better choice for Olympus than M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm: Have just purchased a Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV Camera with M Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm Lens and looking for a better option...

trivejb Loc: Great Smoky Mountains E TN

Have just purchased a Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV Camera with M Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm Lens and looking for a better option (other manufacture) for something in the 40-150 range than the M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F/4-5.6 R ED. I have read that this lens is not the sharpest?? My budget is limited but willing to step up to possible the next level in lens. Any suggestions would be helpful.

adedeluca Loc: holbrook ny

I the lens is not as sharp as you believe you may look at other camera . The lens is all it is about .

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

trivejb wrote:

Have just purchased a Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV Camera with M Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm Lens and looking for a better option (other manufacture) for something in the 40-150 range than the M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F/4-5.6 R ED. I have read that this lens is not the sharpest?? My budget is limited but willing to step up to possible the next level in lens. Any suggestions would be helpful.

I wouldn't say that this 40-150mm lens is not sharp. It is not a f2.8 lens, and its focus is a bit slower. But I don't find that images are not sharp.

Here is one from the Oakland Zoo. I did use Sharpen AI on this, which I use on many images. Hit the download button, and then click on the image to zoom in all the way.

Adding a second under different lighting conditions. There is something by the right nostril which I at first though was an artifact. But studying the RAW file, it looks like something, feather like, is stuck to its right nostril.

Also, let me add that you have the 14-42mm lens. I have that one too. But I also have the 12-40mm f2.8. A much faster (and more expensive lens). But the 14-42mm is small and does get used more often and it does produce great results.

(Download)

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

The Zuiko 40-150 f4-5.6 AF is one of the lenses that I use more often with my Olympus bodies. It is sharp and it has been called the "plastic fantastic."
My recommendation, buy the lens. It is not fast like a f2.8 but if you shoot mostly in sunlight the lens will do a great job for you.

coullone Loc: Paynesville, Victoria, Australia

I have one of these and find it is very sharp on my E-M10 III and an old P-EL2. The other additional I purchased is a 60mm f/2.8 Macro This gives better results than my full frame Canon RF F/2.0 85mm despite being a much small sensor. The image is taken with that lens on my E-PL2, every strand on the fishing net can be seen! Just begs the question why a nest needs fishing net? I thought it was untidy enough anyway!
nice that someone has provided a cup of water, I would not go too close to these swans they can easily break a leg or an arm especially when they have eggs or cygnets. These birds produce 2 or 3 broods a year normally 3 to 5 cygnets.

Taken at Lake King,Paynesville, Victoria, Australia.

GerryER Loc: Virginia USA

I have an OM-D E-M5 with 14-150 f4-5.6 and find it to be very sharp. It is a little pricey, but is a good all-around lens.

jcboy3

trivejb wrote:

Have just purchased a Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV Camera with M Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm Lens and looking for a better option (other manufacture) for something in the 40-150 range than the M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F/4-5.6 R ED. I have read that this lens is not the sharpest?? My budget is limited but willing to step up to possible the next level in lens. Any suggestions would be helpful.

I used to have the slow 40-150, but I sold it. I didn't use it because I just don't like changing lenses so often. I use the 14-150 if I want a light lens, and I use the 40-150 f/2.8 with the 12-40 f/2.8 on two bodies because I don't want to have to change lenses, I want fast focus, and I want shallow DOF for subject separation. With the 14-150, I can easily grab telephoto highlights and return to wide to normal shooting (or vice versa) without changing lenses.

I do have a 14-42, but it's pretty much stuck on my infrared converted E-PL6.

For the most part, however, I use the 12-100 f4. It's bigger and heavier, but it is wider, sharper, and faster and has IS for even better low light performance. And if I'm looking for a really light lens, I use the Panasonic 12-32, or just shoot with the Panasonic 8-18.

rcarol

trivejb wrote:

Have just purchased a Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV Camera with M Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm Lens and looking for a better option (other manufacture) for something in the 40-150 range than the M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F/4-5.6 R ED. I have read that this lens is not the sharpest?? My budget is limited but willing to step up to possible the next level in lens. Any suggestions would be helpful.

That particular lens is one of Oly’s hidden gems. It is exceptionally sharp and won’t break the bank.

yorkiebyte Loc: Scottsdale, AZ/Bandon by the Sea, OR

Hmmmm... a bit off-topic here - but... this IS UHH!!

I use a Kiron 70 - 150f/4 (Nikon Mt.) on my Oly OM-D 10.1. Manual focus, but a fun lens! A $30. eBay purchase. It competes well with my Nikon E 75-150 F/3.5 ($25. eBay purchase) for sharpness/contrast and is quite a bit smaller and closer focus.

stevefrankel

I used my M5 to shoot more than 50 yacht races off Marina del Rey from the rock & rolling committee boat which often had waves breaking over the bow; making this a cold and wet experience. After trying out a number of zooms, I always came back to the f2.8 12-40 mm Pro Zuiko zoom. It's razor-sharp and even when shooting boats 1/4 mile away, you could easily crop these into really sharp images. It's also weatherproof and nearly indestructible. I also used it for some really nice zoo shots of people, as well as animals, since it's also short and inconspicuous.

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

coullone wrote:

I have one of these and find it is very sharp on m... (show quote)

An awesome shot of a superb specimen 🖤🖤💓🖤🖤

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

JimH123 wrote:

I wouldn't say that this 40-150mm lens is not shar... (show quote)

An eye-catching duo 💚🍀🍀💚

mffox Loc: Avon, CT

I carry my Zuiko 40-150mm with my Pen F, and have never felt it be lacking in sharpness in any situation at any zoom length.

fetzler Loc: North West PA

trivejb wrote:

Have just purchased a Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV Camera with M Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm Lens and looking for a better option (other manufacture) for something in the 40-150 range than the M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F/4-5.6 R ED. I have read that this lens is not the sharpest?? My budget is limited but willing to step up to possible the next level in lens. Any suggestions would be helpful.

1. You need to think about why you want another lens. What kinds of photographs do you want to make.

2. The lens you have is a fine lens for general photography.

3. For my Olympus Cameras, I have a Panasonic 12-60mm lens that I use for general photography. This is my most used lens.

4. The plastic 40-150mm is very cheap and is a very nice lens but is not a substitute for the one you have.

5. Can consider lenses with wider apertures, lenses for macro photography, super wide angle, and telephoto zooms. Most of all decide what you want to do.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

trivejb wrote:

Have just purchased a Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV Camera with M Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm Lens and looking for a better option (other manufacture) for something in the 40-150 range than the M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F/4-5.6 R ED. I have read that this lens is not the sharpest?? My budget is limited but willing to step up to possible the next level in lens. Any suggestions would be helpful.

You have Olympus, Panasonic, and third party lenses to pick from. As far as Olympus goes, you would do better looking at the 14-150 f4/5.6. It is more expensive but a better lens. Olympus makes three 40-150 lenses, one non-pro lens and two pro lenses. You already know about the f4/5.6. But there are two Pro lenses; an f4 and f2.8. And there is one more Pro lens with a shorter range, the 12-45 f4, that is similar in size and price as the 14-150 f4/5.6. And with an adapter (preferably MMF-3 if possible), the Olympus non-micro 4/3rds 14-54 f2.8/3.5 lens is a possibility. And then there are the Panasonic lenses. And if that is not enough, look at the third party lenses. And be sure to check out the used lens prices at places like Keh or MPB.