Posted on by wjl

The best value in (Micro) Four Thirds?

Kirk Tuck, well-known Austin-based professional photographer lately wrote on his Visual Science Lab blog about the Olympus 40-150mm/4-5.6 zoom lens. He has the Micro Four Thirds version, and as I commented on his blog, both Mitchie and me have the older Four Thirds version, which we still can use with an Olympus or third party adapter, even with autofocus.

These small and inexpensive tele zoom lenses are marvels. Total gems within the system. Consider this:

7df_7211522-sunrise-garden

Sunrise in a garden

You can click on the picture to get it on Flickr, even in the original resolution. This was taken at 76mm with the aperture fully open – and the picture was not sharpened. It’s pretty much like it came out of the camera.

If you shop around, you can get these (or the Micro Four Thirds version which should focus a little faster) for around 150 Euro or Dollars. And if you plan to get into the Micro Four Thirds system, definitely consider getting a double zoom kit which has this lens as well. It’s really good as you see, so for the price it’s a steal.

Highly recommended. And no, I’ll get nothing for doing so.

Thanks for reading.

4 Replies to “The best value in (Micro) Four Thirds?”

  1. I have to agree. I recently popped a portrait of one of my daughter’s friends I’d done a while ago into the trial version of Nik Silver Efex. I found a very dramatic treatment. I keep going back to it. I double checked to make sure it was that kit zoom – 40-150mm. Sure enough. The detail is very good. It’s one of the best photos I’ve taken, I think. I’d post a copy, but not sure her parents would appreciate it!

  2. Ok, if you’ll excuse the mental hiccup. Here’s a link to photo I took with my OM-D EM-10 and it’s 14-42 kit lens. I was hiking through water in a slot canyon and wanted the flexibility of wide angle and a little reach. I think it’s *quite* satisfactory. I think it was Robin Wong said, Olympus has been making very good lenses for a long time and the kit lenses should not be underestimated. Mostly, it’s the build that suffers. And of course they’re a little slow.

    The link: http://wp.me/p6enJK-7e

    And please excuse me for commenting all over your blog! 🙂

    1. No worries Kalea – and thanks for commenting.

      Nice photo, and yes, the kit zooms are really worth the tiny amount of additional cost. Tho today I’d probably be fine with just the 20mm or one of the 25mm lenses, and the 45mm for portraits.

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