Handling and Features
Performance
Verdict
Specification
This 3x zoom lens for Micro Four Thirds system cameras, provides a field of view equivalent to a 24-70mm lens on a 35mm camera. It also sports optical image stabilisation, a silent focusing motor and a lightweight, compact design. The maximum aperture remains constant at f/2.8 throughout the zoom range.
Panasonic Lumix G X VARIO 12-35mm f/2.8 Handling and Features
This lens feels very solidly built, despite being lightweight and compact. It is constructed from high quality plastics, that have a dark grey gun-metal finish and the lens mount is made from metal. Even though this lens has a constant f/2.8 maximum aperture, it only weighs 305g, which makes it feel right at home on even the most compact Micro Four Thirds camera bodies, such as the Panasonic Lumix GF3 used for testing. The lens is designed to be resistant to dust and moisture, making it suitable for using in inclement conditions.
The zoom extends by around half an inch as it it is moved to the telephoto end of the range and the action is smooth, not tightening up at any point in the range. The zoom mechanism has just enough resistance to prevent zoom creep with the camera pointed downwards.
Focusing is performed internally, so the 58mm filter thread does not rotate, making this lens ideal for use with graduated and polarising filters. Autofocus is very swift and accurate and the manual focus ring is well damped, making fine adjustments easy to apply.
The optical image stabiliser allows sharp hand held images to be taken at shutters speeds as low as 1/10sec at 35mm, which is roughly three stops slower than the usual rule of thumb would allow otherwise. If extreme care is taken, sharp, hand held shots are even possible at 1/5sec and 35mm.
Panasonic Lumix G X VARIO 12-35mm f/2.8 Performance
At 12mm and f/2.8 sharpness in the centre of the frame is already approaching excellent levels, and the clarity towards the edges of the frame is fairly good. Stopping down to f/4 results in outstanding sharpness in the centre of the frame, and good sharpness towards the edges.
At 23mm, overall sharpness increases a little, with outstanding sharpness being recorded in the centre at maximum aperture and good sharpness towards the edges of the frame. Again, stopping down to f/4 results in an increase in centre sharpness, but does little to improve sharpness towards the edges, which remains good.
Finally at 35mm, sharpness across the frame increases again, although clarity in the centre doesn't reach the lofty heights it did at shorter focal lengths. Even so, sharpness is excellent in the centre of the frame between f/2.8 and f//5.6 and resolution is very good towards the edges at these apertures too.
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How to read our chartsThe blue column represents readings from the centre of the picture frame at the various apertures and the green is from the edges. Averaging them out gives the red weighted column.The scale on the left side is an indication of actual image resolution. The taller the column, the better the lens performance. Simple. For this review, the lens was tested on a Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 using Imatest. |
Chromatic aberrations are kept under control well throughout the zoom range, only rising slightly at 12mm and f/22. This setting is affected strongly by diffraction, so is probably best avoided anyway.
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How to read our chartsChromatic aberration is the lens' inability to focus on the sensor or film all colours of visible light at the same point. Severe chromatic aberration gives a noticeable fringing or a halo effect around sharp edges within the picture. It can be cured in software.Apochromatic lenses have special lens elements aspheric, extra-low dispersion etc) to minimize the problem, hence they usually cost more. For this review, the lens was tested on a Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 using Imatest. |
Falloff of illumination towards the corners of the frame is reasonably well controlled for a wide aperture lens. At 12mm the corners are 1.37 stops darker than the image centre and at 35mm the corners are 1.27 stops darker. Stopping down to f/5.6 results in visually uniform illumination throughout the zoom range.
Distortion is well controlled at either end of the zoom range with only 0.543% barrel and 0.483% pincushion distortion detected by Imatest at 12mm and 35mm respectively. The distortion pattern is uniform across the frame, so any curvature is relatively straightforward to correct in image editing software afterwards if required.
No issues with flare were encountered during testing. The Nano Surface Coatings applied to this lens help to keep contrast high, even when shooting into the light. A petal shaped hood comes supplied with the lens, which does a decent job of protecting the front element from extraneous light that may cause issues.
Value For Money
When the lens becomes available, it will retail for around £999, which puts in in line with pro 24-70mm zooms from other manufacturers for other systems.
There are currently no other 24-70mm equivalent f/2.8 zooms available for Micro Four Thirds. The closest equivalent is the Olympus 14-35mm f/2, which has a constant maximum aperture twice as bright as this lens, but lacks image stabilisation and costs a whopping £1799. This Olympus lens would need to be used with an adapter on a Micro Four Thirds body and is much more bulky than the lens reviewed here.
Panasonic Lumix G X VARIO 12-35mm f/2.8 Verdict
With the advent of more professionally orientated Micro Four Thirds camera bodies, it makes sense that Panasonic would want to release a weather-sealed professional spec f/2.8 zoom. The price at around £999, is typical of these kinds of lenses.
Performance-wise, this lens delivers sharp, contrasty images with low CA and distortion, which should be expected of a pro-spec zoom.
The lens delivers sharp, contrasty images with low CA and distortion, which should be expected of a pro-spec zoom.