to hear you had a cracking day on monday with your 100-400 lens. I've had my lens for over three years and use it far more that I thought I ever would have. In comparison, I dont't think I have used my 35-100 more than a hand full of times over the two years that I've had it. The 100-400 was initially pared with my GH4 and I was more than happy with the image quality. However I was blown away with the visible step-up in image quality when I got a GH5. You are correct, hand held at 400mm and shooting 60fps is stupidly effortless. I've only had two attempts at shooting the moon. Here's the second attempt where I took a 4 minute movie, converted it to TIFF files then stacked them with the power of software. www.flickr.com/photos/the1lemming/33536757053/in/album-72157681099014582/ I feel my lens is worth every penny I paid, especially when compared to a Nikon 800mm at £15,000
I had this lens. I recently bought the Olympus 100-400, which I much prefer. I've replied below to provide more detail. The Olympus is hard to get now because the demand is high. The Panasonic 100-300 is a good lens, too. I would not recommend the Panasonic 100-400 (new or used) unless it has a really really good refund policy. Poor quality control issues abound.
@@jamesshort6856 I was afraid of that. Well, I've already taken your time, but if you ever have the chance to elaborate, I'd love to know why you prefer the Oly.
@@mediamannaman I do video. Pana has much better video specs. just read back my comment, and I meant what do you prefer about the lens, sorry that wasnt clear.
HI ! I recently discovered this channel and I love it. I have a G7, and looking for a decent long focal length mostly for moon and animals (still pictures, not movies) . Do you think it's worth buying this lens to use with a G7? or would this be a waste of money to go with my "cheap" camera?
This lens is fantastic and does have stabilisation built in. With the g7 being unstabilised you won’t get *quite* the smooth handheld stuff as seen in this video, as with the gh5 it has dual stabilisation coming from both the body and the lens, but you can utilise monopods and tripods for sure. Another slight negative would be that you have to crop in quite a bit sometimes for lunar photography, and with the g7 only having 16mp rather than 24mp, you’ll be able to crop in a bit less. If you plan to stay with m43 as a system, then it’s always worth investing in the lenses as you will probably upgrade the camera in the years ahead!
I will take this lens over full frame Sigma 150-600. That thing was too heavy to hand hold and I hate tripods. Full frame is overrated as I have found out the hard way. I went back to G9 and 100-300. Looking into the Leica 109-400.
Yeah, finally! Was waiting for this video so bad 😅 If I ever get my hands on 1k€ (trough lottery, selling organs, the usual kind of stuff...), this lens is in my basket! 😂 Until then, my more "reachable" tele lens will be the 100-300. At least there's a higher chance in getting this over the PL in the near future ^^ (Also more suitable for my GX85) Great video 👌☺️ Now the Laowa 50mm 🤟
It seems I do things a little backwards. First I went shopping for the best compact super-telephoto zoom lens on the market. Micro 4/3 is the best compact lens system, so the Leica 100-400 easily won the contest. I loved the look and feel of the Olympus Pen-F, but settled for a Lumix G9 to get the dual I.S. to work properly (it's also a better camera). The salesman was a bit puzzled I didn't buy the 12-60mm kit (which was a good deal) but walked-out with just the telephoto and camera. Unless you have tens of thousands of dollars and porters to carry all of your gear, it is the best wildlife photography setup available.
I have asked my pixel-peeping friends to become my sherpas to carry heavy full-frame lenses, but no takers so far. I point out that I'm getting the equivalent of 800mm with my G9 and Panasonic-Leica100-400mm. I don't even print out my bird photos any more. Nobody wants bird photos. Full-frame for landscape might make more sense because the lenses don't cost $10-12,000 and weight four pounds. I'm keeping my G9 and 100-400mm no matter what
I recently moved from FF to the Lumix G9 and this lens. I'm happy with it but I agree with you the lens foot is a pain the back side. There is no room to fit your fingers round the focus ring. Also the lens and camera body don't balance well on a gimbal, its possible to just about get balance if you mount the lens and camera as far forward as you can and extend the lens a little. If you have a battery grip then forget about getting any kind of balance, its just way to back heavy. Also if you have the battery grip fitted you can't rotate the lens foot as you then have no room on the battery grip to hold the camera due to the foot :-(....that blooming foot is a p%$s poor design. The 90 rotation limit is novel, but 180 would have been better so you could rotate the foot out of the way to use the focus ring. The plus though is you have a 200-800 equivalent focal range in a lens smaller than my old FF 70-200,300 or 150-450 lenses.
