m4/3 lens advice

mark.roper

mark.roper

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Bought the Olympus EM1 Mk2 in April as a bundle with the 12-40 and 40-150 f/2.8 PRO lenses. Staggering piece of kit and I love it, but I'm thinking I need some more / different lenses to really do what I want.

Main use is motorsports, and main lens is the 40-150 f/2.8, it's on the camera most of the time, and with a TC1.4 I get a 210mm f/4 into the bargain. But I do use the 12-40 as well, for shots of cars and drivers in the pits etc., and I also use it as my every-day walk-around lens for non-motorsports photography.

The problem I have is there's no overlap between these lenses, sometimes I find I have the 40-150 on but need to go wider, sometimes the 12-40 and need to go longer, I kinda regret not going for the 12-100 f/4 PRO but having blown the budget on the gear I have I can't really justify that lens at the moment.

So I've been looking at, for example, the Olympus 14-150mm f/4-5.6 - which can be had for £450-ish, would cover a considerable focal range, and is approximately the same size / weight as the 12-40 f/2.8. Not bothered by the fact it's f/4 at the short end, I haven't needed the f/2.8 of my current lenses anything like as much as I thought I might. I guess it comes in handy for the on-track stuff I do, but I'm not proposing getting rid of the 40-150 f/2.8, it's my workhorse lens for on-track photography, I'm looking at the 14-150 as a straight swap for the 12-40 as an every-day walk-around lens.

Anybody used this lens, or can suggest an alternative?

Also, whilst the 40-150 + TC1.4 provides almost all the reach I need, I find sometimes (not often) I could use a bit more. Again if I had money to burn I'd love the Olly 300mm f/4, but I don't. Similarly the Panasonic 100-400mm would give me loads of extra reach but it's also beyond my budget, certainly for the infrequent use it would get.

There's a 2nd-hand Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 on the Wex website (the Wex shop is an hour from where I live), for £221.00.

Anyone used this lens, or can suggest an alternative?

I'm just trying to get a bit more flexibility, and having discovered I don't really need f/2.8 as much as I thought am thinking I can sacrifice aperture to keep the cost down if need be, although of course I wouldn't want to sacrifice IQ as well if it can be avoided.

edit: Should just mention, in case I wasn't clear, the 40-150 f/2.8 stays and is used for on-track action shots, the others would be primarily static subjects, so lightning fast AF isn't a requirement.
 
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I found the Panasonic 100-300 not a good option and got some razor sharps images with it. I don't have it any more (well for sale actually!) as I got a pair of 2.8 Lumix X lens (12-35 and 35-100) and a Viltrox M2 adapter to use my canon EF lens on (EF 100-400 and 200 2.8)

But the 100-300 is a cracking small lens delivering the goods and fast AF - but has a better aperture than the Olympus version!
 
I would suggest you buy a second body and put the 12-40 f/2.8 on one body and the 40-150 f/2.8 on the other. A used E-M1 MkI would be a good choice for this. I use this setup for photographing parkruns where all the action happens in about 30 minutes and it means I never have to change lenses or miss a shot. I use this in conjunction with a Blackrapid dual harness and it works really well. It also means I get the best possible IQ every time.

If you need to go longer the Olympus 75-300 is a great portable lens with pretty good results but it's not in the same league as the 40-150 f/2.8.
 
Again a lot depends on whether or not you really need A/F if not why not go down the path of legacy glass , for one it performs really well with MFT it’s extremely cheap in most cases , I have a vivitar 200mm f3.5 I got last week it’s pin sharp at f8 and I was doing b.i.f with it last week , that one cost me £24 makes you wonder sometimes
 
I very rarely want a wide view when the cars are out or a telephoto when in the paddock. I would find 150mm rather short for many locations when shooting the action, when using my DSLR I've often used a 750 EFL (effectively 400mm on MFT) and have occasionally gone longer (~900mm EFL manual focus) with both DSLR & MFT. A few of my favourite spots have proved to need wider than my 150-500 will go on the DSLR, but 40mm on MFT would have been OK for those.

