LUMIX S PRO 70-200mm F2.8 O.I.S

[BlackDoc]

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Not only ths SL-II will be anounced/ presented today but also  the LUMIX S PRO 70-200mm F2.8 O.I.S (first impression Insta) and the  expected LUMIX S PRO 16-35mm F4

 

 

 

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[BlackDoc]

https://www.dpreview.com/news/5492554426/panasonic-s-new-lumix-s-pro-70-200mm-f2-8-offers-up-to-7-stops-of-shake-reduction

 

and

 

https://www.dpreview.com/news/0761901751/panasonic-lumix-s-pro-16-35mm-f4

[dkCambridgeshire]

Great … so now there is an L mount 400/5.6 lens and not before time! 

dunk 

[BlackDoc]

vor 21 Minuten schrieb dkCambridgeshire:

Great … so now there is an L mount 400/5.6 lens and not before time! 

dunk 

More than that. Expressis verbis: Both panasonic teleconverters (1.4 and 2.0) are working with the 70-200 (!)

[citylights]

There is a collection of comparative pictures 70-200 f4 vs f2.8 and a sort of first look online...

Images online at:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ebrr3l4qjf4iihr/AACfh1AbFkglwM1BQZY1finha?dl=0

My impression was that the f 2.8 was somewhat sharper at 200mm and in the corners at the other focal lenths.

 

Edited November 26, 2019 by citylights

[tritentrue]

With both teleconverters from the now-departed f/4 sibling of this lens sitting in the dry cabinet, and wanting some weather-resistant reach with autofocus, I decided to try the one long L-mount option I hadn't tried already:  the Lumix S Pro 70-200mm f/2.8

Having had problems with AF accuracy with both the 70-200mm f/4+2X TC and the Sigma 100-400mm, especially on the CL and at longer distances, I set the CL to single point AF-C and sought out a couple of critter friends.

First is the same White-Throated Kingfisher (probably perched on the same branch) on whom the Sigma failed miserably to AF correctly.  Even on a gloomy day, the Lumix+2X TC had no problem.

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Edited November 14, 2020 by tritentrue
Specify lens

[tritentrue]

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A smaller target for single-point AF, focus is on the Purple Heron's head:

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[tritentrue]

And to see how much detail I could get on a distant subject, I found a cooperative pair of Pink-Necked Green Pigeons (cropped at the pixel level):

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[tritentrue]

Finally, to check close focus accuracy (again cropped at the pixel level):

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It'll take a couple of weeks for me to get a full impression of the capabilities of the lens paired with either teleconverter.  But it's good to know from the start that AF accuracy, at least on the CL, won't be an issue. 

[tritentrue]

Further exploration with the Lumix S Pro 70-200mm f/2.8 with 2X teleconverter, this time with the SL601 . . . 

Not only did I encounter no AF accuracy issues (so far), I found that AF, even with the 2X, is very fast.  Add to that the fact that OIS gives a stable finder image, and it's easy to quickly pinpoint focus and control placement of the focal plane where depth may be an issue.  Despite much discussion to the contrary elsewhere on this forum, I find depth-from-defocus in this instance to be a bit better than phase detection as it is implemented on an alternative brand to which it is sometimes compared. 

A note about battery life with this lens and teleconverter combination:  on the CL the first battery went flat after about two hours and sixty-four frames shot, with moderate chimping.  The second battery went flat after about two hours, 103 images, and no chimping.  YMMV.  With the SL, battery life seemed to be about the same as when I use the 24-90mm.  Since I got the lens with the intention of using it as a wet-weather option with the SL for now, I can live with the short battery life on the CL.

The ever-present rain was quick to put things to the test this afternoon, as a White-Breasted Waterhen headed for the reeds . . . 

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[tritentrue]

Her wayward chick provided a challenging target for the contrast-detect AF, which proved to be up to it:

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So far, so good with this lens and its compatible teleconverters . . . it usually takes me until the second week or so with new gear before I start finding the niggles . . . 

[tritentrue]

With the 1.4X teleconverter attached, the Lumix S Pro 70-200mm f/2.8 becomes a 105-280mm f/4 (or 98-280mm according to my SL), which naturally invites comparison to the Leica 90-280mm L-mount lens, especially since Panasonic holds the patent to the Leica 90-280mm.  One wonders if they'd give Leica a better optic than they'd release under their own name.

The Lumix, with the 1.4X, is similar in weight to the Leica, with a difference of less than 2mm in length, and sharing the same 82mm filter thread and internal zoom.  Probably the starkest difference between the two is something I didn't know until I went searching for the serial number to register the lens:  the Lumix is made in China.  Panasonic shamefully has this etched in microscopic lettering on the shroud inside the mount, partially obscured by the lip of the mount.

