In my current OM System 50-200mm F2.8 review, I gave the professional telephoto zoom a best-in-class five-star score. I liked my week with the lens, and I hope that at some point I’ll purchase my very own. So what’s so particular about it?
For one, it has unimaginable options. It’s OM System’s second professional ‘white’ lens, with an equal 100-400mm focal size and a most f/2.8 aperture throughout that versatile vary, which is a world-first.
It can also pair with teleconverters: add a 1.4x teleconverter and you get a lens with a maximum 560mm reach and f/4 maximum aperture, or add a 2x teleconverter for 800mm f/5.6. Wow.
This impressive reach and bright aperture are complemented by superb optical quality, decent macro skills, and delivered in a (relatively) lightweight and rugged IP53-rated design.
It’s clearly an excellent lens in its own right, but the picture is way bigger than that – it shows just how the Micro Four Thirds system is a top choice for wildlife and sports over other popular formats, such as full-frame.
Furthermore, the OM System 50-200mm doubles down on a photography frontier that smartphones haven’t properly touched yet – it’s a lens that you’ll actually use. Let me explain.
A full-frame beating combo
I tested the 50-200mm F2.8 – full name OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8 IS Pro – with the OM System OM-1 II – and the very first thing to notice is the superb steadiness between the rugged IP53-rated climate resistance pairing.
The lens weighs 38oz / 1,075g – which is way lighter and smaller than full-frame alternate options – and with the OM1-II, the mix weighs 59oz / 1,674g. I simply carried the combo over lengthy wildlife images outings.
For context, Nikon’s Nikkor Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S nearly weighs that a lot by itself, and a 400mm f/2.8 full-frame prime is a complete different stage at round 3 occasions the load.
OM System has fine-tuned its topic detection autofocus for wonderful wildlife monitoring expertise, particularly for chook images. I’d say autofocus efficiency for such functions equals that of the very best full-frame rivals.
The lens may help the digicam’s most 50fps burst capturing speeds with steady autofocus – useful for capturing the second throughout quick motion.
Macro images is one other huge win right here. With a close-focusing distance of as little as 0.78m at any focal size, you get a 0.5x (full-frame equal) most replica ratio. In different phrases, half life dimension.
The lens’s optical stabilization combines with the digicam’s in-body picture stabilization for unimaginable efficiency – quoted as much as 7.5EV and the true deal – serving to you get sharp macro and telephoto wildlife photographs.
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Detail is pin-sharp even at f/2.8, though I discovered bokeh just a little fussy in some eventualities, corresponding to backlit macro pictures of a spider and its net. For probably the most half, although, bokeh is clean.
Above all, it is that most aperture and focal size combo that shines. True, being Micro Four Thirds, it has an equal depth of discipline to an f/5.6 full-frame lens, just like the Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S.
However, when capturing at any of these focal lengths, depth of discipline is shallow sufficient for pro-looking blurry backgrounds. It’s the extra mild consumption that really wins. The f/2.8 aperture unleashes quick shutter speeds to freeze motion, be it vivid daylight or as the sunshine fades, which is an important element for lots of wildlife images and sports activities.
Micro Four Thirds has image-quality drawbacks in comparison with full-frame. However, OM System’s 50-200mm F2.8 lens wipes these away, and it is a a lot lighter package deal.
For me, high-performing telephoto lenses for the likes of wildlife and sports activities images are one of many final remaining frontiers for ‘correct’ digicam gear over the very best cameraphones, and the OM System 50-200mm F2.8 is among the finest examples obtainable.
I’m more likely to go out with a telephoto lens like this over, say, a wide-angle prime, when I’ve obtained such smartphone digicam.
It’s such a disgrace, then, that the OM System 50-200mm F2.8 prices $3,699 / £2,999 / AU$4,999. That’s a lot pricier than the OM System 40-150mm F2.8, and pricier than the Nikon 100-400mm, even when it is less expensive than a 400mm f/2.8 professional prime.
Still, it is a lens I do know I’d use often, for genres of images that carry me a lot happiness. I’d higher get saving.
