Panasonic Lumix G X VARIO 12-35mm f/2.8

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.

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