With a small trove of images I shot with the 90-280mm over a three-day period during a Leica promotional "challenge" just over three years ago, I managed to find a scene that's still accessible today (with minor changes).  Under a rare sunny afternoon, I captured a similar shot earlier today, both posted following, and offered only as a frame of reference, not as proof of anything.  Both are pixel-level crops, unsharpened.  Both were shot on the SL601 at f/5.6, which renders a smidgen more acuity than does wide open on either optic. Clicking through may reveal more details.

First, the Leica 90-280mm from three years ago:

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Edited November 16, 2020 by tritentrue
Aperture, camera type

[tritentrue]

And below, shot earlier today in bright sunlight,  the Lumix 70-200mm f/2.8 with 1.4X teleconverter attached:

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Edited November 16, 2020 by tritentrue
Time

[tritentrue]

The most obvious thing I see is that the Leica is a tiny bit shorter than the Lumix+1.4X, bearing out the patent's indication that the Leica's actual focal length at the long end is 272.9028mm.

What I don't see in this, or in any of the other images I shot with either lens, is anything that would compel me to pay more than double for the Leica.  To my eyes, both are capable of superb imagery.  The difference, for my purposes, is that the Lumix can be turned into an equally capable 400mm f/5.6 with the 2X attached, or a shorter but faster f/2.8 telephoto zoom without any TC attached.  

And while it's no APO-Telyt-R with my feathered friends, it's still plenty good 😊:

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Edited November 16, 2020 by tritentrue
punctuation

[BernardC]

4 hours ago, tritentrue said:

One wonders if they'd give Leica a better optic than they'd release under their own name.

I won't comment on two lenses that I do not own, but it would not surprise me if they did, especially at different price points. Expensive glass isn't cheap, so to speak, and Leica may have specified components and manufacturing techniques that don't make sense at Panasonic's retail price.

[Paolou Pigini]

In my country there's a bundle offer, with the S5, for just 2100 euro...

I'm curious if it turns out to be parfocal (the lens maintains focus when zooming in) as the 24-105 or not.

[tritentrue]

8 hours ago, Paolou Pigini said:

In my country there's a bundle offer, with the S5, for just 2100 euro...

I'm curious if it turns out to be parfocal (the lens maintains focus when zooming in) as the 24-105 or not.

Focus changes slightly when zooming in.

Here, where Leica M still reigns supreme, the lens was hard to find.  According to a friend in the business, Panasonic's L-mount stuff didn't sell well here from the start; and anything not in current stock must now be ordered prepaid, as even the local distributor doesn't hold stock. I managed to find a shop with one piece, and at a bit less than the 2100 euro you mentioned.

Edited November 17, 2020 by tritentrue
Parfocal

[Paolou Pigini]

7 hours ago, tritentrue said:

Focus changes slightly when zooming in.

Here, where Leica M still reigns supreme, the lens was hard to find.  According to a friend in the business, Panasonic's L-mount stuff didn't sell well here from the start; and anything not in current stock must now be ordered prepaid, as even the local distributor doesn't hold stock. I managed to find a shop with one piece, and at a bit less than the 2100 euro you mentioned.

May depend also on the copy, that's a pity anyway.

2100 it's already 25% less than the official price here (VAT high at 22%), it is really good.

Sellers tell the same everywhere, but they don't consider that Panasonic (Leica and Sigma too) entered in the market as a niche, producing much less cameras per month than Canon or Sony, so hard to tell if they sold well or otherwise.

Personally I need to add a tele lens to my gear, mostly for land fauna and landscape, so I hope to see a new Sigma 300 2.8 in the next year, it would be perfect for my usage, but I'm happy to know that now there is also this excellent alternative to be considered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Ivar B]

22 hours ago, tritentrue said:

With the 1.4X teleconverter attached, the Lumix S Pro 70-200mm f/2.8 becomes a 105-280mm f/4 (or 98-280mm according to my SL), which naturally invites comparison to the Leica 90-280mm L-mount lens, especially since Panasonic holds the patent to the Leica 90-280mm.  One wonders if they'd give Leica a better optic than they'd release under their own name.

Very interesting. Regarding the patent, I guess that anybody could design their own 90-280mm lens without patent issues, but is the design of the lens patented by Panasonic equal to Leicas own lens when it comes to optical construction, such as number of elements etc?

[tritentrue]

20 minutes ago, Ivar B said:

Very interesting. Regarding the patent, I guess that anybody could design their own 90-280mm lens without patent issues, but is the design of the lens patented by Panasonic equal to Leicas own lens when it comes to optical construction, such as number of elements etc?

According to multiple sources, the lens patented by Panasonic IS the Leica 90-280mm. I believe there may be a discussion about that elsewhere on this website. As far as optical construction, etc., I have no idea.