Olympus M4/3 lenses
Mar 22, 2021 20:07:22 #
I have a choice of two lenses to buy for my Olympus Pen Lite E-PL5 - both around the $300Aus 2nd hand and I can only afford one of them!!
1. Olympus 75-300mm 1:4.8-6.7
2. Olympus 60mm f2.8 macro.
I already have a 14-42 kit lens on the E-PL5 - its OK but not used much as I have a better 14-150mm on my E-M5 Mk2 which I use a lot. I don't like changing lenses which is why I like the 14-150.
I do a lot of seascapes/landscapes, ships, yachts, planes, some macro of flowers and rarely birds or animals. Very occasional moon shots.
Just wondering which lens experienced M4/3 hoggers would choose.
Cheers JohnR
1. Olympus 75-300mm 1:4.8-6.7
2. Olympus 60mm f2.8 macro.
I already have a 14-42 kit lens on the E-PL5 - its OK but not used much as I have a better 14-150mm on my E-M5 Mk2 which I use a lot. I don't like changing lenses which is why I like the 14-150.
I do a lot of seascapes/landscapes, ships, yachts, planes, some macro of flowers and rarely birds or animals. Very occasional moon shots.
Just wondering which lens experienced M4/3 hoggers would choose.
Cheers JohnR
Mar 22, 2021 20:21:43 #
Mar 22, 2021 21:33:12 #
The best advice I can give is think back over the last year or two and go for the one you said, “I wish I had.....” the most often.
Bill
Bill
Mar 22, 2021 21:44:13 #
I have both of the ones you are looking at. I do not use the macro enough to really make it work well for me...still a work in progress. The other is more general purpose. If you are going out and shooting random things in the world, traveling, etc...I'd go with the 70-300. It has an equivalent of 150-600 in FF. So it has a wide range. With the 14-150 and the 70-300, you cover a lot of focal lengths. The 60 is a bit special purpose, IMO.
And the 14-150 can take pretty decent shots of flowers and semi-macro work.
And the 14-150 can take pretty decent shots of flowers and semi-macro work.
Mar 22, 2021 21:51:43 #
This is my personal summary of the two options:
Zoom: Enormously more reach, double of your 14-150.
Macro: One of only two (30 & 60) fairly affordable lenses that allow in-camera focus stacking.
Those are the functions I’d be weighing if faced with your two options. Only you could know which function rocks your world more than the other.
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FWIW I already have the 14-150 and never miss having access to 300mm. I also have the 60 and find it rather large for an m4/3 f:2.8 prime. So unless I’m reeeally needing major macro I’ll carry my mini 45/1.8 rather than the 60/2.8.
Zoom: Enormously more reach, double of your 14-150.
Macro: One of only two (30 & 60) fairly affordable lenses that allow in-camera focus stacking.
Those are the functions I’d be weighing if faced with your two options. Only you could know which function rocks your world more than the other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FWIW I already have the 14-150 and never miss having access to 300mm. I also have the 60 and find it rather large for an m4/3 f:2.8 prime. So unless I’m reeeally needing major macro I’ll carry my mini 45/1.8 rather than the 60/2.8.
Mar 22, 2021 21:58:15 #
JohnR wrote:
I have a choice of two lenses to buy for my Olympu... (show quote)
Since you already have a 14-150 and rarely photograph birds and animals, do you really need the reach the 75-300 will give you? If you do a lot of Macro, or want to increase your Macro shooting the 60mm would be the better choice. If you’re not really interested in Macro, why buy either? Save your money and buy a lens that fits your photographic style. It doesn’t really matter what anyone else would choose, only you know what you want to accomplish.
Mar 23, 2021 06:31:28 #
I guess you would rarely need the reach of 300 (600 equiv), perhaps only for your lunar shots. Unless you are about to change what you photograph then don't (at this time) buy either. I am a M4/3 shooter, and replaced all my kit 18 months ago - sold on two cameras and various lenses, staying with M4/3, buying a 14-42 and a 45-175, giving me an equivalent range from 28-350. Both lenses close focus, and although not macro the 45-175 can zoom in ok for me. Made me a happy bunny.
Mar 23, 2021 09:09:31 #
mizzee
Loc: Boston,Ma
I have both lenses. I do use my 75–300 but often find I’m too close. It’s best for wildlife, zoos, birds, etc. my 60 lens gets more use in the summer for macro and general purpose, but primarily macro. I too love my 14-150 and use it often. I also really like my 25 f/1.8 for night, city, and museums. Ditto my 12-40 Pro. I’m not sure I’ve given you the answer you wanted.
