Key specs
Kind: Prime lens
Focal size: 200mm (400mm equal)
Most aperture: f/2.8
Lens mount: Micro 4 Thirds
Weight: 43.92 oz / 1245 g
Dimensions: 6.85×3.44 in / 174×87.5 mm
Filter thread: 77mm
Launch date: November 2017
One of many plain benefits of Micro 4 Thirds (MFT) methods is the vary of compact, light-weight lenses which might be out there. Certain, the cameras may be as hefty as full-frame, however the lenses considerably scale back the general measurement and weight of your equipment.
The Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f/2.8 POWER O.I.S. is a telephoto prime lens that’s extremely compact and light-weight, providing a 400mm equal focal size alongside the quick f/2.8 most aperture. This lens is a collaboration between Panasonic and Leica, so, as you’d anticipate, it’s a skilled lens delivering glorious picture high quality and unbelievable dealing with.
Autofocus is quick and silent, whereas construct high quality is great. The tripod collar additionally has an Arca-Swiss-compatible foot so you may simply connect the lens to Arca-Swiss-compatible tripod heads. What’s extra, the 200mm F/2.8 comes with a 1.4x teleconverter that extends focal size to a 560mm equal, so, in some methods, you are getting two lenses in a single.
The 200m f/2.8 makes use of the MFT mount, so it’s appropriate with each Panasonic Lumix and OM System (Olympus) MFT cameras. It is a unbelievable lens, however it’s removed from the least costly Panasonic telephoto at $2999 / £2699, so it will not be for everybody. But when your price range does stretch this far, it’s unlikely that you’ll be disenchanted.
Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f/2.8 POWER O.I.S: Design
- Wonderful construct high quality
- Compact for a telephoto prime
- Guide aperture ring
It’s usually mentioned that good issues are available small packages, and with regards to lengthy telephoto primes compactness is definitely a great factor. Full-frame 400mm f/2.8 lenses are sometimes giant and heavy, so a 200mm f/2.8 lens with a 400mm equal focal size that is 6.85×3.44 in / 174×87.5 mm with a weight of simply 43.92 oz / 1245 g is a breath of contemporary air.
Whereas for evening and evening sky images, you will have to tripod mount your digital camera and lens, a lens of this kind coming in at this measurement and weight makes it extraordinarily appropriate for handheld taking pictures. Additionally, smaller, lighter lenses are simpler to mount on a wider vary of tripod heads with much less head slippage, together with ball heads.
Construct high quality is great, and the 200mm f/2.8 is weather-resistant with a splash, mud, and freezeproof development. That is superb for outside images, reminiscent of panorama, wildlife, sports activities, motorsport, and evening sky images, the place chilly temperatures and damp situations aren’t unusual. There’s additionally a guide aperture ring that may be set to A for digital camera management or used manually to enter the specified setting.
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By way of controls, there is a guide focus/autofocus change, a Energy OIS change for Optical Picture Stabilization, an autofocus limiter that lets you set the complete vary or from 3m to infinity, an Fn button, and a reminiscence change.
The Fn button may be programmed utilizing a appropriate digital camera physique, whereas the reminiscence change can be utilized to set a hard and fast focus distance. This may be helpful for moon photographs and plenty of different photographic conditions.
Transferring to the internals, the 200mm f/2.8 has 15 parts in 13 teams, together with two Extremely Further-low Dispersion (UED) parts. The round aperture makes use of 9 diaphragm blades, whereas the entrance component incorporates a 77mm filter thread.
This may increasingly not instantly seem helpful, but it surely retains the price of round filters down whereas making extra filter sorts out there. Plus, you may simply use sq. filters with the lens, with some filter producers providing filters designed particularly for evening and astrophotography.
Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f/2.8 POWER O.I.S.: Performance
- Optical Picture Stabilization
- Teleconverter included
- Quick and silent autofocus
Because the POWER O.I.S. within the title suggests, the 200mm f/2.8 options extremely efficient Optical Picture Stabilization that may be paired with in-body Picture Stabilization (IBIS) for much more profitable stabilization. As beforehand talked about, this is not important for evening and evening sky images since a tripod is usually important, however it’s a helpful function for different photographic topics.
