swintonphoto's reviews

  • Olympus 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Zuiko Digital

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Excellent max aperture, excellent build quality, excellent image quality
    None.

    I have been using this lens for a year and a half and I couldn't be happier. It brings incredibly sharp results and has a great max aperture. Considering the wide max aperture, the lens is surprisingly small. While it is much larger than the kit lenses, it is small compared to similar lenses by other manufacturers. It is very well built, with weather sealing. Just holding the lens you can feel the quality of the build. It also auto-focuses very quickly.
    My images vastly improved in quality when I purchased this sharp lens. It also has virtually no distortion at either end.
    I have used this with my E-500 and my E-510 and have had fantastic results. It stays on my camera 80% of the time.
    If I had to buy a normal-range zoom again, I would buy this one in a heartbeat. A must for any serious photographer.

    reviewed October 28th, 2008 (purchased for $420)

  • Olympus 35mm f/3.5 Zuiko Digital Macro

    9 out of 10 points and recommended
    1:1 macro, razor sharp, lightweight
    Slower auto-focus, plastic body

    This lens is an amazing bargain for its image quality. Razor sharp - as sharp a lens as I have ever used. It is a true 1:1 macro lens, and does a fantastic job for me as my macro. It also does very well as a portrait lens at the equivalent focal length of 70mm. It's max aperture is quite large considering its affordable price and compact size. It's only real limitations are the slower auto-focus (though this is rarely a problem for me) and plastic build.

    I absolutely love this lens. I use it for macro, portraits, and any time I just want a lightweight compact lens to carry around. I would highly recommend this - for the price it is a no-brainer.

    reviewed October 28th, 2008 (purchased for $200)

  • Olympus 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 Zuiko Digital

    10 out of 10 points and recommended
    Razor sharp, great max aperture, built like a tank, pro quality
    Autofocus can be slow at long end in low light

    I have been using this lens for about a year now, and have never looked back. It produces amazingly sharp images. It is actually fairly small in my opinion for its max aperture and zoom range. No problems with distortions. It is extremely well built.
    I am a professional photographer, and rely on this in many settings from weddings to sports. It performs extremely well in these settings, and I love it. I would recommend it to anybody who wants high quality telephoto image. Can't go wrong with this AMAZING telephoto lens.

    reviewed November 22nd, 2008 (purchased for $850)

  • Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM

    8 out of 10 points and recommended
    Great price, excellent build quality, affordable price, good autofocus, handles distortions well.
    Slightly soft in corners at wider apertures

    I have been very pleased with this lens. It is extremely wide, and works very well on my Olympus DSLR. It's build quality is fantastic for the price point. I am very pleased with the image quality. The only weakness I have had with this lens is slightly soft corners and inconsistent contrast control in the corners. Both of these problems seem to only occur at the widest setting (10mm). However, it is minor. I would buy this lens again.

    reviewed November 22nd, 2008 (purchased for $550)