Micro 4/3 Panasonic 45-175mm X lens review

Its not something I'm used to. I've had to force myself to use it. It seems very smooth however. As I wrote in the review the zoom ring itself is very light and seems to "float". I'm going to give both methods a go with some video and see how smoothly they work.

Thanks for the review David. How did you find the power zoom compared to manual?
 
i do enjoy your reviews David ... even when it's about a lens or camera I will never own or want to own (like this one) ... neither "fanboy" or cynic, just personal opinion and experience clearly expressed and explained ... thanks
 
Yes - I'm in touch with the original poster and have just sent him the details of the test shots I did.

I've just come back from trying it out again and I seem to have a problem around the 1/100 to 1/250 sec. mark. Below that and above 1/320 sec. the OIS seems to work fine.

I'm off to check it again, to see if this was me or its a repeatable issue.

There seems to be several owners of this lens on dpreview that are having trouble with the new Power OIS.

This thread here is the one I am refering too:

45-175 power OIS, not impressed at all. [Page 1]: Micro Four Thirds Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Even panasonic has acknowledged the problem, at least according to one user. Any issues?
 
There does seem to be a problem with the lens I have at around 1/100th. sec with the OIS on.
See - Re: Stabilisation comparison test: Micro Four Thirds Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review


Yes - I'm in touch with the original poster and have just sent him the details of the test shots I did.

I've just come back from trying it out again and I seem to have a problem around the 1/100 to 1/250 sec. mark. Below that and above 1/320 sec. the OIS seems to work fine.

I'm off to check it again, to see if this was me or its a repeatable issue.
 
Thanks.

I just wanted the folks who have this lens to come together and maybe make a determination about the lens and its OIS. I know that some folks are having IBIS issues with the E-PL3 and E-PM1 at certain shutter speeds as well.

With my old panasonic FZ3 which had OIS, I rant into an issue where it would work at 2 and 3 stops below the safe shutter speed. Get to 4 stops and it was blurry. Get to 5 stops and it actually produced a sharp image. I've had some theories on this, but sometimes there is other evidence to refute my theories. Oh well. It looks like a fun lens to use.
 
With my old panasonic FZ3 which had OIS, I rant into an issue where it would work at 2 and 3 stops below the safe shutter speed. Get to 4 stops and it was blurry. Get to 5 stops and it actually produced a sharp image. I've had some theories on this, but sometimes there is other evidence to refute my theories. Oh well. It looks like a fun lens to use.

I agree. I'm getting very sharp results with the 45-175mm lens on a G3 at 175mm and 1/15th. sec. but from 1/30th. > 1/160th. sec. its not sharp. ???? Then from 1/250th. sec. it sharpens up again. Trying the same lens on an Olympus E-P3, using the IBIS it works fine, from 1/15th sec. upwards.

Why? I haven't a clue.
 
What about with the EP3, but with IBIS off, and OIS on? And with OIS off on the G3?

Perhaps there's a bad OIS algorithm?

I agree. I'm getting very sharp results with the 45-175mm lens on a G3 at 175mm and 1/15th. sec. but from 1/30th. > 1/160th. sec. its not sharp. ???? Then from 1/250th. sec. it sharpens up again. Trying the same lens on an Olympus E-P3, using the IBIS it works fine, from 1/15th sec. upwards.

Why? I haven't a clue.
 
Don't usually revive old threads but I just scored a great deal on one of these and must say it works Great on my GX8! Read all the horror stories about "shutter shock", and OIS / IBIS causing loss of sharpness at certain shutter speeds, yadda, yadda, yadda. Well, tried everything I could to make anything bad happen and got nothing but stellar images!
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Oh, forgot to mention it was NIB and got it for $240 shipped! :2thumbs::2thumbs::2thumbs:
 
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I agree. I'm getting very sharp results with the 45-175mm lens on a G3 at 175mm and 1/15th. sec. but from 1/30th. > 1/160th. sec. its not sharp. ???? Then from 1/250th. sec. it sharpens up again. Trying the same lens on an Olympus E-P3, using the IBIS it works fine, from 1/15th sec. upwards.

Why? I haven't a clue.
Long long time ago I had a Panasonic 45-175mm with my GH2 and I couldn't get sharp pictures at shutter speeds in a wide range around 1/125 s IIRC. I blamed it on shutter shock of the GH2 which did not have an electronic first curtain. So just an idea: try electronic first curtain (if available and not already engaged). My transition to a Sony NEX-6 with electronic first curtain made a huge difference and much later I went for the Sony A7 instead of the A7R because of the electronic first curtain of the former. And yes, also the A7R has problems with longer focal lengths, i.e. shutter shock.
 
Don't usually revive old threads but I just scored a great deal on one of these and must say it works Great on my GX8! Read all the horror stories about "shutter shock", and OIS / IBIS causing loss of sharpness at certain shutter speeds, yadda, yadda, yadda. Well, tried everything I could to make anything bad happen and got nothing but stellar images!....
Is your GX8 up to date on firmware? One of the GX8 updates does an override on the manual shutter at potential combinations for SS as I recall.
 
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