Seriously one of the most versatile and sharp lenses I have ever owned. Think about it..you get a 100-400 mm effective that is still under f/4 and for only $650. Plus is half the weight and actually designed for a digital sensor. Oh yes..and weather sealed! Okay. It's awesome.
This is a must have lens for any Olympus DSLR owner. Your pictures attest to it's condition. While this may be the older non-SWD version, it remains to be one of the better HG lenses to own. The subtle differences between both non-SWD and SWD versions have owner's debating which one is the better of the two. I'm surprised that this remains available. I own one already or this would have been mine!
Just curious how well this would work with on GF1 with adapter? Thx! I currently have the 45-140... I'm sure this is better glass but with MFT as well? Thx!
The lens will function quite well with either the Olympus or Panasonic adapters.
I'd expect that the Panasonic micro 4/3 cameras will have better luck with it than owners using it with an E-P1. I'm basing this in my own experience with an E-P1 and a G1 and usage of the Olympus 12-60mm 4/3 lens. The E-P1 seemed to apply a lower voltage to the focus motor of the lens than Panasonic G1 did and would drive the focus through the Panasonic adapter but stalled when using the Olympus adapter. The G1 worked with either adapter equally. This may well have been only a variant of the particular E-P1 camera that I owned.
Although kind of large and unbalanced when used on the micro 4/3 cameras both the subject 50-200mm and the 12-60mm Olympus lenses are beautifully sharp and contrasty lenses that will give excellent results.
To my mind the failure of Olympus to continue development of their top line 4/3 cameras is everyone's loss because they've produced some awesome optics to go with their 4/3 system cameras. I guess they decided not to compete with the big dogs, and make their profits piddling around with the puppies.
Awesome optics for awesome cameras, if you use them. The development performance of the company for new top-line 4/3 bodies is not what is being offered here. Whether you use a Panasonic or Olympus micro 4/3 with adaptor or the standard 4/3, this is a versatile performer (either version). This seems to be a well-priced and clean example.
