Updated Olympus lens road map - 8-25mm f4, finally a pro macro, ... does it make you want to stick with Olympus?

[pake]

I wonder what changes will happen to the roadmap with JIP running the show?
There are some neat lenses on the roadmap, but if they have not been designed . . . Did JIP retain the optical and manufacturing engineers needed to design and manufacture those lenses?
While I am hopeful, my expectations have gone down.

Exactly what I was thinking too. I hope they share the view of Olympus on the roadmap but only time will tell.

 

[Angus Gibbins]

Exactly what I was thinking too. I hope they share the view of Olympus on the roadmap but only time will tell.

Can't remember where I read it (and CBF finding it) but the plan is to release all announced lenses as planned.

 

[Quadna71]

Where is the 8-25/4??????

 

[TNcasual]

Where is the 8-25/4??????

In Sigma’s design library.

 

[davidzvi]

Can't remember where I read it (and CBF finding it) but the plan is to release all announced lenses as planned.

I read that as well, but currently only the 8-25 has been announced and not yet released. The rest are just place holder for "something" in this range with some unknown specs.

 

[ac12]

I read that as well, but currently only the 8-25 has been announced and not yet released. The rest are just place holder for "something" in this range with some unknown specs.

I'm waiting for the 8-25, to see if it is affordable.
I have the 75-300, which does the job, so the 100-400 is not as important, and can wait.

 

[davidzvi]

I'm waiting for the 8-25, to see if it is affordable.
I have the 75-300, which does the job, so the 100-400 is not as important, and can wait.

I have the PL8-18, but depending on size and cost I could be tempted to trade the PL8-18 for the Pro 8-25.

I actually picked up the 100-400, it's going back. I'll probably pick up the 75-300 and quietly hope for one of the undefined Pro zooms. I rarely (very rarely) go out with the intent to use that much reach. But when I'm just out, it's not unusual to wish for more reach. The 100-400 is just too big and heavy to have in my bag just in case. Not to mention it requires a bigger bag than I tend to carry most of the time.

 

[Ghostbuggy]

I actually picked up the 100-400, it's going back. I'll probably pick up the 75-300 and quietly hope for one of the undefined Pro zooms. I rarely (very rarely) go out with the intent to use that much reach. But when I'm just out, it's not unusual to wish for more reach. The 100-400 is just too big and heavy to have in my bag just in case. Not to mention it requires a bigger bag than I tend to carry most of the time.

I actually picked up a 75-300 for similar reasons: My 40-150 Pro being too heavy and bulky to just pack it in one of my bags, especially considering it only fits easily in one of them anyways, but I also wanted more reach. Olympus currently has a EUR 75 cashback going on in Europe. It actually still is fairly compact and not heavy, however the official (sold separately) lens hood is pretty big.

 

[davidzvi]

I actually picked up a 75-300 for similar reasons: My 40-150 Pro being too heavy and bulky to just pack it in one of my bags, especially considering it only fits easily in one of them anyways, but I also wanted more reach. Olympus currently has a EUR 75 cashback going on in Europe. It actually still is fairly compact and not heavy, however the official (sold separately) lens hood is pretty big.

I have a Peak 20L backpack and Timbuk2 Snoop Camera Messenger Bag it would fit in. But I prefer one of my smaller bags.

 

[retiredfromlife]

Can't remember where I read it (and CBF finding it) but the plan is to release all announced lenses as planned.

I have been watching the Olympus Australia COVID lockdown training videos and on the last one, 1st December on food the Australian commercial manager indicated he had seen the 5 year road may and indicated new bodies and lenses next year. Not sure what weight you could put on that. but they seem to be putting on a brave face.
Only time will tell what they really want to do with the business.

 

[doady]

If 8-25mm and 100mm do come out, I would have all I need. Ultra-wide to normal 8-25mm range would be so versatile for urban landscape type stuff, it could even replace my 12-100mm as my main lens. And of course macro is another one of my passions so I need something for that.

Of course, I hope the system continues to grow beyond that and realize its full potential. E-M1 II probably won't last forever, for example, so I will probably need a replacement eventually. Given the size advantage of m4/3, they probably should continue to try to appeal to sports/wildlife photographers, and I think they can do better to appeal to street photographers as well (e.g. silent mechanical shutter, Pen-F2 with tilting LCD, 25mm F1.8 II with MF clutch).

