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Oh that, thought you meant it had a 'special' close focus modeYep focus limiter to use the correct terminology
Getting a 2.5kg lens defeats the purpose of moving to Olympus for me, but then my previous heaviest lens was 1.93kg.... My guess is that your guess is pretty close. I tend to think that they will prefer to keep the £-sterling price beginning with a '3' rather than a '4' for the same reasons that 3,999 of any currency including cents or pesetas appears cheaper and a better deal than 4,000.
I could live with 2.5kg - Hey, I come from D-SLR Canon supertelephoto land!
Btw, the nice lady I spoke to at Olympus didn't know yet if this new ED 150-400mm+1.4x PRO would have a physically extendable zoom or not. I refrained from using my "horse's cock" description in our conversation. She thought that like the 40-150mm, its twist action zoom would not extend the lens' overall length.
If it's going to be available next summer I am tempted to perhaps leave the 300mm prime until more info is officially released about the new 150-400mm including its price and work with the 40-150mm and both 1.4x and 2x Teleconverters. Or, buy the 300mm prime and sell it if I want the 150-400mm next summer < I am assuming that the total sales of all my Canon gear will cover my provisional plans.
I didn't realise there was a close focus switch (runs off to check the lens )
No I misunderstood. He said the 100-400mm had a close focus mode so I thought it must have some hidden macro mode kind of thing, didn't realise he was just referring to the focus limiter.... As you now know, what switching usually and essentially does is save the time and energy involved in focus hunting/seeking over longer distances. It's not an artificial macro mode < Is it?
ah but fast focus can make or break a pic with insects as they move so fast . so it's a very useful addition and saves faffing about with macro lenses.... As you now know, what switching usually and essentially does is save the time and energy involved in focus hunting/seeking over longer distances. It's not an artificial macro mode < Is it?
is the purchase of the new lens and tc a viable way to go , well putting it into context I have a good pro lens set up for under £400 in total which suits my pocket
.... I think I am going to take advantage of HDEW's offer and 'buy-to-try' the ED 40-150mm F/2.8 PRO bundled with the MC-14 (1.4x) all for £929 and hence save £600 which in time I can spend on the 2x Teleconverter and put the rest towards the ED 12-40mm F/2.8 PRO for example.
So have you ordered a body ?.... I think I am going to take advantage of HDEW's offer and 'buy-to-try' the ED 40-150mm F/2.8 PRO bundled with the MC-14 (1.4x) all for £929 and hence save £600 which in time I can spend on the 2x Teleconverter and put the rest towards the ED 12-40mm F/2.8 PRO for example.
.... Thanks - That's a good idea. However, having now looked at the Test & Wow website this morning I see that I would have to pick up and return the camera myself and that the scheme only applies to Park Cameras dealer locations which are all a long way away from me. The £1,000 deposit is not a problem and to be expected.
Alternatively both my usual camera suppliers will let me borrow it for as long as 30 days on a 'buy-try-return' option and all shipping would be free of charge. I would have to lay out the full price but that's returned in full if I decide not to buy (subject to any damage of course). Because I am totally unfamiliar with Olympus menus etc, even a weekend is probably not long enough but I thank you for posting about it.
The acid test for me is probably what image quality I can milk out of it as I would be coming from an EOS-R and 1DX-2 plus Canon supertelephoto L lens.
Did you decide to buy or did you return? And what camera system were you coming from please?
For info - According to Camerapricebuster Amazon have the 40-150 Pro + 1.4 t/c for £1153
So have you ordered a body ?
Regarding Canon v Olympus for wildlife... I have a IDX2 and a Olly 1 Mk 2. I have not yet managed to get what Scott Bourne does out of my Oly system - check him out; he is a visionary or an ambassador - not sure which - and he posted some fantastic eagle shots with the 1Mk 2 as well as an article explaining his settings. He runs tours to shoot the eagles amongst other stuff. He is based in the North West US so I think it is Alaska he heads to. Mike Inkley - another Oly ambassador who was a Canon shooter until an HGV almost killed him when he was on his bike - talks about his transition which was really rapid. Once he was able to work again, he had a very short time to learn the system as he could no longer deal with the weight of his Canon kit. Anyway, he is convinced that one system is the way to go. Perhaps if I knew I couldn't reach for my Canon kit, this would have made a difference. I would agree with you about the Sony feel. I bought my Oly following a visit to the Photo Show three years ago. I was convinced I was going to get either a Fuji or a Sony but didn't like them in the hand and the large lenses available then didn't feel any lighter; I picked up the Oly and next time we were near a dealer, took it out on a test and wow. I also appreciate the recent firmware upgrade; if only Canon were as generous!
