Panasonic 100-300mm sold out in US. And Olympus 60mm macro lens on iPad!
The message issued by Adorama
The Panasonic 100-300mm zoom is now out of Stock in all bigger US stores like Amazon, Adorama and BHphoto. I haven’t got any info about a possible replacement about the lens but Amazon US (Click here) even removed the preorder option!
Meantime our reader Eric sent me the screenshots of the OM-D iPad application that includes info about the 60mm macro lens. Click on the images to open the full size version. P.S.: iPad app download on iTunes (Click here).
P.S.: The never ending success story of the E-Pl1 continues…it is again on top of the Amazon rankings (Click here to see).
Doug
10 months ago |Dam! Anyone know where I can get one? Other suggestions for an air show?
SSP Eric
10 months ago |Doug — you could always try eBay. A couple are up for sale there now, one of them’s still reasonably-priced.
Eric
10 months ago |Admin — send me an email address (vs. the forum’s contact form) and I’ll send you some iPad screen captures w/ 60mm macro info.
SSP Eric
10 months ago |My bad — just found your gmail in the sidebar. Screen captures forthcoming.
admin
10 months ago |43rumors@gmail.com Thanks!
Dave
10 months ago |Long due for an update after less than two years?
Andrew
10 months ago |Yeah relatively speaking, this is of the later Pana lenses.
eric.stemen
10 months ago |The 100-300mm came out in late 2010 didn’t it? For video it’s a great lens, not really sure how it does with photos since I haven’t really used it for that.
jeffharris
10 months ago |It’s a popular, good performer and reasonably priced… so, it’s out of stock. That doesn’t mean it’s being discontinued or updated.
I like mine, but wouldn’t mind if it were a tad bit faster and were better quality… if it had smooth operating zoom and focus rings. As it is, both are a bit gritty feeling (for lack of a better word) and there’s plenty zoom creep as well.
ulli
10 months ago |Jeff did you ever try to shoot full body portraits with it at 300 mm? just curious
jeffharris
10 months ago |That’s a funny question, Ulli. No, never, but I don’t really shoot portraits very often. Have you?
Speaking of odd, I’ve used the 100-300mm for close-up shooting… from 10 feet away.
ulli
10 months ago |I do mainly portraits be it close, half or full body but mostly within the 50-100mm range. I know an indonesian photographer who specializes in full figure shooting with a 300mm, its simply amazing. Its something i want to try too.
mooboy
10 months ago |Is that 300mm on a 43 sensor? If so, how far back to they have to stand?? Calling out instructions over a megaphone?
Do you have a link to their work, would be interested to see.
Scot
10 months ago |Not that unusual most of those sports illustrated swim suit sessions are very long lenses and they use radios. A long lens does wonders for everyone.
ulli
10 months ago |he works with 24×36 sensor cameras, the distance can be a problem yeah, especially when in noisy environment.
ulli
10 months ago |check the link below
Jevfp
10 months ago |The Indonesian photographer you mentioned before, can you provide the link,.is it Darwis Triadi.?
ulli
10 months ago |His name is widjita raya muljadi, he is located in Bandung,
though he is using his 200mm f2 more now, he did alot with 300mm when i discovered him on an indonesian photoforum. I have lots of contact with his partner Grace, who also shoots alot with the f/2 200mm; can you imagine, a petite asian girl with such lens?
http://oneslidephotography.com/widjita-raya-muljadi-photography-bokehlicious/
jeffharris
10 months ago |Slick work! That’s an interesting use of a long lens.
HMR
10 months ago |+1 on the “better quality part” and perhaps a little bit of sealing might help as mine is starting to look like a star system inside from all the dust particles. But I have taken hundreds of great action shots of my boys playing soccer (football) and baseball with it so I’m pleased with it overall.It’s really a nice size and never feels unwieldy on the GH2. I would pay more for the same lens with a higher build quality though.
M43Photo
10 months ago |100-300mm is due for an update? What is wrong with it?
avds
10 months ago |Hehe just bought the 100-300. Most surprisingly, it sells here in Russia somewhat cheaper than in US – almost unbelievable since most imports are usually priced 40-80% higher. And it’s in stock, too. My GF1 will have to deal with it until I upgrade to a grippier camera with a viewfinder (hello EM5 unless Panalympus get so generous as to eventually release a decent nex7 alternative).
Ronan
10 months ago |EM5 is already the nex7 killer. What more do you want?…
avds
10 months ago |I’m not sure the e-m5 is a nex7 “killer” and I personally don’t want “more” – just an alternative, with no hump and a good grip.
