Panasonic G X 35100mm f/2.8 Power OIS £895 / $1,225
Small, yet fast and powerful
Thanks to the small image circle required by the Micro Four Thirds system, this 35-100mm lens is compact, yet gives the same effective zoom range as a 70-200mm lens on a full-frame body. Measuring 67 x 100mm, it’s about half the length of the Canon and Nikon lenses on test, and under half the weight at just 360g. Despite a smaller filter thread of 58mm, it’s a full stop faster than the Canon and Nikon lenses, with a constant f/2.8 aperture. This pays dividends in enabling fast shutter speeds in low light. However, due to the relatively short actual focal length range, the depth of field available isn’t massively tight, even at f/2.8.
Build quality feels solid and includes dust and splash resistance, while the stepping motor autofocus system is typically silent. Manual focus relies on an electronic connection to the focus ring, rather than a physical coupling, but it’s precise and smooth. Panasonic’s Power OIS (Optical Image Stabiliser) is also good to have, giving a benefit of about three stops in our tests and performing nearly as well as the stabilisers in most of the 70-200mm lenses on test.
Performance
Sharpness is good rather than great at medium apertures, but the lens holds sharpness well at its widest f/2.8 aperture, throughout the entire zoom range. Panasonic’s Nano Surface Coating minimises ghosting and flare. Autofocus isn’t quite as quick as in the ring-type ultrasonic lenses, but it’s not far behind.