Would this be a good lens to photographing sea life like whales and seals? I have the 150-300 mm Lumix lens and I can’t catch them at 300 mm they still look too far away and blurry (even though I’m like 30 feet away)
I don't even use the lens foot when hand holding it and the lens is still surprisingly light and easy to shoot. The Stiff zoom ring is really the only downside of this lens. Which really only effects video.
Would love this lens, though the Olympus 100-400mm is getting great reviews too. I imagine the Dual I.S of the Lecia gives it a decent advantage if you have Panasonic bodies. I'll likely wait for the Olympus 150-400mm f/4.5 with built in 1.25 teleconvertor to land before I make a choice. Will likely be the Lecia anyway as I'd prefer not to have to sell a kidney to raise enough funds. For the time being I got myself a used Olympus 75-300mm V2 lens with an old Olympus C-210 1.9x teleconvertor which at 1140mm FF equivalent serves me well enough for lunar shots (though there is a dip in quality using the teleconvertor)
Can anyone tell me if this lens is a good combo with the Olympus OMD EM1 MK2? I would prefer this one over the new oly 100-400 telephoto simply because it is smaller, but I wonder about stabilisation...
I use this combo and it works perfectly. I use lens IS only and it's easy to get sharp shots at lowish shutter speeds. The only thing I would say is test the lens before you buy as some copies can be a bit soft at the long end. Mine is pin sharp. Have a look on Olympus wildlife shooters on Facebook where I post plenty of shots
@@RudyRisingWt in my experience, reconditioned means new items returned under warranty for whatever fix that was or if necessary. Amazon provides 90 day money back, but I added extended warranty due to cost of lens.
G9 would be the best bet. If you fancy more video my gh5 did a decent job too I think! A g80 or g90 would work too. Basically I think any “larger” body and one with weather sealing for outdoors 😊
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I have just discovered your channel and love your self-deprecating humour, articulacy and effortles expertise. The Leica 100-400 is the only lens you will ever need for the great outdoors. Just add the G9's in camera TC and 4x Digital Zoom AND heavy cropping for some serious welly. The IS can still cope with it handheld at 3200mm FF! Tilt the Leica to the horizontal and the zoom friction just disappears. Twist the body with one [tiny] hand and the zoom ring with the other. Like having zoom in overdrive. Forget the massive, tripod mounting bracket. It just adds dead weight. Bung a Sirui CF monopod under the Leica ring for those longs hours at the zoo. Wear your camera strap on the diagonal and the weight simply vanishes. BTW: Full frame is a dinosaur which doesn't yet know it is extinct. ;-)
Totally, totally, totally agree with your take on keeping some context in the background rather than just an out of focus mush. At least on this lens you have the choice of how you want to take the shot,
I'm never leaving M43! So many high quality options for bodies and lenses and the results are more than enough for me. I might need to start stocking up on replacement bodies in case the whole system implodes. I hope it doesn't, but things aren't going great right now.
Absolutely agree with the comment about background blur and having enough background separation without removing all context, really pleased to hear someone saying this. That hint of context gives added narrative to the image, in my humble opinion anyway!
I have only been telling you for a year 😂😜
My top tip is to not wear a wedding ring as I have taken a lot of black off of mine.
With the depth of field its an advantage especially with those birds. Nearly the whole bird is in focus and not just a beak!
