Birding Lens For The E-M1

[Mary Anne]

What Lens are you using on your E-M1 or m4/3 camera for your Bird shots.

I have been trying out my Canon 70-200 f/4 L lens it weighs 765gms and goes well on the E-M1 with the Kipton adapter a great combo except for the manual focus. Dont mind MF close up when shooting with a Macro Lens Insects or Flowers, though I am no good using it with Birds I cannot focus on their eyes fast enough from a distance before they fly off, its ok if they are at the Bird Bath and rest for a while to have a drink, even then I cannot get the focus spot on hand holding.

Been researching the Olympus 50-200mm at 995gms I would have to get an adapter that may be the lens for me.

Thought about the Panasonic 100-300mm 520gms, read don't expect miracles with moving objects ? Birds move

So what does that leave me with the Olympus 75-300mm 423gms, are there any other light weight lenses or different brands out there I have missed.

[davsv1]

Morning Mary-Anne,
Sorry I wasn't awake at 2:00am this morning to respond sooner:D

My suggestion would be to go with the m4/3 75-300 for now as it is reasonably cheap and light weight, you did go to Olympus for the light weight didn't you, and weight:p for the new 300 f4 due out in the next 12 months, I believe it will be around the $1500.00 mark but that is %100 speculation by me. It will be weather sealed and made for the OMD and should be a stellar lens.
The 50-200 as you say will require an adapter, mmf3 to keep the weather sealing intact, and you'll be looking at the best part of $1000-$1500 for that combo, that does open you up to all the 4/3rds lenses as well of course but they are much bigger and heavier than m4/3. The other issue with 4/3 lens on m4/3 camera is auto focus, while it is quite acceptable it is not great compared to m4/3 or what your used to with your 5d. Your welcome try mine sometime. I have seem some great shots with the 75-300 and I would buy one tomorrow if I didn't have the 50-200, I'm waiting for the 300 f4 as my next acquisition.
As was mentioned in another post you also have the option of the sigma 50-500, if you can find one, with mmf3 adapter but they are rare these days and probably heavier than the 50-200.
I have no experience with the Panasonic 100-300 but did consider at one stage, I read mixed reports so decided to wait.
I hope that helps a little!

[Mary Anne]

Morning David that's ok I was trying to catch up :D

Yes I did go with the E-M1 for the lightness as in a all day walk around lens though I would not mind a heavier Birding lens as most of those shots with the heavier Canon gear are done on the back decking leaning up against a post.
I will have a think about that light 75-300mm lens, I am waiting to see some images on here.. And yes that info about the 50-200mm helped a lot and Thanks You.

Back to the painting !!

[russrad]

Hi Mary Anne,
I recently bought the 73-300 for my em 1. It was the obvious choice and really a good deal with the cash back offer. I have the 12-40 also which is an excellent lens and just beautifully made. The 75-300 is quite plasticky and cheap in comparison but to have a reasonable quality long lens which you can put in a jacket pocket is pretty handy.
Very frustratingly I have a shoulder problem at the moment and can't use hold my camera properly so I haven't given the new lens a good workout yet. I did manage this one from a park bench yesterday - it's not an interesting shot or bird but I think it suggests the lens won't be too bad when I can hold it properly! Oh well, At least the grass is sharp.
Shot at 300mm and cropped by about 50%
http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=110974

[Mary Anne]

Hi Mary Anne,
I recently bought the 73-300 for my em 1. It was the obvious choice and really a good deal with the cash back offer. I have the 12-40 also which is an excellent lens and just beautifully made. The 75-300 is quite plasticky and cheap in comparison but to have a reasonable quality long lens which you can put in a jacket pocket is pretty handy.
Very frustratingly I have a shoulder problem at the moment and can't use hold my camera properly so I haven't given the new lens a good workout yet. I did manage this one from a park bench yesterday - it's not an interesting shot or bird but I think it suggests the lens won't be too bad when I can hold it properly! Oh well, At least the grass is sharp.
Shot at 300mm and cropped by about 50%


Hi russard Oh yes I remembering you mentioning it on another of my Threads and Thank You for taking the time
Sorry to hear about your shoulder I know all about torn rotator cuffs so I feel for you, hopefully its not that kind of prpblem.
Actually the image is not too bad for a 50% crop a Spotted Dove I did read about the plastic feel and that's what put me off it..
I am still thinking about it, nothing stopping me buying it and selling it later if I do get that heavier 300mm lens,
Though the idea of popping it into a pocket appeals to me as a walk around all day kind of lens .
I do hope that shoulder heals up quickly and Thanks Again.

