Olympus OM-D E-M5, E-M1, E-M10 - Mk1, Mk2 & Mk3 Owners Thread

I haven't done a proper check on the sharpness of the 45mm f/1.8 but I would just like to report that my previous findings of it not being as sharp as the 17mm and 75mm 1.8s were down to user error - I am almost always manually focusing it. Tried it out this weekend on the EM5ii and it definitely is sharp - 100% crop 45mm f/2 ISO 400 1/80s jpeg straight out of camera. Hope it renders properly on here - you can see on my computer it is really sharp. I know it's not a great composition and there's banding due to the lights :rolleyes:


181129224854-PB290025-2.jpg
 
Got a question about manually focusing the 75 and 45mm. I just got mine through, tried them both out, all lovely! I'm using the same camera yoy mention....how do you enable manual focus?

On my other 3 Oly lenses you snap the focus ring back but that doesn't seem to be the case here? Any suggestions?
 
Got a question about manually focusing the 75 and 45mm. I just got mine through, tried them both out, all lovely! I'm using the same camera yoy mention....how do you enable manual focus?

On my other 3 Oly lenses you snap the focus ring back but that doesn't seem to be the case here? Any suggestions?

Super control panel
 
Has anybody got the Pro 17mm ? I love my 35mm 1.4 for my Canon system and wonder if it is as good.
 
I have seen the Sigmas advertised online and often wondered why they aren't more popular? Sigma have the ability to make absolutely cracking lenses, and these DN lenses are especially cheap. So I often wondered if there was a catch I was missing?

Basically that they are f/2.8 and people who buy a prime want a fast prime and to get shallow DoF and on m43 2.8 isn't enough.

Also, many of their lenses are designed for APSC and just have a m43 mount on them so they are bigger than they need to be, and size is one of the drivers for many people.
 
Basically that they are f/2.8 and people who buy a prime want a fast prime and to get shallow DoF and on m43 2.8 isn't enough.

Also, many of their lenses are designed for APSC and just have a m43 mount on them so they are bigger than they need to be, and size is one of the drivers for many people.

Also, at f/2.8 you may as well save your money and put it towards one of the excellent Olympus or Panasonic f/2.8 zooms.
 
Anybody used any of the 7artisan lenses? Quite fancy giving a 25mm a try. They're pretty cheap at £80 or so but I don't want to spend £80 on junk.
 
Anybody used any of the 7artisan lenses? Quite fancy giving a 25mm a try. They're pretty cheap at £80 or so but I don't want to spend £80 on junk.
Been looking at the 12mm 2.8 for astro, will be interested to hear from someone who has used one.
 
Anyone gone from the p20 to the o17 f1.8 ? I like the sharpness and size of the Panasonic but it’s low light focus speed drives me nuts and I missed a few shots
 
Anyone gone from the p20 to the o17 f1.8 ? I like the sharpness and size of the Panasonic but it’s low light focus speed drives me nuts and I missed a few shots

I had the Panasonic 20 f/1.7 MkI and whilst it was sharp, it was slow to focus on a GH2 body. Sold it and got the Oly 17 1.8 which I'm much happier with.
 
Whilst MF takes more time, I quite like doing it. Quite fancy one of those new 50mm f1.1 thingymajobbjies
 
Whilst MF takes more time, I quite like doing it. Quite fancy one of those new 50mm f1.1 thingymajobbjies

That's my thoughts too. In all honesty I bought back into m4/3 just to get a convenient travel camera that is weather sealed and can do reasonable video if I ever need it. To that end, I bought a mk2 14-150 lens with the intention that would be all I needed but.... I really enjoyed using my OM primes last time I had m4/3 gear. Manual focus is a sinch with EVF aids and the whole process is quite satisfying when just shooting for fun. But what I don't like about mounting SLR/DSLR lenses onto m4/3 is the bulk it adds having to have such a long spacer between body and lens. Also, maybe with the exception of my 50mm 1.4 and 200mm f/4 lenses, the focal lengths didn't really make much sense with a 2x crop factor. So I quite like the idea of very manual, all metal lenses with focal lengths that suit the format. I'd have loved to have tried some Voigtlander stuff too but it's quite big and obviously quite pricey.