Being a first-rate lens, it presents glorious picture high quality and a quick f/2.8 aperture, which is extraordinarily helpful. Nonetheless, it has a single focal size. Panasonic has combatted this by together with a 1.4x teleconverter that extends the lens from 200mm / 400mm equal to 280mm / 560mm equal.
It is a nice function that additional extends the lens’ usefulness. The one factor to recollect is that utilizing this teleconverter loses one aperture cease, so f/4 turns into the utmost aperture. If you want to increase the focal size additional, buy a 2x teleconverter individually. This will increase the equal focal size to an enormous 800mm, whereas the utmost aperture reduces to f/5.6.
Autofocus is quick and silent, and even when testing the lens with wildlife, it by no means misses a beat. The beforehand talked about focus distance reminiscence is beneficial, whereas the minimal focusing distance of three.8 ft / 1.15 m is spectacular for a lens of this focal size. This might be improved additional utilizing a close-up lens/filter if close-up images is a topic you get pleasure from.
Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f/2.8 POWER O.I.S.: Efficiency
- Improbable picture high quality
- Sharp at f/2.8
- Teleconverter high quality is spectacular
No matter your price range, your intention is to get the focal size/focal vary you want, essentially the most acceptable most aperture required on your chosen topic and, one of the best picture high quality attainable on your price range will at all times be an necessary deciding issue. Sadly, the extra you pay is usually linked to higher outcomes with lenses.
The 200mm f/2.8 is a good performer when it comes to picture high quality, and of all of the check photographs taken there was no distortion or chromatic aberration seen. Photographs had been taken at a variety of aperture settings, and the f/2.8 to f/5.6 vary produced the sharpest outcomes. f/4 is the candy spot, however f/2.8 continues to be unbelievable and f/5.6 produces nice outcomes with a bigger depth-of-field.
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Attaching the 1.4x teleconverter does not drastically scale back picture high quality—barely in any respect. Lowering the utmost aperture to f/4 just isn’t a difficulty, and the purpose of focus is sharp at this setting so long as the shutter velocity is quick sufficient to freeze the topic’s motion.
When taking pictures the moon, a 200mm lens with a 400mm equal is not fairly sufficient with out cropping, and the identical goes for utilizing the 1.4x teleconverter that extends the focal size to 280mm with a 650mm equal.
This doesn’t suggest that it isn’t an acceptable lens for capturing the moon, however you simply must bear in mind that cropping continues to be required; the 2x teleconverter could be most helpful on this state of affairs.
Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f/2.8 POWER O.I.S.: Worth
The Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f/2.8 POWER O.I.S. is knowledgeable lens that prices $2999 / £2699. It will undoubtedly put it out of attain for some lovers, however there are extra reasonably priced MFT telephoto lenses out there in case your price range doesn’t stretch this far.
To melt the blow, nevertheless, the lens does embrace a 1.4x teleconverter, which extends the focal size from 200mm / 400mm equal to 280mm / 560mm equal. So, though this can be a prime lens with a hard and fast focal size, you might be basically getting two focal lengths for the value of 1, which does add versatility and worth.
Must you purchase the Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f/2.8 POWER O.I.S.?
The 200mm f/2.8 is a unbelievable lens in all departments because of its glorious construct high quality, helpful options for a lens of this kind, its compact measurement and light-weight, and most significantly, glorious picture high quality. If you’re searching for an extended telephoto lens, this can be a nice choice to contemplate.
The principle hurdle right here that may’t be ignored is the value, which at $2999 / £2699 is dear and possibly a determine that is laborious to justify if it isn’t a lens you may use continuously. Additionally, regardless of the inclusion of the 1.4x teleconverter and the provision of a 2x teleconverter, this lens is much less versatile than a zoom.
If this lens is not for you
A few different lenses that you could be want to contemplate in case you are on a price range embrace the Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm f/4-6.3 II ASPH Power O.I.S. which presents an equal focal vary of 200-800mm.
An much more budget-oriented choice is the Panasonic LUMIX G Vario 100-300mm f/4-5.6 II Power O.I.S. which presents an equal focal vary of 200-600mm and is the least costly choice out there.
