Olympus 8-25 f4 Pro leaked

[ac12]

All the zooms I have ever used on the old 4/3rsd system (I think first hand I used 4 different ones) were all external zooms. Between 4/3rds and m43 I have owned no lenses with internal zooming. So certainly to me the concept of internal zoom in the exception.

You got me curious, so I tallied up my lenses and the various lenses that I've used on other cameras (that I could remember), and I came up with:
Total: Extending = 11, Internal = 8
All AF lenses: Extending = 9, Internal = 6
Digital era AF lenses: Extending = 8, Internal = 4
Manual lenses: Extending = 2, Internal = 2 (There may be other old manual zooms, that I missed.)

So the edge to the extending zooms.

 

[MichailK]

so more … growers than showers…

 

[doady]

8-25mm F4 doesn't just extend when zoomed in, it also extends when zoomed out, so I think that is a legitimate complaint. That and of course the high price are only things that makes me hesitate, slightly.

Btw, speaking of growers and showers, I remember reading on DPReview forums recently someone claiming Olympus lenses can't actually be weather-sealed because they are not internal zooms, which I thought was funny. I think maybe people make too much of a big deal about internal zooms in general.

 

[Holoholo55]

8-25mm F4 doesn't just extend when zoomed in, it also extends when zoomed out, so I think that is a legitimate complaint. That and of course the high price are only things that makes me hesitate, slightly.

Btw, speaking of growers and showers, I remember reading on DPReview forums recently someone claiming Olympus lenses can't actually be weather-sealed because they are not internal zooms, which I thought was funny. I think maybe people make too much of a big deal about internal zooms in general.

I think the DPReview forum comment perfectly illustrates the ignorance and lack of knowledge you find on DPR. Others, as well as I, have experienced that Olympus lenses are well weather-sealed even if they extend, having used the ZD 50-200 SWD, 12-40 Pro, and 12-100 Pro in wet and rainy conditions. Check Robin Wong's hands-on hosing down his 8-25 and camera.

 

[doady]

I think the DPReview forum comment perfectly illustrates the ignorance and lack of knowledge you find on DPR. Others, as well as I, have experienced that Olympus lenses are well weather-sealed even if they extend, having used the ZD 50-200 SWD, 12-40 Pro, and 12-100 Pro in wet and rainy conditions. Check Robin Wong's hands-on hosing down his 8-25 and camera.

I'm not even the kind of guy who deliberately goes out into the rain, or washes his camera and lens under the faucet, but I never even thought about zooming in possibly compromising the weather-sealing of my 12-100mm either. Same with the whole lens "rattling" issue of 8-25mm F4. I never even thought about shaking any my camera equipment before. I wondered if I worry too much about my gear, but somehow other people are even more ridiculous.

 

[ac12]

Btw, speaking of growers and showers, I remember reading on DPReview forums recently someone claiming Olympus lenses can't actually be weather-sealed because they are not internal zooms, which I thought was funny. I think maybe people make too much of a big deal about internal zooms in general.

You know what they say about ass_u-me.

It is all in the design.
A GOOD gasket/O-ring design will keep out water.
If an O-ring piston can be designed to hold pressurized air, it can certainly be designed to hold back water under no pressure.

 

[PakkyT]

I'm not even the kind of guy who deliberately goes out into the rain, or washes his camera and lens under the faucet,

I have done both and both times with extending lenses. Yesterday it was mostly a rainy day but I went out to a particularly lovely cemetery in what was mostly a break from the heavy rains to shoot. Days like that under a lot of trees offer very even lighting so you don't get a lot of harsh contrasts between shadows and sunlight. It was kind of sprinkling for most of that time but towards the end the rain started up and my camera and lens were definitely "wet". Example shot...

[Image removed due to pending VerticalScope switchover. I do not agree with expanded licensing grab in their Terms of Service.]

so don't let a little rain deter you if your equipment is weatherproof. Take advantage of the light which is great for certain situations.

