MartinM's reviews
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Olympus 25mm f/2.8 Zuiko Digital
9 out of 10 points and recommendedSmall, lightweight, sharphood nod included, Swiss pricingI have seen many lenses, from Sony, while i had a Sony Alpha. This prime lense here is really nice. Not as sharp and sure not as fast as my Minolta 35mm f1.4 is had, but certainly very good.
reviewed November 5th, 2008 (purchased for $290)
I have not noticed any CA. But honestly, i use this lens indoors and for available light. For daytime i have other lenses.
In Switzerland its a bit expensive compared to what you get.
Edit 21.2.2009: I sold the first one i had, before switching to the E-30. I got it back for a second time. It matches my 50mm lens and makes a great indoor use value. -
Olympus 40-150mm f/4-5.6 ED Zuiko Digital
8 out of 10 points and recommendedSmall, lightweight, sharpness, fast AFfocal lenghtThe best kit lens i've ever seen. Sony doesn't even have a chance.
reviewed November 5th, 2008 (purchased for $129)
Lightweight, fits in a small pouch. Easy to carry.
The focal lenght could be more convenient.
40-200 / 4.0 - 5.6 would be the ideal range
I think this would be feasible without the need of moving to Pro.
Anyway, the IQ is very good and i cannot complain. -
Olympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 ED Zuiko Digital
8 out of 10 points and recommendedSmall, lightweight, sharpness, fast AFfocal lenghtwhy the heck Olympus did not do a 12-60 / 3.5 - 5.6. It would have been that much more convenient without big cost impact.
reviewed November 5th, 2008 (purchased for $129)
Apart from this, i am very satified with the IQ of this kit lens.
It's fast and focuses well. -
Olympus 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Zuiko Digital
9 out of 10 points and recommendedSharp, fast AF, good focal lengtha bit heavy, old lens capNoting to complain at all. This lens first perfect on my e520. Although it does not support contrast AF, the way i use it, OVF, does not matter.
reviewed November 12th, 2008 (purchased for $310)
Its really sharp and the IQ is outstanding.
Compared to the 12-60 it is very affordable adn offers almost the same focal length
The weight and the lens cap is something that i don't like. -
Olympus 70-300mm f/4-5.6 ED Zuiko Digital
9 out of 10 points and recommendedincredible focal length, image quality, build, weightaf hunts in low light conditionsI already have the double zoom kit and found this one in a second hand store. has a scratch on the lens hood. For 242 USD a truly affordable lenses.
reviewed December 9th, 2008 (purchased for $242)
The focal length is incredible. 600mm !! And only 600g weight. Thats really good.
The image quality is excellent. All the way from 70 to 300mm.
I noticed that the autofous tends to hunt when used at low light. Specially starting at 200mm. From 70-200 the AF is fast and accurate.
The e520 IS does a prefect work. However, at 300mm from time to time your shot is wasted cause IS fails.
Overall, a 9. No 10 cause i believe the IQ of the 50-200 is ways better.
IF you are looking for a well suitable telephoto lens and you are aware of some weaknesses this lens has, you will be very happy.
I used the lens mainly for airplane spotting, for which it fits very well. -
Olympus 12-60mm f/2.8-4 ED SWD Zuiko Digital
10 out of 10 points and recommendedSharpness, versatile focal lenght, fast focusWeight, F4 @60mm, price, Slow AF in LV, tends to hunt in LLNo doubt, this is the killer lens. I found one for 750$, 2 month old. That was the end for my ZD 14-54.
reviewed December 11th, 2008 (purchased for $750)
The whole lens adds another 100g of weight in comparision to the 14-54, however, the image quality and the versatile focal lenght of 12 to 60mm makes it truly worth.
The price here in Switzerland is so incredible high, roughly 1500$, that it was a no brainer, till i found the LNIB one ;)
Get it if you can afford it or if you have a lucky hand to find a used one.
Edit: Some drawbacks from my earlier review.
- TheAF in LiveView Mode is slower than the 14-54 II. SWD does not give a benefit.
- In low light situation it can miss the focus.
Edit 9.5.09: Much better with E-30 FW 1.1
I have it on my E-620. Well balanced, tack sharp, fast AF makes this to one of the most versatil lenses of Olympus with superior image quality. -
Olympus 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 ED SWD Zuiko Digital
10 out of 10 points and recommendedCompact size, Image Quality, AF SpeedPriceDifficult to say something, when almost everything is outstanding.
reviewed January 10th, 2009 (purchased for $950)
The lens size is ways smaller than the Canon 70-200/2.8 IS USM and the weight is significantly less too.
