Olympus answer to the Pana 100-400?

[Klorenzo]

Right now the P100-400 is a unique zoom. And Pana is going to add the 50-200/2.8-4 too.

What about Olympus? I'd love a 100-300 f4 (or better of course) sealed, compact. TC compatibility would be a big plus.

What long tele zoom would you like to see?

 

[ionian]

As the 100-400 is a specialist lens, I think it is sensible business for Olympus to not split market share on a very expensive lens, both to buy and to make. They already have their unique 40-150.

I know this doesn't answer your question, sorry! I'd like to see a 30ish-100 f1.8 or f2 zoom, the faster the better. This would really suit portraiture and performance events. I don't mind it being relatively big if they can get that sort of aperture, and it would cover a market that no m43 zoom lens has perfected as yet.

 

[Pluttis]

Maybe a good and compact 200-400 f5.6 pro serie lens

 

[TNcasual]

Isn't the PL 100-400 Panasonic's answer to the Oly 40-150 and 300 f4? They seem to be two different solutions for the same problem- mu4/3 telephoto.

 

[Phocal]

I know this doesn't answer your question, sorry! I'd like to see a 30ish-100 f1.8 or f2 zoom, the faster the better. This would really suit portraiture and performance events. I don't mind it being relatively big if they can get that sort of aperture, and it would cover a market that no m43 zoom lens has perfected as yet.

I would love something like this. If you shoot the EM1 you can pick up the 4/3 35-100 ƒ2.0, which is an amazing piece of glass and on my list

Maybe a good and compact 200-400 f5.6 pro series lens

Way to slow of an aperture. Lens would be severally light limited and not worthy of a pro designation.

Isn't the PL 100-400 Panasonic's answer to the Oly 40-150 and 300 f4? They seem to be two different solutions for the same problem- mu4/3 telephoto.

This is exactly it. You do not need ever single focal length covered, there really is no need. A difference of 50mm or even a 100mm is really not that much, just a slight crop or a few steps when you are at these extreme telephoto ranges. For a sports photographer those two lenses are perfect, especially with the TC on the 40-150 (personally wish they had made it a 50-200, then I would pair it to the 300/4 without a TC). The 90mm gap between the 40-150 w/ TC and the 300 is really not that much.

 

[Klorenzo]

Isn't the PL 100-400 Panasonic's answer to the Oly 40-150 and 300 f4? They seem to be two different solutions for the same problem- mu4/3 telephoto.

I see the 40-150 a completely different lens from the 100-400. And the 300/4 is a prime so a different beast for me (and different price range too).
The 40-150 + TC is the only thing that comes close, but is quite short in comparison and the 50-200 will be a very good alternative.

I feel like Oly is missing a high quality long zoom. I have the O75-300 and the only possible upgrade with the same reach right now (native zooms only) is the P100-400.

 

[TNcasual]

It's funny that @Phocal and @Klorenzo said opposite things.

 

[alex g]

A fast-ish long zoom that doesn't compromise IQ for the sake of ultra-compactness would appeal to me. I feel that the 100-400 suffers somewhat in that regard. A 100-300/2.8-4 would be nice, for example. I was just trying out a used 90-250/2.8 earlier today, and it definitely falls into the "needs monopod" category. But its a useful range for wildlife and sports photography, and a u4/3 version with snappier AF and variable aperture (to keep the size of the front element down) would make sense to me, especially if it performed well with the MC-14.

 

[PacNWMike]

Maybe a good and compact 200-400 f5.6 pro series lens

severally light limited and not worthy of a pro designation.

No rule that says "pro" has to mean large aperture? Weather-sealed light weight package with stellar optics. Probably cheaper to make too without the big chunk of glass. What's not to like? Sounds good to me.

 

[Clint]

Maybe a good and compact 200-400 f5.6 pro serie lens

I'm not so sure what you'd end up with would that much of gain over the Panasonic Leica 100-400mm, its a 1/3 stop faster at 200 (f/5.0), right on at 300mm (f/5.6), and a 1/3 slower at 400mm (f/6.3).

And a 200-400mm f/4.0 would be very costly.

