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The Zoom Conundrum

jonoslack

Active member
Okay - we all like shooting primes - the results are notably better, and the more 'useful' the zoom, the more compromises it has.

Still, there are those moments.

I was out today with the 14-150 Zuiko - which is a good(ish) and very 'useful' zoom.

This is a fairly decent shot I took with it:


it's a little soft at the corners, but not silly bad, and the detail and micro contrast in the middle is really pretty good.

. . . . . but it would have been better with the 25. . . . and then . . round the corner:





I got a few shots in quick succession . . . and then . . . oops. . . busted



Then they were gone.

I've never seen fox cubs playing in the wild before, and if I'd had the 25mm on the camera then I would have missed it.

all the best
Jono

P.S. for Bart - I've taken a slight poetic license to show a decent first shot, I'm sure you'll notice, so I confess already!
 

MGrayson

Subscriber and Workshop Member
First shot link doesn't work. Just a blue question mark box.

Great cubs!

--Matt
 

jonoslack

Active member
Thanks Matt - should be okay now although you may need to refresh the blue question mark
Stupid me . . trying to juggle too many eggs!
all the best
 

Braeside

New member
Yes, that worked (refreshing).

Jono, the cubs are cute, never seen any myself, let alone photograph them - well done!

I was caught out the other week when I spotted an owl in daylight, but only had my GXR with me. I got a couple of shots with an an old 135/4 russian lens which performed pretty well, but still it was too far away. I returned next day with the huge honking 70-400 on the A900 and of course it was gone!
 

Amin

Active member
Yes, definitely a conundrum. You're in the lucky position of being able to carry an OM-D with zoom plus a Leica and prime. Both should fit in a small bag. Me - I'll be working towards a black OM-D to go with my silver one :).

Love the fox cubs at play!
 

Jonas

Active member
Cute cubs!
But... they don't look that sharp to my eyes? In the images were we see all three of them the grass is sharp at the focus plane looking to the right but not when looking to the left of the youngsters. What's going on?
 

biglouis

Well-known member
Since Sigma has shown some interest in the m43rds market I keep hoping they will introduce a decent range of zooms, and fast ones at that.

The last shot with the cub is a winner. I don't have to tell an experienced photographer like you that it is the camera/lens you have with you that gets the shot and not the best camera/lens combination you can own.

LouisB
 

jonoslack

Active member
Cute cubs!
But... they don't look that sharp to my eyes? In the images were we see all three of them the grass is sharp at the focus plane looking to the right but not when looking to the left of the youngsters. What's going on?
Hi Jonas
You're quite right - it wasn't perfect - they're cropped a lot, and the focus isn't perfect . . . . but I was too far away for perfection, and the opportunity only lasted a few seconds.
I wasn't putting them up as world class photos - just simply that they wouldn't exist without a zoom lens.
 

Brian Mosley

New member
Your point is very well made Jono. I just wish somehow the mZD 14-150 was a little shorter.

Those are special shots of the fox cubs, well done! :thumbs:

Brian
 

bradhusick

Active member
The zoom lens on the Fuji X10 is simply great. The manual twist is lightning fast and the lens is f2 to f2.8 throughout. The whole camera is tiny too compared to a m4/3 or APS-C setup with lens.
 

Terry

New member
The zoom lens on the Fuji X10 is simply great. The manual twist is lightning fast and the lens is f2 to f2.8 throughout. The whole camera is tiny too compared to a m4/3 or APS-C setup with lens.
Yes - the X10 is great for that but I guess in this point they still would have been too far out. My smallest long lens reasonable sized sensor solution is the Nikon V1 with 30-110 lens. I had that over my shoulder the whole time I was in Death Valley.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Neat pix, Jono.

I've long since given up trying to get every interesting shot that comes along. I put a lens on the camera, no matter what type, and look for what I have in mind that it can capture, passing up things it can't.

The fact that I can't capture any subject at will doesn't bother me. The only thing that matters is that what I want to photograph is captured the way I want it. :)
 

Knorp

Well-known member
What a strike of luck to stumble up on these fox cubs, Jono.
That last cub shot is a cracker.
Once a fox came so close to me, I had difficulty to get it in focus (k5+1.7t/c+200mm).
Still, too bad you hadn't mounted the 100-300, but you did quite well with 14-150.
And I can understand you're choice for a more versatile lens.

Oh I did notice, but you're forgiven ... ;)

Kind regards.
 

Jonas

Active member
Hi Jonas
You're quite right - it wasn't perfect - they're cropped a lot, and the focus isn't perfect . . . . but I was too far away for perfection, and the opportunity only lasted a few seconds.
OK, I guess that explains it.

I wasn't putting them up as world class photos - just simply that they wouldn't exist without a zoom lens.
Heh. I hope "world class photo" won't ever be required for posting here... And I surely understood your topic title. All I wondered was why the focus plane was so bent. Maybe that is a part of the conundrum.

The last cub image is very charming!
 

ustein

Contributing Editor
A zoom I hardly feel is much of a compromise is the Canon 70-200mm f/4 IS zoom. I would like to see such a zoom (35-100mm f/2.8-3.5) for m43.
 

httivals

New member
I agree that the Canon 70-200mm f4/IS zoom is one of the best I've used for performance, size, weight, and value. The only one I've used that rivals the Canon is the Panasonic 7-14mm. The original Panasonic 14-45mm is also excellent but it is too slow for m4/3.
 

ustein

Contributing Editor
>The only one I've used that rivals the Canon is the Panasonic 7-14mm.

Agreed, extremely good if you count weight, quality and even in the end price. The 43 7-14mm Olympus is nice too but more bulky and expensive.
 
P

Paul

Guest
The Panasonic 35-100 f2.8 is supposed to be released this summer or autumn, according to rumours. It was announced some time ago.

A zoom I hardly feel is much of a compromise is the Canon 70-200mm f/4 IS zoom. I would like to see such a zoom (35-100mm f/2.8-3.5) for m43.
 

ustein

Contributing Editor
> It was announced some time ago.

Fingers crossed. But Panasonic is so slow in delivering new lenses.
 
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