You can also compensate for the low light performance with moving subjects by taking a very long burst. You only need one shot or the eyes in focus and you are good! :)
I normally "um and ah" for months or years when considering buying a new lens, but just watching this one video has made me realise that I need this. There's no debate on this one. I love birds, I love photography, but I haven't tried to combine the too since attempting to shoot them with a 20' cable release on 200 ASA film on a dull day back in the 1980s (the results were decidedly murky). And I've got a GX8, so I'm imagining this'll work fairly well. Great review, thanks for putting the effort in.
My trio of lenses are the Oly 7-14, 12-100 and the 100-400 Panaleica. Fit all into a small Manfrotto shoulder bag, using EM 1 MKI and EM5 MK III. Seriously considering the G9, though...which is a bargain for what it does...
I only got this lens in May. Similar motive, to photograph wildlife. We have barn owls nearby and this is a great lens for capturing these ghostly predators whilst they sit quietly waiting and watching their meadow hunting ground. I have not tried a hide yet. Next level.
I hear owls around here but I’m yet to see one... I shall keep my eye out that would be a wonderful find
Your footage was stunning. So talented. I just got a used 100-300 LUMIX lens. Can’t wait to try it.
Hello from France ! I like the way you talk and share your joy.
I love context in photos. I sewn vacation photos and I can tell if they are in Paris or Hong Kong. So many people love it.
I've got my eyes on this waiting for a good price. I currently use the 100-300, which has been great, but it's a little soft at the long end and I'd love have that extra reach of 100mm!
Thanks, great review, compliments others already on RUclips. It looks like the best choice for the focal length and for serious wildlife photography. If I ever buy a super tele lens I would consider the cheaper 100-300. I don't think I'd use such a long lens enough to warrant the 100-400.
I got the Lumix 100-300 and I'm quite happy with it. I don't use a long telephoto often enough to justify the 100-400 at triple the price.
I rented the 100-300 when I still had my M43 gear, was able to get into a sporting event with it on my old GX85 and it was nice, not amazing but a good lens. Then I went to an a7iii and sold my old M43 gear for a Tamron 28-75...
Then I rented the Sony 200-600. That thing is a monster, the first cream/white lens I've used and it was ridiculous. The OIS, the zoom and the AF was lightning fast. But it's $2k with barely any drop in price used, conspicuous and I'd never get into a sporting event with it unless I have a press pass! Hopefully Tamron or Sigma will make an E mount 150-600.
I wouldn't move back to M43, but it is definitely the system to use for wildlife photography on a lower budget.
Yes, I have this lens and it's brilliant. Got it a year or so ago. Great for birds, animals and the 🌙. Really well made, and for most situations the aperture range is fine. No complaints at all. 👍 Love it.
If you can find one - I have 3 on dif lenses - the name is fingaZoom. It's a thick rubber strap that fits around the camera's zoom ring. Built into the rubber is a 2 pronged piece of plastic. After you've encircled the zoom ring with the rubber strap you position the yellow extended prongs in a good position. Now you can rotate the camera's zoom ring without bumping your fingers into the Panasonic's support foot metal brace. Also since the Leica 100-400 zoom ring can be a bit stiff, I find the added fingaZoom makes rotating the zoom ring on the lens smoother / easer. This fingaZoom is made in Canada, I've found them in camera stores there but the shipping cost is $ $ . Good luck. Ray
Learned something -- horses will eat your homework. Seriously, this is one of the lenses that are drawing me towards M4/3. Love cropping in to tiny details.
Absolutely cried with laughter that day. Bloody horse ate our script haha
How about oly 100-400
I have the 300mm which is great,light and fits in my camera bag while attached to my camera.
But i want this lens for when i'm not walking as far and specifically looking to get bird photo's.
I also don't want ridiculous toneh northrup bokeh :) I like to context as you say.
One of my best bird photo's is of a chaffinch i took with my nikon bridge camera.
The background is out of focus deep blue sky and branches. The bird is isolated but you can tell its sky and branches behind and not a bluey,brown mush.
So even a tiny sensor and f6.5 can produce nice results if the background isn't too close.
