Comments on: (FT2) Olympus 50mm f/1.4 Micro Four Thirds lens to come by end of May?

By: Michael Devitt

Michael Devitt — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 16:53:46 +0000

While Panasonic 25mm F1.4 lens is coming it would be nice to have an option for dedicated 50mm F1.4 lens with a price of modern (non macro) AF 50mm lens. Macro shooters have Four Thirds ZD 50mm F2 (AF speed is fine for this genre of photography) and Leica glass. So no need for another 50mm macro lens, but portrait shooters claim for F1.4 with good resolution/contrast and pleasant bokeh (for example like Sigma 50mm F1.4 for 135 format) simply optimized for portraits.

By: Michael Devitt

Michael Devitt — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 16:20:31 +0000

They are sharp on 135 format, but on 4/3s not so.

By: JeremyT

JeremyT — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:14:28 +0000

I use the regular 4/3 Zuiko 50mm f/2 Macro (an excellent lens) for this niche currently, but if there’s a m4/3 native 50mm f/1.4 I’ll switch in a heartbeat. AF with the 50mm f/2 macro sort of works, but it’s nowhere near what I’d expect from a native option. And the Panaleica 45mm macro is off the table due to it being so slow (and so expensive).

We all know the DoF disadvantage of m4/3, and the 50mm f/1.4 is exactly what I’d want – a 100mm f/2.8 equivalent.

By: canard

canard — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:02:17 +0000

On a simple (one element) lens you might be right, but for a complex photo lens with many elements you can’t draw any conclusions based on element diameter about focal length or aperture. Aperture is the OPTICALLY APPARENT size of the exit pupil relative the focal length, which is determined mostly by magnifying elements. There can be magnifying lenses inside to make the aperture much larger than the size of the largest element relative to the focal lngth, or reducing elements that makes it much smaller than size of the smallest element relative to the focal length. No way to tell from just looking at the size of any piece of glass without looking through the lens.

By: leendert

leendert — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:54:44 +0000

Interesting…Is this also a macro lens as the Zuiko 50mm F2?

I’m also hoping for a m43 alternative of the Sony 70-400mm, Nikon 70-400mm, Canon 100-400mm…around 1500 euro.
When this lens have quality (sharpness, IQ) like the sony 70-400mm then this is a very good compact option for a wildlife photographer, and with the 2x crop factor..mmmmm!