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Wide angle lens considerations for MFT

PeterB666

Member
I need a good wide angle lens for dawn/dusk/night photography for my E-P1.

Currently I am stuck with my Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 which isn't wide enough and the Olympus 14-42 doesn't care for Coken filters due to the weak AF motor.

I have been thinking of either the Olympus 11-22mm as is a faster than other wide offerings and is readily available second-hand at a price I can afford.

My other option would be the forthcoming Olympus 9-18mm zoom, but gee that's slow at the long end. While the aperture itself isn't a problem, it sure makes a difference trying to compose on the LCD in bad light.

Anyone using the 11-22mm on either the E-P1 or E-P2. What's it like with handing and AF (even though I won't be using AF much).

Any opinions on which may be the best choice? I would consider other alternatives but the Panasonic 7-14mm is far too expensive.

Cheers

Peter
 
D

Devon Shaw

Guest
My other option would be the forthcoming Olympus 9-18mm zoom, but gee that's slow at the long end.

I expect you wouldn't be using it at the long end too much right though? Since you already have the 20mm and that isn't wide enough enough maybe the 18mm slowness won't really be so much an issue. Just a thought.
-Devon
 

Rich M

Member
I bought the Panasonic 7-14mm despite reservations about no filter threads. It's a great lens, but I am not shooting it as much as I thought...mainly because NO filter threads.

What I am shooting is the Olympus ED 11-22mm F/2.8-3.5. It's big...but not overly so....nice and sharp. It has a 72mm filter diameter so I was just a step up ring away from using my polarizers and 4X4 filters. I don't autofocus with it....and actually it sits on a tripod a lot.....so I can't claim how versatile it is.

I can say I shoot it more than the 7-14mm though.

R
 

PeterB666

Member
I expect you wouldn't be using it at the long end too much right though? Since you already have the 20mm and that isn't wide enough enough maybe the 18mm slowness won't really be so much an issue. Just a thought.
-Devon
That's a good point actually. I think I might have a bit of a play with my OM lenses pre-set to F/4 and see how easy it is to view in the sort of light I work with. Generally, I have considered f/2.8 to be desirable with my older lenses used in pre-set mode.
 

PeterB666

Member
What I am shooting is the Olympus ED 11-22mm F/2.8-3.5. It's big...but not overly so....nice and sharp. It has a 72mm filter diameter so I was just a step up ring away from using my polarizers and 4X4 filters. I don't autofocus with it....and actually it sits on a tripod a lot.....so I can't claim how versatile it is.
I would only be using the lens MF most of the time too. Likewise on a tripod.

Do you think the 11-22 would vignette on wide with 85mm Cokin filters?
 

Rich M

Member
I would only be using the lens MF most of the time too. Likewise on a tripod.

Do you think the 11-22 would vignette on wide with 85mm Cokin filters?
Peter -

I never noticed any vignetting, so I tried it today. I used a 72-77mm step-up ring to a 77mm ring adapter for a Cokin-Z Pro filter mount. This is for 4X5 and 4X6 filters.

At 11mm, there was slight vignetting...if I had a 72mm adapter ring, maybe there would be none. It was certainly something one could live with though. I don't know about Cokin P's though.

R
 

PeterB666

Member
Thanks. The problem is not so much the width of the filters, but the depth of the holder. I did some playing around with a fast lens last night and for focusing, I would prefer the f/2.8 aperture over the f/4.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
I use an Oly-D 17/2.8 with a Ricoh GW-1 (0.75X converter). This is one of my most used wide (~12.75mm) "prime".
 

nugat

New member
Some legacy cinema c-mount wides were for super16mm and with image circle of 16-17mm. They were also fast.
Schneider cinegon 10/f1.8 gives effective 24mm (FF equivalent) when cropped to 16:9. At 2.8 it's really sharp too.
 
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