Four thirds lens review in German ColorFoto magazine (Oly, Sigma, no Leica/Panasonic)
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Here's a quick synopsis of a rather thorough and comprehensive test / review of four thirds lenses presented in issue 05-2007 of German ColorFoto magazine.
Sigma EX 1.4/30
69.5 of 150 points
"The Sigma lens is intended as a normal lens for APS sized sensors, and has shown to work quite well in that realm. For the smaller 4/3 sensor, results are less encouraging. Contrast wide open is moderate at best, with a notable decrease towards the corners. Stopping down improves the overall impression notably, and still makes a rather fast lens at 2.8".
Olympus Zuiko Digital 3.5/35 Macro
86.5 of 150 points - recommended
"This macro lens performs convincingly wide open, and stopping down will further improve contrast. Its moderate speed notwithstanding, this lens is recommended, especially considering its price point at 250 euros".
Olympus Zuiko Digital 2/50 Macro
85.5 of 150 points - recommended
"A classic macro telephoto lens with a high usability factor; contrast and resolution are spot on even wide open. Recommended. Works down to 1:1."
Sigma EX 2.8/105
87 - recommended
"Actually a 24x36 lens, this lens is very sharp over the full area of the smaller 4/3 sensor (as can be expected). Stopping down will further increase sharpness. This helps both in scoring and in getting a clear recommendation."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 2/150
92 - recommended
"A nearly perfect lens, and certainly worth a recommendation. Center or corner, f/2 or f/4: the 150 is crisp and sharp. Vignetting and distortion are virtually non-existent; consequently, the score counter goes all the way up to 92. Fast and very good - this makes even the 1,600 g weight and the 2,300 euros price seem appropriate."
Sigma EX 2.8/150 Macro
82.5 - recommended
"In direct comparison with the Oly 150, the Sigma is one stop slower and falls nearly 10 points short of the Oly's record score. While the Oly's performance is nearly independent of f stop, stoppind down the Sigma will improve contrast quite notably. Of course, price should be factored into the comparison: the Sigma will set you back only one quarter!"
Olympus Zuiko Digital 2.8/300
86 - recommended
"2.8 speed at a focal length corresponding to 600 mm in 24x36 - this is a specialist lens. And a specialist will happily shell out the 6,600 euros asking price, and lug the 3 kg around."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 4/7-14
87 - recommended
"An extreme wide angle zoom. At 7 mm, diagonal angle is close to 180 degrees. Still, contrast is quite good with some decay towards the corners when shot wide open. Vignetting and distortion are quite limited. This excellent super wide zoom receives our recommendation."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 2.8-3.5/11-22
85
"A less extreme wide angle zoom. At 11 mm, sharpness is limited to the center. Stopping down will not do a lot towards improving the edges. Quite good from center focal length upwards. Price is fair considering the 11-22 focal length range; on account of the problems at 11 mm, still no recommendation."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 3.5-5.6/14-42
85.5 - recommended
"Super compact standard zoom lens (with slow speed limiting its usability). Stopping down will not improve much on the already solid image quality. More than 1% distortion on the wide end may turn out to be a nuisance - but considering the attractive price of 260 euros and an overall reasonable level of performance: recommended."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 2.8-3.5/14-54
84.5
"The faster version of the standard zoom lens. In the tele range, good performance requires stopping down, thus partially obliterating the theoretical advantages. At 54 mm it reaches a mediocre 80.5 score - not recommended."
Sigma EX 2.8/18-50 Macro
85.5 - recommended
"This universal zoom lens with macro down to 20 cm and 2.8 speed is an attractive offer at 420 euros. Overall, a solid performer. Wide open, the corners leave a bit to be desired, and sharpness decreases towards the long end. Still, recommended."
