05/09/13

Olympus mZD 60 f/2.8 Macro Lens

I've been missing a dedicated macro lens for my m4/3rd system since the start. Although the Panasonic 45 f/2.8 macro lens might be very good, it was just too shrt for my taste. Equivelent to 90mm on full frame cameras, my past eqperience with this focal length didn't suite me at all. My favourite macro lens of all time is the Sigma 150 f/2.8 lens. Simply superb, but too heavy using an adapter for this system, and it came in a Canon EF mount which restricts the use somewhat.

So after some time thinking about if I needed this lens, I purchased it with the intention of using it also for portraiture. I just prefer the longer focal lengths for this. Lets see how things go.

In the above image you can see what it looks like on the OM-D with the handgrip in place as well.

It was taken with the Fujifilm X-E1 (what else) and an old Nikon 100 f/2.8 lens. The lens cost me next to nothing and just look how sharp it is.

1008

X-E1
Focal Length: 75 mm
Aperture: f/1.0
Exposure Time: 1/5 sec
ISO: 200

Dil 05/09/13 19:00 comments (0)

Viewed 1008

• Olympus • OM-D • mZD 60 f/2.8 • macro

12/26/12

General

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Dramatic Skies

This was during the same crossing as the previous post. The storm had passed and the wind had dies down again, but the skies were still dark and threatening. The clouds parted behind us and the sun came out illuminating this HUMBLE abode.

I think this is one of my favourite images of the trip taken with the newly released 12-50 mounted on the OM-D. Actualy, although I don't think much of this lens (there are better out there) I was thankful that I had the lens with me on this occasion. It is after all splash proof and it did come in handy mounted on the OM-D.

3086

E-M5
Focal Length: 50 mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure Time: 1/125 sec
ISO: 200

Dil 12/26/12 19:01 comments (0)

Viewed 3086

• dramatic • sky • Garda • lake • Italy • Olympus • mZD 12-50

12/20/12

Lenses

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Olympus mZD 17 f2.8 III

Another one with the 17 f2.8. Just loved the way the sun was shining below the tree bathing the lawn yellow light. I had to pull the shadows in this one, but I think it turned out ok. When I do this with some images contrast decreases and you can tell that the image has been manipulated.

1279

E-M5
Focal Length: 17 mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure Time: 1/40 sec
ISO: 200

Dil 12/20/12 19:02 comments (0)

Viewed 1279

• Tuscany • evening • mZD 17 f2.8 • Olympus

12/19/12

Lenses

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Olympus mZD 17 f2.8 II

Another evening shot with the 17 f2.8. What actually attracted me to this shot were the chimneys. I think it's something typical Italian I something I haven't really seen before. You can also see that the image is quite sharp, well sharp enough for my usage anyway.

1740

E-M5
Focal Length: 17 mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Exposure Time: 1/320 sec
ISO: 200

Dil 12/19/12 19:00 comments (0)

Viewed 1740

• Olympus • mZD 17 f2.8 • Tuscany • Italy • mansion • evening

12/18/12

Lenses

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Olympus mZD 17 f2.8

The 17 f2.8 for m4/3 come to used more on this occasion that at any other time since I've owned the lens. It gets knocked but I found it ideal in many situations. Even this image was taken hand held. Another couple of minutes and it was really black out there.

2676

E-M5
Focal Length: 17 mm
Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure Time: 1/80 sec
ISO: 400

Dil 12/18/12 19:01 comments (0)

Viewed 2676

• Olympus • mZD 17 f2.8 • evening • landscape

12/17/12

Lenses

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Olympus mZD 12 f2

The wife insisted that we go and see Siena. It tuned out to be a really lovely place, but expensive! It's got lovely small streets which is great for getting lost in, and a dream come true for the architectural photographer. I'm certain you could spend a couple of months there and still have a lot left to photograph.

What was really interesting to see was the Piazza del Campo where the famous Palio horse race takes place twice a year. This is where 10 riders from the 17 districts compete in a 3 lap race around the square. Having seen the square in person I really can't imagine myself taking part in such a race. It must be brutal.

The tower in the above image is situated in the Piazza and it gave me a reason to put on the mZD 12 f2. This really is a fine lens, although it's not that cheap. I stopped it down here to f8 but I think f5.6 would have been enough.