And one time I spilled beer on my E-M1 + MMF-3 + 12-60 SWD at a BBQ party. A quick rinse under the hose and I was good to go. Nothing ruins a party for you then potentially destroying a couple grand of equipment from a beer mishap. I love my Olympus weather sealing!

 

[MichailK]

yay!! beerproof as well!

 

[Steveinslc]

So I'm trying to decide on a higher-end zoom for landscape photography, and where I may be hiking for 5-10 miles. Waterproofing is a necessity. I'd like something wider than the 12-100 that I already have. The options would seem to be Oly 7-14, PL 8-18, and this new Oly 8-25. The 7-14 is bigger, heavier, more expensive and won't take standard filters, so it's probably out. Between the PL and the new Oly, the PL is cheaper, lighter, and has 2.8 at the wide end. The Oly has more range and a few functions like focus stacking that will integrate with my EM1.3.
Any other reasons to choose the Oly over a PL8-18?

 

[PakkyT]

Source: https://mirrorlesscomparison.com/micro-four-thirds-lenses/olympus-8-25mm-vs-panasonic-8-18mm/

Oly has
19-25mm range
Better close up range and better magnification.
Fn button that can be programmed on you r E-M1.3
Manual Focus Clutch (Panny does have an AF/MF switch however)

Those are the factual additions with the Oly. The rest of the stuff that article mentions I will call "opinions" and preferences. Even the sharpness and distortion examples to my eyes mostly look identical and differences "shown" (again I don't really see them) are for the ultra-picky-super-pixel-peeping crowd. In my opinion optical quality looks identical enough in the shared focal and aperture ranges.

 

[djtaylor7]

Waterproofing is a necessity.

If waterproofing is a necessity, you might need to check out the location of the sealing gasket on the PL 8-18 relative to your lens mount. Probably going to be OK, but doubt OMDS or Panasonic will guarantee water proofing between brands.

 

[DrWu]

So I'm trying to decide on a higher-end zoom for landscape photography, and where I may be hiking for 5-10 miles. Waterproofing is a necessity. I'd like something wider than the 12-100 that I already have. The options would seem to be Oly 7-14, PL 8-18, and this new Oly 8-25. The 7-14 is bigger, heavier, more expensive and won't take standard filters, so it's probably out. Between the PL and the new Oly, the PL is cheaper, lighter, and has 2.8 at the wide end. The Oly has more range and a few functions like focus stacking that will integrate with my EM1.3.
Any other reasons to choose the Oly over a PL8-18?

8-25 and 12-100 have same filter size 72mm so you don't have to buy separate filters for 8-25. I have 12-100 as well and possibility to use same circular polarizer and ND filters saved me about 200 €.

 

[djtaylor7]

Lens arrived this morning. So far very impressed. The opening and closing is a bit like a larger version of the PL 12-32 pancake lens. Not sure about the wrapping cloth, but the lens hood is good with a latch, unlike the 12-45 Pro one. Photo of the lens on the E-M1 Mkii, and quick jpgs of a flower arrangement. It certainly focuses very close.

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[MichailK]

doubt OMDS or Panasonic will guarantee water proofing between brands.

all these annoying system facepalms make me want to torture the Oly & Pany guys of the m43 mount comitee

Lens arrived this morning. So far very impressed.

size wise it seems well matched to the M1

 

[Holoholo55]

I have done both and both times with extending lenses. Yesterday it was mostly a rainy day but I went out to a particularly lovely cemetery in what was mostly a break from the heavy rains to shoot. Days like that under a lot of trees offer very even lighting so you don't get a lot of harsh contrasts between shadows and sunlight. It was kind of sprinkling for most of that time but towards the end the rain started up and my camera and lens were definitely "wet". Example shot...

View attachment 896906 2021.07.03-16.17.10 by Patrick, on Flickr

so don't let a little rain deter you if your equipment is weatherproof. Take advantage of the light which is great for certain situations.

