jonpais

You could also add the Voigtlander 25mm f/0.95 and the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 to the list.

nice work.

I go out and shoot in the neighborhood with my GH4 every day, but my camera's in the shop, so I though I'd try out the 35-100 f/2.8 on my GM1. I believe it's the first time I've shot with that combination. Anyhow, first observation, the AF is lightning quick and accurate. Second observation, because there's little to hold on to and you're shooting with arms outstretched, it's almost impossible to hold the camera steady. Free background music from JewelBeat

The 17.5mm interests me more than the 25mm Voigtlander as well.

This afternoon, I walked into a used camera shop here in Saigon I'd never seen before and noticed they had a Voigtlander 25mm f/0.95 for sale. It had been several years since I last held one in my hands, and wow, it just felt so great to hold something made of metal, with such a beautiful smooth focusing barrel, and engraved markings. It makes all my lenses feel like crap, even my beloved Sigmas.

Really, it's just that - the PanLeica 25mm is almost twice as expensive as the Sigma 30mm. I expect the trio of lenses coming out to be good, but I don't believe their performance will justify the cost.

The new lenses will be better in what way? We'll just have to wait and see, because at this point, nobody knows how the new zooms will perform. Why anyone would prefer a slower zoom set when the X series are already on the slow side is beyond me. The thing is, the 12-35mm f/2.8 and 35-100mm f/2.8 constant aperture zooms are already super lightweight lenses and ideal for travel or throwing on a gimbal. Variable aperture zooms are simply not ideal for video, and the f/4 maximum aperture is going to make it even more difficult to throw the background out of focus, if that's what is desired. And why exactly do you think they will have better out-of-focus rendering (bokeh?) than the other lenses? This would be a neat trick. Did you read that in Panasonic's promotional literature or something? Lenses perform better when stopped down, regardless of how good they are at maximum aperture. The new Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN shows how that can be put to advantage, because it is able to achieve record-breaking levels of resolution just because it is a fast lens. Concerning what I would have liked to see instead, I can be pretty certain it won't be coming out of the PL partnership. On the mirrorless side of things, Fujifilm was one of the first to launch relatively fast lenses made in Japan with all-metal construction, while Panasonic decided to manufacture their slow premium zooms from cheap plastic. Yet Panasonic continues to release slow, variable aperture zooms made in China that feel like Fisher Price toys. There is one area where Panasonic might surprise us, and that is with lens coatings. The X zooms boasted about their nano coatings, but their work against bright light is weak, which is one reason I'm looking to replace my 12-35mm f/2.8. Actually, I much prefer the look of full-frame or APS lenses on micro four thirds bodies, and the only reason I'm buying u43 lenses at all now is for use with the Crane gimbal. Realistically, were I looking at purchasing any more zooms from PL, I'd prefer to see slightly more modest parameters in terms of focal length, and wider constant apertures, around f/2, that didn't break the bank.

I have not used the Samyang 12mm f/2.0, but it could very well be your best bet when it comes to MFT mount glass, and it comes at a very competitive price too. At the moment, to the best of my knowledge, there are no record-setting ulta-wide angles in the micro 4/3 lineup, at least when it comes to resolution at the edges of the frame or work against bright light. Apparently, Olympus's 12mm has excellent coatings to combat flare, but resolution is not record-breaking. The edge sharpness of the new Leica 12mm f/1.4 is significantly lower than the center at optimal apertures and it costs a king's ransom. And while I don't know which gimbal you're using, if you are mounting a Voigtlander on a G6, I don't think it will be easy to use with a pistol grip stabilizer. Also, the Voigt is completely manual, and contrary to what you may have read, it is not distortion-free. And it doesn't get high marks like their 17.5 and 25mm lenses. On the other hand, the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8, which I've been testing again this week, is a superb lens, and, when combined with the Metabones XL, is outstanding in low light (f/1.1 - cf. f/0.95 for the Voigtlander) - images are very usable even wide open. To heck with the cost, a lens should be a lifetime investment. Finally, although I own a Metabones XL and am very happy with it, the company's products are not without fault, and LensRentals doesn't recommend them highly. When mine arrived, the infinity adjustment screw was loose, necessitating taking it to a repair shop and having them play around with it for 30 minutes. A better purchase might be the Aputure Lens Regain, which includes a follow focus, though I have no information about the product's reliability. I'd also recommend investing in some lights if you are planning to shoot in a dark garage for any length of time... Edit: you mention the GH5, but you say you're using the G6, so I'm a bit confused... do you intend to upgrade?

I haven't read the spec sheet, but if these are all variable f/2.8-4, kind of uninteresting for either video or stills, as it normally requires stopping a lens down two stops before aberrations are corrected and resolution peaks. By f/8, you're already running into diffraction. So in the end, you only get a couple stops that are usable for critical applications. As has already been lamented over at LensTip, it's really a shame Panasonic chose to partner with Leica rather than Sigma.

I"ve written before that I was having a small problem with the roll axis screw becoming loose when picking up the gimbal by the roll arm. This usually meant having to readjust the camera balance every time I set it down between takes. I made a short video illustrating the problem. Rose over at Zhiyun has been extremely helpful, usually responding to my emails the very same day.

I have the same dilemma. I'm looking for a replacement for my Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8 for the gimbal as well. My biggest gripe with the lens is the weak performance against bright light, which just destroys the image: and nearly every time I shoot at 12mm, there is a window, the sky, bright reflective surfaces or something that inevitably destroys the image. The Rokinon looks like good value for the money, but it looks as though its performance against bright light could still be improved a bit. Also, I'm with you when it comes to not wanting to exceed the gimbal's recommended payload.