MJr
10 months ago |So it has a bump, what is the big deal. Get over it. When would you even ever notice it in practical use.
avds
10 months ago |Thanks, Mr. Olympus salesman, but I’ll just shop by myself
Ronan
10 months ago |You aren’t sure, but others sure are.
No hump? Ok… get a pen or something. You’ll just end up buying a EVF anyway heh.
avds
10 months ago |Do I really need to tell you how you should deal with your urge for buying advice?
marantz
10 months ago |muhuaghuaghuagh… SONY Zensor em-5, but small zensro!
Boooo!
10 months ago |Oh god, with that grasshopper photo it’ll be a miracle if anyone is enticed to buy the lens.
Ronan
10 months ago |The macro shot of the watch is very nice. The grasshopper is COMPLETELY ridiculous. Who ever took that photo is an amateur and who ever approved it is a dumbass.
Walter Freeman
10 months ago |It’s just plain frontfocused.
What is this 60mm macro supposed to do that the 50/2 one won’t? AF better? I get the feeling that for the price of a 60/2.8 I could have a 50/2 (for macro and when AF isn’t an issue) and a 45/1.8 (for when AF is an issue).
HoiHoi
10 months ago |The Zuiko 50mm F2 is not 1:1!
DonTom
10 months ago |Nor is the 50/2 weatherproof, or available new….
DonTom
10 months ago |@Walter Freeman: are you talking about the OM 50/2.0 Macro or the M.Zuiko 50/2.0 Macro? OK, the M.Zuiko is still available new at $499, and is weatherproof. But you need to add the price of the weatherproof adaptor to that to be fair. Another $165, so the older four thirds lens would cost $664. And isn’t 1:1.
AliceJapan
10 months ago |I think he is talking about the Zuiko Digital 50mm, M.Zuiko would make it a m4/3 lens. Right now, there is a $150 rebate for the Zuiko Digital and $50 rebate on the new adapter.
cL
10 months ago |Zuiko 50mm f/2 Macro IS weather proof (ALL 4/3 HG lenses are weather proof).
So the difference between the two?
1. 50mm f/2 Macro is not 1:1. That lens needs an extension tube for 1:1.
2. 60mm f/2.8 Macro is internal focus (does not extend when focus. 50mm f/2 becomes twice the length when focus. Can be a problem if you’re shoot at minimum focus distance)
3. 60mm f/2.8 has magnification scale (look at the chart at the base of the lens. This is a very specialized lens designed specifically for macro shooters).
4. You don’t need to buy a 4/3 to m4/3 adapter.
5. Probably lighter (50mm f/2 is small, but it’s not light).
In addition, it looks like it has a bayonet mount for lens hood! A very sensible design. Bayonet hood mount means the hood can be reversed for easy storage/carry. The thumb screw lens hood is just yuck!
Wish list:
Circular aperture diaphragm and hopefully more blades than Zuiko 50mm f/2 Macro. 50mm’s Achilles’ heel has always been bokeh. But I am not holding my breath for it. m.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 Macro looks like a macro only lens. I think people at Olympus instead of making one lens for both street and macro (like what they did with Zuiko 50mm f/2 macro for 4/3, and its predecessor Zuiko 50mm f/2 for OM film camera), they split the lens of that focal range into two lenses: 60mm macro and 75mm regular. One specializes in bokeh (75mm has very good bokeh, with 9 rounded aperture blades), and the other specializes in sharpness (macro lenses need surgical sharpness).
ulli
10 months ago |the zd 50′s weak point is actually only the missing focus range limiter. Bokeh is a very subjective aspect, lots of great portraits done with this fine piece of glass.
cL
10 months ago |This one is not even subjective. It has doughnut ring CA.
There are a few subjective parts of the bokeh performance on Zuiko 50mm f/2 macro though. The non-rounded aperture will give you seven-sided shape light spheres. I personally prefer perfectly round light spheres, not geometric shape ones. The bokeh is very complex in structure instead of buttery smooth. OM (film) version of 50mm f/2 macro is even more complex….
50mm f/2 macro has no AF limiter because it’s a macro lens. Usually people use MF with macro. AF is pretty useless for macro. If you want to focus on the front left side of a mushroom, and the AF picked a point 1mm to the right of where you want…, can get very frustrating very fast.