The image quality is outstanding. I cannot say anything about the TopPro Lenses but this one is great.
The only issue i have, is the price tag. It left a huge hole in my pouch. I was lucky to get a used one. Here in Switzerland the best price you can get is 1800 USD. -
Olympus 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 II Zuiko Digital
10 out of 10 points and recommendedSharp, fast AF, CDAF support, weight, Closest focus distance, pricenoneAfter having issues with my 12-60 SWD on my E-30 i decided to switch to the 14-54 II. I already owned the 14-54 Mk1 previsouly and i was happy. The 12-60 was an improvement over the old 14-54.
reviewed March 2nd, 2009 (purchased for $600)
On the E-30 the 12-60 looses AF speed in LV and hunts in low light. This lens here does solve this perfectly.
The focus distance of 22cm is almost the length of the lens. A bit hard to get the light on the subject, but perfect to do some nice macro shots.
CDAF is fully suported, fast and accurate.
Only 430g weight is perfect to carry around.
I haven't found any difference in the IQ between the 12-60 and this lens.
The price in Europe for the 12-60 is so exagerated that buying this lens, you can even afford to get a 50F2
With the money i got for my 12-60 i was able to get a LNIB 50mm and an LNIB EC-14 + this nice lens of course.
The 14-54 II matches my day to day needs in terms of focal length. I don't miss the 12mm of the 12-60. For panorama i would prefer wider anyway. I prefer a dedicated lens to that.
it is an improvement over the 14-42 and as good as the 12-60 SWD
The SWD speed is IMHO no argument for this focal length. SWD advantages comes into play when talking about the telephoto and fast moving targets.
From my side -> highly recommended -
Olympus 50mm f/2 Zuiko Digital Macro
10 out of 10 points and recommendedSmall, lightweight, extremly sharpnoneI have the lens now for 5 days. In terms of sharpness, this is the best lens I've ever seen so far. Or at least as good as my Minolta 35/2.0
reviewed March 2nd, 2009 (purchased for $325)
Well built, light, small. You can carry it with you in the pouch of your jacket.
Well worth the money.
In comparison to the Minolta 35/2 were the prices are around 800 USD, this one here is a bargain ;)
If you find it at a reasonable price, get it! -
Olympus 18-180mm f/3.5-6.3 Zuiko Digital
8 out of 10 points and recommendedVersatile focal lenght, weightHunts in low light, wide angleI had a chance to test the lens. No, i have not bought it. I have enough other lenses, so i won't get this one.
reviewed May 10th, 2009
I tested it on E-30 and E-620.
I compare the lens with my Sony DT 18-250 / 3.5 -6.3
This makes sense because it's well comparable
The image quality is surprisingly good. Not perfect, when cropped.
With the focal lenght of 180mm it has an excellent reach and the 6.3 at the long end are not an issue while outdoor and sunny wheather. ISO100-200. With covered skies i change directly to ISO400. Nothing special. I had to do this on the Sony too.
The wide angle is not available. No problem for a walk around lens, but when you want some landscape panorama fotography, you'll need to change lens. I found the 9-18mm match perfect.
CA, yes in some situations is found them. Dramatic? no.
In general the lens is nicely built and well usable. But don't expect the IQ of a 12-60 / 50-200.
I recommend this lens who is looking for a single (twin) lens solution and is not going to crop to much.
Indoors, this lens is more or less not usable. My SAL-18-250 i had to cover indoors with a prime lens and this one you'll need to use a prime too.
The build quality is excellent. Olympus build. -
Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 ASPH LEICA D SUMMILUX
10 out of 10 points and recommendedSharp, fast AF, CDAF support,Weight, Closest focus distance, priceProbably one of the best primes i ever had.
reviewed June 29th, 2009 (purchased for $900)
Tack sharp even at f1.4. Very good corner sharpness
Zuiko 50 F2 is as good, however this one here has CDAF support, has F1.4 and is not too long for indoor shooting.
It is no macro. 38cm focus distance is far from being macro capable.
Distortion is well controlled.