Fantastic comment about context in the blur. I think it is wonderful to have different opinions about that. I think neither smooth blur with no context or blur with context are both right and neither of them is wrong. Thank you for being brave and commenting about the context. A great cheerful and informative review.
I've had my 100-400 for about 3 weeks and love it. The dual OIS/IBIS is remarkable on my G85. With a close focus distance of 1.3m, I shoot insects @400mm with a 100% crop and get good sharp images. Not quite macro, but really close.
thats amazing, I plan on getting this lens and have a g85 myself.
Thankyou for the advice because I am looking to get that lens too
Hi Emily, great review! Regarding the Lumix 100-400 lens; I am trying to justify the budget, and since I own the Pana 100-300mm , this is quite difficult!
What I like very much about your videos is the entertaining way of presentation, the great pics and videos, last but by no means least, your unbiased and fair assessment! There are advocates for both Panasonic and Olympus, but they clearly lean to one side.
absolutely love the 100-400!!!
This is my best lens in telephoto holding very less in weight compared to big huge lenses in the market, even the senior people (THEY ARE UNABLE TO HOLD THEIR HUGE LENSES WITH TRIPOD/MONOPOD) asking me by seeing these your lens are such a light weight and great photos with ease . seriously I love M4/3.
Stunning images!
Me encantan tus videos la verdad tengo una lumix como mi primera cámara y soy fan hay muchas cosas que simplemente mi cámara no puede hacer pero soy solo un aficionado y me gusta de dictarle algo del tiempo libre ❤
My fav combo... Gh5 with leica 100-400❤️❤️
Hi there!
Thank you for your review. I am considering purchasing this lens.
Your photography and videography is outstanding. Congratulations! I also enjoyed your humor and genuine personality during the video presentation. Everything was very well put together. Best regards!
Totally agree about the background blur; I don't like the cutout look!
Great Shots!
I’m torn between this lens and the Olympus F5.0 100- 400 mm.
I got this lens last year and love it. Did a cruise to South Africa and took clear stable moon shots while the ship was moving. Best of all, I managed a day safari and got great close ups of wild animals. The lens was paired with my GX8 and I have recently upgraded to a G9... then COVID-19 happened!!! I have not managed to use it much, however I am going to Inverness this weekend, so I will try and get some dolphin shots at Chanonry point on the Black Isle.
Ooo amazing good luck with the dolphins 🐬!
You are extremely talented and a passionate person. Keep it up 😊❤
Very good info, thanks. Still thinking about this vs. 100-300 for my g9, lots more videos in my future 🤣
I will probably get the 100-400mm Olympus because i have an Olympus and can't use the double stabilisation. But just see you so enthousiastic make the Pana super attractive :D
I have the lens, and I love it. Been doing both bird and night sky photography, and some landscape and "tele-macro", as it focuses quite close as such lenses go.
Thanks for your ramblings! Having shot with Canon 500mm f4 monster in the past I totally dig why you are so jazzed about "smallish" panny lens. However, this focal lens is for such limited use for me that I would totally skip it. If I get the itch I might adapt my legacy MF glass first. Enjoy!
You sold me...almost😉 I borrowed the 100-400mm from a friend to test against my 100-300mm. Right now I'm in "shoot, shoot, shoot" mode with my G9. Doesn't matter, near-far, plant-animal, planet-star, incredibly distant-macro. Just testing under every condition. Will the results push me over the edge? I am going to the Amazon and Galapagos after all. So hard to decide!😄 In the end, I suspect that I'll love the 100-400mm as much as your review! Keep us smiling😃
I now own a slightly used (Ex+ from KEH) 100-400mm. Having a blast shooting photos and videos with it on my G9. My lens arrived without the tripod foot (later supplied by KEH). The lens is way more comfortable to use without the tripod foot. Easier to hold and focus. If you don't use a tripod, take it off! My lens is less stiff focusing, but still slow to zoom in. Then I got a brilliant idea from photographers shooting in the rain with their cameras covered. Grab the lens hood and trombone slide the lens like the old push/pull lenses. Tried it on the 100-400mm lens. Boom! Zoom! Smooth as butter zooming while the stiff zoom ring spins. So much better than wrestling with the zoom ring! Great for the "tiniest" hands😉
I own the PL 12-60 f/2.8-4 and the PL 50-200 f/2.8-4 with the 2x teleconverter. I spent a lot of time debating between the 100-400 or the 50-200 with the teleconverter. The final convincing factor was getting a deal that included the teleconverter for free with the 50-200. I can shoot from 24 - 800mm equivalent with 2 lenses.
