[ closed ] Olympus Announces its latest Micro4/3 camera and lenses - OM-D

[David]

Micro 4/3 lenses are "M.Zuiko" instead of just "Zuiko". You can find all the info on Fourthirds.org. The SG, HG and SHG lenses are Zuiko, and are designed for 4/3 DSLRs. They will work on m4/3 cameras via an adaptor but the AF is much slower. Those f/2.0 SHG zooms are really expensive, too.

Panasonic only makes m4/3 lenses, named Lumix G. it also collaborated with Leica to make two Leica DG lenses.

Ah, thanks rhema83! It's all making sense to me now. Pardon me, cos I'm really new to Olympus and m4/3. (The link you posted doesn't seem to show the relevant info?)

1. For those who own the 12-50mm lens, do you find it challenging when you zoom to 50mm and have to deal with f/6.3 aperture? Or to cope with low light, you buy another lens like the M.Zuiko ED 12mm f/2 or 45mm f/1.8?

2. Am I right to say that for those who opt for the 12-50 over 14-42, you would rather sacrifice the smaller aperture at the 50mm end for a slightly wider (12mm) and slightly longer (50mm) focal length? And 14-42 has no weather sealing?

3. How about the 14-150mm... anyone consider it? You get a decent wide angle and a very telephoto end with a relatively large f/5.6! I looked at the technical specs.... Seems like the optical performance of the 14-150mm is almost on par with the 12-50mm (even though they are at different min/max focal lengths).

4. I do notice for now, there seems to be very limited range of Zuiko m4/3 lenses offered for the Olympus. And for the zoom lenses, the apertures are not that large. Is it bcos m4/3 lenses are relatively new and we should expect more to be added in the years to come?

 

[As7eroidS]

He did share...but you never read this thread by E-M5 owners...

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/four...ents-critique-reviews-nots-2.html#post7848329

Post # 28

Ooops haha

 

[esoeij]

I also wonder who will pay $1,000+ for a EF 24-105L kit lens which is only f/4 throughout. Not even f/3.5 at the wide end, yikes! Those who pay $750+ for a EFS 15-85 f/3.5-5.6 kit lens must be crazy, too. It's not even weather sealed!

Seriously, there are many people who will find the 12-50mm kit lens useful. The versatile focal length range, weather sealing, electronic zoom and macro mode are all good features. If it doesn't fit your bill, just ignore it and move on. There is no need to make those who voluntarily paid for it appear stupid, or devalue the item for those who are trying to sell it on BnS. The slow kit lens bashing is getting really stale and frankly annoying.

+1 to that. Anyway, there is no fast native zoom lens on the market that one can make comparisons with. In terms of existing native standard zoom lenses, the 12-50 rocks!

 

[David]

Micro 4/3 lenses are "M.Zuiko" instead of just "Zuiko". You can find all the info on Fourthirds.org. The SG, HG and SHG lenses are Zuiko, and are designed for 4/3 DSLRs. They will work on m4/3 cameras via an adaptor but the AF is much slower. Those f/2.0 SHG zooms are really expensive, too.

Panasonic only makes m4/3 lenses, named Lumix G. it also collaborated with Leica to make two Leica DG lenses.

Ah, thanks rhema83! It's all making sense to me now. Pardon me, cos I'm really new to Olympus and m4/3. (The link you posted doesn't seem to show the relevant info?)

1. For those who own the 12-50mm lens, do you find it challenging when you zoom to 50mm and have to deal with f/6.3 aperture? Or to cope with low light, you buy another lens like the M.Zuiko ED 12mm f/2 or 45mm f/1.8?

2. Am I right to say that for those who opt for the 12-50 over 14-42, you would rather sacrifice the smaller aperture at the 50mm end for a slightly wider (12mm) and slightly longer (50mm) focal length? And 14-42 has no weather sealing?

3. How about the 14-150mm... anyone consider it? You get a decent wide angle and a very telephoto end with a relatively large f/5.6! I looked at the technical specs.... Seems like the optical performance of the 14-150mm is almost on par with the 12-50mm (even though they are at different min/max focal lengths).

4. I do notice for now, there seems to be very limited range of Zuiko m4/3 lenses offered for the Olympus. And for the zoom lenses, the apertures are not that large. Is it bcos m4/3 lenses are relatively new and we should expect more to be added in the years to come?

 

[Agrivar]

Quite sure can. But completely manual. And can only shoot wide open (e.g. No aperture control) unless you are talking abt the old manual canon lenses with aperture control ring.

there are canon to m4/3 adapters with built in aperture control. Google "Kipon" on ebay for an affordable solution.

