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

It’s worse for me I have the PL 100-400 , there’s a few advantages with the new lens but is it worth the hassle to gain a incremental increase , yes it’s been tested by reviewers world wide ,but only someone that’s LEARNED the PL will be able to give a fair answer as to better or worse

I also think you have to be very wary of "Olympus visionaries" reviews, to my mind you have to wait to see the lens in everyday action. Might be a bit cynical, but it's a semi serious financial outlay for us enthusiastic amateurs.
 
I also think you have to be very wary of "Olympus visionaries" reviews, to my mind you have to wait to see the lens in everyday action. Might be a bit cynical, but it's a semi serious financial outlay for us enthusiastic amateurs.

That's a perfectly reasonable attitude to new kit and reviewers, amateur or professional. It's not that most professionals have vast amounts of cash to splash around these days. We all need to be wise about what we buy.
 
Even the Panasonic lens once learned can produce superb results As I hope I have shown on here time and again . I can hardly call it out for not being sharp or fast . Yes the t.c ability is good but I don’t own one , the focus stacking is probably useful for insects but will definetly need a tripod at 800mm reach . . Arca Mount. Already got a bolt on one fitted, I.s system works exactly the same no advantage . Pro cap low yep useful but once the novelty is worn off how often would I use it ?? More questions than answers

I also have to look at my recent purchases record , 300mm f4.5 MF. a good sharp lens both t.c’s used a couple of times and sold on .
A 45mm f1.8 bought ,tested not used
A 12-50mm bought last week tested but unused .

The PL 100-400. Stays on my mkii virtually full time !
I also have the 50-200mm f2.8 SWD with 1.4 tc stays on the mk1 full time useful for low light situations

And non camera I have a superb opticron spotting scope plus state of the art phone mount plus tripod as yet unused far more range than a camera lens .

All the gear f***ed up by covid and rules and regs
 
Last edited:
The Black Fox said: "Even the Panasonic lens once learned can produce superb results as I hope I have shown on here time and again . I can hardly call it out for not being sharp or fast"

How are you going to improve on the images you produce with the PL 100/400? - you're not going to, they are excellent.
In my opinion we get far greater improvement in image quality by buying some of the available fantastic pp software packages, than we do by spending extra money on lenses. I've just splashed out on the whole suite of Topaz AI programmes - they are incredible.
 
As above I might ? Get a bit more range with t.c’s . I might get slightly better inflight shots with procap low ,I might get better insects with focus stacking .
But we are fast approaching the dreary winter months when f6.3 becomes a major problem ,hence the 50-200 which came in handy last winter and where the 300f4 + tc would be a better Option ... in a ideal world I would have all the latest gear but it’s not gonna happen and these days it’s usually just one body and one lens with no bags etc and a spare battery in my pocket .... so if I do decide to buy ( heads spinning ) something’s got to go ,but what ?
 
A spare battery! Don't you carry two or three! I'm amazed at how short a time they last especially some compatible ones I bought recently, unless thet take a few charges to build up to full power. (They were Enegons, BTW; lasted about 2 hours.)
nope I have my screen turned in unless reviewing , my evf is set to live i.e permanently on ,I get usually 4 hours plus per battery one original the other xpro or getting on for 500 plus shots per session at times ?
 
ground feeding robin the other day in deep woods . taken with 50-200 SWD + ec14 . this is one of the combos I was considering selling to fund the 100-400 .. rethink I think
the hunter by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickr
 
That robin is amazing Jeff wonderful feather detail, the 50-200 in the hands of a good photographer produces excellent results.
 
As above I might ? Get a bit more range with t.c’s . I might get slightly better inflight shots with procap low ,I might get better insects with focus stacking .
But we are fast approaching the dreary winter months when f6.3 becomes a major problem ,hence the 50-200 which came in handy last winter and where the 300f4 + tc would be a better Option ... in a ideal world I would have all the latest gear but it’s not gonna happen and these days it’s usually just one body and one lens with no bags etc and a spare battery in my pocket .... so if I do decide to buy ( heads spinning ) something’s got to go ,but what ?
Surely you'd sell the PL 100-400, that'd recoup about 2/3rds of the cost?
 