The 7artisans 25mm sounds like it's nice enough but I have a feeling that it won't be as tactile to use as more expensive gear but we'll see.

If the 25mm goes well, I might look at one of the 50/55mm options. That sort of length works really nicely for portrait stuff on m4/3.
 
That's my thoughts too. In all honesty I bought back into m4/3 just to get a convenient travel camera that is weather sealed and can do reasonable video if I ever need it. To that end, I bought a mk2 14-150 lens with the intention that would be all I needed but.... I really enjoyed using my OM primes last time I had m4/3 gear. Manual focus is a sinch with EVF aids and the whole process is quite satisfying when just shooting for fun. But what I don't like about mounting SLR/DSLR lenses onto m4/3 is the bulk it adds having to have such a long spacer between body and lens. Also, maybe with the exception of my 50mm 1.4 and 200mm f/4 lenses, the focal lengths didn't really make much sense with a 2x crop factor. So I quite like the idea of very manual, all metal lenses with focal lengths that suit the format. I'd have loved to have tried some Voigtlander stuff too but it's quite big and obviously quite pricey.

The 7artisans 25mm sounds like it's nice enough but I have a feeling that it won't be as tactile to use as more expensive gear but we'll see.

If the 25mm goes well, I might look at one of the 50/55mm options. That sort of length works really nicely for portrait stuff on m4/3.

Which 200 F4 do you have? just curious, it's a FL I love in manual lenses but hard to get a real cracker.

I like the look of this 55 1.4 7artisan too, it seems to have pretty quirky bokeh though, a bit like some of the vintage offerings around the same FL. Just know this going in and it should be fun to play with. I believe it is nice and sharp stopped down too. There's also other cheap MF offerings from Kamlan and Meike
 
@Cagey75 I have an Olympus OM 200mm f/4. It's quite nice when you just want a load of reach but M4/3 is pretty 'lens picky' for want of a better term. It's askign a lot from a relatively small area of the lens. You can see CA on it in many conditions and it's not as sharp as a native lens but a nice fun option to have on occasion. I've used the Nikon AIS 200mm f/4 in the past as well as some of the Nikon and OM 300mm options too. They're all much a muchness IMO. wouldn'y pay fortune for any of them but if you have one anyway or can pick one up for a few quid, you might as well use it.

Think Damian might have been referring to the Kamlan on his post. Finding proper reviews of any of them is not easy and some of the reviews smell suspiciously like thinly veiled PR. There a few user reviews on DPR etc though. Only paid much attention to the 25mm so far but might be tempted by a longer lens too if it goes okay.
 
@Cagey75 I have an Olympus OM 200mm f/4. It's quite nice when you just want a load of reach but M4/3 is pretty 'lens picky' for want of a better term. It's askign a lot from a relatively small area of the lens. You can see CA on it in many conditions and it's not as sharp as a native lens but a nice fun option to have on occasion. I've used the Nikon AIS 200mm f/4 in the past as well as some of the Nikon and OM 300mm options too. They're all much a muchness IMO. wouldn'y pay fortune for any of them but if you have one anyway or can pick one up for a few quid, you might as well use it.

Think Damian might have been referring to the Kamlan on his post. Finding proper reviews of any of them is not easy and some of the reviews smell suspiciously like thinly veiled PR. There a few user reviews on DPR etc though. Only paid much attention to the 25mm so far but might be tempted by a longer lens too if it goes okay.

The biggest issue with these old lenses tends to be the lack of decent coatings on them, combined with them not being designed for modern ML sensors, there's always that threat of CA and softening wide open. The one I really want is the old Canon FD 300mm F4 L, but it's reaching toward the price of the newer EF 300 F4 range in price [used] unless you look to Japan. I wonder are these modern cheap MF offerings any better than say a Takumar 50 1.4, which can be got for about the same money

I've never had any problem with MF, you adjust to it easily enough once you're prepared to slow it up a little before you go shooting.
 
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The biggest issue with these old lenses tends to be the lack of decent coatings on them, combined with them not being designed for modern ML sensors, there's always that threat of CA and softening wide open. The one I really want is the old Canon FD 300mm F4 L, but it's reaching toward the price of the newer EF 300 F4 range in price [used] unless you look to Japan. I wonder are these modern cheap MF offerings any better than say a Takumar 50 1.4, which can be got for about the same money

I've never had any problem with MF, you adjust to it easily enough once you're prepared to slow it up a little before you go shooting.