 

[Agrivar]

Ah, thanks rhema83! It's all making sense to me now. Pardon me, cos I'm really new to Olympus and m4/3. (The link you posted doesn't seem to show the relevant info?)

1. For those who own the 12-50mm lens, do you find it challenging when you zoom to 50mm and have to deal with f/6.3 aperture? Or to cope with low light, you buy another lens like the M.Zuiko ED 12mm f/2 or 45mm f/1.8?

2. Am I right to say that for those who opt for the 12-50 over 14-42, you would rather sacrifice the smaller aperture at the 50mm end for a slightly wider (12mm) and slightly longer (50mm) focal length? And 14-42 has no weather sealing?

3. How about the 14-150mm... anyone consider it? You get a decent wide angle and a very telephoto end with a relatively large f/5.6! I looked at the technical specs.... Seems like the optical performance of the 14-150mm is almost on par with the 12-50mm (even though they are at different min/max focal lengths).

4. I do notice for now, there seems to be very limited range of Zuiko m4/3 lenses offered for the Olympus. And for the zoom lenses, the apertures are not that large. Is it bcos m4/3 lenses are relatively new and we should expect more to be added in the years to come?

All panasonic Lumix m4/3 lenses and m.zuiko lenses work interchangably in the m4/3 arena. The list of native m4/3 lenses can be found here (28 native lenses, 4 more to come this year ):

Four Thirds | Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds | Chart(Lenses)

note that 12-35 /f2.x and 35-100/f2.x fast zooms from Panasonic are rumoured to be announced soon and shipping by end of the year.. also another 2 new primes from oly 60/2.8 macro & 75/1.8

 

[theRBK]

And for the zoom lenses, the apertures are not that large. Is it bcos m4/3 lenses are relatively new and we should expect more to be added in the years to come?

I believe it's a trade-off that Olympus made, sacrificing the max aperture of the zoom lenses for more compact size while trying to still maintain good image quality... of course, that's not to say they won't make larger max aperture zooms, but at the moment Olympus seems to be focusing on compact size... because ultimately, the selling point of micro 4/3s is the relatively smaller size... can't win them all

 

[esoeij]

there are canon to m4/3 adapters with built in aperture control. Google "Kipon" on ebay for an affordable solution.

I've come across these adapters on the Internet but have not used them myself. Wonder if there will be vignetting?

 

[Agrivar]

I've come across these adapters on the Internet but have not used them myself. Wonder if there will be vignetting?

not used them as i dont have Canon glass : ( Maybe some other people with experience can comment? :dunno:

 

[iise7en]

I didnt went to SLRR bcos its at level4 and i was in a rush, parked my car by the road side. Lol

Next time, just make a beeline to SLRR as you can find many cheaper deals ranging from dslr,lens to screen protector.You would leave that shop as a happy customer, smiling from ear to ear.

 

[theITguy]

1. For those who own the 12-50mm lens, do you find it challenging when you zoom to 50mm and have to deal with f/6.3 aperture? Or to cope with low light, you buy another lens like the M.Zuiko ED 12mm f/2 or 45mm f/1.8?

This lens is a hiking and general purpose lens. It is 3 and 2/3 stops slower than the 45/1.8 at the tele end, 1 and 2/3 stops slower at the wide end to the 12/2.0. Depending on your application of the lens, it may not be challenging when you are doing landscape shots. In fact, we need more DOF generally at hiking. For general purpose lens like street shooting in the day, there is no such issue of not having enough light. the 45/1.8 is mainly for me to obtain object isolation. It is only in the night or indoor that fast primes are required. No zoom lens at the moment (14-42x included) can perform well indoor or under low light without having to bump the ISO.

This is a $500++ lens in the 2nd hand market, compared to $800++ (12/2.0) and $400 (45/1.8) There is definitely trade-offs with that pricing. I have the 45/1.8 as I find the 12/2.0 hard to swallow with already the 7-14/4.0 in my stable haha.

2. Am I right to say that for those who opt for the 12-50 over 14-42, you would rather sacrifice the smaller aperture at the 50mm end for a slightly wider (12mm) and slightly longer (50mm) focal length? And 14-42 has no weather sealing?

The 12-50 is more than weathersealing and wider angle. It has that macro mode which is not the best but decent for general purpose. There is also the electronic zoom for video recording. However, this lens is much bigger than the 14-42x of the Panasonic.