I'm also not a fan of the completely obliterated backgrounds. Can I get it? Sure... but like you, I feel those pictures lack context. To each their own :)
Panasonic has several telephoto lenses. Are they all the same quality?
45-200mm f/4-5.6; 100-300mm f/4-5.6; and 100-400.
Thank you very much. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness.
It's a unique lens, focal length, aperture wise, just like the oly 75mm. Trades speed for size. The closest other systems have is the rf 600/800 f11s, but those are primes. I'm not one for extreme zoom and I shoot stationary subjects, so the adapted 50-200 oly is fine for me, but I'm really glad this exists in case I need to rent it.
Thank you Em I've been thinking about this lens for a while now, I think I'll just pull the trigger and get one :)
Good review. I just bought the lens and the first thing I noticed was how stiff the zoom was. Two lens hoods are weird. Why not provide just provide one that extends all the way. Other than that image quality is great. Very compact compared to my Sigma 150-600 which was a beast and was impossible to handhold.
Love your channel, I also got pana leica 100-400 recently and it works pretty well for me
I've been thinking about buying this lens, so I checked out a few vids, but you just sold it. I do a fair bit of bird photography but I think with this lens doors will open. Thanks.
I discovered that with a bit of care you can add the Olympus 1.4 tele-convertor to this lens
Excellent video. I've been looking at the G9 and either 100-300 or 100-400 lens for wildlife. Other RUclips reviews for this setup are generally Australian. As a North UK resident I am worried of the performance in overcast weather. Your images look stunning, have you managed to get good images in low light with wildlife. Thanks keep the content coming.
I tried this lens in a Japanese camera store and found that while recording video it is very jittery (even with the IS of the gh5) whereas the 50-200 Leica was very smooth. Have you noticed this at all?
I haven’t tried the other lens but I’ve found this very easy to handle for video so far thankfully!
HA! 🤓 I just got mine yesterday, and had a nice walk around the garden with it an hour ago: followed an ant for a few feet as it hauled some chunk of chow toward home.
Nice Review of the Leica Lumix 100-400mm Lens...What plate is used to mount the lens on a tripod/monopod (Video 4:44)?...while i find handholding for stills easy enough it is tough to steadily handhold this lens for video especially when we have to point the lens upward at a 75 degree angle ...I am thinking of going for a Monopod and a wimberly MH 100 set up for such a situation...Look forward to hear from you...Thanks.
Amazing footage and photos. I want one now. I am going to have to start saving now.
One question: does this lens work well with Olympus bodies? I'm thinking of buying one to use with my E-M1 ii. Ta.
Let's hope MFT survives, but even if it don't the second hand market is huge.
I just got my new GH6 today along with this 100-400mm lens. So far, I can't get dual stabilization to work although it works with the 12-60mm lens that came with the camera. I'll try updating the firmware for both camera body and lens and, hopefully, that will do the trick.
Good video. Could have shown some more shots but overall succeeded in making me want to buy this lens.
Best review I’ve seen on this lens. Very practical. Thanks! Got mine one week ago, quite impressed so far by its potential. And with a good deraw software (trying dxo) noise is not so much of an issue
Best review of this lens I've seen, buying it soon. Loved the video and how naturally well you present! New subscriber here!
What are your thoughts of putting this lens on the lumix G7? Great video thank you so much!!
Thanks for the review! Do you find the zoom ring too stiff?
