Olympus 75-300 mm lens- Performance
Jul 16, 2015 00:16:29 #
Some folks on the forum wanted to know what I thought of this lens after having a chance to try it out. Let me say upfront that I am not a birding person and have minimal experience shooting or following birds although I would like to do more of it. I am also somewhat of a pixel peeper. The results I had may be a result of user inexperience.
I have taken about 1200 pictures with the Olympus 75-300 mm lens and my thought is that I will send it back. Magnified to 100 % the focus is off just a bit on most pictures. There are a few pictures that focus is right on but only on standing birds. Once the birds went air born I was not able to track them in my VF. In my opinion and in my hands, this lens makes a better landscape than birding lens.
Pictures were taken on m M-10 and M-5 mostly handheld but some on monopod. Focus was set to continuous but not to tracking. I did not use a remote shutter.
I also noticed that some- but not all- of the backgrounds had a painterly look to them. I don't know if this is due to camera/lens processing software or what.
The last shots I took were of a deer in the field moving very slowly. I was not able to obtain sharp focus on the deer.
There are very few long lenses available for the Micro 4/3 cameras so I hesitate to send this lens back. It also got good consumer ratings for the most part. Should I have used a tripod with remote shutter? Any tips appreciated.
I have taken about 1200 pictures with the Olympus 75-300 mm lens and my thought is that I will send it back. Magnified to 100 % the focus is off just a bit on most pictures. There are a few pictures that focus is right on but only on standing birds. Once the birds went air born I was not able to track them in my VF. In my opinion and in my hands, this lens makes a better landscape than birding lens.
Pictures were taken on m M-10 and M-5 mostly handheld but some on monopod. Focus was set to continuous but not to tracking. I did not use a remote shutter.
I also noticed that some- but not all- of the backgrounds had a painterly look to them. I don't know if this is due to camera/lens processing software or what.
The last shots I took were of a deer in the field moving very slowly. I was not able to obtain sharp focus on the deer.
There are very few long lenses available for the Micro 4/3 cameras so I hesitate to send this lens back. It also got good consumer ratings for the most part. Should I have used a tripod with remote shutter? Any tips appreciated.
Jul 16, 2015 08:43:34 #
The image looks soft overall. There is no plane of sharp focus.
It does not look like camera motion. Dumb question but are the lens surfaces clean? No smudge? Could it be this particular lens? I'm sure you will get a number of other replies and opinions.
It does not look like camera motion. Dumb question but are the lens surfaces clean? No smudge? Could it be this particular lens? I'm sure you will get a number of other replies and opinions.
Jul 16, 2015 08:52:31 #
I agree with Ronwande; nothing is in focus. I'd have Olympus check out the lens. I have it and use it on an EM-1. Is it perfect? Surely not. It's a series of compromises and less than stellar. However, used within its' limits it's a pretty decent lens.
Jul 16, 2015 09:03:50 #
Who knows how long you'll have to wait for it...but here's the new 100-400, with leica standards
http://www.43rumors.com/panasonic-announces-two-new-mft-lenses-leica-dg-100-400mm-f4-6-3-and-lumix-g-25mm-f1-7/
http://www.43rumors.com/panasonic-announces-two-new-mft-lenses-leica-dg-100-400mm-f4-6-3-and-lumix-g-25mm-f1-7/
Jul 16, 2015 09:36:40 #
I had several pictures to add but when I went back to do so I was not able to edit the original post. The one image I did add took forever to load. So I will add some JPEGs here.
This is one of about 10 pics taken. Check out the grass and background- painterly effect.
(Download)
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Jul 16, 2015 09:40:37 #
Jul 16, 2015 09:48:55 #
Jul 16, 2015 09:56:36 #
Last ones are landscapes: All are straight from camera- I do have my JPEGs set on "Vivid"
Jul 16, 2015 10:07:15 #
The deer and the ducks in blue water both taken at F/8 which should likely be the sharpest aperture of the lens. The deer is soft overall. The ducks show definite camera movement. Look at some little white specks in the image. All are elongated downward and to the right.
Jul 16, 2015 10:15:27 #
ronwande wrote:
The image looks soft overall. There is no plane of sharp focus.
It does not look like camera motion. Dumb question but are the lens surfaces clean? No smudge? Could it be this particular lens? I'm sure you will get a number of other replies and opinions.
It does not look like camera motion. Dumb question but are the lens surfaces clean? No smudge? Could it be this particular lens? I'm sure you will get a number of other replies and opinions.
Not a dumb question- lens surface is clean and filter was removed- no lens hood although one is on order.
Jul 16, 2015 10:18:06 #
ronwande wrote:
The deer and the ducks in blue water both taken at F/8 which should likely be the sharpest aperture of the lens. The deer is soft overall. The ducks show definite camera movement. Look at some little white specks in the image. All are elongated downward and to the right.
For some reason couldn't seem to grab focus on the deer and I took at least 10 images of it. Camera movement is a very clear possibility in all of the images. Focus was set on continuous - no tripod.
Jul 16, 2015 10:18:46 #
phlash46 wrote:
I agree with Ronwande; nothing is in focus. I'd have Olympus check out the lens. I have it and use it on an EM-1. Is it perfect? Surely not. It's a series of compromises and less than stellar. However, used within its' limits it's a pretty decent lens.
Thanks for your input.
Jul 16, 2015 10:19:54 #
Cdouthitt wrote:
Who knows how long you'll have to wait for it...but here's the new 100-400, with leica standards
http://www.43rumors.com/panasonic-announces-two-new-mft-lenses-leica-dg-100-400mm-f4-6-3-and-lumix-g-25mm-f1-7/
http://www.43rumors.com/panasonic-announces-two-new-mft-lenses-leica-dg-100-400mm-f4-6-3-and-lumix-g-25mm-f1-7/
Ah, the price on that will be fearful :)
Jul 16, 2015 15:56:37 #
OK, I'll take a shot:
Flying birds - Neither the E-M5 or E-M10 are any good at flying critters. Getting sharp flying critters with those cams takes luck and luck and luck.
Deer - The deer show signs of camera movement. What was the shutter speed?
The Great Blue Heron - focus is on the grass behind the bird. What focus mode are you using (should be spot for this type of subject)?
Painterly effect - could be atmospheric distortion; could be out of focus effect; could be jpg compression; could be all of the above.
Flying birds - Neither the E-M5 or E-M10 are any good at flying critters. Getting sharp flying critters with those cams takes luck and luck and luck.
Deer - The deer show signs of camera movement. What was the shutter speed?
The Great Blue Heron - focus is on the grass behind the bird. What focus mode are you using (should be spot for this type of subject)?
Painterly effect - could be atmospheric distortion; could be out of focus effect; could be jpg compression; could be all of the above.
Jul 16, 2015 20:33:23 #
jwhphotos wrote:
OK, I'll take a shot: br br Flying birds - Neit... (show quote)
Thanks for your input- shutter speed varied from 1/1500- 1/3000. The deer was 1/1500 and bird was 1/1000, focus set to continuous, single focus point I believe - I have not quite figured out setting the Olympus focal attributes, need to work on that. I have since reset the camera so can't go back and look. The wind was blowing which could contribute to the painterly look.
I did not buy the Olympus for birding but have since developed an interest and was hoping for some still bird life shots with the 75-300 mm lens. With practice maybe I can get there.
I also have a Sony a6000 and I have been able to capture birds in flight successfully (on a tripod) if they are relatively close but there is not a native long lens for that camera to date. The Sony is pretty straightforward in setting focus and actually a wide focus zone set on continuous works better with that camera for obtaining focus on BIF.
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