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Archive 2014 · m43 lightweight landscape setup

  
 
Albino_BlacMan
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · m43 lightweight landscape setup


I'm looking to build a 4/3 landscape and travel kit. My understanding is that if you're looking for the best quality zooms in m43 (I generally prefer zoom) than the Oly Pro zooms are the way to go (and I'm getting those for when weight isn't a huge consideration).

However, I'm looking to put together a hiking setup. I'd like one high quality ultrawide, (ideally something between 9mm and 11mm) one normal zoom (ideally starting at 12mm) and one telephoto zoom (something like a 70-300). I also like nice build quality and very good image quality (I've been shooting with Oly 4/3 lenses so corner to corner sharpness and CA control is very good).

My dream kit would be something like a 9mm f4, 12-40mm f4 and 50-200mm f5.6 with awesome build quality. However those obviously don't exist. So what would you recommend for a m43 setup?

The normal lens would need to be AF, but the UWA and telephoto options could MF. What I'd be looking for would be: reasonable weight, reasonably compact, good build quality, good edge to edge sharpness from f4-f8 and good CA control at those apertures.



Sep 20, 2014 at 09:59 AM
carstenw
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · m43 lightweight landscape setup


The Olympus pro zooms might have an edge, but the Panasonic ones are also very good. I would get the ones which match the camera, due to image stabilisation approaches being different.


Sep 20, 2014 at 10:21 AM
FlyPenFly
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · m43 lightweight landscape setup


The oly 12 and Panasonic 14-45mm would be my suggestions. The latter is really something special.


Sep 20, 2014 at 10:39 AM
bobbytan
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · m43 lightweight landscape setup


Olympus 9-18 and Panasonic 12-35/2.8 and 35-100/2.8 are all very good and light. The new Panasonic 35-100/4.0-5.6 is super-compact. The Olympus versions are slightly better but they are bigger and heavier lenses.


Sep 20, 2014 at 11:39 AM
CalW
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · m43 lightweight landscape setup


Not exactly what you specify, but for compact and super lightweight hiking lenses, consider the Olympus 9-18 mm f/4-5.6 and the Olympus 40-150 mm f/4-5.6. For their size they are both remarkably good lenses in decent light. Add the Panasonic 14-45 mm f/3.5-5.6 and you would cover 18-300 mm field of view with three lenses with a total weight of just 19 ounces Add a Pen E-PL7 and the whole kit is just 30 ounces Unfortunately not weatherproof, 'tho.


Sep 20, 2014 at 11:43 AM
kwalsh
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · m43 lightweight landscape setup


You aren't going to be stunned by the build quality of anything lightweight in m43. But despite plastic many of them are very durable.

The 7-14 is a wonderful UWA and you can have mine when you pry it out of my cold dead hands. It is quite small for a UWA zoom and great IQ, more so at the wide end. That said, the 9-18 is even smaller.

The 14-45 or 12-32 are your small good IQ choices for the mid-range.

For small telephoto it is going to be the Panasonic 45-175 or 45-150. The Olympus 40-150/4-5.6 does not do well at infinity, or at least my copy did not when tested head to head against other options and I've seen other people post the same experience. Running a zoom out to 300 for landscape hiking is sort of silly. That's a 600mm equivalent and you'll just be zooming in on atmospheric effects by that point.



Sep 20, 2014 at 01:46 PM
fmfche
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · m43 lightweight landscape setup


I used the panasonic 12-35 f2.8 for landscape stuff and it does pretty good. Camera was an em-5. However I found since I picked up a ricoh GR unless I want something longer than the 28mm FOV I don't really use my m43 kit. I was thinking of selling it and even had the entire kit listed but with the announcement of the gm5 I took it down to wait and see. At this point I might just get rid of the em-5 and keep my lenses.

My biggest gripes with m43 is the tripod mount is not centered on many cameras, I like to use a pano head and this can throw things off. Pretty minor overall however.

If you are OK with a slower lens I would look for a 12-32mm copy from a gm1 kit and use that with a panasonic camera as some models have the manual focus option with that lens. Not sure if oly does.

In addition the samyang/bower/rokinon 7.5mm fisheye is very good if that interests you. I know the fisheye puts a lot of people off but I have enjoyed it very much.



Sep 20, 2014 at 04:59 PM
jhinkey
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · m43 lightweight landscape setup


Well, I would put together this:

8/3.5 Pany fisheye
7-14/4 Pany
12-35/2.8 Pany
45-150 Pany

That would cover a lot. The 45-150 Pany is the best in my testing of the zooms in that range (Oly or Pana).

The only one I'm missing is the 7-14/4 - I'm waiting to see how the Oly version works out.



Sep 20, 2014 at 05:36 PM
Bassman51
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · m43 lightweight landscape setup


For a lightweight hiking kit I shoot with the Olympus 9-18/4-5.6, Panasonic 12-35/2.8 and Olympus 40-150/4-5.6. On my last hike (yesterday) I also took the Olympus 17 & 45 1.8s and used them both. The five lenses are 31 oz., the three zooms are 23 oz.


Sep 20, 2014 at 08:01 PM
millsart
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · m43 lightweight landscape setup


Of the wall topic, but have you considered a Sigma Merrill ? The IQ is exceptional within landscape applications and the cameras are quite small and light, and super affordable these days

They aren't versatile, but I know of no better way to deliver IQ on par with 36meg FF sensors, in a cheap, little P&S style package.



Sep 20, 2014 at 08:23 PM





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