Replacing 50-200SWD with 40-150 f2.8 PRO

Recently  sold my 12-60 SWD and replaced it with the 12-40 2.8 PRO. So far quite happy with that exchange. The constant 2.8 is very handy and I have not missed the long end.

Was contemplating saving for the 40-150 2.8, but think I would miss the 200 mm end. Not sure I can justify keeping both. ( Generally I use the 50-200 with the 1.4, I would be losing 283mm )

Has any one made the switch and regretted it? Kept both?

I have made that switch.  I had a really good 50-200 SWD and decided to sell it and the TC and purchase the new 40x150 and TC as soon as they were available.

Well it's a mixed bag.  I like the new lens OK, and pretty much keep the TC on it most of the time.

IQ is good, but to my eye no better than the 50x200.  It does focus a little faster.  I sold the old lens before the latest firmware update, so it's possible the old lens would focus nearly as well as the new one, although to be honest it was pretty good anyway on the EM-1.

It was really somewhat more versatile, and of course with the TC in place it was a decent long lens too.  At 150mm focal length it was nearly f 2.8.  The new lens + TC is about 3 oz. lighter than the old lens by it's self.

So what have I gained?  A little faster focus maybe, and a little closer focusing ability. 20mm on the long end. (with the TC)

What have I lost?  A little vesatility and a half stop of speed at 200mm.  That giant lens hood which I despised.  Also 1250.00 USD.

Would I do it again?  Hard to say but I doubt it.  I miss the 50x200.  I had a screw-in lens hood for it so I didn't have to put up with the one it came with.  I suppose in some ways the new lens is a better lens, but to be honest, I don't think it's 1250.00 better.

Just my 2 cents.

I bought the 40-150mm Pro + MC14 as soon as they became available. At the time I wondered how I would ever be happy without my 50-200mm SWD + EC14 but thought I would try out the new lens anyway.

Now, four months later, the 40-150mm Pro is the only tele I really l want to use. I still have the 50-200mm SWD but since my initial comparisons back in November, I don't think I've used it once.

3 ounces? I don't need high frame rates as mentioned by skeeterbytes, but was hoping to save a little more weight. The lens does focus just fine on my EM-1.

Wouldnt mind losing the lens shade, your right, it is a monstrosity.

Seems the only gain would be the constant aperture, and a few ounces. Even if I got $500 for the SWD ( optimistic), it's still a lot of money. I will likely keep the ec14, as I occasionally use it with the 50mm macro.

I was a big fan of the 50-200SWD but I made the switch.

What I like with the 40-150+MC14:

• Less weight and less bulk
• Lens does not extend when zooming
• Less prone to dust and water inside
• Very convenient lens hood
• Much better (more accurate and smoother) focus and zoom ring operation
• Fast drive speed in L and H mode
• Very fast AF
• Very accurate AF, no need for manual AF-adjustments in the menu
• Very good picture quality without TC und good quality with TC. As others I have the MC14 on the lens most of the time
• Better contrast, black is significantly darker with the new lens/new lens coating

What I liked with the 50-200 (and what I miss a little bit from time to time)

• Picture quality improves to excellent when stopped down to f5.6
• 283mm reach with the EC14, though a little bit soft at f4.9 (I had to stop down the lens to f8 for best sharpness)

At the end and all in all the lenses have similar reach wide open, with or without TC does not change this relation very much.

Stopped down to 200mm/f5.6 or 283mm/f8 the old lens might be a tad better but as the AF accuracy is not perfect the theoretical sharpness advantage at f5.6 and at 200mm reverts to disadvantage in reality. Therefore I don't regret switching ...

Christof

Switching to the 40-150 f2.8 may be a good idea, but it really depends on how you use the 50-200.  If most of your use of the current lens is without the EC14, then you will probably find the 40-150 with the MC14 a better choice.

I have never considered switching, since I rarely ever remove the EC14 from the 50-200 and almost always use it above 200mm (the great majority at 283mm).

I will wait for the 300 f4, but that does concern me since I assume it has the same mechanical focus as the other Pro mFTs lenses.

I always pre-focus (to almost correct focus) when photographing things like hummingbirds flying in my wife's garden.  The mechanically linked SWD focus allows me to easily combine manual focus with auto focus (I press the shutter for auto focus immediately on pre-focus).  I fear that the time required to move the focus ring to auto focus will be too long for quickly moving targets (I always have Rls Priority C = On, since I find the time required for the camera to confirm focus causes too many missed images and moving the focus ring will probably take longer than that.)

Just a feeling....

I have the 50-200SWD with the 1.4tele, but my Em1 struggles with people or animals running at me....  I get the feeling from what I have read that the 40-150pro would be a much better choice for this if that's what you need.

I'm saving up to have both...

Cheers,
Chumby

Right now I don't think I could reasonably afford the 40-150 pro, without selling both the 50-200 plus the EC14. More than likely I will ultimately get one, but I think I'll stick with the older lens for now.

In another year there will be used ones showing up, and Olympus may have it on there refurbished site. I also might want to hold on to the SWD and maybe sell it when the new 300mm shows up. ( of course that lens will likely cost the proverbial arm and a leg)

Thank for everyone's input. I would really like to have the new lens, but just don't want to give up the extra reach of the SWD .

Rmark wrote:

Right now I don't think I could reasonably afford the 40-150 pro, without selling both the 50-200 plus the EC14. More than likely I will ultimately get one, but I think I'll stick with the older lens for now.

In another year there will be used ones showing up, and Olympus may have it on there refurbished site. I also might want to hold on to the SWD and maybe sell it when the new 300mm shows up. ( of course that lens will likely cost the proverbial arm and a leg)

Thank for everyone's input. I would really like to have the new lens, but just don't want to give up the extra reach of the SWD .

Hi Rmark,

I understand most of your conclusions.

But as I said above, "extra reach" is not the criteria.

The 50-200SWD has to be stopped down to f8 to get a visible sharpness/reach advantage. Unfortunately, either the lack of light or the somewhat poor AF precision completely eliminate this small advantage.

As someone else said: once you own the 40-150pro, you wont feel much need for the 50-200SWD anny more ...

Another option I could understand better would be to keep the 50-200 and save the money for a 300/f4 lens.

Christof