Your sample shots are freakin' breathtaking. Also, you're way too good at what you do to be so self-deprecating imho! :)
Thank you very much! ☺️
I shoot Olympus, but shoot this lens and it is my favorite telephoto lens!! I Agee with everything you said about this lens.
this was such a lovely video. Great review, thanks, just adding to the internal pressure to buy this lens :) Liked and subbed
Next birthday prezzie for myself cheers.
I enjoy your videos soooo much. You’re so funny and your images are WONDERFUL.
Wow I just bought this used & your video came up! Ridiculous good timing...
That looks like a great lens with so much reach. Ever try the 300 F/4 prime version? I like the compactness of 4/3 compared to FF. I use my GH5s for video more than my FF Nikon DSLR, which I use for stills.
Thank you. Are you very amusing as well as informative!
So many people get it wrong... Its NOT 800 on a different lens. Its 400 on ff, just cropped... Damn
I replied below to the questions about why I prefer the new Olympus 100-400 over the Panasonic.
As one reviewer said about the Olympus "how is this not a Pro lens?"!
I want to photograph the cloud 🌥, do u think is it enough with 150mm lens? I'm on lumix G7 and want to buy cheap lens
Emily, I have been using the Panasonic/Leica 100-400mm for about 18 months now. I totally agree, this is a very good lens. It produces really great images, both for distant and close but small subjects. It really is amazing for birds. I always wanted to try bird photography but the weight and cost of most other lenses were a blocker. This lens may not be tiny, but relative to full frame lenses of this reach, it is very small, light and cost effective. I have had huge amounts to fun working with it. Now I find myself about to sell my copy, which just feels so wrong. However, a few months back I made the switch to Olympus for a number of reasons. I know the G9 is a great camera too, but there were several reasons I decided to move to the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. At about the same time Olympus announced
It definitely makes sense to keep to the same branded lenses. The smaller primes have been great on opposite branded bodies but the teles in my experience don’t focus as fast on the wrong body. I’m sure the only equivalent is just as good if not better!
Micro Four Nerds Thanks! Yep, and I am excited to see what the Olympus is like. BTW if you have not seen it you might like Ian’s channel ruclips.net/channel/UC3EaiDOLsC3JE-J0RTd2Xdw
Ian is a Panasonic wildlife shooter in Australia.
@@MicroFourNerds FYI - I just got the Olympus lens. I waited like a child at Christmas for the delivery :-). Of course I then had to at least take a few shots of backyard birds ASAP. The lens does not disappoint, and yes, is just that tiny bit more in sync with the camera IS, and maybe a tiny bit sharper at 400mm. That last bit is hard to say on small birds since shutter speed and camera/is sync all contribute (and the Panasonic/Leica is still really sharp anyway). However, I can now say that both lenses are really nice, but, yes, if you are on an Olympus body the Olympus lens is just a little better option. Now to find a good home for my Panasonic/Leica where it can make someone else's dreams come true!
Cant wait to own this lens ❤
Is it better than 50-200 2.8-4 with 2x extractor? Of course 100-400 cheaper)
Good review and some great images,footage 🙂
Got the 100-300, because I can't justify spending over a grand on a lens for a hobby huehue (and I'm also a uni student who needs to save money) though I did at least get the second gen.
I've just purchased a Lumix G9 with the Leica 8-18mm and the Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8 and 35-100mm f2.8. Thinking this lens would absolutely complete the collection. One thing I have noticed though is that the build quality on the Leica wide angle just feels that little bit better. Is that the same for the longer telephoto?
This feels built like a tank. I get what you mean my 25mm Leica prime is a bit plasticky but this is much more sturdy
Hi! I'm absolutely in love with the photos this lens takes, really want to get one for myself one day. Have you tried it on the GX80/85 by any chance? That's the body I have so I'm really curious to know if it works well enough to spend the money on it or if I should wait for a new camera first
I have! It performs exactly the same - even has dual stabilisation 😊
I'm glad to hear you had a cracking day on monday with your 100-400 lens. I've had my lens for over three years and use it far more that I thought I ever would have. In comparison, I dont't think I have used my 35-100 more than a hand full of times over the two years that I've had it.