1947

E-M5
Focal Length: 12 mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure Time: 1/640 sec
ISO: 200

Dil 12/17/12 19:01 comments (0)

Viewed 1947

• mZD 12 f2 • Siena • Italy • architecture • tower

12/13/12

Lenses

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Olympus mZD 9-18 on the OM-D

During our stay in Tuscany we did a little detour to see the leaning tower of Pisa. It really is quite amazing because according to the engineers the tower should have fallen over time ago. It didn't, and it's now been stabalized so that it's going to stay as is for the foreseeable future.

Like many cities in Italy, Pisa is a pain to drive through and finding a parking spot a nightmare. The grounds are well visited, when we were there must have been thousands just walking the grounds. If you want to take some photographs here without people in the image then you can either forget it or come and take a look in the middle of the night.

The mZD 9-18 isn't a lens I use a lot but when I do need a really wide angle lens then I'm glad I brought the lens with me. This is one occasion where the lens had some good use. I experienced no problems on the OM-D and as you can see, it's quite sharp. It's cheaper then the Panasonic 7-14 and it can take filters unlike the latter lens. I've heard it said that the 7-14 is even better than the Olympus. I'd love to try it out but I'm not planning on buying that one any time soon. The 9-18 is good enough for me, and I'm not really the wide angle type anyway.

1402

E-M5
Focal Length: 14 mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure Time: 1/640 sec
ISO: 200

Dil 12/13/12 19:00 comments (0)

Viewed 1402

• Olympus • mZD • 9-18 • Pisa • leaning tower • Italy

12/11/12

Lenses

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Olympus mZD 75-300

Even at 75mm (150mm in 35mm terms) you can still see the compression in the lanscape that is not visible at shorter focal lengths. These mountain ranges are miles apart in reality, but appear to be just behind each other in this image. I don't get a chance to photograph something like this too often, so when I do get the chance I take as many different photographs as I can at every folcal length at my disposal. With the 75-300 lens attached I worked the scene but the best image came out at the 75mm setting. There was just enough of the mountain ranges visible to show the compression.

2212

E-M5
Focal Length: 75 mm
Aperture: f/11.0
Exposure Time: 1/250 sec
ISO: 200

Dil 12/11/12 19:01 comments (0)

Viewed 2212

• Olympus • mZD 75-300 • mountains • compression

12/09/12

General

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Landscapes II

When we were up at 3000m and looking across at these massive peakes across the valley, we were speechless. We just looked for ages. At first I left my camera where it was and just sat taking in the scenery. All around us, whichever way you looked this is the sort of view we had.

I think sometimes it does some good to stop photographing the land and sit and enjoy what's in front of you. It took me some time to realise that.

2022

E-M5
Focal Length: 25 mm
Aperture: f/11.0
Exposure Time: 1/250 sec
ISO: 200

Dil 12/09/12 19:00 comments (0)

Viewed 2022

• Olympus • OM-D • mZD 14-150 • Dolomites • Italy • South Tirol • landscape • mountains

12/08/12

General

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Landscapes

My true love is photographing landscapes much like the image above. I'm not saying I'm any good at it but that's the sort of photography I love doing. This was taken in the Dolomite region of Italy and for those who have never been there, you should go. Amazing lanscapes to be photographed and scenes that you will never forget. Unfortunately this was quite a hazy day but when your up that mountain at 3000m you really don't care. Some people never get to see these scenes from this height and it really saddens me because I believe everyone should get the chance to see things from a different perspective. When you're up there and just look around, you realise just how small we really are.

3007

E-M5
Focal Length: 25 mm
Aperture: f/8.0
Exposure Time: 1/640 sec
ISO: 200

Dil 12/08/12 15:29 comments (0)

Viewed 3007

• Dolomites • Italy • Olympus • mountains • OM-D • mZD 14-150 • landscape

PhotoBlog of Random Images

Olympus mZD 60 f/2.8 Macro Lens

Dramatic Skies

Olympus mZD 17 f2.8 III

Olympus mZD 17 f2.8 II

Olympus mZD 17 f2.8

Olympus mZD 12 f2

Olympus mZD 9-18 on the OM-D

Olympus mZD 75-300

Landscapes II

Landscapes

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