localnet
Forum Enthusiast
Thanks for the heads up on the non SWD lens, I'll look around for a nice used one, I am sure there are a few out there. Thanks Gandalf!
-
Welcome to the new forums! Please read this first. For known issues we are working to resolve, click here.
Will the Oly Zuiko 50-200 2.8-3.5 SWD work with new OM-D?
- Thread starter localnet
- Start date
JJJPhoto
Senior Member
One thing to watch out for with the older non SWD is condition ... even more so than typical used Olympus lenses.
The old 50-200mm is known to have an issue with elements actually coming loose or falling apart over time.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1022&message=38135695
As far as I know the SWD version hasn't had these problems.
Not every 50-200 "mk1" lens is falling apart ... but it's a potential issue to keep in mind.
The old 50-200mm is known to have an issue with elements actually coming loose or falling apart over time.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1022&message=38135695
As far as I know the SWD version hasn't had these problems.
Not every 50-200 "mk1" lens is falling apart ... but it's a potential issue to keep in mind.
Melbourne Park
Senior Member
Seriously????
I have the older 50-200mm. Its been a magnificent lens. One thing about that - the 50-200 focused faster with the grip, due to the extra power available. But I guess its focus would be one tenth that on an Olympus. And don't Olympus list it as being incompatible?
Day Hiker
Forum Pro
If you want to be combative, then, sure, no one has tried the combination. Let's shut down the thread.
There. Are you happy? I try to help. You? Not so much.
Jim Pilcher
Summit County, Colorado, USA
There. Are you happy? I try to help. You? Not so much.
Jim Pilcher
Summit County, Colorado, USA
Bilgy_no1
Senior Member
If I seemed combative, I sincerely apologise. That was not my intention.
I do feel I helped the discussion by linking to a blog that discusses real world experience of exactly what OP was asking about: using the 50-200mm lens on an E-M5.
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bilgy_no1
Bilgy_no1
Senior Member
So far there have been some encouraging signals:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bilgy_no1
- DPR reported significantly improved AF speed with 12-60mm on E-M5 vs. E-P3.
- PEN-and-Tell blogspot reported improved AF speeds with 14-35mm and 50-200mm lenses on the E-M5 vs. E-P3. See my previous post with the link.
- Pekka Pottka reports E-M5 AF speed is the same as E-P3 AF speed for 4/3 lenses. However, he does not specify which lenses he tried. Could be the CDAF lenses, and I can see how they wouldn't necessarily improve much further.
- Olympus rep (Terada?) said something like: 'we're not there yet'. Of course, that does not exclude the possibility of improvements having already been attained. It just means that they are not satisfied yet.
- Olympus does not market the E-M5 as a full 4/3 AF speed camera. I'm pretty sure they would point to the vast arsenal of high quality, weather sealed lenses if they could do so with confidence.
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bilgy_no1
Bilgy_no1
Senior Member
People here have reported that the SWD lenses are even slower than the non-SWD lenses. SWD is geared for PDAF technology, and apparently of no help for CDAF.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bilgy_no1
--
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bilgy_no1
Dionis
Active member
Interesting that you mention this. My Oly 12-60 SWD broke (aperture malfunction) after 6 months of being used on the GH2 (CDAF).
Melbourne Park
Senior Member
If your operate with aperture priority, I guess that would have been bad luck?
I'd have been more concerned if the focus failed, due to the extra back and forth movements of m43.
Nonetheless, I don't think it makes much sense to use relatively large and heavy lenses on m43, which is designed to be compact. However ... we do so IMO, because we not only have the lenses, but also because there are not equivalent quality lenses available for m43. That is changing though. As an 11-22mm owner, I was disappointed that there's been no interest from Olympus in having a similar lens, perhaps with even great speed, in an m43 format. Instead, I guess they brought out the 12mm, which is IMO an expensive lens, for what one gets.
Meanwhile the 45mm is a relative bargain. Strange ... and just imagine how ecstatic everyone would have been if the 12-50mm had of been an F/2.8 to F/5.6. I wonder how much an F/2.0-2.8 11-22mm would not only cost, but how heavy it would have been on m43?
Pete Berry
Senior Member
1
My GH2 would slowly and accurately AF the 50-200 alone; but with the EC-20 @400mm, it would end up a bit off, needing manual tweaking. It seems the 3-step contrast AF dance is just a little too coarse for the accuracy birding demand. I hope the OM-D handles it better.
Pete (also of Monterey Bay)
The 50-200/2.8-3.5 is a fantastic lens, and I rue the day I sold mine. The true test of good tele is how it stands up to a good 2x TC such as the Oly TC-20 - for true 400mm/7.1. With live view magnified MF the results are superb, and below is an album shot with this combo at Pt. Lobos, Monterey Bay. Note that the GH1 doesn't recognize the TC in the EXIF, so double both FL and aperture. Although the combo is very sharp wide open, I chose to stop down a bit for more DOF.
My GH2 would slowly and accurately AF the 50-200 alone; but with the EC-20 @400mm, it would end up a bit off, needing manual tweaking. It seems the 3-step contrast AF dance is just a little too coarse for the accuracy birding demand. I hope the OM-D handles it better.
Pete (also of Monterey Bay)
Keyboard shortcuts
- f
- Forum