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MF fast short telephoto suggestions...

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Dolan Halbrook

Dolan Halbrook

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Hi all.

I've been shooting my son and daughter's indoor performances (gymnastics, plays, etc) with an E-M1 and the 40-150/4-5.6 for a little while. The results aren't bad, but I'd love a faster lens to be able to shoot a few stops faster at the expense of AF.

Something like a 135/2 would be great. It seems the old Nikon AIS can be had for reasonable price considering it translates to a 270/2 on m43.

Any other suggestions of other lenses to consider?

Thanks!
 
I have a couple MF Zeiss lenses that are fun to use: 85/1.4 and 135/2.8, I prefer the 85, in part because of closer minimum focus and in part because it's a very natural focal length to my eye. For what you're describing it may give enough reach if you are able to move around while shooting, otherwise the longer 135 might add needed reach.

Luckily there are dozens upon of legacy lenses at both lengths.

Cheers,

Rick

p.s. 135mm is still 135 on your m4/3 camera, and will give the same reach as that setting on your current zoom.

--
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Dolan Halbrook said:
Hi all.

I've been shooting my son and daughter's indoor performances (gymnastics, plays, etc) with an E-M1 and the 40-150/4-5.6 for a little while. The results aren't bad, but I'd love a faster lens to be able to shoot a few stops faster at the expense of AF.

Something like a 135/2 would be great. It seems the old Nikon AIS can be had for reasonable price considering it translates to a 270/2 on m43.

Any other suggestions of other lenses to consider?

Thanks!

--
--- http://www.flickr.com/photos/reneeanddolan/ ---
Click to expand...
Wait a couple of weeks and maybe you can have 135 f2 AND fast AF.

That I what I am hoping for with my Canon EF 135 f2 L and Kipon AF adapter.

Also hoping the same with my Sigma 150 2.8 APO EF mount lens.
 
Dolan Halbrook said:
Hi all.

I've been shooting my son and daughter's indoor performances (gymnastics, plays, etc) with an E-M1 and the 40-150/4-5.6 for a little while. The results aren't bad, but I'd love a faster lens to be able to shoot a few stops faster at the expense of AF.

Something like a 135/2 would be great. It seems the old Nikon AIS can be had for reasonable price considering it translates to a 270/2 on m43.

Any other suggestions of other lenses to consider?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
Dolan Halbrook said:
Hi all.

I've been shooting my son and daughter's indoor performances (gymnastics, plays, etc) with an E-M1 and the 40-150/4-5.6 for a little while. The results aren't bad, but I'd love a faster lens to be able to shoot a few stops faster at the expense of AF.

Something like a 135/2 would be great. It seems the old Nikon AIS can be had for reasonable price considering it translates to a 270/2 on m43.
Click to expand...
I doubt that legacy Nikon 135s (actually there are no non-legacy Nikon 135s :) ) would be all that good on m43, but it would be interesting to test. The 135s are generally not sharp enough for the newer 24-36 Mpixel full frame sensors, and the pixel density of m43 is just as demanding. It is probably better than a consumer zoom (40-150/4-5.6), but nowhere near as good as the 75/1.8 or the 40-150/2.8.

The legacy lenses are highly favored by video folks because they are easily adequate for 1080 resolution or even 4K, but they are not up to today's standards for still photography.

One exception is macro lenses (90, 100-105, 180, 200). Macro lenses are almost always exceptionally sharp. I have a 200mm f/4 Micro Nikkor (AF version), and it works fantastically when adapted to m43. If I were you, I would look into a legacy 90 or 105mm macro of almost any make, or possibly the rarer Nikon 180mm (or Sigma 150mm and possibly they made a 180mm?). There are several excellent 90mm f/2.8 macro lenses from 3rd parties as well.

Doug
 
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It might not be long enough for you, but the Oly 75mm f1.8 has AF and is very sharp. It's a little more expensive but it's arguably the best lens in the Micro 4:3 line.
 
Dolan Halbrook said:
Hi all.

I've been shooting my son and daughter's indoor performances (gymnastics, plays, etc) with an E-M1 and the 40-150/4-5.6 for a little while. The results aren't bad, but I'd love a faster lens to be able to shoot a few stops faster at the expense of AF.

Something like a 135/2 would be great. It seems the old Nikon AIS can be had for reasonable price considering it translates to a 270/2 on m43.

Any other suggestions of other lenses to consider?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
I guess I always considered anything between 50 and 150 as a short tele, and anything > 150 as long tele. But with the 2x crop factor, I guess that puts my needs in the long tele camp :)
 
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Thanks, I'll keep my eyes open.
 
