Olympus 14-150II: a great travel lens

Henry Richardson wrote:

, my 14-150mm (original) performs better than I expected also. I have used it extensively on my E-M5 and E-M10 since May 2012. I have used it a lot in Nepal, Turkey, Japan, Bali, Thailand, Taiwan, Hawaii, Texas, Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado.

Now, that's what I call a well-travelled lens!

Bob

Imaging Resource says the II is a new optical design. Including DSA element (dual side aspherical) lens and 3 HR elements (high refractive index)

http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2015/02/05/olympus-intros-improved-14-150mm-lens-with-weather-sealing-8mm-f-1.8-fishey

The same information appears here on dpreview for the old and new versions listed under specifications. But without any explanation as to what all those acronyms mean

I have three related questions.

1. How does the 14-150 II compare to the 40-150 f4? I have been happy with that one, but would like the wider zoom for travel next month.

2. How does the 14-150 II compare to the Panasonic 40-140 II f/3.5 lens? I have both Olympus and Panasonic bodies.

3. Has anyone shot the 14-150 II on a Panasonic body, such as the GX7?

Surely the significant thing - more so than any minor difference in quality - is that if you use the Oly lens on the Panny body, you won't have any image stabilisation?

These samples don't look bad at web size, but I'd like to see some full sized samples first before I bought this lens.

The Panasonic GX7 does have IBIS, although more limited than that the 5-axis IBIS in the Olympus bodies. I have been able to use the Panasonic with the Olympus 40-150 f/4 lens pretty well.

Paul Graber wrote:

Surely the significant thing - more so than any minor difference in quality - is that if you use the Oly lens on the Panny body, you won't have any image stabilisation?

Apart from any differences in IQ--and I haven't seen any comparisons between the Panasonic and the Oly 14-150II on any of the serious lens test sites--there are two more differences between the lenses: price and weatherproofing.  The list price of the Oly in Canada is CN$600; with a $200 rebate--I bought the E-M5II at the same time--and a $50 store discount, I paid $350.  The price of the Pana from the same store, with a $150 discount, is $850--a BIG difference.  The difference in weatherproofing is that the Oly has it, whereas the Pana doesn't.  Of course this makes a difference only if the camera is weatherproofed, too.  The E-M5II is weatherproofed, but that doesn't help unless the lens is the same. None of my other m4/3 lenses have weatherproofing. With the 14-150II weather is something I don't have to worry about.

About image stabilization: this is something I thought about.  I appreciated the IS of the Pana 45-175, but the IBIS of the E-M5II is better.  I'm not a "fanboy" of Olympus or Panasonic (having owned both), and if Panasonic came out with a camera that leapfrogged over the E-M5II (or its successor in the Olympus line), I would be giving it serious consideration.  However, Panasonic has already abandoned its policy of rejecting IBIS, so a new flagship camera from them is likely to include IBIS, although perhaps not as effective as what the E-M5II has.  Anyway, I'm willing to take my chances.

Bob

I will buy one. Here's why :

I work aboard cruise ships, and I am just coming back from Antarctica, where I have spent more than 2 months ...and experienced the Drake Passage many times.

Antarctica & South Georgia are a photographer's paradise, but sometimes one does not need to look permanently through the viewfinder. Enjoy, that's all.

For whale (and orca) watching from the ship's desks, the Oly 75-300 was a pleasure.
For pics of crew and passengers, the Oly 45 was really fine, once more.

But Zodiac cruises and landings were sometimes a bit wet, so I did not want to change lenses while onboard.

My 12-50 on my faithfull E-M5 has well supported these cold/wet/salt conditions, BTW, but I missed some pics (only !) because 50 was too short.

So, for me, the Oly 14-150 will be an all-purpose & all conditions ideal lens.

See you next summer in Arctic

My 14-150 II is not soft either .... i used it all over Europe last summer and in China last fall. It was a great combo with my EM5 II or my EM10. Great travel zoom.