Have seen some really good results with the Tokina 300m 2.8 primes too. They tend to fetch decent money but I always keep my eyes peeled for a bargain.

I think the appeal of the cheapo MF lenses for me is more that they're native mount. No ugly adapters etc. And to a certain extent at least, you'd expect the glass itself to be optimised for the format and benefit from some modern manufacturing processes. Or that's the theory at least.
 
Have seen some really good results with the Tokina 300m 2.8 primes too. They tend to fetch decent money but I always keep my eyes peeled for a bargain.

I think the appeal of the cheapo MF lenses for me is more that they're native mount. No ugly adapters etc. And to a certain extent at least, you'd expect the glass itself to be optimised for the format and benefit from some modern manufacturing processes. Or that's the theory at least.

I have a little collection of adapters at this stage. Whenever I sell on a lens the buyer either already has an adapter or they're using a different system. Opens up more options for me though, yet I'm still very indecisive when it comes to buying. I'm just way too fussy!
 
Yes it was the Kamlan I was referring to but the FL is too close to my Helios really to consider.

Common sense would tell me just to use m43 for travel which is the reason I got it this time round..
 
Currently in Vienna. 17mm is a perfect walkabout lens. Also giving the 45mm some use. What a stunning little lens. Perfect for the market and getting candid shots of people.
 
Just bought a EM-1, been trying to decide between that and a Panasonic G80 but the fact I have an old 4/3rds 12-60 Olympus squirrelled away and the EM-1 with adaptor should work well with this lens was the deciding factor. That and the fact I really liked my old E-series cameras!

To begin with I will only have a Panosonic 25mm 1.7 and some legacy lens with adaptors which will be fully manual.

Really looking forward to trying out the live composite feature as well, anyone use it?
 
Iv tried to use live composit mode a few times but need much more practice at it
 
Iv tried to use live composit mode a few times but need much more practice at it
I thought with xmas around the corner and so many interesting night shots possible in the next few months it would be an excellent time for me to get to know how to use it.
 
I’ve used it for fireworks and a poppy display with traffic nearby. Once you get your head round it it is really useful.
 
Thought I might try it out on a light house first, tried several times in the past with stitching several images together in PS but never been happy.
 
Just bought a EM-1, been trying to decide between that and a Panasonic G80 but the fact I have an old 4/3rds 12-60 Olympus squirrelled away and the EM-1 with adaptor should work well with this lens was the deciding factor. That and the fact I really liked my old E-series cameras!

To begin with I will only have a Panosonic 25mm 1.7 and some legacy lens with adaptors which will be fully manual.

Really looking forward to trying out the live composite feature as well, anyone use it?

Shot this with it a while ago. It's a great feature to have. Makes stuff like this a doddle.

Rush Hour.jpg by G.A.D, on Flickr
 
Great shot, looking forward to getting the E-M1 Friday and taking it out on Friday night around some spots in Cornwall.
 
Great shot, looking forward to getting the E-M1 Friday and taking it out on Friday night around some spots in Cornwall.

It's a while since I've used it but I don't recall it being that user friendly so may be worth just practicing a little beforehand.
 
My best manual focus lens is a Nikkor 50mm f1.4 , gives superb results
 
7Artisans 25mm arrived yesterday. I've not had a chance to use it yet in any meaningful way but some quick first impressions are that it feels nicely made. Very small, I would say similar to a Olly 45mm 1.8. Focus ring turn smoothly. I mean, we're not talking Carl Zeiss here but I was pleasantly surprised as I was half expecting them to feel rough. aperture ring is not clicked which seems very weird at first but I guess videographers would love it, though I think it could do with having a touch more resistance. The focus ring has a very small throw so precise focus for close up stuff is tricky on first acquaintance. I'm at a Christmas light show thing at our local park tomorrow so will take it along and see how it goes.

Oh, one annoyance, I'd forgotten that the E-M5ii doesn't not automatically initialiise peaking with non-communicating lenses no matter whether you're in manual focus mode or not. You have to assign a button to peaking, which is fine I suppose but I already had all my buttons doing exactly what I wanted them to. Need to give that some more thought.
 
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