Large hood
So far, worth all the money -
Panasonic 14-150mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH MEGA OIS LEICA D VARIO-ELMAR
10 out of 10 points and recommendedFocal lenght, tack sharp, CDAF support, Supersonic MotorClosest focus distance, priceThere is not too much negative i can say about his lens. It just a gem.
reviewed July 5th, 2009 (purchased for $1,200)
The combination of a supersonic motor driven lens, that supports contrast autofocus and has a sharpness of the 12-60 SWD is simply great.
Adding to this, the fact that you have a really superzoom that is not too heavy and with a outstanding sharpness at the long end, makes this a really perfect combination.
No more lens switch, except in some occasions. At night and where more focal lenght is needed.
There is only one drawback, maybe two.
a. PRICE
b. no dust and waterproof
Apart from this, it is a perfect match
Edit 17th January 2011:
I have this lens now on my Olympus E-5 Body.
Perfect match. It stabilizes the Video Recording while the IBIS is not active.
It does not generate any noise while focusing in live view mode and it is accurate. -
Sony 24-105mm f/3.5-4.5 SAL-24105
9 out of 10 points and recommendedSmall, Light, Good focal lenght, pricesome vignettingI had this lense on my A100/200/300/700 days. I was always happy. It is a very suitable lens when you don't want to take too much equipment with you. It is certainly not a AL lens. You'll still need some addition to cover that need.
reviewed May 28th, 2010 (purchased for $250)
It gives really sharp pictures on my A850. The color rendition is good. The A850 is not good if set to AWB. I strongly recommend to do it yourself. Bad WB = bad color rendition ;-)
Yes, i admidt, on wide angle it has some light vignetting. I would say, that nor more than my Sony 18-250 used to have.
The A850 Kit in Switzerland comes with a DxO 6.2 Elite Version (Full Release), which does effectively remove the vignetting.
Compared to my 28-75SAM, this is a good carry on lens.
Overall, for me as an amateur fotographer, this lens, give nice pictures, good enough to print on an 10x15cm format.
Pro's my go for the CZ. -
Sony 28-75mm f/2.8 SAM SAL-2875
9 out of 10 points and recommendedWeight, Size, Aperture 2.8, Wide Angle on FFPrice, Cheap distance scaleI bought this together with my Alpha 850. Sure its not the quality of the Zeiss 24-70 neither it has the wide angle of 24mm. It is a good standard zoom. I had the Minolta 28-75 on my A300. The 28mm were not appropriate on APS-C. On FF this is a complete different story.
reviewed May 28th, 2010 (purchased for $900)
The price is insane, like lot of the Sony lenses. -
Sony 135mm f/1.8 Carl Zeiss Sonnar T* SAL-135F18Z
10 out of 10 points and recommendedAperture, IQ, solid build, perfect handling, focal lengthPriceNot to much I can say about this lens. It is simply amazing. The IQ is outstanding and it pairs perfectly with my A850.
reviewed September 4th, 2010 (purchased for $1,500)
A very useful focal length on full frame. good for nice portrait and even for spotting a the airport very useful
Can be used with Sigma 1.4x APO EX DG (Non-HSM) with widest aperture at f2.8. Can't go wider as image blur -
Olympus 14-35mm f/2 ED SWD Zuiko Digital
10 out of 10 points and recommendedTack sharp, silent, fast, buildPriceNew E-5 needs a outstanding lens I said to myself and got an affordable copy with warranty here in Switzerland. Usually you don't find NIB copies for that price.
reviewed November 29th, 2010 (purchased for $1,900)
The sharpness is impressive. Even wide open it remains tack sharp.
The autofocus on the E-5 is accurate and fast. It has slight back focus, but on the E-5, this can be adjusted by adding +3.
It is heavy, yes, but having had my A850 and the Vario-Sonnar ZA24-70/2.8 these 900gr are no big deal.
The build is solid. Waterproof for sure. The Zeiss wasn't, I have to mention here for the same amount of money.
Thinking about the comparision to my FF equipment, the 28-70mm are not too limiting. of course, 12-35/2.0 would have been better, but I can live with it.
This is definitely the right lens if you want to do AL and not to be constantly switching to the primes. -
Olympus 35-100mm f/2 Pro ED Zuiko Digital
10 out of 10 points and recommendedTack sharp, AF very reliable, ecellent builtheavy, very expensive, a bit front heavyAs a former owner of the Sony 70-200G SSM mounted on the A850, this is the system I can compare this lense here.
reviewed March 25th, 2011
FOV is equivalent to the 70-200G.