Sigma 3.5-5.6/18-125
84
"At short focal length and wide open, the corners are significantly worse than the center. Considering the already slow speed, stopping down does not seem a very practical proposition. Add to that the loss of contrast towards the tele end - not recommended."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 3.5-6.3/18-180
74.5
"A tenfold zoom lens at the expense of optical compromises. The 18-180 fails to convince at any focal length, with the additional problem of low contrast at long lengths. In comparison, the 18-125 sigma is a better choice, offering better optical quality at half the price, even if it ends at 125 mm. At 180 mm, contrast loss when stopped down to f/12.5 is striking. This is probably due to diffraction which, owing to the comparatively small sensor size, limits resolution already at f/8."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 2/35-100
87 - recommended
"Fast and expensive, but also very good. This is a convincing tele zoom lens with reasonable sharpness even at 100mm (provided you stop down a little bit - superb results at f/4 whereas at f/2, contrast is visibly weaker). So in fact one should consider f/2 to be an extra option for an overall very good 4/35-100 zoom. When shot wide open, center contrast is lower than corner contrast in the tele range for some frequencies which appears to be a problem of stray light. Still, a clear recommendation for this one."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 3.5-4.5/40-150
83
"This economically priced tele zoom works well at the short end, but performance decreases significantly towards the tele end. At 150mm, contrast and resolution are visibly worse which precludes a recommendation. Stopping down drastically will improve performance, but using f/9 at 150mm makes precious little sense."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 2.8-3.5/50-200
83
"Tele zoom with reasonable speed and good performance up to medium lengths, even better when stopped down. At 200mm, contrast will break down pretty strongly, leading to a weak 73 points score at that length. Hence, no recommendation."
Sigma 4-5.6/55-200
81.5
"The Sigma lens is the cheapest lens in today's roster. Also, it is the only lens that has visible lens centering problems. A second copy exhibited even worse centering problems, hinting towards a general problem in manufacturing. On the other hand, 150 euros is a super bargain price. Apart from the off-center lens problems, performance is satisfactory."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 2.8/90-250
83 - recommended
"This fast super tele lens scores well even at full tele - an exception to the rule among tele zoom lenses. Its 105 mm filter thread diameter is bound to break a few records, as is the price at 5,900 euros."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's a quick synopsis of a rather thorough and comprehensive test / review of four thirds lenses presented in issue 05-2007 of German ColorFoto magazine.
Sigma EX 1.4/30
69.5 of 150 points
"The Sigma lens is intended as a normal lens for APS sized sensors, and has shown to work quite well in that realm. For the smaller 4/3 sensor, results are less encouraging. Contrast wide open is moderate at best, with a notable decrease towards the corners. Stopping down improves the overall impression notably, and still makes a rather fast lens at 2.8".
Olympus Zuiko Digital 3.5/35 Macro
86.5 of 150 points - recommended
"This macro lens performs convincingly wide open, and stopping down will further improve contrast. Its moderate speed notwithstanding, this lens is recommended, especially considering its price point at 250 euros".
Olympus Zuiko Digital 2/50 Macro
85.5 of 150 points - recommended
"A classic macro telephoto lens with a high usability factor; contrast and resolution are spot on even wide open. Recommended. Works down to 1:1."
Sigma EX 2.8/105
87 - recommended
"Actually a 24x36 lens, this lens is very sharp over the full area of the smaller 4/3 sensor (as can be expected). Stopping down will further increase sharpness. This helps both in scoring and in getting a clear recommendation."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 2/150
92 - recommended
"A nearly perfect lens, and certainly worth a recommendation. Center or corner, f/2 or f/4: the 150 is crisp and sharp. Vignetting and distortion are virtually non-existent; consequently, the score counter goes all the way up to 92. Fast and very good - this makes even the 1,600 g weight and the 2,300 euros price seem appropriate."
Sigma EX 2.8/150 Macro
82.5 - recommended
"In direct comparison with the Oly 150, the Sigma is one stop slower and falls nearly 10 points short of the Oly's record score. While the Oly's performance is nearly independent of f stop, stoppind down the Sigma will improve contrast quite notably. Of course, price should be factored into the comparison: the Sigma will set you back only one quarter!"
