GH3 Is the Olympus 12-40 any good?

M

mustangranch99

Active member
I've been reading a lot of reviews about it, but there's just one problem.

None of the reviews used a GH2/GH3 with the lens. They're all using Olympus cams with it.

My concern is that the distortion will be AWFUL with a GH2/GH3 because it doesn't have built in correction like the latest Olympus cams do.

Can anybody confirm or prove this? How does the lens fare with the GH2/GH3?
 
I haven't used the lens, but I can't see how it would be a better choice for a GH cam than a Lumix 12-35 with OIS. Especially with such similar price points.
 
jmw said:
I haven't used the lens, but I can't see how it would be a better choice for a GH cam than a Lumix 12-35 with OIS. Especially with such similar price points.
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If there was no distortion on this lens on a GH body there are many things that appeal to me about the olympus.
12-40 pros
- 5mm extra range.
- Manual focus clutch system rather than the fly by wire crap.
- Closer minimum focus
- better weather sealing and freeze proofing
- I haven't seen any comments on aperture flicker during zoom

cons

- lack of IS
 
I don't know about the 12-40 (I have NO experience with it) but generally I find Olympus lenses seem to work well on Panasonic bodies. I have the 12-50 f3.5-6.3, 17mm f2.8, 45mm f1.8, 75mm f1.8, and just got in the 40-150mm f4 - 5.6 (which one owner describes as "insanely sharp").

Now, like Lumix lenses on Panasonic bodies there may be some electronic corrections going on when attached to Olympus bodies but I see no detriment when my Oly glass is on either my GX1 or GH3's.
 
mustangranch99 said:
My concern is that the distortion will be AWFUL with a GH2/GH3 because it doesn't have built in correction like the latest Olympus cams do.
Click to expand...

Whoa, what are you on about? The Micro Four Thirds standard has built-in distortion correction. Panasonic adds lateral CA correction to their lens/body combinations.
 
I was also wondering how well this lens handles on the GH2/GH3. Some people are not as happy with the 12-35mm because of how the aperture flickers a bit during zooming. Sometimes during live event shooting it is nice to be able to zoom while shooting and this has been one of the biggest complaints about the 12-25mm. If the Olympus 12-40mm handles this better it could be a better option for those shooters despite the lack of OIS. Personally I always use either a tripod, monopod or should mount when I shoot video so I could live without the OIS if the other aspects of a run&gun video lens were an improvement.
 
I've heard a lot of problems with the build quality. I was about to trade in my 12-35 for it until I read all the negative press.
 
really? do you have any links? i actually thought the build quality is better than 12-35 and it is better weather sealed. DOn't remember where, but i saw someone claiming that 12-35 is very cheaply made.

It seems 12-35 also has problems with weather sealing. There is one guy (@punc) writing about the sand particles inside 12-35, i also saw some ebay auctions with 12-35 and sand inside and some strange noise when zooming. PV forum: http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/3283/12-35mm-f2.8-panasonic-lens-topic/p16
 
I can't see the point of it, when you can have a nikon mount Sigma 18-35 with a speedbooster that makes it a 12-24 f/1.2. Sure, you lose a bit on the long end, but it's so much brighter - and if you really are missing the long end, just use an ordinary nikon - m4/3 adapter and you get more than 35mm on the long end, and it's still faster (though no longer 1.2). The combined price of SB and the Sigma is a bit more, but not much more. I have the 12-35 and I'm not impressed with it on my GH3. I absolutely hate the aperture flicker. My next purchase is the Sigma + SB - don't know if it'll solve the flicker problem, but I like the added speed.
 
Some people value range and compactness and auto features over sheer speed. The Sigma 18-35 is not a small lens.
 
I agree with mcbob, i know about Sigma 18-35/1.8+SB and will have it at some point, but i would rather first buy some all-around 12-40/2.8, yes, it is two stops darker, but the range is important for me.
 
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