If you want ready access to a wider FOV, I'd go with the suggestion of @maarten.dhaese & add a second body. It doesn't have to be the latest version to manage adequately in pits/paddock even something earlier than the EM1mk1 would be enough. I routinely carry two cameras, but my second body is for IR :)
 
The motorsport I'm mostly interested in is short oval (see my Flickr -> https://www.flickr.com/photos/150270402@N06/) as such I don't need the reach you might otherwise expect, if 150mm doesn't gets me close enough adding the TC usually does (though the tracks we go to differ in size). It's just that odd occasion, wanting to zoom in on the driver in the car before the race starts, catch a candid moment here and there etc. when 210mm isn't enough ...

The 2nd body suggestion is interesting, often see the "pro" 'togs doing just that, but still leaves me with the 12-40 as my every-day lens. When I had a Nikon APS-C I swapped the 18-55 kit lens it came with for a 18-200 and glad I did, kinda looking to do the same here.
 
maarten.dhaese said:
I would suggest you buy a second body and put the 12-40 f/2.8 on one body and the 40-150 f/2.8 on the other. A used E-M1 MkI would be a good choice for this. I use this setup for photographing parkruns where all the action happens in about 30 minutes and it means I never have to change lenses or miss a shot. I use this in conjunction with a Blackrapid dual harness and it works really well. It also means I get the best possible IQ every time.

If you need to go longer the Olympus 75-300 is a great portable lens with pretty good results but it's not in the same league as the 40-150 f/2.8.
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Best soloution IMO, something like an Oly em10mkII would be more than capable enough for cars, stick the 12-40 on there. The em10II can be got cheap enough used, have a look on MPB.

I myself am planning on buying a 12-40 2.8 soon, I think, still not locked in on it yet - but I can get it new for £430, some are looking for more for used minus the box or with wear and tear in classified but they won't sell to anyone who knows where to find them cheaper
 
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mark.roper said:
The motorsport I'm mostly interested in is short oval (see my Flickr -> https://www.flickr.com/photos/150270402@N06/) as such I don't need the reach you might otherwise expect, if 150mm doesn't gets me close enough adding the TC usually does (though the tracks we go to differ in size). It's just that odd occasion, wanting to zoom in on the driver in the car before the race starts, catch a candid moment here and there etc. when 210mm isn't enough ...

The 2nd body suggestion is interesting, often see the "pro" 'togs doing just that, but still leaves me with the 12-40 as my every-day lens. When I had a Nikon APS-C I swapped the 18-55 kit lens it came with for a 18-200 and glad I did, kinda looking to do the same here.
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I guess having worked with touring cars/single seaters for 20 years, & not having visited a short oval for over 35years, I tend to assume my experiences at bigger tracks apply to everyone. Yes less reach should be adequate for short circuits. My experiences on the inside of bends at Brands Hatch & Donnington Park probably reflect short circuit racing better. 150mm on APSC was definitely too close to get the whole car in at Brands!

I have to admit I've never been keen on the super zoom type of lens. Somewhere I have a 28-200 zoom that I inherited but I've never used it for real photography.
 
Forgetting about the extra reach option for now, I've had a good look at my recent photos and the times I need more reach are few and far between, and I can probably "zoom with my feet" for those if I'm honest. :D

For everything else though I think I have 2 options :-
  1. Buy a 2nd body and put the 12-40 on it. Looking at Wex, my local camera shop, they have 2nd-hand EM10's starting at £220 and EM1 Mk1's at £310.
  2. Swap the 12-40 for the 14-150.
Option 1 means always having the right lens on at all times and not having to swap, but there's a cost element.

Option 2 is free because trading in the 12-40 f/2.8 would cover the cost of the 14-150 f/4-5.6, and I'm convinced I don't need a "pro f/2.8" lens for the pictures I take with it.

Option 1 would be workable at a racing event but is impractical in every day life, 2 cameras is not a good look when you're on a day out with the missus.

Option 2 means still swapping lenses at a race meet because I wouldn't be using that 14-150 for cars on track.