3. How about the 14-150mm... anyone consider it? You get a decent wide angle and a very telephoto end with a relatively large f/5.6! I looked at the technical specs.... Seems like the optical performance of the 14-150mm is almost on par with the 12-50mm (even though they are at different min/max focal lengths).

This is also a very good lens for general purpose (like traveling). No need to change lens or bring along a 7-14. Too bad I am a sucker for primes as well. Not sure of the video capability of this 14-150.

4. I do notice for now, there seems to be very limited range of Zuiko m4/3 lenses offered for the Olympus. And for the zoom lenses, the apertures are not that large. Is it bcos m4/3 lenses are relatively new and we should expect more to be added in the years to come?

First it is definitely still in the stage of building up the lens range. Think Olympus took 5-6 years (not including pre-launch period of the E-1) to complete the E-System (43) lens range. m43 is all about being small, compact and not killing our back. Olympus has said that they are finished with zoom lens and now focusing on the prime lens. We have already seen 2 quality primes from Olympus (12/2.0 and 45/1.8). 2 more primes will arrive this summer/autumn (75/1.8 and 60/2.8 macro). Fast zooms from Panasonic (12-35 and 35-100) will come this summer or so as well. m43 is way ahead of the other mirrorless systems in terms of lens range, except the Pentax mirrorless which can use the DSLR lens.

 

[rhema83]

Ah, thanks rhema83! It's all making sense to me now. Pardon me, cos I'm really new to Olympus and m4/3. (The link you posted doesn't seem to show the relevant info?)

1. For those who own the 12-50mm lens, do you find it challenging when you zoom to 50mm and have to deal with f/6.3 aperture? Or to cope with low light, you buy another lens like the M.Zuiko ED 12mm f/2 or 45mm f/1.8?

2. Am I right to say that for those who opt for the 12-50 over 14-42, you would rather sacrifice the smaller aperture at the 50mm end for a slightly wider (12mm) and slightly longer (50mm) focal length? And 14-42 has no weather sealing?

3. How about the 14-150mm... anyone consider it? You get a decent wide angle and a very telephoto end with a relatively large f/5.6! I looked at the technical specs.... Seems like the optical performance of the 14-150mm is almost on par with the 12-50mm (even though they are at different min/max focal lengths).

4. I do notice for now, there seems to be very limited range of Zuiko m4/3 lenses offered for the Olympus. And for the zoom lenses, the apertures are not that large. Is it bcos m4/3 lenses are relatively new and we should expect more to be added in the years to come?

Sorry I forgot the dash in the address. It should be Four Thirds.

I chose the 12-50mm kit lens mainly for its weather sealing and the 12mm wide end. The alternatives start at 14mm and are not wide enough for landscapes, which is my favourite genre. The weather sealing just sweetens the deal for outdoor travels where rain and dust are unavoidable. The 50mm long end and the macro mode are bonuses but not critical to my decision. So the slow aperture does not have a big impact. You are correct that many owners of this lens will have faster primes to complement it. I am going to get the 25mm f/1.4.

Superzooms like 14-150 are generally compromises because they need to balance size, focal range and aperture size, all while dealing with different kinds of optical aberrations at different focal lengths. No harm trying though, and you might fall in love with the convenience it offers.

Micro-4/3 zooms are generally slow because they need to be compact and light. The laws of physics dictates how big the lens must be given a certain maximum focal length and aperture. For example, the ZD 35-100 f/2.0 needs an aperture diameter of 50mm (100mm/2.0)! The zoom mechanism also adds extra bulk and weight as the lens elements must shift at different focal lengths. That's why it is huge and weighs nearly a kilogram. Micro-4/3 cameras uses the same size sensor as 4/3 DSLRs and so any fast zoom lens will be equally large.

All panasonic Lumix m4/3 lenses and m.zuiko lenses work interchangably in the m4/3 arena. The list of native m4/3 lenses can be found here (28 native lenses, 4 more to come this year ):

Four Thirds | Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds | Chart(Lenses)

note that 12-35 /f2.x and 35-100/f2.x fast zooms from Panasonic are rumoured to be announced soon and shipping by end of the year.. also another 2 new primes from oly 60/2.8 macro & 75/1.8

The two upcoming Panasonic f/2.8 X zooms (equivalent to the popular 24-70mm and 70-200mm focal lengths) are rumoured to be announced in Summer. The mock-ups have been sighted since last year, so the wait is even longer than that for the E-M5! They are rumoured to be weather sealed and stabilised, and given the large aperture they are definitely going to be bulky and heavy (perhaps even bigger than the two Noktons). Performance doesn't come cheap, though: these X zooms are expected to cost upwards of 1,500 USD each. But compared to the even more expensive 24-70 and 70-200 offerings from Canikon or the Zuiko f/2.0 zooms, the m4/3 equivalents are almost "affordable".

