The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Telephoto choice

mmbma

Active member
I have still using the OMD EM5. I'm looking into getting a telephoto zoom that covers the 200mm (35mm equivalent) focal length.

My choices are

1. Panasonic 35-100
2. Oly 75-300
3. Panasonic 100-300
4. 40-200

Or, I could upgrade to the EM1 and get the Zuiko 50-250mm . How is the non-SWD version of this lens compared to the ones above in terms of sharpness and focusing ability?

My question is, other than cost and faster aperture, which one should I get for wild life? I'll be shooting at 200mm+ focal lengths (35mm evquivalent)
 

Annna T

Active member
I have still using the OMD EM5. I'm looking into getting a telephoto zoom that covers the 200mm (35mm equivalent) focal length.

My choices are

1. Panasonic 35-100
2. Oly 75-300
3. Panasonic 100-300
4. 40-200

Or, I could upgrade to the EM1 and get the Zuiko 50-250mm . How is the non-SWD version of this lens compared to the ones above in terms of sharpness and focusing ability?

My question is, other than cost and faster aperture, which one should I get for wild life? I'll be shooting at 200mm+ focal lengths (35mm evquivalent)
It is a difficult question..

4) Forget about the 40-200mm Panasonic : I have read many complaints about it. It is the oldest long zoom issued for MFT.

3) I own a 100-300mm Panasonic and I don't like it. It is not bad at the short end on relatively near subjects, but forget the long end : it will loose a lot of contrast and mine isn't even able to focus at infinite. Some like that zoom however. It may be due to sample variation. It is a rather heavy lens compared to the Olympus 75-300mm.

2) I never shot with the 75-300mm Olympus. It is lighter, but a tad slower at the long end. IQ may not be very different from the 100-300mm : they are in the same category. Olympus has issued a second version, whose price is now competitive with the 100-300mm Panasonic.

1) Panasonic 35-100mm : it has a very good reputation and is clearly a level above all the others. But it may be a little short at 100mm compared to your other choices. Among the four you named, this is the one I'd get.

I don't know anything about the 4/3 lenses. Usually they have good reputation for long zoom, but they may be very heavy.

Are you in a hurry ? Two new lenses are announced by Olympus for this year : a "pro" 40-150mm fast zoom and a 300mm F4 tele. If the 40-150mm is on par with the 12-40mm, then I would get one.

If you are in a hurry, may be get the actual Olympus 40-150mm, it is a cheap and very light zoom offering surprisingly good results for its price and size. Some got it for as low as 99$. Then when the higher IQ zooms are issued, you won't have lost too much money. The only inconvenient of the 40-150mm, which I own, is the when you shoot at 150mm with the hood, it becomes quite long and you won't remain unseen..

The issuing of the Olympus 40-150mm is imminent, it should arrive before the summer.. From the pictures, the Panasonic 35-100mm will be more compact, but it has less reach. Personally, I own the light Olympus 40-150mm, plus the Panasonic 100-300mm and I'm waiting to see how the Olympus "pro" 40-150mm will compare with the Panasonic 35-100mm before I make any decision between the two.
 

mmbma

Active member
Thank you. This is very helpful. The 40-150mm pro zoom is HUGE, even compared to the Panasonic 100-300. will probably cost around $1500. too

The 4/3 lenses have good reputation. but those reviews are years old. I can't find reviews of those lenses on the new EM1.
 

Annna T

Active member
Thank you. This is very helpful. The 40-150mm pro zoom is HUGE, even compared to the Panasonic 100-300. will probably cost around $1500. too

The 4/3 lenses have good reputation. but those reviews are years old. I can't find reviews of those lenses on the new EM1.
I haven't yet seen what will be the size of the expected 40-150mm MFT lens, I only viewed pictures without any hints concerning their scale. Hopefully it will be smaller than the FT zooms.

You can look at DXO for comparative scores :

comparative DXO scores

May be that they have info concerning the FT lenses on MFT bodies too ?
 

JMaher

New member
While not a pro lens the lowly Olympus 40-150 is what I picked to hold me over until the pro version appears. It's not fast but the optical quality is far better than the price would suggest. Not spectacular but good stopped down. For better quality in a fixed lens I have the Olympus 75 1.8 which is terrific.

However I am only an occasional user of anything over the 24-105 that was used frequently on my canons.
 

mmbma

Active member
I saw a video online on youtube. showing the 40-150 together with the Panasonic 100-300, which is already pretty big.

the Oly lens DWARFS the pano 100-300
 

f6cvalkyrie

Well-known member
I'm a happy user of the Lumix 45-175 "X".
Small, light, powerzoom (excellent for video) and it covers the focal range you're after, if I read your question correctly.

C U
Rafael

PS, just a quick and dirty shot from that lens, shot this afternoon
@ FL 45mm

 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I have still using the OMD EM5. I'm looking into getting a telephoto zoom that covers the 200mm (35mm equivalent) focal length.

My choices are

1. Panasonic 35-100
2. Oly 75-300
3. Panasonic 100-300
4. 40-200

Or, I could upgrade to the EM1 and get the Zuiko 50-250mm . How is the non-SWD version of this lens compared to the ones above in terms of sharpness and focusing ability?

My question is, other than cost and faster aperture, which one should I get for wild life? I'll be shooting at 200mm+ focal lengths (35mm evquivalent)
My solution to long zoom was a ZD 50-200 (first version), along with occasional use of an EC-14 teleconverter. Works for both E-1 and E-M1.

It's an excellent lens, and focuses faster with the E-M1 then with the E-1. Very sharp, not small. With the E-M1, I prefer to use it with the HLD-7 fitted for better balance, hand-held.


Path #27
by Godfrey DiGiorgi

Olympus E-M1 + ZD 50-200mm + EC-14
ISO 200 @ f/5.6 @ 1/2000 @ 147mm

G
 

Elliot

Active member
The 4/3 50-200 is quite a nice lens, but it is heavy. Here is a handheld, cropped shot from my first "roll" with a used copy I bought, on the E-M1, in difficult lighting conditions and at some distance.

 

Elliot

Active member
Here is the Panasonic 100-300 on a Panasonic GX7. It does about the same on the Olympus E-M5 and E-M1, in my experience.



171mm=342mm FOV
f4.7
1/400
ISO 400
 

Elliot

Active member
The 50-200 is a very nice lens. I wish I had brought it to a concert last night instead of the 12-40, which was too short for my needs.

Here is a quick shot just a few minutes ago from the front yard. It is at full telephone (200mm) and cropped.

 

mmbma

Active member
Thanks for everyone's helpful suggestions. I got the panasonic 100-300 and I am VERY happy with it. Sharp at the longest end, no issue focusing even in dim light. This Macaw agrees

 
Last edited:
Top