Wonderful Lens but a little heavy

The M.Zuiko Digital 40-150mm F2.8 Pro is an exceptional lens, characterized by the following attributes: 1) Excellent and robust build quality; 2) Ability to focus rapidly when mated to a body like the OM-D E-M1; 3) Very useful focal range; 4)Noticeably sharp wide open throughout the zoom range; 5) Little to no noticeable aberrations, fringing or other optical flaws; 6) Nicely balanced on a Pro body like the E-M1; 7) Heavy for an M43rds lens.

While I love the optical quality, built quality and versatility of this lens, it is not perfect. The out of focus background bokeh can be a little nervous under the right conditions, though not overly so, and it is heavy. I think that this lens would make an excellent tool for weddings, reportage and photographers who don't generally require other focal lengths in their bags. Unfortunately, for nature and landscape photographers, or those who also carry other pro lenses, the weight of this lens can become an issue. As much as I love the lens, I would encourage Olympus to create a lighter constant aperture f4.0 version for those outdoor photographers for whom quality optics AND light weight are equally important. It is for the weight reason alone that I give this lens 4.5, instead of 5 stars. Nevertheless, an excellent performer which I am very happy to own.

Seems like a fair and balanced review. I think you left out the lenses close focus ability which makes is very useful for things like flower and butterfly photography, with even more reach and greater mag with the 1.4x TC attached. Plus, like the 12-40 Pro, this lens can do focus stacking, of which the 12-100 does not.

I have this lens and love its' sharpness. Although a relatively new lens in the m.Zuiko catalog, it certainly should be a candidate for an update soon (to include OIS) so to offer dual IS on Olympus bodies.

... and I'm excited!  I'm coming from the Nikon FF world (D810), and compared to the Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 lens (and excellent lens!), this is a lightweight indeed.  And it can be used with the TC1.4 with a little stopping down, or so I've read.

This will be rather duplicative for me, as I have (and love) the 12-100mm f4 Pro lens.  But I like the extra reach and possibility of using the TC.

Can't wait to test it Monday.

Albert Valentino wrote:

Seems like a fair and balanced review. I think you left out the lenses close focus ability which makes is very useful for things like flower and butterfly photography, with even more reach and greater mag with the 1.4x TC attached.

Yes, I'm looking forward to trying that with dragonflies here, as soon as they show up in a few weeks.  I'll also use the 300mm f4 Pro for that.

Plus, like the 12-40 Pro, this lens can do focus stacking, of which the 12-100 does not.

Well, I shoot only  RAW and so do focus bracketing only, which works really well with CC 2017 processing.

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goodbokeh wrote:

I have this lens and love its' sharpness. Although a relatively new lens in the m.Zuiko catalog, it certainly should be a candidate for an update soon (to include OIS) so to offer dual IS on Olympus bodies.

Mmm, I assumed it already had dual IS.  I'll keep an eye out for that update.

It's hard after using the 40-150 PRO for entire days for me to think it's heavy - but part of the issue is equally legitimate perspectives and mine just differs. Maybe we should each spend a day every quarter with the DSLR we migrated over from (Me a D300S and Nikkor 80-200 f/2.8 among other lenses) which would remind us just how diminutive the M.Zuiko 40-150 f/2.8 actually is with (35mm equiv.) 80-300 reach.

The PRO lenses are more beef to be sure, but the M4/3 ethos and strength is the formats ability to say less is more as easily at the pro (and in this case fast) end of the format as it is with the kit 40-150 f/4-5.6. In fact, without fast pro series choices, it would be harder to argue the M4/3 format is a legitimate alternative. A smaller pro f/4 might be nice, but they got it right with the f/2.8.

doug wever wrote:

It's hard after using the 40-150 PRO for entire days for me to think it's heavy - but part of the issue is equally legitimate perspectives and mine just differs. Maybe we should each spend a day every quarter with the DSLR we migrated over from (Me a D300S and Nikkor 80-200 f/2.8 among other lenses) which would remind us just how diminutive the M.Zuiko 40-150 f/2.8 actually is with (35mm equiv.) 80-300 reach.

Agreed.

The PRO lenses are more beef to be sure, but the M4/3 ethos and strength is the formats ability to say less is more as easily at the pro (and in this case fast) end of the format as it is with the kit 40-150 f/4-5.6. In fact, without fast pro series choices, it would be harder to argue the M4/3 format is a legitimate alternative. A smaller pro f/4 might be nice, but they got it right with the f/2.8.