Mar 23, 2021 09:30:54 #
Indeed you do not need any of the lenses you have mentioned for the type of subjects you like to photograph. Your 14-150 lens covers a lot of real estate.
Perhaps what could prove to be very useful to you with your subjects is a wide angle zoom assuming your 14 mm side of the zoom you find kind of limiting at times. I use a Panasonic 7-14 mm f4 for when I want to come close to my subject. It is small, light and very sharp.
Although I do not use the Olympus macro lens I know it is an excellent macro but as someone has already mentioned I find myself using a tele for "macro" shots instead of a macro in most cases.
Perhaps what could prove to be very useful to you with your subjects is a wide angle zoom assuming your 14 mm side of the zoom you find kind of limiting at times. I use a Panasonic 7-14 mm f4 for when I want to come close to my subject. It is small, light and very sharp.
Although I do not use the Olympus macro lens I know it is an excellent macro but as someone has already mentioned I find myself using a tele for "macro" shots instead of a macro in most cases.
Mar 23, 2021 12:48:54 #
The macro lens opens an entire new world that can be enjoyed year-round indoors and out. You will see things in ways that you never would have been able to imagine otherwise. The 60mm macro is also a great portrait lens.
Visit Flickr and search for Olympus macro and I believe that you will be amazed at what you see.
Visit Flickr and search for Olympus macro and I believe that you will be amazed at what you see.
Mar 23, 2021 12:57:29 #
Besperus
Loc: Oregon
I use Pen f and OMD II. Right now, 40 to 150 gets the most use. The pro 14 to 40 does a fair amount of city grab shots. I have heard that the 60 stays in a camera bag mostly. The other zoom is nice to have but will hardly use it at the extreme (300) end but very nice to have. A good fixed lens of twenty-five or so will get a lot of use. Wide angle zoom, 7 to 14 ? If possible would be on my shopping list.
Mar 23, 2021 13:00:06 #
I own the Olympus 75-300 and a Canon version (EF-S 60 mm) macro. I seldom use either. There a lot of lenses in my closet! Because you asked us to chose one of two choices, my advice is to buy the 60 macro. Put it on the E-M5 and leave it on there for at least a week. Set it on Portrait and shoot cats, dogs eyes, flowers, friends and family (you may love the bokeh) and their hands and feet with and without shoes. Run it through other choices--sunset, sports (shoot some moving cars), art and whatever suits your fancy. You will make some great shots and you will never be pleased with kit-lens quality again. Warning this will cost you as you move up to quality lenses of which Olympus has many jewel-like choices. Mike-Iowa
Mar 23, 2021 13:05:06 #
Besperus
Loc: Oregon
Portrait work. Great use for the 60. I’m out of the “business” now. Depends on how much use and type of image making you do. I know of landscape folks who never use macro or longer tele lenses. I do get your point though.
Mar 23, 2021 13:09:34 #
fetzler
Loc: North West PA
JohnR wrote:
I have a choice of two lenses to buy for my Olympu... (show quote)
It is important to think about what you want to do with each lens that you purchase.
The 60mm macro lens is superb. I like better than my Nikon macro lenses. I like doing macro work and use this lens at lot. My Panasonic 12-60mm is my next most used lens.
The E-PL5 is small and designed for use with small lenses like the 14-42mm, various prime lenses. 75mm -300mm would be fine with your EM5 but might seem out of place with E-PL5. You did not mention if you have the viewfinder for the E-PL5.
Mar 23, 2021 13:31:44 #
JohnR wrote:
I have a choice of two lenses to buy for my Olympu... (show quote)
I would get the 60mm macro. It doubles as a medium telephoto, and is good for photographing spiders, bees, wasps, and small biting animals, in addition to true macro work and duplicating slides to digital or camera scanning film negatives to digital.
I'm a Lumix user. I have a 12-35mm f/2.8 pro zoom, a 35-100mm pro zoom, and a 30mm macro. The 30mm is used for copying film to digital, waist-up composition portraits, product photography, copying artwork and photo album pages, and video. It is super sharp, light, and doubles as a "normal" lens for landscape and architecture. My 12-35 has the equivalent field of view of a classic 24-70mm zoom on full frame (but with two stops more depth of field at every aperture). So it sees the most use, followed by the macro and then the longer zoom.
Know, too, that your Oly bodies are compatible with Panasonic and other Micro 4/3 mount lenses. Panny makes a 45mm Leica-designed macro, in addition to the 30mm. There are minor limitations (Dual autofocus only works on same brand to same brand combinations.)
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