The 100-400 was initially pared with my GH4 and I was more than happy with the image quality. However I was blown away with the visible step-up in image quality when I got a GH5. You are correct, hand held at 400mm and shooting 60fps is stupidly effortless.
I've only had two attempts at shooting the moon. Here's the second attempt where I took a 4 minute movie, converted it to TIFF files then stacked them with the power of software.
www.flickr.com/photos/the1lemming/33536757053/in/album-72157681099014582/
I feel my lens is worth every penny I paid, especially when compared to a Nikon 800mm at £15,000
Lovely image! And what an great technique to get it too. Yes such great value for money!
Great analysis for great lens thanks 👏🏻
I had this lens. I recently bought the Olympus 100-400, which I much prefer.
I've replied below to provide more detail.
The Olympus is hard to get now because the demand is high.
The Panasonic 100-300 is a good lens, too. I would not recommend the Panasonic 100-400 (new or used) unless it has a really really good refund policy. Poor quality control issues abound.
What do you prefer?
Are you using a Panasonic or Olympus body?
@@mediamannaman pana
@@jamesshort6856 I was afraid of that. Well, I've already taken your time, but if you ever have the chance to elaborate, I'd love to know why you prefer the Oly.
@@mediamannaman I do video. Pana has much better video specs. just read back my comment, and I meant what do you prefer about the lens, sorry that wasnt clear.
Thank you for the video, have just got the lens but we are still in lockdown, have Sub
HI ! I recently discovered this channel and I love it. I have a G7, and looking for a decent long focal length mostly for moon and animals (still pictures, not movies) . Do you think it's worth buying this lens to use with a G7? or would this be a waste of money to go with my "cheap" camera?
This lens is fantastic and does have stabilisation built in. With the g7 being unstabilised you won’t get *quite* the smooth handheld stuff as seen in this video, as with the gh5 it has dual stabilisation coming from both the body and the lens, but you can utilise monopods and tripods for sure.
Another slight negative would be that you have to crop in quite a bit sometimes for lunar photography, and with the g7 only having 16mp rather than 24mp, you’ll be able to crop in a bit less.
If you plan to stay with m43 as a system, then it’s always worth investing in the lenses as you will probably upgrade the camera in the years ahead!
Hi, can this be used on a Olympus OMD camera.
It can indeed 😊
I will take this lens over full frame Sigma 150-600. That thing was too heavy to hand hold and I hate tripods. Full frame is overrated as I have found out the hard way. I went back to G9 and 100-300. Looking into the Leica 109-400.
Yeah, finally!
Was waiting for this video so bad 😅
If I ever get my hands on 1k€ (trough lottery, selling organs, the usual kind of stuff...), this lens is in my basket! 😂
Until then, my more "reachable" tele lens will be the 100-300.
At least there's a higher chance in getting this over the PL in the near future ^^
(Also more suitable for my GX85)
Great video 👌☺️
Now the Laowa 50mm 🤟
It seems I do things a little backwards. First I went shopping for the best compact super-telephoto zoom lens on the market. Micro 4/3 is the best compact lens system, so the Leica 100-400 easily won the contest. I loved the look and feel of the Olympus Pen-F, but settled for a Lumix G9 to get the dual I.S. to work properly (it's also a better camera). The salesman was a bit puzzled I didn't buy the 12-60mm kit (which was a good deal) but walked-out with just the telephoto and camera. Unless you have tens of thousands of dollars and porters to carry all of your gear, it is the best wildlife photography setup available.
