In my last job I used my e-5 with the 12-60, 14-35 and the 35-100 in a regular
shooting role as at a private school. I routinely needed to work in the theatre
and a chapel. The latter involved needing to shoot at f2.8 1/60th and 1600 ISO.
So fast lenses were my only option to get anything even vaguely usable.
Now granted that was professional usage but I wouldn't want to use an extreme
variable aperture zoom in my personal work if I have the choice. Now that I'm
no longer working for the school I have sold most of my Oly kit and just kept
the 14-54/50-200 combo with an e-620. I really miss the 35-100 though, awesome
lens that one.
I don't disagree on a lot of your points though. For casual users its not as
big an issue. But for learning the craft it helps to have as little area for
confusion.
Dan S
On Aug 28, 2013, at 4:03 PM, "Moose" <olymoose@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On 8/26/2013 3:52 PM, usher99@xxxxxxx wrote:
>> More data leaked.
>>
>> http://www.dailycameranews.com/2013/08/olympus-om-d-e-m1-camera-12-40mm-f2-8-pro-lens-price/
>>
>> Pricey combo. Will see how it performs relative to the similar Panny
>> zoom. Looks like very serious gear.
>
> It may seem a silly question, but, serious for what, and whom?
>
> Fast zooms were a big deal in film and early digital days. We associate them
> with serious/pro photographers because they
> are big, heavy and pricey and because they were bread and butter lenses for
> many actual pros.
>
> And yes, I still have my 80-200/2.8s. They were important lenses with film.
> Needing 1/200 minimum shutter speed, and
> more, if to be enlarged or cropped much, with film that started to go
> downhill noticeably at ASA 200, later 400, lens
> speed becomes really important for any but really good light. And I have the
> 24-40/2.8 and 60-120/2.8, but seldom found
> them really more useful than the typical f3.5-4.5 zooms.
>
> With IS and amazing IQ at higher ISOs, one doesn't need a wide aperture to
> get the shot for many uses. So the advantages
> of fast lenses start to come down to higher shutter speeds to stop subject
> motion, focusing and intentional shallow DOF,
> for subject/background separation and artistic effects.
>
> Contemporary AF systems work well with slower lenses and rear screens and
> EVFs don't need great lens speed to be
> effective. I am far, far more often looking for more than less DOF. Would I
> like to be able to catch more birds in
> flight? Sure! Do I think a bigger, faster lens would hep my reflexes to find
> and keep the subjects in the frame? Not
> really. ;-)
>
> It was also true that essentially all lenses needed to be stopped down at
> least a couple of stops for best performance.
> This is far less true with contemporary lens designs, so good IQ at any given
> stop requires less maximum aperture.
>
> So what would a 24-80 eq. f2.8 zoom bring to me that my 24-100 eq. f3.5-6.3
> doesn't? Would it look cool, more
> impressive? I suspect it will just look large on µ4/3 bodies. It would mean
> lower ISOs at the long end, which ain't bad.
> It would mean carrying around a larger, heavier lens, perhaps offset by a
> lighter wallet? :-)
>
> Like virtually all fast lenses, especially zooms, I'll bet it won't focus
> very close. The 12-50, OTOH, has an excellent
> Macro mode. Close focus is really important to me.
>
> So, are we to be impressed, and interested, because such a lens was a big
> deal long ago? Or might we match up the
> characteristics of a new tool against our practical photographic needs before
> thinking about shelling out the dough? And
> toting the load. ;-)
>
> My 12-50 is almost certainly a better match for me. Darn fine lens, in fact.
> :-)
>
> Pragmatic Toter Moose
>
> --
> What if the Hokey Pokey *IS* what it's all about?
> --
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