I believe it's a trade-off that Olympus made, sacrificing the max aperture of the zoom lenses for more compact size while trying to still maintain good image quality... of course, that's not to say they won't make larger max aperture zooms, but at the moment Olympus seems to be focusing on compact size... because ultimately, the selling point of micro 4/3s is the relatively smaller size... can't win them all

Precisely my point. Can't win them all!

 

[CrimsonS]

I read somewhere that the silver set omd will include the 12-50mm in silver. Has this been confirmed by the oly guys?

 

[hyperFocal]

Nice case! LOL.

haha gotcha! thats not a real M3

LOL

 

[mjzsakae]

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Hands-on Review:
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Hands-on Review - YouTube

 

[David]

Thanks ITGuy and rhema83!!!

ITGuy: Wow... You've got the 7-14?!! I've just checked out this baby. Really nice. How do you find it? The range is really one of its kind. But the price is well... Ouch! Then again, we don't have such range in DSLRs.
I'm considering the cheaper 9-18mm. But 7-14 looks really good though I don't know how often I'll use the widest focal length.

Rhema83: 25mm f/1.4 looks really nice too... But I might just get the 20mm f/1.7 pancake for its size. Yah, I'd love to give the 14-150mm a try. Especially since I'm looking to get the OM-D for travel. But if they include the 12-50mm as a package, I find it quite pointless to get the 14-150. I wish we could buy just the body only....


Hmmm, think I'm loving the m4/3 already!

 

[NiVleK]

Thanks ITGuy and rhema83!!!

ITGuy: Wow... You've got the 7-14?!! I've just checked out this baby. Really nice. How do you find it? The range is really one of its kind. But the price is well... Ouch! Then again, we don't have such range in DSLRs.
I'm considering the cheaper 9-18mm. But 7-14 looks really good though I don't know how often I'll use the widest focal length.

Rhema83: 25mm f/1.4 looks really nice too... But I might just get the 20mm f/1.7 pancake for its size. Yah, I'd love to give the 14-150mm a try. Especially since I'm looking to get the OM-D for travel. But if they include the 12-50mm as a package, I find it quite pointless to get the 14-150. I wish we could buy just the body only....


Hmmm, think I'm loving the m4/3 already!

Most of the time, I realized that during my travels the focal length I used most often was the 17-55. I do bring along my 18-200 but that got hardly used except for shows where I wanna take shots up close.

 

[dereth]

haha gotcha! thats not a real M3

LOL

Wah Lao... I looked at the prev pic and felt something was off... Proportions so distorted. Hahaha...

 

[vincent21]

Anyone know how to select multiple photo for delete at one shot? i can't figure out how to do it

 

[theITguy]

Thanks ITGuy and rhema83!!!

ITGuy: Wow... You've got the 7-14?!! I've just checked out this baby. Really nice. How do you find it? The range is really one of its kind. But the price is well... Ouch! Then again, we don't have such range in DSLRs.
I'm considering the cheaper 9-18mm. But 7-14 looks really good though I don't know how often I'll use the widest focal length.

Rhema83: 25mm f/1.4 looks really nice too... But I might just get the 20mm f/1.7 pancake for its size. Yah, I'd love to give the 14-150mm a try. Especially since I'm looking to get the OM-D for travel. But if they include the 12-50mm as a package, I find it quite pointless to get the 14-150. I wish we could buy just the body only....


Hmmm, think I'm loving the m4/3 already!

7-14 is great for interior and tight situations. Extreme end not advised to include people at the edge. Great for 16:9 ratio to take panoramic-like photos. I do not need fast aperture like 12/2.0 as my composition is rather slow. With EM-5 there is IBIS so 12/2.0 is not my cup of tea. Then again, there are people who do not need 7mm wide. Basically, different choices available for us users for m43. Not sure about other systems if they can boost such lens range at this moment.

DSLR have similar solutions like the Sigma 12-24 (35mm format), Tokina 12-24 (APS-C), Nikon 14-28 (35mm) and Olympus 7-14 (FourThird). This lens is a bit heavy (300g) compared to the rest of the lens. Second hand prices about 1k to 1.1k depending on condition. I got a good second hand set. The only new lens I have are the 12-50, 14-42x and 45/1.8. The 100-300, 7-14 and 20/1.7 I buy second hand.