AliceJapan
10 months ago |I can vouch about the bokeh “balls” at smaller apertures, but, at f2, they look pretty circular to me.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alicejapan/6052241806/sizes/l/
As for the bokeh, cL is right, the bokeh is really busy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alicejapan/5871828502/sizes/l/
ulli
10 months ago |well ofcourse its a macro lens, but not a dedicated one, thats why it should have the limiter included. I can understand the remarks about ca and bokeh, but again, its subjective, as not everyone gets distracted by it. while i do like buttersmooth bokeh sometimes, i think funky and busy bokeh can give great effect in combination with the right background. This is the same for buttersmooth bokeh(though its easier in this case to get a pleasant shot because it blurs a bad chosen background better). And if the non circular aperture shape does bother you, there is still the option to go wideopen.
jeffharris
10 months ago |All this quibbling aside, solid, smooth MANUAL focus is important for macro shooting. AF simply doesn’t cut it for critical focus when shooting, tiny, complex things. Rea, mechanical MF is the way to go. Focus-by-wire is a joke.
cL
10 months ago |@ jeffharris (sorry the reply button doesn’t appear next to his name)
I actually don’t mind focus-by-wire for 50mm f/2 macro. The reason being that design actually allows that lens to have a very long focus throw (turn). You have to spin two full revolutions on that MF ring from minimum focus distance to infinite, which makes MF super precise. That’s not something you can do with mechanical MF easily (nor you’d want it).
The draw back of the long throw focus is, it’s not good for street photography where you want very quick focus. A quarter turn probably will only move you like 1 foot of focus distance or something (sorry I don’t have that lens with me anymore. I bought it, returned it, then bought it back and returned it again… The bokeh really annoyed me that much, no matter how sharp it is, the final photos annoyed the heck out of me when I look at).
Mechanical MF’s best benefit is tactile feedback and having a distance scale full time for pre-focus without the need to turn on the camera first. None of that matters that much for macro. It does matter to street photographer like you though, so it’s understandable.
cL
10 months ago |@Ulli
Wide open is not always an option for macro. I rarely shoot any macro that’s wider than f/8 (we’re not talking about close ups, but macro and semi macro like 1:4 or 1:2, where even f/8 won’t give you enough DoF for something like a mushroom cap). That’s where I wish the diffraction limit of 4/3 sensor isn’t f/11…. Because f/16 is actually very useful in macro (though I never use that aperture for even landscape, unless I go FF).
Ronan
10 months ago |That makes no sense… completely different lenses… It’s like saying ‘My civic is just as good as that guy’s Ferrari because i also have 4 wheels’.
The basics are the same yes… but everything else is very different and better.
Mymaco
10 months ago |Why? I’m not into macro photography (and I don’t like grasshoppers btw), I don’t understand what’s wrong with this sample pic. Can you explain please? (no sarcasm, I need an explanation, thanks!)
SSP Eric
10 months ago |The basic problem with the grasshopper image is that no part of it is really in focus. For an abstract, a fully out-of-focus image is often part of the plan. But for macros, *something* should be in focus — particularly in a shot you’re using to (ostensibly) help sell a macro lens.
Alan Halfhill
10 months ago |I like my 100-300. It works good for both video and stills. On the GH2 the O.I.S. is good. Always in my GH2 bag. I took second place in a photo contest with it and my EM-5. O.I.S. of on lens. I don’t see any need to replace except for internal zooming with constant aperture like Canon’s 70-200 f4. That would be cool. Check dealers as well.
REP96st
10 months ago |ENOUGH ALREADY!!!! I NEED NEW GH-3 NEWS!!!!
I’ve been holding off on getting the GH-2/G5… Leaning towards the G5, but holding off till I see the GH-3 specs… NEED NEW NEWS!!!
ED
10 months ago |YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
freddy
10 months ago |Unique Photo has the 100-300.
I’ve used it a few times and really liked it.
Great lens!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fmf_photo/sets/72157630735225422/
Haven’t got a chance to go back and take pictures cause I’ve buried in work, but I have it mounted on the camera for my next photo day.
I bought one a few months ago at the store.
They are official dealer:
http://www.uniquephoto.com/search/go?w=panasonic+100-300&x=0&y=0
Camaman
10 months ago |They are upgrading it by adding an “X” to the name and with todays styling and new firmware.
What else…;-)
donald
10 months ago |well that app was a waste of space – quick look then deleted it. Why not just provide a PDF brochure.
I though about the 100-300 for airshows , but am going to wait for a 200/2.8 prime … might be a long wait.
Jacquesass
10 months ago |Well, we now have two new X lenses (out and almost out):
12-35mm (~3x zoom) f/2.8
35-100mm (~3x zoom) f/2.8
It would make sense for Panasonic to bracket this with two more new X lenses with constant aperture:
4-12mm (3x zoom) f/???
100-300mm (3x zoom) f/???