Build:
Outstanding and waterproof built. While the 70-200G is not even drip prove for 2200 bucks
IQ: This lens is really tack sharp throughout the frame. The 70-200G generally was soft at f2.8, this one here is tack sharp at f2.0
I haven't really noticed any drawback in comparision to the SSM of Sony or the 50-200SWD which I own. The AF is fast and accurate. 9 out of 10 shots are perfect.
Tele Converters are excellent. 1.4x and 2.0x can be used.
70-200 (140-400) with f4 is certainly a an excellent match.
Without any doubt I can say that this is the lens which will replace my 50-200SWD and team up with my 14-35 SWD. -
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM
10 out of 10 points and recommendedSharp, Fast AF, Weather Sealing, Compact SizePriceI bought this lens toghether with my 5D Mark II. I used it at the Airshow just a few days after.
reviewed June 22nd, 2011 (purchased for $1,900)
The results were impressive. Very sharp even at 300mm.
I was soaked by the rain in the morning, walking around with the lens. The sealing had no issue.
I love the size of this zoom. I can easily fit it in my jacket pocket.
A pitty that Canon genuine externders cannot be used. But as test showed, the Kenko 1.4x DGX does deliver better IQ anyway. So why not to get that one.
For the IQ I reduced to 9, cause my 100mm L Macro is sharper. -
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
10 out of 10 points and recommendedIQ, AF Speed, IS, weather sealingnone i can think ofI used to have the Olympus 50 F2 Macro, which dpreview rates as the best IQ they ever saw. Now actually this one is not better, but at least as good.
reviewed July 29th, 2011 (purchased for $1,050)
The IS is a real help when taking movies with the 5D2 and of course when taking pictures on portrait distances.
Due to its really fast AF, this lens is a very appealing dual purpose lens too. It can do excellent macro aswell as serve as a general medium telephoto prime.
The 135L and the 200L2.8 have no sealing. This one has a full weather sealing. I'ld wish my other primes would have a sealing.
Simply worth the price tag you pay. -
Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM
10 out of 10 points and recommendedSharp, Fast AF, Compact SizeNo IS, no sealingVery nice addition to my low light prime park. This prime is sharp and fast focussing. Addtionally I can add the Extender 2x II to enhance my daylight reach of my 70-300L to 400 F5.6 without loss of IQ or AF speed.
reviewed July 29th, 2011 (purchased for $750)
The only drawback is the lack of IS and weather sealing.
A Mark 3 with the IS and sealing of the 100L would be really cool. -
Canon 2x Extender EF III
9 out of 10 points and recommendedGood build, good image quality, still fast AFpriceTested this like 5 weeks ago.
reviewed October 22nd, 2011 (purchased for $525)
The Extender 2x III performs better on my 70-200L IS Mk2 than on the Mk1. There is a noticable difference in AF and IQ. I had them side by side. The Extender 2x III gave no improvement on the 70-200L IS Mk1 over the Extender 2x II.
I got the Extender 2x III in the end.
Even if the AF might be a bit slower, I have no issues to track an F/A-18 passing in front of me at 400knots
Of course the IQ degrades a bit, but the IQ in my combination is not worse than the 100-400 IS USM.
Cheers
Martin -
Olympus 1.4X EC-14
10 out of 10 points and recommendedIQ, AF and buildnothingI had this lens on the following lenses
reviewed October 22nd, 2011
- 12-60 SWD
- 14-35 SWD
- 50-200 SWD
- 35-100 F2
- 50 F2
Performance is stellar. really nothing to complain at all. -
Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM
9 out of 10 points and recommendedFast and accurate AF, light, very good IQ at f2.0no hood, no leather caseOn my 5D Mark II this lens is the total opposite of the Ef 50 1.4. It is fast and accurate. Even if at f1.8 it tends to be a tad soft, at f2.0 this one is really good. I have no clue how so many people complain about this lens. I had the 50mm and that one was really not good. No 10, because the 70-200L IS II USM is sharper. ;-)
reviewed February 3rd, 2012 (purchased for $450) -
Olympus 150mm f/2 Zuiko Digital
10 out of 10 points and recommendedF2.0, weather sealing, IQ, size, weightnothing reallyNow, thats my lens. The 300 f/2.8 I can get for free when I need it.
reviewed September 15th, 2012 (purchased for $1,300)
Stellar performance. 300mm of reach with an aperture of F2 is really cool. Not speaking about the price I paid for.
After adjusting the Front-focus on my E-5, putting in -4, this lens performs outstanding. IQ is fantastic and AF is fast an accurate.