Glad to hear it.  Mine arrives Monday, and I'm excited.

Lovely shot, lovely colors.  Ringnecks, right?  But why ISO 800 and f8?

A wonderful lens, yes. A little heavy, not so much.

Given what that lens can do, I never worry about its weight, whether alone or with the MC-14 on either of my E-M1s.

The micro four thirds system offers lenses of many weights and sizes.  Somewhere in the lineup is something for most everyone.

Use it, and enjoy it.

I rarely use this lens, as most of the time I use the 100-400. However, everytime I get this out for roller derby or similar it just brings a smile to my face. Such a nice lens to use.

Paul Richman wrote:

Lovely shot, lovely colors. Ringnecks, right? But why ISO 800 and f8?--

Paul Richman
Pixels By Paul
http://PixelsByPaul.COM
"There's a good picture nearby. Find it. Take it. Share it."

ISO 800 was during testing the camera more than the lens. That was around the time I got the E-M1 Mark 2, and subsequently bought the 40-150 and some other PRO lenses although I already owned the 12-40 f/2.8.

So I started at JPEG ISO 100 and shot 4 apertures, then ISO 200, 400, and 800. So it turned out it was at ISO 800 at f/8 that the ducks were both spaced out just about right and balanced the bench nicely.

My second test was printing. The picture at ISO 800 impressively lasted to 20x30 (as sized in the picture frame), but if you pixel peep, it really only lasts to 16x20. RAW at ISO 100 f/4 20x30 is significantly better and could go larger. I use both card slots now to send JPEG to the lower and RAW to the upper.

Guest Room where picture looks great at 20x30. The iPhone hued everything towards yellow.

Original Photo File

doug wever wrote:

Paul Richman wrote:

Lovely shot, lovely colors. Ringnecks, right? But why ISO 800 and f8?--

Paul Richman
Pixels By Paul
http://PixelsByPaul.COM
"There's a good picture nearby. Find it. Take it. Share it."

ISO 800 was during testing the camera more than the lens. That was around the time I got the E-M1 Mark 2, and subsequently bought the 40-150 and some other PRO lenses although I already owned the 12-40 f/2.8.

So I started at JPEG ISO 100 and shot 4 apertures, then ISO 200, 400, and 800. So it turned out it was at ISO 800 at f/8 that the ducks were both spaced out just about right and balanced the bench nicely.

My second test was printing. The picture at ISO 800 impressively lasted to 20x30 (as sized in the picture frame), but if you pixel peep, it really only lasts to 16x20. RAW at ISO 100 f/4 20x30 is significantly better and could go larger. I use both card slots now to send JPEG to the lower and RAW to the upper.

Guest Room where picture looks great at 20x30. The iPhone hued everything towards yellow.

Original Photo File

Very interesting. Thanks for the explanation. Makes perfect sense to me now. The picture really looks nice framed on the wall. Enjoy!

Paul Richman wrote:

goodbokeh wrote:

I have this lens and love its' sharpness. Although a relatively new lens in the m.Zuiko catalog, it certainly should be a candidate for an update soon (to include OIS) so to offer dual IS on Olympus bodies.

Mmm, I assumed it already had dual IS. I'll keep an eye out for that update.

Paul, unfortunately our current 40-150 Pros can't be firmware updated to include the dual IS feature. That is a physical design change that will take a whole new lens being offered in the future.

It's much easier and lighter to handle if you remove the tripod collar. Unless of course you want to use it on a tripod, in which case the weight is probably a non-issue.

goodbokeh wrote:

Paul Richman wrote:

goodbokeh wrote:

I have this lens and love its' sharpness. Although a relatively new lens in the m.Zuiko catalog, it certainly should be a candidate for an update soon (to include OIS) so to offer dual IS on Olympus bodies.

Mmm, I assumed it already had dual IS. I'll keep an eye out for that update.

Paul, unfortunately our current 40-150 Pros can't be firmware updated to include the dual IS feature. That is a physical design change that will take a whole new lens being offered in the future.

Good point. I checked later and saw that the lens has no IS what so ever.

Absolutely. I neglected to note its close focus ability, which is one of its great strengths and certainly adds another level to its versatility.