I have the 45 already and have used it for a few performances, but generally I'm just not close enough for it to have enough reach.

My son's last play had me shooting at ~100mm, his last piano recital and my daughter's show closer to 150mm.

The 75 plus cropping is definitely a consideration though. I've heard nothing but good things about it.
 
Also, thanks for the Rokinon suggestion. Wasn't even on my radar.
 
Good to know. I've always wondered how the older optics compare. I have fond memories of my Zeiss T* but I've never shot them on digital. Not exactly apples to apples.
 
The 75 was my first thought, just not quite enough reach.
 
I've got my eye on Samyang's MF 135mm f2.0, which has gotten great reviews, performs really well wide open, and costs just $550.

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/samyang-135mm-f-2-ed-umc-lens-review-27189

Samyang's MF 85mm f1.4 for $300 is also interesting at first glance, but performance isn't very good until f4, which kinda undercuts the whole point.

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www.ephotozine.com

For fast front-back movement, MF is a liability, but for someone sitting at a piano, standing at a lectern, or even dancing left-right across a stage, focus peaking makes it a cinch for a veteran MF shooter.

The biggest obstacle I'm encountering in shooting low-light events professionally with MFT is the dearth of fast tele options. Oly's 75mm f1.8 looks like a winner, but it's almost as expensive as my Panasonic 35-100 f2.8, it overlaps the focal length and lacks OIS. I know, 1-1/3 stops is nothing to sneeze at, but it's still hard to justify the purchase when I can usually squeeze by in low light with the zoom. Oly's 40-150 f2.8 is undoubtedly nice, but it's big, heavy, expensive, and, again, overlaps the 35-100 with a bit of extra reach but no extra speed. I'd rather keep the 35-100 f2.8 zoom and add a 135mm f2 and 200mm f2.8.

Even at shorter FLs we could use more moderately fast options. The Nocticron is nice but a wallet-buster. In my event work I could really use 17.5mm f1.4, 42.5mm f1.4, and 100mm f2 primes. Hell, Canon manages to make and sell an excellent 100mm f2 with AF for just $450.

--

The way to make a friend is to act like one.
www.jacquescornell.photography
 
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I have a Samigon Telephoto lens in oly mount that is a 135/1.8 that you might find interesting, I have found it to be reasonably fast, need an adapter with a tripod mount cuz its heavy, about 2lbs, diameter is almost 4 inches (more than 3 1/2), I paid about $25 for it, it was on CL...if you want I could make a photo of it...
 
Is an excellent lens and it is sharp at F2.8, at least mine is. They can be had for reasonable money and they are also very small and light so they work really well on an m4/3s camera.
 
Yeah, and these lenses are fullframe, so you can adapt them to fuji, sony, nikon etc. A bargain.
 
Dolan Halbrook said:
Hi all.

I've been shooting my son and daughter's indoor performances (gymnastics, plays, etc) with an E-M1 and the 40-150/4-5.6 for a little while. The results aren't bad, but I'd love a faster lens to be able to shoot a few stops faster at the expense of AF.

Something like a 135/2 would be great. It seems the old Nikon AIS can be had for reasonable price considering it translates to a 270/2 on m43.

Any other suggestions of other lenses to consider?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
look for a Canon EF tele lens and use a Viltrox Adapter EF-M1 (about $135). This will give you AF capability. Possible lenses are 85 1.8, 100/2 135/2 and 200 2.8.

Of these the 100/2 would be the best price/performance.

The 135/2 is the best lens. They can be found for about $700 used.

I have the 85 1.8 and with the adapter it focuses quickly. Now it is only good for SAF, but I think you could make that work. The other lenses should perform similarly.

A 75 1.8 might work if it is long enough. It is a very sharp lens, so you can crop a bit and still have good IQ.

A Sigma 60 2.8 is also a very sharp lens, but not as fast or long as the 75. It is very affordable. Great lens overall so might be worth checking out even if it doesn't work out for this usage.

Also think about just picking up one of those lenses and maybe getting a used Canon APSC body, or if you can afford $500, the SL2 is a superb camera and will AF better than any m43 adapted lens combo.

--
Jonathan
 
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Dolan Halbrook said:
The 75 was my first thought, just not quite enough reach.
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be surprised by how much you can crop a shot from the 75. I have one and also the same 40-150 you do. Basically gave up using the 40-150 ages ago since I can crop the 75 a lot before the zoom would be any better.

I would say a 75 cropped down to say a 100 FOV would be better than the zoom at 100 easily.

If you aren't going to make huge enlargements from the shots the 75 might be the answer.

--
Jonathan
 
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