I have asked my pixel-peeping friends to become my sherpas to carry heavy full-frame lenses, but no takers so far. I point out that I'm getting the equivalent of 800mm with my G9 and Panasonic-Leica100-400mm. I don't even print out my bird photos any more. Nobody wants bird photos. Full-frame for landscape might make more sense because the lenses don't cost $10-12,000 and weight four pounds. I'm keeping my G9 and 100-400mm no matter what
I recently moved from FF to the Lumix G9 and this lens. I'm happy with it but I agree with you the lens foot is a pain the back side. There is no room to fit your fingers round the focus ring. Also the lens and camera body don't balance well on a gimbal, its possible to just about get balance if you mount the lens and camera as far forward as you can and extend the lens a little. If you have a battery grip then forget about getting any kind of balance, its just way to back heavy. Also if you have the battery grip fitted you can't rotate the lens foot as you then have no room on the battery grip to hold the camera due to the foot :-(....that blooming foot is a p%$s poor design. The 90 rotation limit is novel, but 180 would have been better so you could rotate the foot out of the way to use the focus ring. The plus though is you have a 200-800 equivalent focal range in a lens smaller than my old FF 70-200,300 or 150-450 lenses.
Would this be a good lens to photographing sea life like whales and seals? I have the 150-300 mm Lumix lens and I can’t catch them at 300 mm they still look too far away and blurry (even though I’m like 30 feet away)
It would be perfect!
I don't even use the lens foot when hand holding it and the lens is still surprisingly light and easy to shoot. The Stiff zoom ring is really the only downside of this lens. Which really only effects video.
Nice video, your a beautiful person, really enjoy the mood and all ! Peace
I'm still saving up some pocket money for the Canon RF 100-500mm
Wow! How do you grade your video? It looks amazing!
Thank you! I use my “everything preset” for both photo and video, it’s available to buy on my site microfournerds.com 😊
What is your take for this lens and olympus 100mm to 400mm lens? That is lighter and smaller isn't it?
I've had both. Olympus is getting great reviews for a reason. The Panasonic's quality control issues make it a lens to avoid buying used.
Would love this lens, though the Olympus 100-400mm is getting great reviews too. I imagine the Dual I.S of the Lecia gives it a decent advantage if you have Panasonic bodies. I'll likely wait for the Olympus 150-400mm f/4.5 with built in 1.25 teleconvertor to land before I make a choice. Will likely be the Lecia anyway as I'd prefer not to have to sell a kidney to raise enough funds.
For the time being I got myself a used Olympus 75-300mm V2 lens with an old Olympus C-210 1.9x teleconvertor which at 1140mm FF equivalent serves me well enough for lunar shots (though there is a dip in quality using the teleconvertor)
I've had both. I prefer the Olympus 100-400.
Can anyone tell me if this lens is a good combo with the Olympus OMD EM1 MK2? I would prefer this one over the new oly 100-400 telephoto simply because it is smaller, but I wonder about stabilisation...
I use this combo and it works perfectly. I use lens IS only and it's easy to get sharp shots at lowish shutter speeds. The only thing I would say is test the lens before you buy as some copies can be a bit soft at the long end. Mine is pin sharp. Have a look on Olympus wildlife shooters on Facebook where I post plenty of shots
I'm dreaming to get my hands on this lens... Just waiting for a drop price. It use to be around 1250usd but now is 1597usd.
Not sure your location, but I purchased 100-400 reconditioned on Amazon US for just over $1200.
@@rickkoloian4179 I've never bought a reconditioned one. How was your experience?
@@RudyRisingWt in my experience, reconditioned means new items returned under warranty for whatever fix that was or if necessary. Amazon provides 90 day money back, but I added extended warranty due to cost of lens.
@@rickkoloian4179 Got it!! Thanks mate!
Love the ant shot.
I'm not a Lumix user yet, which camera body is recommended for this wildlife lens please?
G9 or bust! lol
G9 would be the best bet. If you fancy more video my gh5 did a decent job too I think! A g80 or g90 would work too.
Basically I think any “larger” body and one with weather sealing for outdoors 😊
@@MicroFourNerds did you try it on your GX85?
Just for fun, I know the handling would be terrible, but how about the image quality? 😁
I have the Lumix 100-300mm and I still want to replace it with this one. Having trouble justifying the cost, but I want it, dang it! 😂
And its has a faster aperture and twice the depth of field