 

[Clint]

A fast-ish long zoom that doesn't compromise IQ for the sake of ultra-compactness would appeal to me. I feel that the 100-400 suffers somewhat in that regard. A 100-300/2.8-4 would be nice, for example. I was just trying out a used 90-250/2.8 earlier today, and it definitely falls into the "needs monopod" category. But its a useful range for wildlife and sports photography, and a u4/3 version with snappier AF and variable aperture (to keep the size of the front element down) would make sense to me, especially if it performed well with the MC-14.

Would you buy one (u4/3 90-250 f/2.8) for the $5,000+ cost?

OTH - To see a 100-300mm f/2.8-4.0 would be interesting. I'm guessing there must be reasons why no manufacture has attempted such a lens before.

 

[TNcasual]

OTH - To see a 100-300mm f/2.8-4.0 would be interesting. I'm guessing there must be reasons why no manufacture has attempted such a lens before.

Huge front element.

 

[atarijedi]

Olympus should just license the Panasonic lens and institute Dual IS in all their IBIS bodies, with that lens, if possible. Hell, they should be working together to standarize Dual IS for M43.

 

[alex g]

Would you buy one (u4/3 90-250 f/2.8) for the $5,000+ cost?

OTH - To see a 100-300mm f/2.8-4.0 would be interesting. I'm guessing there must be reasons why no manufacture has attempted such a lens before.

Sorry, my post wasn't very clear ... I meant to say that although the 90-250/2.8 I was trying today was appealing from the point of view of focal range and maximum aperture, the physical reality of it (not to mention the cost) made it unsuitable for my personal use (too big and heavy). Presumably the same forces of nature would apply to a u4/3 90-250/2.8. So in view of that, I was speculating that a 100-300/2.8-4, might be more manageable in size, and thus more likely to be bought by me.

As to the price, I personally wouldn't have been able to justify spending $5000 on a new 4/3 90-250/2.8, though I'm sure that there are some others who would. I was prepared to spend $2000 on a used one, were it not for the fact that I would have had to also pay for gym membership in order to stand any chance of shooting handheld with it for longer than 15 minutes at a time. On that basis, I would happily pay $2000 for a used 100-300/2.8-4, but not $5000 for a new one, no.

 

[alex g]

Huge front element.

Hehe "huge" is a relative term — by my calculations the filter thread would need to be about 92mm, which is undeniably big for u4/3, but still practical for a hand-holdable lens, I would say. I agree that it would be a relatively specialist market though.

 

[Pluttis]

I'm not so sure what you'd end up with would that much of gain over the Panasonic Leica 100-400mm, its a 1/3 stop faster at 200 (f/5.0), right on at 300mm (f/5.6), and a 1/3 slower at 400mm (f/6.3).

And a 200-400mm f/4.0 would be very costly.

Yeah thats true, maybe a "sheap" 200-500 f5.6 would be better

 

[Pluttis]

Way to slow of an aperture. Lens would be severally light limited and not worthy of a pro designation.

Well people shoot wild life all the time with the 300 f4 + TC or the Panasonic 100-400 so i doubt it would that big of a problem. Why not, Panasonic 100-400 have the Leica branding, is weather seald and is partially made of metal so i do not see why a f5.6 lens shuld not be able to have the PRO branding and build.

 

[CRANSTALL]

As some one who finds the 300 f4 + 1.4 short at times a 500 f4 would be very welcome.

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[mjgraaf]

A very small and light 200mm with F4, quality as we're used from Oly, but now with a size that allows me to always have the lens with me. something like my old Nikon MF 200/4. a small and nimble lens not defeating the purpose of m4/3, like the other tele monsters from Oly...

 

[hoodlum]

I think the 40-150 f2.8 and 300 f4 cover most of the range up to 400mm if you include the TC. If the E-M1ii is a sales success for sports/birding then I think we could see something like a 150-400mm f4. Also, last year a patent was disclosed for a 500mm f4 with OIS from Olympus. So I think the next telephoto lens could be even larger than the 300mm f4 but I don't expect that to happen in the next couple of years.

Olympus 500mm F4 IS(4/3")の特許: エンジニアの嗜み