Think I might pop along to Wex and have a look at some of these options, trouble is I rarely come out of there as rich as I went in. :D
 
mark.roper said:
Forgetting about the extra reach option for now, I've had a good look at my recent photos and the times I need more reach are few and far between, and I can probably "zoom with my feet" for those if I'm honest. :D

For everything else though I think I have 2 options :-
  1. Buy a 2nd body and put the 12-40 on it. Looking at Wex, my local camera shop, they have 2nd-hand EM10's starting at £220 and EM1 Mk1's at £310.
  2. Swap the 12-40 for the 14-150.
Option 1 means always having the right lens on at all times and not having to swap, but there's a cost element.

Option 2 is free because trading in the 12-40 f/2.8 would cover the cost of the 14-150 f/4-5.6, and I'm convinced I don't need a "pro f/2.8" lens for the pictures I take with it.

Option 1 would be workable at a racing event but is impractical in every day life, 2 cameras is not a good look when you're on a day out with the missus.

Option 2 means still swapping lenses at a race meet because I wouldn't be using that 14-150 for cars on track.

Think I might pop along to Wex and have a look at some of these options, trouble is I rarely come out of there as rich as I went in. :D
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How much would Wex give you on the 12-40?
 
Cagey75 said:
How much would Wex give you on the 12-40?
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At the moment I don't know (I've requested a quote), but based on the trade in values they've given me before on other stuff, compared to what they cost new, I'm reasonably confident it'll cover the 14-150mm.
 
Just wondered as the quotes I got from them recently were miserable, rather give them away . . . . Well, not exactly :D

I'll be looking for a 12-40 soon, eyeing hdew who have them for 420 + p&p, mpb also have them in good condition for that, and I could trade my 15mm against one that way (avoiding delivery charges on top,I'm as they do collect trades from Ireland) Just thinking they might not offer the amount you hope. You might be better to sell it on here, for the right price if it's in good nick, might be worth it.
 
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mark.roper said:
For everything else though I think I have 2 options :-
  1. Buy a 2nd body and put the 12-40 on it. Looking at Wex, my local camera shop, they have 2nd-hand EM10's starting at £220 and EM1 Mk1's at £310.
  2. Swap the 12-40 for the 14-150.
Option 1 means always having the right lens on at all times and not having to swap, but there's a cost element.

Option 2 is free because trading in the 12-40 f/2.8 would cover the cost of the 14-150 f/4-5.6, and I'm convinced I don't need a "pro f/2.8" lens for the pictures I take with it.

Option 1 would be workable at a racing event but is impractical in every day life, 2 cameras is not a good look when you're on a day out with the missus.

Option 2 means still swapping lenses at a race meet because I wouldn't be using that 14-150 for cars on track.

Think I might pop along to Wex and have a look at some of these options, trouble is I rarely come out of there as rich as I went in. :D
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I'm an E-M10 Mkii owner who got there via the E-PL5 and then the Mki E-M10. I looked at the Mkiii and the PEN -F but couldn't justfiy the extra money.

Much as I loved the E-M10 Mki and the decision to upgrade wasn't really a sensible financial choice it's a noticeable improvement.
Electronic shutter, faster max shutter, better EVF and better stabilisation.
I see Wex have a Mkii at £270 I would definitely find the extra money.

You mention the 2 cameras is not a good look on a day out. I think you may be a bit surprised at just how little the E-M10 is. I take mine out as a matter of course to places I would never have dreamed taking my Pentax DSLR so you might find it adds more flexibility.
I seriously considered a used E-M1 but as portability is one of the key things that attracted me to M43 I eventually discounted it.

The only thing you may find is that the 12-40 PRO on the little E-M10 may feel a bit too large. The tiny primes or the EZ pancake zoom are really neat on the body.
Last time I was at Wex they had everything available to play with.
 
@AMcUK you know what, that's another ridiculously sensible idea!

Wex have a 2nd-hand EM10.2 + 2nd-hand EZ pancake zoom for £450 all in, if that combo is small enough to be pocketed the 40-150 stays on the EM1.2 and the EM10.2 comes out as and when the short end of the 40-150 is too long.

Think I'm off to Wex at the weekend!
 
Just to throw this into the mix I have the EM5 MK2 with the 12-40 Pro and I don't find the balance bad at all and the 5 isn't much bigger than the 10, if at all.