It size makes it very portable. I can put it side by side in my Lowepro Fastpack 350, with 12-60 and 50-200
I still got to test the EC-20. The EC-14 and the EX-25 is perfect match.
Gives you a great telemacro lens too.
Works well, but not as fast on the E-M5. Tested it on that one too. -
Olympus 300mm f/2.8 Zuiko Digital
9 out of 10 points and recommended600mm, f/2.8, weather sealing, IQ, sizeprice, weightThis is a really nice lens. An incredible reach paired with sharpness. A dream.
reviewed September 5th, 2012
IQ and build are outstanding.
Weight is a topic. I had it on a hike of about an hour hanging around my neck. Not exactly what you would like to take for a long walk.
The price tag is ridiculous high. I will never ever be able to afford it. I rent it ;-) -
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
8 out of 10 points and recommendedAccurate and decent fast AF, IS, focal length, decent sharp resultsno hood, no leather caseI have this lens on my 5D Mark II.
reviewed April 4th, 2012 (purchased for $400)
It delivers a very usable focal range. Nothing similar available as L lens, which is a pitty.
IS does well and image quality is very good for its price. I feel that 90% of the shooters out there would not notice the difference between the 24-105L and a 28-135 in terms of IQ.
I have really seen worse lenses than this one. Who is going to complain for that price.
Very usable for filming too!
Only drawback is the lens hood which is not included and need to be purchased separately. -
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM
9 out of 10 points and recommendedLightweight, Size, Build Quality, AF Speed, FTM, Zoom LockNo weather sealI have purchased this lens to have something small and portable with me on my business travels.
reviewed April 10th, 2012 (purchased for $550)
The IQ of this lens is really good on my 5D Mark II. I see some softness wide open at 300mm. But this can be avoided by raising a bit the ISO, which on a 5D2 is zero problem.
The lens is fast focusing and it has FTM. Ring-Type USM!
It is build very solid and gives a very good feeling. Like holding an L-Lens.
The lens extends/retracts by itself due to the weight of the tubus. No issue once you get used to it.
Zoom ring goes firmly but smooth.
The price I paid for a MINT lens is very nice. If I had to buy a new one, I would buy the 70-300L as it features weather sealing. For second hand, no issue.
I think it is a very underrated gem, at least for me on FF. I have no experience on crop. -
Olympus 7-14mm f/4 Zuiko Digital
10 out of 10 points and recommendedWide, excellent IQ, almsot without disortionnone so farI have tested several wide angel lenses
reviewed October 18th, 2012 (purchased for $1,100)
Sony Zeiss 16-35
Canon EF 16-35 II
Canon EF 17-40
and among these, the Zuiko is the best lens, followed by the Zeiss. Canon has really no wide angle that has usable corners nor an acceptable sharpness wide open.
This is really a very nice lens and it does almost not have a disortion at the wide end.
Wide open, very far corners become a bit softer. But nothing really I could complain of. Paired with my 14-35, this is THE combo. -
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
10 out of 10 points and recommendedTack sharp, design, AF speed, IQ wide openprica tagI had now several standard zooms on Canon. All of them left much to deserve wide open.
reviewed December 3rd, 2012 (purchased for $2,200)
When comparing with the Zuiko 14-35 and the Sony Zeiss ZA 24-70, no Canon standard lens was close to them.
Today I can positively remark, this Canon 24-70 made my day. It is sharp wide open and the focus is perfectly fast
The new design with the smaller hood is outstanding. The new designed zoom and focusing rings are perfect to handle even with gloves.
The missing IS might be the only drawback. But keeping in mind the ISO performance of my 5D III, the IS is no issue. For filming yes, to have IS is better.
The new 24-70L IS that will show up shortly, might be a very good alternative if you don't need f/2.8 -
Olympus 1.4X MC-14
10 out of 10 points and recommendedSharp, Fast, Very good IQ, SealedPriceNo doubt that this is again the prove that Olympus is able to deliver outstanding lens craftsmanship.
reviewed February 19th, 2015 (purchased for $490)
Matches perfectly my 40-150/2.8 PRO. No noticeable AF speed or IQ loss.
looking forward to match up with the 300/4 PRO -
Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro M.Zuiko Digital ED
10 out of 10 points and recommendedIQ, AF, SealingNone reallyAwesome lens. Perfect for my OMD E-M1. Worth every penny.
reviewed February 19th, 2015 (purchased for $1,440)