All the talk : fast Olympus 50-200 SWC

[robertwatcher]

There is no doubt that the new Olympus SWD lenses are very fast and accurate at focusing. Of course any mention of these lenses always goes hand in hand with  the professional E-3 body.

I have to tell you though that having really great success with the 12-60 on my E-510, I was eager to see how the newer 50-200 SWD would fair on the same E-510 camera body. Boy - what I in for a pleasant surprise.

Last week, I took my E-3 in to the camera shop to give the 50-200 SWD a test run to see if it could live up to replacing my 80-200 f2.8 for my Nikon D200 - - - or if it would be as so many web posts seem to imply, that there is no way to get creamy smooth backgrounds and ultra fast auto focus with the four thirds system because of it's small sensor size resulting in greater depth of field for any lens put in front of it. On all counts, I found these comments to be unfounded and indeed I could have focus that was razor thin, very fast auto focus when moving from a distant target to a close one, and extremely detailed and sharp images wide open at even the longest focal lengths. At least good enough to suit my own standards - which is to sell quality printed images to my clients.

I also found the feel and handling ability of the 50-200 SWD to be superior to the 80-200 / D200 combination - with the former being very balanced  and hand holdable, while the later was is long and front heavy and works best on a monopod. While image quality was excellent, 2 things that were missing with the 80-200 f2.8 Nikkor were fast auto focus and image stabilization. In order to have those advantages, I would have to fork out $1000 more for the 70-200 VR. With the 50-200 SWD, I have very fast auto focus and image stabilization as a result of that being built into the camera body - - - all for roughly the same price as the Nikkor 80-200.

[robertwatcher]

Well - - - after testing the shots that I took on the E-3 last week in my own workspace and printing out samples to verify the quality of the 50-200 SWD lens, today was the day to go purchase it. However I decided to take along my E-510 to try the lens out on before I finalized the purchase.

Mounting the lens to the E-510, I could not believe the feel of the combination in my hand. It appeared a perfect match easily gripped and carried around the throat of the lens. Then when I lifted the camera to take a few test shots in the camera store, the focus snapped into place quickly. Heading outside I extended the zoom and found a far off object to lock on to and then quickly moved in to a close object and was able to find focus very quickly. From my initial playing this evening, I would have to say that the focus ability of the 50-200 SWD on the E-510 is only a bit behind that of the E-3 - - - certainly not enough to discourage the use of this lens on the E-510 by any means.

In my opinion, if you are wanting to benefit from a fast and furious lens like the Olympus 50-200 SWD, you don't require an E-3 to do so. You will get almost as much benefit and pleasure if you have only an E-510. Plus, this combination is almost something that you could walk around with without breaking your wrists.

Probably a little bigger and heavier a lens, BUT THE FEEL AND LOOK IS A LITTLE REMINISCENT OF MY FAVORITE "OM2s Program" WITH MY 300mm f4 ATTACHED.

After I got home this evening, I had Anne hold the 50-200 SWD mounted on the E-510 - outside the back door lit by a floodlight that lights our porch when visitors arrive (both shots taken with my E-3 and 12-60 at 1600 ISO):

[robertwatcher]

This is the first shot I took in the camera store. The others I took are close ups of customers so I shall not post them here. Pretty well all shots were taken with the E-510 in Auto Exposure mode and are straight out of camera with no cropping (just web resizing):

E-510 with 50-200 SWD : 50mm setting : 1/25'th @ f4 : 400 ISO


While Anne was in at the fabric shop, I wanted to see the 2 focal length extremes taken from the same vantage point and used a business sign off in the distance:
E-510 with 50-200 SWD at the shortest 50mm setting


E-510 with 50-200 SWD at the shortest 200mm setting

[robertwatcher]

I took this series in fairly quick succession while sitting in my van waiting for Anne in a coffee shop on the way home. A car dealer was across the road and I started by taking a shot of the sign at full lens extension and then moving to a point on the pavement close to me and then to a pair of newspaper stands about half distance. I was using the center auto focus sensor and after checking on the camera screen where the red focus spot locked on I was able to verify the accuracy on my computer screen when viewing the area in sharpest focus.


The focus locked on each area quickly and accurately:

[robertwatcher]

At home, I took a few closeups around the house - hand held using available light.

E-510 with 50-200 SWD : 200mm setting : 1/50'th @ f3.5 : 800 ISO


These little fluted flowers are about an inch long - this shot is cropped in
E-510 with 50-200 SWD : 200mm setting : 1/50'th @ f3.5 : 800 ISO


A closeup of the wicker mesh on our outdoor chairs
E-510 with 50-200 SWD : 158mm setting : 1/25'th @ f3.4 : 800 ISO
v

[robertwatcher]

Out of focus and Bokeh (I have no clue what to look for nor do I really care - it just looks good to my eye)

I didn't have much subject matter available for the few minutes that I had before the sun set too low to get a good exposure - people would have been great, but Anne refused. All I got to use was some greenery on a hedge that was backlit by the sun at the front of the porch, and a connector on our clothesline at the back of the porch. Out of focus area looks great to me:

E-510 with 50-200 SWD : 147mm setting : 1/320'th @ f3.4 : 800 ISO


E-510 with 50-200 SWD : 200mm setting : 1/250'th @ f3.5 : 800 ISO


E-510 with 50-200 SWD : 117mm setting : 1/30'th @ f3.3 : 800 ISO

[ned]

Yep 4/3's is a nice system.  Place a print side by side with another quality DSLR and you won't be able to tell the difference (print size within reason).  

