Olympus 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 on E-M5?

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sderdiarian
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Olympus 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 on E-M5?
6 months ago

I'm finding myself a bit trapped in the Olympus enigma, having an E-620 (and E-510 back-up) 4/3's DSLR and an E-PM1, and am considering an upgrade to the E-M5.  I enjoy shooting landscapes and wildlife and until recently used an Oly 70-300 f4-5.6 which I now find it necessary to either replace or upgrade.

By all reports, the 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 is an exceptional lens, albeit large and heavy for use with mFT's.  But since I'd also be using it with my DSLR's, a used copy may make for a nice upgrade that could also be serviceable with the E-M5. The older non-SWD version is available used for under $600, and refurbished E-M5's for $850; seems a lot of potential bang for the buck for $1450.

I'm also thinking Olympus is bound to solve the slow AF of 4/3's zooms on mFT bodies within a year or two, at which time I can move on from my DSLR's entirely.

My questions if I go this route are:

  • should I get the older version of the 50-200 or the SWD; I seem to recall reading the SWD takes longer to focus on mFT
  • I've also read of mFT's burning out the motors of larger 4/3's zooms; is this an urban legend or an actual concern?
  • how have you found the 50-200 to handle on the E-M5?  I'm already used to supporting my cameras by holding the body and lens given my experience using the 70-300 on the E-PM1, but the 50-200 is a significantly heavier lens.
  • I'm also on a budget, so not ready to spend an additional $300 for the E-M5 grip at this time

Experiences by those who have used this combination are much welcomed.

--
Sailin' Steve

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