So I wouldn't be concerned about it.
 
mark.roper said:
@AMcUK you know what, that's another ridiculously sensible idea!

Wex have a 2nd-hand EM10.2 + 2nd-hand EZ pancake zoom for £450 all in, if that combo is small enough to be pocketed the 40-150 stays on the EM1.2 and the EM10.2 comes out as and when the short end of the 40-150 is too long.

Think I'm off to Wex at the weekend!
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If you're prepared to shop around you can do a lot better than Wex prices. My first E-M10 came from Wex as open box and they gave me a very fair trade in on my old Pentax but their used prices seem to be a little higher than some. Having waited around while they valued my Pentax that may be a reflection on their attention to what they buy?

Camera jungle has E-M10 Mkii starting at £182.50 (!) with free delivery but their EZ lenses are £150. They have others too.
My E-M10 Mkii came from there and I'd use them again.
https://www.camerajungle.co.uk/products/71638/olympus-om-d-e-m10-mk-ii-body

MBP have the EZ starting at £134 but you'll have to pay postage. Lord knows why they can't get the lens descriptions and photographs to match for the Olympus kit lenses.
https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/used-equipment/used-photo-and-video/used-lenses/used-olympus-lenses/

The E-M10 Mkii was £235 new with cashback a few months ago which was galling having spent £275 on mine used a few months earlier!
 
and I know the prices have risen of late but I bought my emd10-mkii in the olympus summer cashback promotion and it stands me £235 that was brand new in box with 30 months warranty . some of the current used prices are ludicrous compared to that .


BTW SRS Microsystems have several omd10-mkii available used from £199 with 12 months warranty .
 
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If anyone's interested, I didn't make it to Wex at the weekend, something came up, and kinda glad it did, I know I would've walked out of there having spent money I'd probably regret.

I keep going round in circles, the 14-150 would be so convenient for the times I want just a single camera and lens to carry around (like non-racing days where I'm not so concerned about performance), but for racing days it doesn't help the lens swapping. A 2nd body sounds cool, but with the 12-40 f/2.8 on it I don't get the flexibility of an extended zoom range.

To finance the 14-150 I considered trading in the 12-40 f/2.8, but Wex have come back with a quote way less than I expected, which means spending money, to get a worse lens, just for the sake of some convenience, which is difficult to quantify in the first place anyway.

I think therefore I'm just going to wait, only a few more races for this season, give myself the winter months to think it through, analyse the pictures I've taken this year, and decide what I really need for next season. Thanks for all your responses! :D
 
mark.roper said:
If anyone's interested, I didn't make it to Wex at the weekend, something came up, and kinda glad it did, I know I would've walked out of there having spent money I'd probably regret.

I keep going round in circles, the 14-150 would be so convenient for the times I want just a single camera and lens to carry around (like non-racing days where I'm not so concerned about performance), but for racing days it doesn't help the lens swapping. A 2nd body sounds cool, but with the 12-40 f/2.8 on it I don't get the flexibility of an extended zoom range.

To finance the 14-150 I considered trading in the 12-40 f/2.8, but Wex have come back with a quote way less than I expected, which means spending money, to get a worse lens, just for the sake of some convenience, which is difficult to quantify in the first place anyway.

I think therefore I'm just going to wait, only a few more races for this season, give myself the winter months to think it through, analyse the pictures I've taken this year, and decide what I really need for next season. Thanks for all your responses! :D
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I got mine from e.infinity took about a week , bnib and cost £105 delivery inc .
 
mark.roper said:
Forgetting about the extra reach option for now, I've had a good look at my recent photos and the times I need more reach are few and far between, and I can probably "zoom with my feet" for those if I'm honest. :D

For everything else though I think I have 2 options :-
  1. Buy a 2nd body and put the 12-40 on it. Looking at Wex, my local camera shop, they have 2nd-hand EM10's starting at £220 ...
Click to expand...
I vote for option1, buying an E-M10 rather than the downgraded sensor (from your MkII) in the E-M1MkI, unless you have older 4/3rds lenses.
In any case it is a good thing to have the E-M5/E-M10/etc sensor as an option.
 
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