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E-M1 with Four Thirds Lens Test (Robin Wong).

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Four Thirds Lens owners will be very interested to se Robin Wongs E-M1 FT Lens test (Click here). He tested these four FT lenses and you can see the results on the video I embedded on top:

1) Olympus ZD 7-14mm F4 ([shoplink 41751 ebay]here on eBay[/shoplink])
2) Olympus ZD 14-35mm F2 SWD ([shoplink 41752 ebay]here on eBay[/shoplink])
3) Olympus ZD 14-54mm F2.8-3.5 II ([shoplink 41753 ebay]here on eBay[/shoplink])
4) Olympus ZD 50mm F2 macro ([shoplink 41754 ebay]here on eBay[/shoplink])
5) Olympus ZD 50-200mm F2.8-3.5 SWD ([shoplink 41755 ebay]here on eBay[/shoplink])
6) Olympus ZD 50-200mm F2.8-3.5 (non-SWD) ([shoplink 41755 ebay]here on eBay[/shoplink])

And the conclusion is:

“The focusing speed of Four Thirds lenses on the E-M1 is NOT as fast as how they are on DSLR E-5, E-3 or E-30. It may not have fulfilled my expectations, but in all seriousness, the focusing speed was FAR from disappointing. In comparison to previous focusing on any micro Four Thirds camera, the focusing speed on E-M1 has increased by quite a far leap, and is now very fast and reliable. For some lenses, the focusing speed was very close to the DSLR E-5. The fastest focusing lens out of the series tested was undoubtedly the ZD 14-35mm f2 SWD lens”

Robin writes that the reason why the E-M1 cannot match the E-5 performance is:

“Looking at Olympus DSLR E-5, it has 11 point AF, and each point has TWIN CROSS sensor, meaning FOUR lines of phase detect sensor were installed in each point to maximize the focusing potential. Looking at the specifications of the new Phase Detect in E-M1, it was not the same, and rather completely different. It has 37 selectable points, which covered quite a large area of the frame. Now here is the main difference, the AF points are NOT Twin Cross, in fact, they were not Cross points at all. Again, knowing these facts, to expect the autofocusing performance to match DSLR E-5, was starting to look more and more difficult to happen.”

I guess most FT Lens owners are not surprised by these results. Already Dpreview mentioned that the AF wasn’t as fast as on the E-5. We may need an E-M2 or E-M7 before we see an AF performance as fast as on the E-5!
Please take time to read the full test at Robin Wong’s site (Click here).

Preorder Links:
Dedicated page at Amazon.
Olympus E-M1 body at Amazon, Adorama and BHphotoAmazon DE (via DL), Amazon UK (via DL), Amazon ES (via DL), WexUK, Topshot FI, CameraWorldUK.
Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO Lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto, AmazonDE (viaDL), Amazon ES (via DL).
Olympus E-M1 with 12-40mm Lens kit at Amazon DE (via DL), WexUK and CameraWorldUK, Amazon UK (via DL), Amazon ES (via DL).
Olympus E-M1 with 12-50mm Lens kit at Amazon DE (via DL), WexUK, CameraWorldUK, Amazon UK (via DL), Amazon ES (via DL).
Olympus EP-13 Eyecup for E-M1 at Adorama and BHphoto.
Olympus HLD-7 Battery Grip for E-M1 at Amazon, Adorama and BHphoto.
Olympus LC-62D Metal Front Lens Cap for 12-40mm at Adorama and BHphoto.
Olympus LH-66 Lens Hood for 12-40mm at Adorama and BHphoto.

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