Olympus Zuiko Digital 2.8/300
86 - recommended
"2.8 speed at a focal length corresponding to 600 mm in 24x36 - this is a specialist lens. And a specialist will happily shell out the 6,600 euros asking price, and lug the 3 kg around."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 4/7-14
87 - recommended
"An extreme wide angle zoom. At 7 mm, diagonal angle is close to 180 degrees. Still, contrast is quite good with some decay towards the corners when shot wide open. Vignetting and distortion are quite limited. This excellent super wide zoom receives our recommendation."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 2.8-3.5/11-22
85
"A less extreme wide angle zoom. At 11 mm, sharpness is limited to the center. Stopping down will not do a lot towards improving the edges. Quite good from center focal length upwards. Price is fair considering the 11-22 focal length range; on account of the problems at 11 mm, still no recommendation."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 3.5-5.6/14-42
85.5 - recommended
"Super compact standard zoom lens (with slow speed limiting its usability). Stopping down will not improve much on the already solid image quality. More than 1% distortion on the wide end may turn out to be a nuisance - but considering the attractive price of 260 euros and an overall reasonable level of performance: recommended."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 2.8-3.5/14-54
84.5
"The faster version of the standard zoom lens. In the tele range, good performance requires stopping down, thus partially obliterating the theoretical advantages. At 54 mm it reaches a mediocre 80.5 score - not recommended."
Sigma EX 2.8/18-50 Macro
85.5 - recommended
"This universal zoom lens with macro down to 20 cm and 2.8 speed is an attractive offer at 420 euros. Overall, a solid performer. Wide open, the corners leave a bit to be desired, and sharpness decreases towards the long end. Still, recommended."
Sigma 3.5-5.6/18-125
84
"At short focal length and wide open, the corners are significantly worse than the center. Considering the already slow speed, stopping down does not seem a very practical proposition. Add to that the loss of contrast towards the tele end - not recommended."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 3.5-6.3/18-180
74.5
"A tenfold zoom lens at the expense of optical compromises. The 18-180 fails to convince at any focal length, with the additional problem of low contrast at long lengths. In comparison, the 18-125 sigma is a better choice, offering better optical quality at half the price, even if it ends at 125 mm. At 180 mm, contrast loss when stopped down to f/12.5 is striking. This is probably due to diffraction which, owing to the comparatively small sensor size, limits resolution already at f/8."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 2/35-100
87 - recommended
"Fast and expensive, but also very good. This is a convincing tele zoom lens with reasonable sharpness even at 100mm (provided you stop down a little bit - superb results at f/4 whereas at f/2, contrast is visibly weaker). So in fact one should consider f/2 to be an extra option for an overall very good 4/35-100 zoom. When shot wide open, center contrast is lower than corner contrast in the tele range for some frequencies which appears to be a problem of stray light. Still, a clear recommendation for this one."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 3.5-4.5/40-150
83
"This economically priced tele zoom works well at the short end, but performance decreases significantly towards the tele end. At 150mm, contrast and resolution are visibly worse which precludes a recommendation. Stopping down drastically will improve performance, but using f/9 at 150mm makes precious little sense."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 2.8-3.5/50-200
83
"Tele zoom with reasonable speed and good performance up to medium lengths, even better when stopped down. At 200mm, contrast will break down pretty strongly, leading to a weak 73 points score at that length. Hence, no recommendation."
Sigma 4-5.6/55-200
81.5
"The Sigma lens is the cheapest lens in today's roster. Also, it is the only lens that has visible lens centering problems. A second copy exhibited even worse centering problems, hinting towards a general problem in manufacturing. On the other hand, 150 euros is a super bargain price. Apart from the off-center lens problems, performance is satisfactory."
Olympus Zuiko Digital 2.8/90-250
83 - recommended
"This fast super tele lens scores well even at full tele - an exception to the rule among tele zoom lenses. Its 105 mm filter thread diameter is bound to break a few records, as is the price at 5,900 euros."