Hey Mark, nice clip, great music! May I ask what focal length and aperture you were using for this? I find the 35-100mm is sharpest at f/2.8-4 in the 35-50mm range, resolution drops off significantly at 5.6 unless you extend the zoom to 100mm. It looks like the GX85 dual IS is a winner. I finally got around to testing the GH4 with the Crane gimbal and 35-100mm f/2.8 with OIS turned off. First thing is, I find the Crane struggles with that combination, it isn't ideal at all - I can sometimes hear the motors struggling, and more than once the stabilizer behaved erratically, even though I'd balanced the camera properly. Secondly, with OIS off, the shots where the gimbal kept the camera steady looked fine, and jitter-free. But several of the shots were a bit wobbly. My percentage of usable shots with OIS on was much higher. So if you must use the 35-100mm f/2.8 on the GH4, I'd suggest leaving OIS turned on and hoping for the best.

This video sold me.

I updated my 35-100mm f/2.8 Panasonic lens last night. I didn't realize I'd been shooting with the v.1.1 firmware all this time! I did so because I'd just done another shoot with the Zhiyun Crane, and while the images themselves were beautiful, they were ruined by micro jitters. I went ahead and did some shooting this morning, and while there is still a smidgen of jitter, it is much, much better than before, at times barely noticeable. I shot both head shots and close ups of flowers (close ups are the best for showing up jitters). I'm still not sure whether it might not be better to shoot with the OIS turned off. I'll leave that for tomorrow. Anyhow, I'm much happier with the 35-100, it's always been a stunning lens. On the other hand, after doing comprehensive shooting with the 12-35mm f/2.8, I'm thinking of retiring it. For one thing, flare is a huge problem, and with a wide angle, there's almost always some bright light somewhere in the background - a window, the sky, reflective surfaces or bright lights - and they absolutely kill the image. This is not such a problem with the 35-100, because of its narrower field of view. So, at this point, if I do end up replacing the 12-35, I'm thinking of getting two primes: the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 and perhaps the new Leica 12mm, if Sigma doesn't release a fast, wide MFT lens soon... So, to answer your question, after installing both firmware updates, the jitters problem is almost, but not completely gone. I'll try to update this tomorrow after I've done some shooting with the OIS turned off. One thing, though, is I don't think the Zhiyun works great with the 35-100, I can hear the motors straining when moving the stabilizer to extreme positions, something that rarely occurs with the shorter, lighter 12-35, so I'd recommend using small lenses, except perhaps for static shots, at least with the Crane.

if you press it once for a couple of seconds, it will enter standby mode. press it in a second time and it will recenter.

If you push and hold in the joystick, it will recalibrate. Edit: I should have said, it will initialize.

All drones are prone to break. I would think that the folded parts of the Mavic afford more protection during transport than the exposed blades of the Karma. And the reviewers have said that the Mavic feels solid. Solely from a design standpoint, I think the retractable arms/blades are one of the most clever solutions to making the drone compact.

I just Googled, and don't see anything matching a description for 'Lumix 12-35mm repair', so I can only assume this is not a product defect. You don't say how long you've owned the lens, how often you use it, what conditions it is used in or how it is stored, but according to LensRentals.com, if you want a lens that will last decades, get a mechanical lens. All focusing motors will fail eventually. They are electronic and they move.

Thanks for sharing this review, I really like the guy's style. The XT-2 is a beautiful object to behold, but I have to agree, it would be difficult for me to go backward after having used the GH4's wonderful fully articulating touch screen. The poor stabilization and autofocus have been the Achille's heel for me with the GH4, though. It looks as though the autofocus kills it on the XT-2. Wait and see what Olympus and Panasonic's GH5 have to offer? Buy the XT-2 anyhow?

Yep, it's not one of his better videos, but he's done some good reviews, most recently of the Pan Leica 12mm f/1.4 lens.

Rose over at Zhiyun responded to my email right away. She said to fine tune the roll axis, which I did using the Zhiyun Assistant app on my iPod. Now, the camera is level. It took just minutes to calibrate. The only thing left to figure out is why the roll arm seems to move or something, I have a feeling there is not enough tension when I tighten the screw. Rose asked me to send a video of the problem. So far, very happy with customer service there.

The bounciness is from my walking. Because I mostly wear sandals here in VN, I think it makes it even more challenging to walk smoothly. To make matters worse, most of the sidewalks here are in bad disrepair/ I've tried shooting indoors without shoes and it's an improvement. I may begin editing the footage soon, and I'll upload some. Probably the worst you've ever seen, but all operator error I'm sure. Edit: I wrote Zhiyun Tech today about the camera not being level and the roll axis continually needing adjustment. I expect to hear back from them this afternoon. Maybe there's a simple fix.

Yes, nice job, I prefer tests under a variety of conditions and with different subject matter, so, well-done. I've been using my Crane every day now for a couple months, and I still haven't mastered the 'ninja' walk, so my footage is still a little bouncy, Also, I have a bad habit of swinging the gimbal a little, for example, when walking on the sidewalk and aiming the camera at people sitting in the park. I wish there was someone here (in Vietnam) who could show me the proper handling. I've also noticed that, even after calibrating the Crane, the camera is sometimes a fraction off of level, but ever so slightly. Finally, the roll axis has a habit of coming unbalanced and I have to rebalance the camera from time to time. I think the spring that holds the arm in place when tightening the screw has loosened or something, but I'm not sure. Anyhow, I'm still quite happy with it, I just have to learn how to move with it.

You could try calibrating it. If that doesn't work, contact Zhiyun Tech. They have always responded to my emails the same day.

I'm loving the images I'm seeing from this camera. And I wish my GH4 could autofocus as well as in the video at timstechblog. Also, very little or no moire in the cap Tim's wearing, which is impressive. The color profiles are beautiful as well, the B&W is gorgeous.