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Panasonic 70-200 f4 - I see lots used - is it good?

Miker said:
Back with the introduction of the Panasonic L mount, the R cameras and Pro lenses, it seems like there was an attempt to focus on the pro category. But there hasn’t been another pro lens in years and I doubt we see ever see another one, and the R bodies are now just slightly improved S bodies. I would say that Panasonic has given up on that. I’m fine with that, the pro market is too niche. However, that is no excuse for poor customer treatment.
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When I sold out of Canon DSLR gear, I sold my 70-200 L f4 and 100-400 L Mark 1 (trombone zoom) to my nephew. He also has the original mark 1 24-70 f2.8 L. Over the past two years, he’s had cause to send the 24-70 and 100-400 for repair. Both are well out of production, but guess what? - both were totally repairable, and now working very well on his new R6ii.

Stories like this tell me that Panasonic have some way to go to gain the trust of the “pro” community.
 
pdk42 said:
I can't realistically expect a mega-corp like Panasonic to actually give a damn about particular copies failing, or about the people affected.
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I have a warmer feeling about Panasonic. Years ago I gave a lecture at their headquarters in Osaka, and it was an overall positive experience. Then as I was leaving, in typical Japanese fashion, a very large portion of the staff came outside to wave me goodby. That is a picture frozen in my mind.
 
pdk42 said:
When I sold out of Canon DSLR gear, I sold my 70-200 L f4 and 100-400 L Mark 1 (trombone zoom) to my nephew. He also has the original mark 1 24-70 f2.8 L. Over the past two years, he’s had cause to send the 24-70 and 100-400 for repair. Both are well out of production, but guess what? - both were totally repairable, and now working very well on his new R6ii.

Stories like this tell me that Panasonic have some way to go to gain the trust of the “pro” community.
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Canon don't repair their APSC cameras now either. Well, not the EOSM anyway, just replace. And don't get me started on EOSM. The reason I won't buy into a system now, until it has the lenses I want. Right now. Took them forever, like 6? years to get round to the most basic lens in any system, a 50 mm equivalent. And no 85 mm. And to add insult to injury, they've killed M mount, and are now releasing the EXACT same lenses with RF mount. Not going there again. Ever. Every system has its issues & foibles. Sure, Canon look after their Pro photographers, not denying that.
 
I do wonder if their unwillingness to repair the 70-200 F4 is that perhaps S-Pro replacements are on the horizon. The S-Pro lenses are long in the tooth, and are on the heavy (heaviest?) end of things relative to the rest of the industry. Also, their AF architecture is optimized for DfD bodies; reports that the Sigma 70-200 F2.8 focuses noticeably faster than the S-Pro 70-200 F2.8 on modern bodies are not good for Panasonic. Not that my S-Pro seems slow to focus, but if you are using it for sports, you want a lens that focuses fast.

Anyway, if that’s true, then I could understand why they don’t want to stock parts for a lens that is about to be replaced. Doesn’t make it right, nor does it reduce the sting, but I could see it.
 
No, that‘s not the reason.
Also their micro43 lenses - even the 1700€ ! 10-25mm f1.7 - are not repairable.
 
GeorgeHudetz said:
Well, that’s depressing.
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It seems it's a policy decision. I guess it's driven by the difficulty of making repair operations profitable, but at some point, it must really hurt your reputation to be selling uber expensive lenses that you won't repair. No one wants to be replacing lenses costing thousands of $/€/£/etc when simple things fail or break.
 
I can understand why a relatively minor player like Panasonic wouldn't want the expense of repair facilities in every country but at the very least it shouldn be do-able sending the item back to Japan and it would probably be beneficial to at least have a centre each in Europe and the US, big markets that they are.
 
snaimpally said:
I'm looking to get a 70-200. The P 70-200 f4 is smaller and lighter than the P 70-200 f2.8 and the S 70-200 f2.8. I noticed there are many used copies available. Could it be because the f4 came out first and then the f2.8 came later and so people upgraded? If you own the P 70-200 f4, please share your thoughts.
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I own the f/4 70-200 Panasonic lens and think it’s great. Bought it new and it’s very low miles being 6 mo old, give or take.
I like the internal zoom and focus clutch (I have the pro 50/1.4 and 16-35/f4 also) is not often used but when I need it, it’s an awesome feature.

However, given the range and use case for the 70-200 f/4, I find myself longing for that faster 2.8 from time to time in low light; opted out for cost and weight. That said, in the slow lens department, I am in love with my new 100-500 zoom. Weight is comparable and it’s not as wide as the 70, but it renders beautifully and on the street is a beast at catching subjects and scenes that a 200 would have to crop. Same length more or less, and I hardly notice a difference, it’s not a pro lens and may lack the image quality, but I just keep reaching for it over and over. I have the 100 f/2.8 macro and have gotten accustomed to that range for b-roll and portrait so the 100-500 generates some unique opportunities with the extra range.

Anyway, I’ll pixel peep it and let you know how it goes, but I give it a hearty recommendation at 1 month in. I’ll keep you posted,…maybe.
 
Mmichaelhh1234 said:
I own the f/4 70-200 Panasonic lens and think it’s great. Bought it new and it’s very low miles being 6 mo old, give or take.
I like the internal zoom and focus clutch (I have the pro 50/1.4 and 16-35/f4 also) is not often used but when I need it, it’s an awesome feature.

However, given the range and use case for the 70-200 f/4, I find myself longing for that faster 2.8 from time to time in low light; opted out for cost and weight. That said, in the slow lens department, I am in love with my new 100-500 zoom. Weight is comparable and it’s not as wide as the 70, but it renders beautifully and on the street is a beast at catching subjects and scenes that a 200 would have to crop. Same length more or less, and I hardly notice a difference, it’s not a pro lens and may lack the image quality, but I just keep reaching for it over and over. I have the 100 f/2.8 macro and have gotten accustomed to that range for b-roll and portrait so the 100-500 generates some unique opportunities with the extra range.

Anyway, I’ll pixel peep it and let you know how it goes, but I give it a hearty recommendation at 1 month in. I’ll keep you posted,…maybe.
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Thanks. I plan to sell the MFT gear I am no longer using and buy some more L-mount lenses. 100-500 sounds interesting. So I've gone from considering the 70-200 f4 to the 70-300 to the 100-500! My favorite lens in MFT is the Panasonic Leica 50-200 (100-400 equiv). The other thing I am thinking of is getting the 70-200 f2.8 and 2x teleconverter.
 
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