No you didn't ask but given that you complained about it, I responded and you keep it going. I have taken down my comments. Leaving your comments up will be the only thing that keeps it public.
I think if you’re a pro you really need to stick to one system, muscle memory is so important, forgetting button placement or settings can caused missed shots, not something you want to do if your income depends on it.Regarding Canon v Olympus for wildlife... I have a IDX2 and a Olly 1 Mk 2. I have not yet managed to get what Scott Bourne does out of my Oly system - check him out; he is a visionary or an ambassador - not sure which - and he posted some fantastic eagle shots with the 1Mk 2 as well as an article explaining his settings. He runs tours to shoot the eagles amongst other stuff. He is based in the North West US so I think it is Alaska he heads to. Mike Inkley - another Oly ambassador who was a Canon shooter until an HGV almost killed him when he was on his bike - talks about his transition which was really rapid. Once he was able to work again, he had a very short time to learn the system as he could no longer deal with the weight of his Canon kit. Anyway, he is convinced that one system is the way to go. Perhaps if I knew I couldn't reach for my Canon kit, this would have made a difference. I would agree with you about the Sony feel. I bought my Oly following a visit to the Photo Show three years ago. I was convinced I was going to get either a Fuji or a Sony but didn't like them in the hand and the large lenses available then didn't feel any lighter; I picked up the Oly and next time we were near a dealer, took it out on a test and wow. I also appreciate the recent firmware upgrade; if only Canon were as generous!
I'm luckier in that I have a dealer less than 20 miles away.
Oddly, I didn't buy the OMD 1 MK2 when I went back. Idly I picked up a Pen F and fell in love with it....
I did buy the OMD some months later, when I realised the Pen F is astoundingly good as a carry round camera and for street, but Ineededwanted more. So I got the 1 MK2 and have never regretted it. I come from and still have Nikon FF.
Now I can do horses for courses.
Fast long lens work - OMD
Sport - not the Pen F
Street and casual - Pen F
Critical (commercial..?!) - Nikon
Low light - Nikon
Silent (conferences, royalty etc) - OMD
Gigs - OMD with 12-40 and Nikon with 70-200 - quite interesting using two completely different setups in a time-limited, three songs and you are out situation.
Ha! That list of subjects sounds a lot more impressive than it is.
I think I am aware of the shortcomings of each 'system' and the benefits. I love the feel of the OMD and the lack of weight in a 12-40 40-150 set up, but appreciate the narrower depth of field and low light/higher ISO capabilities of the heavy Nikon.
I think if you’re a pro you really need to stick to one system, muscle memory is so important, forgetting button placement or settings can caused missed shots, not something you want to do if your income depends on it.
Robin - did you ever consider the Canon 400 D0 Mk 2? A very talented wildlife photographer I know chopped in his big heavy Canon prime lenses for one of these which he now swears by. I was tempted.
And then some your big lens should fund most of it . Get a quote from mpb for a baseline idea
300mm definitely much sharper, better colour rendition and contrast too. Thanks for this, shows the 40-150mm with 2xTC is no substitute for the 300mm f4.Just a quick grab before the sun went in, both shots 1/4000 f5.6 iso 800 100% crop 300f4 pro 2nd 40/150 + 2xtc bottom
subject about 50/60 yds away Af is just a little faster with the 300 .
Rob.
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the 2x works best if your subject is quite close to start with I find this with all tcs -using a tc on a subject that is too far away like the above is not the best way to go bare lens will always win but of cause you have to have the focal length
No Sharping on any shots posted just 2 more 100% crop + FF about 8 yds away 2nd 300mm 3rd 40/150 +2x tc just gives an idea of the iq.
Rob.
300mm + 2xtc 100% crop all shots are hand held and CAF with a single point 1/2500 f8 iso 800 so its fair to say they could be a little better i.e tripod lower iso etc.
Rob.
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I previously found that the image I got from RAW with no changes looked poor and posted here about my struggles on getting my head around it..... That third image further proves that mounting a 2x on the 40-150mm gives totally unacceptable results - I think it is shockingly poor.
I'll find out when my Olympus gear arrives but I'm hoping I find that ED 40-150mm + 1.4x results are acceptable. It would be replacing my Canon EF 100-400mm L II and so without the MC-14 the equivalent is 80-300mm and with the MC-14 its equivalent is 112-420mm < Both zoom ranges being acceptable to me when compared with the Canon.
I know from Jeff that there are other alternative lenses such as Panasonic but I always prefer to stay with original brand lenses and the PRO spec is also important to me to match the weatherproofing of the M1X. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link and, for me and my photography, not having that weatherproofing standard throughout compromises having a M1X.
I know the ED Macro lens is not PRO spec but it is less critical on a macro lens due to different shooting conditions - Insects simply aren't available for portraits when it rains etc.