[russrad]

Thanks Mary Anne, I think its improving now.
I'm not a fan of long zooms but it does look like we'll be waiting a while for the 300mm. The mirrorless rumours website says 2016 for the telephoto and a 7-14, with a 40-150 pro lens due in 2015.
http://www.mirrorlessrumors.com

[Mary Anne]

Interesting those rumours sites, the Canon one is the same after all they are just rumours, I guess they have to write about something to keep the photographers wishing and hoping.
To me seeing is believing and I guess what I am after will come one day, and Thanks for that link..

[griffljg]

I very definitely do not lay any claims to being a bird photographer, but am trying to learn.

The only semi-decent bird shots I have were taken with my Canon EOS 6D with the fairly slow 100-400 Canon EF 100-400 1:4.5-5.6 L IS under atrocious lighting conditions. I was amazed that the photos turned out as well as they did. The Canon combo, great as it is, is just a bit too heavy for me to lug around all day. So I am now playing with my Olympus gear again.....

I am currently using an Olympus Zuiko Digital 70-300mm F4-5.6 coupled with an MMF-3 adaptor on my E-M1 in attempts to take photos of birds. Mary-Anne, you are right. - Birds do tend to move.;) Apart from being a slightly slow lens, its autofocus speed through the MMF-3 is also a bit slow. However, having said this, this combo is great for fairly stationary targets. - Like birds in a bird bath under good lighting conditions.

[Mary Anne]

Larry I am in no hurry for a Birding lens yet while I can still hold that heavy Canon gear, and Yes it is too heavy to cart around all day.
I will wait for that Olympus 300mm f/4 m4/3 lens to come out then look for images and read the reviews. And Thank You for that info Larry.

[bcys1961]

What about the new M.Zuiko PRO 40-150mm f/2.8 that is supposedly due for release very soon? I have the Zuiko 12-40mm f2.8 Pro and was planning to make this my next purchase . Would it be a good birding lens?

http://www.bestmirrorlesscamerareviews.com/2013/09/20/first-look-at-the-olympus-m-zuiko-40-150mm-f2-8-pro-lens-for-mft-cameras/

[Mary Anne]

Good choice Brad to follow the 12-40mm lens I have got that 12-40mm lens also. Thank You for posting that link.
Really prefer a longer reach than that for Birding as I find my Canon 300mm lens is not long enough at times.
Yes I would imagine that 40-150mm lens will be ok for backyard Birds and closer up ones in the outdoors as it will be the equivalent to a 80-300mm lens on my Canon camera.

[bcys1961]

No problem Mary Anne. According to this link the 40-150mm will be announced next Thursday.

http://www.dailycameranews.com/2014/08/olympus-e-pl7-silver-e-m1-august-28/

They also suggest a 300mm f2.8 is development but release date for that could be a year away . That's OK as I will have a year to save up for it . Then I will have covered 12-300mm all with f.2.8 Pro Lenses.

I will probably also pickup the macro lens in the mean time to play around with as well while I wait for the 300mm to come out .

[Mary Anne]

Very interesting Brad, a 300mm f/2.8 would have a hefty price tag and would not be light weight either..
You will love the macro lens its so light, it is taking me a while to get used to it, shooting with Canon gear too long I guess :D

[davsv1]

No problem Mary Anne. According to this link the 40-150mm will be announced next Thursday.

http://www.dailycameranews.com/2014/08/olympus-e-pl7-silver-e-m1-august-28/

They also suggest a 300mm f2.8 is development but release date for that could be a year away . .

Hi Brad, the 300 will be an f4 lens not f2.8 the 2.8 they mentioned there was a 7-14 f2.8

[bcys1961]

Hi Brad, the 300 will be an f4 lens not f2.8 the 2.8 they mentioned there was a 7-14 f2.8

Thanks , maybe the price tag won't be so hefty after all .

Looks like the 40-150mm maybe around $1500. I was going to get the Lumix 35-100 f2.8 , but when I read about the Oly 40-150mm coming out I thought I would wait and see what it is like .

[griffljg]

This weekend, I attached my old four thirds mount Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 70-300 1:4-5.6 to the E-M1 via an MMF-3 adaptor and went around playing. I left the camera in "P" mode and clicked away at a whole variety of subjects. Then my lodger yelled something about a bird fluttering away on a tree outside the front window. I flung up the camera, attempted to frame the subject and took the photo.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7VvWsRiWR6w/U_nPDzRAyLI/AAAAAAACpDg/31fHN4Shns8/s1024/P8230005.jpg

If it looks a bit murky, that is because it was taken through a slightly dirty window.

Then he (she?) flew off and settled on the branch of a tree in the park next door.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f5yB9ovqa_0/U_nPL5gm_nI/AAAAAAACpD4/awe7NSEMfwo/s1024/P8230008.jpg

I didn't notice his companion until I downloaded the photo onto my computer.

I must admit that I am quite impressed at how well the old four-thirds lens works on the E-M1 when coupled via the MMF-3 adaptor. The auto-focus was fairly slow, but not as slow as I was expecting it to be.

PS: Neither of these photos has been cropped.