75/1.8 vs 70-100/2.8 thoughts

[Paratom]

What are your thoughts regarding usability of those 2 lenses?
(Lets assume both would perform very good optically).

1,5 f-stops vs flexible zoom range.

Those who own the 75/1.8...how good could you live with f2.8? And how much do you miss flexibility of a zoom?

Anybody allready owning the 35-100/2.8?

Regards, Tom

 

[httivals]

I own the 75/1.8. For me the extra 1.5 stops are very important. I also have the 45mm f1.8. I'd rather have those two lenses than the 35-100. . . . However, I may also get the 35-100mm for landscapes/travelling. My guess is that the 35-100 will not perform nearly as good as the 75/1.8 until the 35-100 is stopped down to f4, and even then likely not as good. So I'd rather use the 75/1.8 and crop a bit. . . . When using the lens indoors the 1.5 stops are a big deal. Not as much of a big deal outdoors. There's probably also a more substantial loss of light transmission with the zoom, such that my guess is that it's more like 2 "T" stops of light difference between the two, but that's just a guess.

 

[leuallen]

The zoom functionality wins for me. I have most of the lens line up and find the zooms more useful as I am generally stopping down to 5.6 or 8 most of the time. I keep the primes for cases where I know that I'll need the speed or DOF control. I am not a one lens on camera enthusiast. I generally change the focal lengths frequently exploring different options. The zoom excels at this. I carry the 12-35 and 45-175 as my main two lenses and find that I have to switch lenses frequently to get what I want. The 35-100 is on order but I don't think it will replace the 45-100 as I tend towards the long end quite a lot. I'm sure I'll find a use for the 35-100 though. As far as sharpness goes, the premium lenses all have sufficient sharpness for me so that is not too much of a factor.

Larry

 

[Amin]

I love the 75/1.8. If I had the zoom, I'd miss the speed and smaller size of the prime. I don't find myself wishing I had the flexibility to zoom.

 

[Paratom]

I own the 75/1.8. For me the extra 1.5 stops are very important. I also have the 45mm f1.8. I'd rather have those two lenses than the 35-100. . . . However, I may also get the 35-100mm for landscapes/travelling. My guess is that the 35-100 will not perform nearly as good as the 75/1.8 until the 35-100 is stopped down to f4, and even then likely not as good. So I'd rather use the 75/1.8 and crop a bit. . . . When using the lens indoors the 1.5 stops are a big deal. Not as much of a big deal outdoors. There's probably also a more substantial loss of light transmission with the zoom, such that my guess is that it's more like 2 "T" stops of light difference between the two, but that's just a guess.

Agree that 1.5 stops are something inside-but isnt 75mm very long inside and would make that lens pretty useless for indoor (excepts events)?

 

[jlm]

i use the 12-35 zoom, and only the 75 when distance allows, since the 150mm equivalent is a bit long for full height people shots, though the DOF is perfect. i'm getting the 35-100 as that is the missing gap right now and I bump into it frequently

 

[MGrayson]

The 45/1.8 is a stellar lens - very small and light. As I mentioned in another thread, I'll try living with the 45 and 75 instead of the 35-100 and see if the lens switching drives me crazy. I always intend to use good primes and always end up using zooms.

--Matt

 

[ErikTande]

I have the 75mm 1.8, and I can't imagine life without it right now. The lens is absolutely stellar. The price of the 35-100mm 2.8 is too steep for me, and I have an older Canon FD with a similar zoom range and aperture that I use all the time with an adapter, so I'm holding off for now.

 

[ggibson]

I owned a manual 75mm f1.4 lens and it was both long for indoor use and difficult to hand-hold in low light at reasonable ISO without image stabilization (I have a GF1). For an Olympus with IBIS you might have a better time.

As far as DOF goes, I believe the 35-100 will actually be just about equal at the longest end (100/2.8 roughly equivalent to 75/1.8 if you forgive perspective ).

I also think having a flexible focal length is nice for short telephoto. Allows for more options when framing.

Based on these thoughts, I prefer the 35-100 myself.

 

[pophoto]

This is just my personal observation from the images posted here and online in general: I find any telephoto 35mm zoom adapted onto m43, gives superior sharpness over m43 native telephoto zooms.

So unless wanting a native zoom (and the range it offers), where AF and stabilization (where applicable) are necessary, I find the money for the 35-100 too much for m43 at this point! I love the OMD, and feel it is a complete compact system, but I also feel there are limits on its IQ and hence the price for each lens has its limit too, subjective I know!

On the Oly 75 1.8:
Images I have seen while I feel online reviewers are quite eager to exaggerate, the images have proven very close to the comments.

 

[Paratom]

I have "played" with both lenses for some time now and have to say that I decided for the 35-100 for its flexibility regarding focal length. Using manual 3rd aprty lenses on the OMD is not my thing because the OMD is supposed to be my flexible fast outdoor camera.
The strange thing having decided for the 35-100 I am still lusting for the 75/1.8 - 1.5 f-stops is still making a difference and the images are beautiful from this lens.
Still I have been impressed how good the 35-100 is optically, and comparing it to my 14-150 (I know unfair comparison) was a fault because now I know that the 14-150 doesnt deliver what the sensor of the OMD can deliver.

 

[ThePhotoSoup]

This 75mm vs 35-100mm was my question for a while now. I just picked up the 35-100mm for my GH3. The reason mostly was image stabilization and zoom flexibility though weather sealing is nice to have. I had the 75mm on my GH3 indoors at the camera shop, took about 6 shots and all were blurred. I tried real hard to hold it steady. However, when looking through the viewfinder, the bokeh looked so so good. I really have been wanting this [75mm] lens but was just scared a little over the lack of OIS and the fact that it was one focal length. I know primes are better optically than zooms but in this day and age, how much worse could it be?

I am currently rocking that 35-100mm and I believe I have 15 days to try this baby out before I'm "stuck" with it. It was a pretty hefty price, but not when you consider the equivalent size and price of a FF lens.