[CJL]

A very nice lens... they actually managed to improve on the original 50-200 f2.8-3.5.

I really liked all of the Zuiko Digital glass, too bad they fell a bit short of the mark with the E-3.

[robertwatcher]

too bad they fell a bit short of the mark with the E-3.

I absolutely love my E-3 and made the choice of it over the D300 after testing and handling both cameras in a way that I would use them and printing test prints from both cameras in my home workspace. I preferred the E3 for many reasons - no camera is perfect, but the E-3 has features and handling that I prefer over the D300 (including image quality and Auto focus speed in normal working conditions and almost equal high ISO performance in real print conditions) - - - I would have been fine purchasing the D300 too, but the E-3 clinchers for me, are a more durable body and lenses (at a far lower price in many cases - eg the superior 50-200SWD for roughly the same price as I paid last year for a slower focusing unstabilized Nikon 80-200 f2.8 and a stellar more versatile equiv 24-120 f2.8/4 for 2/3 the price of the more restrictive equiv 28-80 f2., camera image stabilization of all lenses, a better dust removal system, a rotating live view screen, and superior jpegs out of the camera - - -  plus the fact that it has features similar those I regularly used on my D70/D200 such as a wireless TTL flash system. As pointed on in one recent European Photography Journal, the 10MP E-3 outresolves the 12MP cameras because of the synergy between the lenses and body - - - thus they gave the E-3 a 96% ranking compared to the D300 having a 92% ranking (same as they gave the E-510).

I am well aware of all of the negative comments and opinions around the web about the E-3 - - - I do not agree with the naysaying and find the E-3 to be one of the finer and more competent cameras I have used. I am sure the full frame cameras provide an advantage in certain areas of photography, but I'm not in the market and don't have an interest in that format for now, so am not comparing my equipment choices to that gear - nor am I interested in or comparing to the much more superior to full frame dslr, medium format digital cameras. I guess it just comes down to each their own as far as the value of a piece of photographic gear.

[DarkPenguin]

Pretty iffy bokeh.

Still, it and the 12-60 were the two lenses I wanted when I was considering the E-3.

[CJL]

I sold my E-3 after using it side-by-side with my D300 for several months and doing lots of large print comparisons.  I found that the Nikon 16-85 VR lens outperformed the 12-60 SWD, although for most other focal lengths I liked the Zuiko glass.  Unfortunately I found it the E-3 too clumsy and slow for the type of shooting I do, and the range of lenses and accessories available too limiting.

[daethon]

Pretty iffy bokeh.

Still, it and the 12-60 were the two lenses I wanted when I was considering the E-3.
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Those were my thoughts exactly.  The brokeh of the shots above are rather choppy and lacking the smoothness that keeps it pleasing to the eye.  (at least my eye).  

Prime example:  the picture of the sign with the word memory in the background.  I can't seem to keep my eyes on the sign in the front and find myself very distracted by the background.

[CJL]

Those were my thoughts exactly.  The brokeh of the shots above are rather choppy and lacking the smoothness that keeps it pleasing to the eye.  (at least my eye). 

Prime example:  the picture of the sign with the word memory in the background.  I can't seem to keep my eyes on the sign in the front and find myself very distracted by the background.
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I found the same thing with several of the Zuiko lenses, including the otherwise beautiful 150 f2.  It's a bit hard to explain, but the way it renders details in the out-of-focus areas made the prints "uncomfortable" to look at.  My wife, who normally pays little attention to such things, made the same (unsolicited) comments after looking at a number of prints.

[PSA DC-9-30]

Thanks for the excellent report and photos. I have a new E-510 with the two kit lenses, which I'm enjoying a great deal. This 50-200 is certainly high on my 'want' list, although the 50mm f/2.8 macro and 12-60 are probably higher priority for me right now. In any case, bokeh looks fine to me, but really doesn't matter all that much in my case because my usual subjects with such a lens are likely to be airplanes against blue sky.

[robertwatcher]

If you have the 2 kit lenses, then you are already covered in the longer focal length with a decent quality image (40-150) so your need may not be that high for the 50-200mm f2.8. BTW the 50 is an f2 macro which does make it an appealing lens. The 12-60 is just a great lens for me that I have used extensively on my E-510's for 8 or 9 months. It was a staple during my 2 month stay and photoshoot in Costa Rica last winter, providing incredible quality, fast focus on the E-510, and great close focus results. The 12-60 is a bit of a hefty investment though (as is the 50-200) which would be a serious consideration when you already have almost the full range covered with the kit lenses. I personally see nothing wrong with the out of focus areas either and have no problem selling my images as they are     . Have a great time with your new gear as you shoot lots of airplanes against blue sky.