And one time I spilled beer on my E-M1 + MMF-3 + 12-60 SWD at a BBQ party. A quick rinse under the hose and I was good to go. Nothing ruins a party for you then potentially destroying a couple grand of equipment from a beer mishap. I love my Olympus weather sealing!

Yay for weather-sealing. If Olympus wasn't weather-sealed, I wouldn't even be out if there was a hint of rain. And it's beer-sealed too!

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A quick wipe down with a microfiber towel and no problem.

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Wanted to add one more shot to illustrate the benefits of weather-sealing. This was on our trip to Japan in October 2013 and I had my first weather-sealed camera, the EM5 w/12-50 kit lens. It was my first M43 too. In the Gion area of Kyoto, I just happened to grab one shot of this wedding party in the rain. You might see the rain streaks if you look closely. That often rainy trip convinced me that weather-sealing was essential, not a nice-to-have, especially for travel. If the camera hadn't been weather-sealed, I wouldn't have 75% of the shots I took on that trip. It was fortuitous I chose the weather-sealed 12-50 instead of the 14-42 as the kit lens early in 2013, not then realizing how rainy this trip would be. That combo was often all I took out when we were walking around. I've posted this shot before, so forgive me for the repeat.

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And, as Kirk Tuck points out, if you don't take your camera out, you won't get a shot.
https://visualsciencelab.blogspot.com/2021/07/sometimes-when-you-are-out-in-driving.html

 

[PakkyT]

all these annoying system facepalms make me want to torture the Oly & Pany guys of the m43 mount comitee

I believe the m43 mount specifications are very basic in that it gives the mount dimensions and communication protocol. Everything else are outside the system specs and are "gravy" added by the individual manufacturers such as weather sealing, dual/sync IS, etc. Since weather sealing at the mount is likely not addressed in the specification at all, that the two systems can seal together at all is probably more by chance than by design.

 

[MichailK]

isn’t that frustrating?

 

[ac12]

I believe the m43 mount specifications are very basic in that it gives the mount dimensions and communication protocol. Everything else are outside the system specs and are "gravy" added by the individual manufacturers such as weather sealing, dual/sync IS, etc. Since weather sealing at the mount is likely not addressed in the specification at all, that the two systems can seal together at all is probably more by chance than by design.

As no one on the m4/3 committee probably thought of weather sealing back then, the position of the screw in the mount was probably not relevant to the specs.
20/20 hind sight.

 

[PakkyT]

isn’t that frustrating?

Not really. It gives companies the minimum required to make a lens work on a m43 body while giving them the full freedom to do whatever they want that they feel will make their product(s) stand out by not being hampered by overly restrained specifications.

For example, once you define how weather sealing has to be performed, no other method including much more effective designs could be used if they violated the specification. Or if everyone had to agree on a dual/sync IS method, you would probably get the lowest common denominator and probably not a lot of innovation on it moving forward if any changes requires a committee of your competitors to approve your updates to the specification.

As no one on the m4/3 committee probably thought of weather sealing back then

Doubtful considering weather sealing was implemented in all the Oly Pro models (E-x) of the 4/3rds going back to the original E-1. Micro four thirds simply reduced the mount and removed the mirror so more of a migration of the 4/3rds specification rather than a new system and certainly weather sealing was well known by the people who put together than new m43 version of the standard.

 

[doady]

Olympus and Panasonic being different is ultimately a good thing despite its annoyances. More choices can only be good for photography. Maybe it's just me, but I got into Micro Four Thirds thinking of Olympus as one system, with the intention of buying Olympus bodies and lenses. Any compatibility with Panasonic is just a bonus. It would be just as sad if Nikon disappeared, for example. We are all photographers in the end.

Maybe if there is one standard I expect, it's for focal length. I was surprised to learn from Gordon Laing's comparisons that 8-25mm F4 has slightly wider FOV than 8-18mm F2.8-4 at 8mm, and a narrower FOV than 10-25mm F1.7 at 25mm. I never even thought about that before.