Panasonic 45-175mm or 35-100mm ... do they actually work?

[MrTVR]

Having read about the Panasonic 45-175mm I took the plunge, purchased one, created a custom balance for it and ... well ... found out that it doesn’t focus or zoom reliably.

It works fine on my Panasonic G7 but is almost useless on the X5S.

It can take literally minutes to get it to focus or zoom. Most of the time it just doesn’t seem to respond.

What is your experience with this lens?

Should I try the 35-100mm? Will this work any better?

 

[MrTVR]

Quick update, just tried the Panasonic 45-175 again and it is (mostly) working ok now!

I’m not sure what has changed.

One thing I have noticed is that when it struggles to auto focus it needs about 10 seconds to recover and become responsive to focus or zoom changes again.

Also, it sometimes helps if I select manual focus and set the lens to infinity point before starting to use auto focus. It would appear that after focusing on something very close (say 3m away) it has problems achieving focus on distant objects.

 

[RB30x]

Hi, I have the same issues.

This post was a while ago now, do you have any reliable methods to getting focus now?

Thanks

 

[MrTVR]

Hi, I have the same issues.

This post was a while ago now, do you have any reliable methods to getting focus now?

Thanks

Nothing that works any better than I suggested in my previous post.

 

[briwy]

I don't have any problems with zoom or focus but apparently with the balance. I have made weights and it is balanced perfectly with power off. As soon as the drone is powered up the gimbal is buzzing and vibrating badly. Touching the fron of the lens and lifting it very slightly stopd the noise but it comes back straight away. PLyed around altering the weights but no difference. Also noticed the gimbal motors are getting warm. I'm beginning to think the weight of lens and balance weights is just too much for the gimbal.

 

[RB30x]

Mine did the same thing the other day. Lens was balanced but noisey gimbal and hot motors

 

[seattlenativemike]

same here with the warm gimbal. My 35-100 wont AF either

 

[AVImagingllc]

According to Lunar Weights site, with their weights the balance of off when power is off. Once the power is on the weights balance it perfectly. That would explain why some have issues with balance. Also some lens when powered, have their inside mechanisms adjust which can also contribute to balance shift.