Oly 40-150 PRO Manual focus.

[martycon]

I find the manual focus hard to fine tune. I use 5x to assist. In or out of focus is about one groove width of the focus ring, or less. Is this normal on this lens, or is there a setting available to change the gear ratio. I recon it is in overdrive, and would like to change to first, even if it meant many more turns to get near focus.
cheers marty

[Hunter50]

Marty, I can't answer your question, but am interested people's experience. I am close to buying this lens myself and keen to hear what others think of the lens and its handling.

I want to upgrade from my kit 40-150mm lens, would like a longer focal length, but think this will do, with the teleconverter.

What are your thought on this lens? Do you use the teleconverter?

[John King]

Marty, try turning magnification down to 3x with telephotos. I'm using 5x with my 50-200, but I'm also quite used to it. I also use focus peaking along with magnification, it can help a lot IMO. I find red the best colour for peaking.

Have you got the image stabilisation set on with half shutter press?

[martycon]

G'day Hunter, had I replied to this a few days ago, I should have replied that my experience was not sufficient. However I probably would have replied that it was good, but not spot on sharp. But a few days ago I was amazed when I looked at an image just converted, and not seen in detail previously. It was sharp at Cameraraw default setting 25, and I would have no reservations at posting it at 1:1, or even a bit more. I am about to post that image "Siblings". It was lightly sharpened with Nik software, then resized, with no further sharpening. Thus I can say that the lens has produced an image which I would hope for with a much more expensive lens than Olympus produces. As operator I was deficient.
kind regards marty

[martycon]

John thank you for these most helpful comments, I was starting to wonder whether my question was silly. I have the magnify assigned to an MF button, so will try to change to 3x. I tried peaking earlier, and have not thought of it since. I will revisit that with the red option. Yes I have the IS on half press, and am interested why you ask that question.
kind regards marty.

[John King]

John thank you for these most helpful comments, I was starting to wonder whether my question was silly.

You are welcome, Marty. No question is ever silly, no matter how simple. We have all been stumped by things that others just navigate straight through! I know I have been ...


I have the magnify assigned to an MF button, so will try to change to 3x. I tried peaking earlier, and have not thought of it since. I will revisit that with the red option.

Yeah, my mate JB put me onto that with our E-M1 MkI peaking. Works far better than the default colour in most circumstances IMO too.


Yes I have the IS on half press, and am interested why you ask that question.
kind regards marty.

I find it impossible to use magnify or peaking with the IBIS turned off with any lens longer than 'normal' FL in particular. Some might make it work, but not this little black duck ...

Sorry I have taken so long to answer you. Family matters have consumed much of the last 10 months, and continue to do so. My brother in law died unexpectedly, leaving my wife as executor, and a dreadful financial and physical mess. I'm her 'forensic accountant'. This has limited both the time and the mental energy available for many other normal life things, including here.

[martycon]

Thank you for the reason, and your help. From what I see of your approach to matters photographic, I am sure you will achieve an optimal outcome.
kind regards marty

[John King]

Thanks, Marty.

One other small tip - I hold my bigger lenses the "wrong" way, with my left hand palm supporting the lens underneath it with my thumb to the RHS and 3 other fingers around the zoom ring on the LHS. I then use my LH little finger on the MF ring to fine tune focus. Camera is in S-AF + MF mode.

[martycon]

I reviewed my focus test results, and yes at full stretch f8 & 11 were equal best and f16 fair, but less sharp. I tried your reverse hold, and although it felt awkward at first, it makes good sense, and I will adopt it, so thank you again.
kind regards marty.

[peterb666]

Thanks, Marty.

One other small tip - I hold my bigger lenses the "wrong" way, with my left hand palm supporting the lens underneath it with my thumb to the RHS and 3 other fingers around the zoom ring on the LHS. I then use my LH little finger on the MF ring to fine tune focus. Camera is in S-AF + MF mode.

I have never thought of that as being the wrong way.

I don't use the S-AF + MF but just slide the manual focus clutch and focus when I want manual focus.