Surely you'd sell the PL 100-400, that'd recoup about 2/3rds of the cost?
going through the options Steve ,cameras firmware update done in case
 
a pre-lockdown skylark taken just before the covid s***storm hit .. back in march . I'm debating selling this lens to fund the new one and the monkey on my shoulder keeps asking me why ?
wots occuring by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickr
 
a pre-lockdown skylark taken just before the covid s***storm hit .. back in march . I'm debating selling this lens to fund the new one and the monkey on my shoulder keeps asking me why ?
wots occuring by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickr
Cracking shot Jeff, you are a gear chaser that why you have a niggle. Want is greater than need.lol
If you do get I can't wait to see how you and it perform together.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
After many years of needing to replace my lenses with the latest super duper offering ;) i do wonder how much better if at all the new 100-400 will be in normal use.
The conclusion i have come to is if you want a 100-400 and use Olympus you may as well get this one, if you have the panny then hold off wait and see, the most usefull thing i see on it is pro-capt low, if i was using Olympus this is the one thing that would attract me.

Some users may wonder what the pro-capture low is useful for well a couple of examples birds flying towards you at a fast pace

p6130091_42772256781_o.jpg

This was taken by focusing on the butterfly while perched then pressing the shutter as it took off, it flew of backwards so looks like its coming in.

p7190139_43457762452_o.jpg
 
Last edited:
Just read a report from the states where the reviewer was more honest than most ,saying it plays up a bit in poor light .i keep saying yes then change my mind again . Don’t really know
 
Last edited:
after doing the firmware updates as a in case scenario ,I popped down the estuary at high tide to see if there had been any impact on performance from them , and to try and sway my mind one way or the other heres a few shots from this afternoon , pretty well decided that its not worth spending a fair wad of cash to replace like with like . will wait and see how things progress later in the year .. and we also have covid hanging around ,,no use buying something you cant use ?
fly past by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickr

shake it off baby by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickr

droplets by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
Cant find it now but i read the new 100-400 is basically a Sigma FF lens design, interesting as last year Sigma talked about making an 100-400 for m4/3.
 
The only plus points are t.c use (more expense) and procap low mike ..would the novelty wear off quickly I think it would .
 
Remember the use of a TC will make it darker even more and at f/6.3 it isn't exactly bright at the longer end. You also have to ask how good would Pro Cap Low be in non bright conditions and using a TC.
 
a day when all the practising on b.i.f falls into place , went looking for terns on a beach at the mouth of the estuary . got there full of grackles and wasicks ,so me and the wife walked out to the tideline a mile or so out , initially saw some terns on the sand and crept towards them , they were then put up by a load of screaming kids and when they came back I initially thought there was a bird of prey among them , it was actually this a black tern a lifer for me never even knew they existed ,well chuffed
black tern (lifer) by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickr

tern comparison size by jeff and jan cohen, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
Last edited:
The only plus points are t.c use (more expense) and procap low mike ..would the novelty wear off quickly I think it would .
Looks like a change of heart for you Jeff with the PL.
I would have been very tempted to take it off you a little while ago but I've now got my heart set on the Oly 100-400.
I'm hoping by the time it's on general release and HDEW have stock I'll have sold off enough kit to cover it. You'll probably have put it through its paces by then and done the required testing [emoji106]
 
Last edited:
I have it advertised ,but I’m not gonna budge on price if the Panasonic don’t go then so be it , I do have a plan B but it’s a case of waiting . Hard to do on a pension
 
Spotted Olympus Ambassador Mike Inkley at Cadwell Park on Saturday with what looks like the 150-400mm F4.5 Pro. It was taped up but definitely a white/grey lens taped up. 117C49CC-8662-429C-AD27-ABC64845EA25.jpeg
 
Spotted Olympus Ambassador Mike Inkley at Cadwell Park on Saturday with what looks like the 150-400mm F4.5 Pro. It was taped up but definitely a white/grey lens taped up. View attachment 289254

I had a email that he was doing an Olympus Zoom meeting on the 8th August that was going to include the 100-400mm being talked about
 
Surpringly it doesn’t look that big or heavy . Hmmmm
 
This is the £4-£6k Pro version that is only rumoured at the moment.
dont know where you got that price from as the only real comment I have seen coming from a olympus head man is it will be more expensive than the 100-400 ..
 
dont know where you got that price from as the only real comment I have seen coming from a olympus head man is it will be more expensive than the 100-400 ..
Speculation only - that should be dollars $4-$6k. Daily camera news comparing it to previous Olympus Pro fast lenses on four thirds.
Smaller in the hand than I expected. Be interesting to see where they pitch the price. Affordable or out of reach. Compare to canon 200-400mm f4 that’s £10k.
 
I know, I'm in the same boat with you. You take the right oar and I'll take the left, see if we can get to the destination eventually together.
just put in for a quote from MPB and its only just below what im asking for it , will be doing a bit of ringing round this morning ,to see if anyone can improve on that first . as its in the acceptable range .
 
Back
Top