 

[RS86]

Sorry for the bump, but I saw this in M43 rumors site. And to me it's encouraging.

I'd find it hard to believe that they put this kind of mention of field macro photography as a statement from Chief Operating Officer, if they didn't release something related to it this year for example.

Especially the part saying: "Excelling in the intricate details of macro photography - and the perhaps less widely recognised genre of field macro - will also form part of our direction and system specialism in the coming years. More of that in a future issue."

~100mm Macro surely incoming!!!

"OM Digital presented their new online magazine (Click here). And inside you can find a statement from the operating chief Aki Murata. He also says this:

“We plan to build on the strengths of the Olympus system and will bring you exciting news as the year goes on – even more than we have already hinted at in our product roadmap.”"

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[PakkyT]

Great, but talk's cheap, right?

All I know is that the 100mm Macro seems to be their Unicorn product. The 100mm Macro has been specifically "coming" for at least 14 years now and a generally "fast macro" around that FL talked about since at least 2003.

But annnnnnnyyyyyyy day now we will see it!

 

[PhotoCal]

I'm happy with my Olympus gear. I don't need anything shiny to take good pictures.

 

[RS86]

Great, but talk's cheap, right?

All I know is that the 100mm Macro seems to be their Unicorn product. The 100mm Macro has been specifically "coming" for at least 14 years now and a generally "fast macro" around that FL talked about since at least 2003.

But annnnnnnyyyyyyy day now we will see it!

Well, I have never heard this kind of mention of focus from Olympus. He is talking especially about field macro, and what is ~100mm if not that?

The macro lens was put on Olympus roadmap earlier. Olympus has released some of those lenses already. So who is to say that the lens is not on the pipeline?

Why would they mention macro this way now? Just a lie about new products? It would be wise to have some releases ready, and do a couple at least even if they quit later?

We will see. I'm not planning to buy anything else, but the new macro lens if it comes, as field macro is my main focus.

I am very satisfied with my Olympus 30mm f/3.5 and Olympus 60mm f/2.8 (total cost 450 €). Couldn't be happier!

 

[PakkyT]

He is talking especially about field macro, and what is ~100mm if not that?

I don't know. What the heck is "field macro" anyway? Sounds like a marketing term to me.

The macro lens was put on Olympus roadmap earlier.

Yes, that was my point. It has been on various road maps from Olympus for many years, decades almost. It is perpetually in the pipeline if you ask me. It is like the 4/3rds & m43s community's white whale. I hope it finally comes out, but... ?‍

 

[davidzvi]

.......Yes, that was my point. It has been on various road maps from Olympus for many years, decades almost. It is perpetually in the pipeline if you ask me. It is like the 4/3rds & m43s community's white whale. I hope it finally comes out, but... ?‍

You're going to have to show a map with that on it. The 100mm macro wasn't even added to the current map until mid 2020 along with the 8-25mm.

And for 4/3 Sigma produced a 105mm and 150mm.

I won't say I 'know' Aki Murata, the new COO. But we have met and he did provide the Olympus Swag patches I gave away back in October. He impressed me as very excited about Olympus and enthusiastic about the future. That was back in February 2020, did he know anything about the sale back then? I have no way of knowing, but I could tell there were things he knew and couldn't (and wouldn't) discuss.

I was VERY excited to see his picture with the title of COO.

 

[piggsy]

I don't know. What the heck is "field macro" anyway? Sounds like a marketing term to me.

Non-studio macro and without necessarily needing a flash would be my guess. It's a good way to market a longer macro lens, I think. It'll probably still be somewhere around 150-180mm 35mm effective length at reasonable (1:2) magnifications which is all it will need to look very good in comparison.

 

[MetilHed]

I also remember years of 100mm macro rumors and hints in official statements and on roadmaps. Just every now and again . .

~2009 roadmap. You can see 4/3 and M4/3 potentially coexisting:

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[doady]

Do you guys think there is any disadvantage of 100mm compared to 60mm focal length for macro?

I never used beyond 100mm EFL before I got 12-100mm and I'm still learning to handhold for telephoto, and I can only imagine macro will be even more difficult. I hope it will have optical IS,

But still, as much as I desire macro lens right now, I feel I already waited so long I might as wait a little more for the 100mm and resist the 60mm, right?