I need you opinion. (1 Viewer)

Hello everyone, I need your opinions:
Which one works better for bird photography?
the Zuiko 50-200 + EC1.4 or Zuiko 70-300

I have the Zuiko 70-300 but I have some problems in poor light.

Grettings
Steve Sánchez

The former combination is about half a stop faster at the long end (and sharper-the cheaper lens is not at its sharpest at full zoom). Also the focussing is much quicker, especially on the E3, but still quick on a mid-range body such as an E-510.

Most user reviews state that the more expensive option is also sharper, and in my own experience-easier to get sharper images with. I have the 50-200SWD & EC-14, and have just bought a Canon 40D and 100-400 IS zoom. The Olympus with converter is about as sharp as the Canon lens on its own, as I have just done some comparison testing.

The former is noticeably heavier and also much more expensive than the cheaper Olympus zoom! It's a very nice lens but mine will be for sale very soon now that I am building a Canon system. I used to own the 70-300 zoom but quickly traded it in favour of the 50-200SWD as I was dissatisfied with it, though it is capable of good results if you 'learn' how to get the best out of it.

Steve

For the most part, I have to agree with Steve.
For some shots with both combos on a E-520 body take a look in my gallery:
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/54311

Cristian Mihai said:

For the most part, I have to agree with Steve.
For some shots with both combos on a E-520 body take a look in my gallery:
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/54311

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Hi Cristian, just had a look at your gallery and you're getting some stunning shots with that lens now that you've had it a while. I love the LEOwl pictures-also one of my favourite birds!

Perhaps this is a case of 'the grass is greener...' on my part, but occasions when I can get pictures like that of such great birds here in the UK are few and far between.

Mostly I have to digiscope to get birds so large in the frame here, hence my hunger for more reach with the Canon lens. One of my biggest frustrations with Olympus is not the image quality; I would have been happy to continue to work with their stuff in the knowledge that their high ISO image quality will no-doubt improve very quickly, but they consistently show no signs of releasing anything affordable that is longer than the 200 or 300mm zooms that they already offer.

If you live somewhere like the US or South America (or even the European continent), then this might not be an issue for you, but for me it is the straw that broke the camel's back.

On its own the Canon 100-400 zoom or f5.6 prime are not much longer than the 50-200 + 1.4 tc or 70-300 Oly zooms, but at least there is also the possibility of adding a converter and getting 560mm.

I think I will most probably keep my E-510 and kit lenses as they won't be worth much now second hand, and I wouldn't mind keeping a foot in the Oly camp just in case something happens, but for now I can't sit and wait on a possibility that might never happen.

Regards,

Steve

"One of my biggest frustrations with Olympus is not the image quality; I would have been happy to continue to work with their stuff in the knowledge that their high ISO image quality will no-doubt improve very quickly, but they consistently show no signs of releasing anything affordable that is longer than the 200 or 300mm zooms that they already offer."

I totally agree with you on this issue Steve.

Thanks guys for the comments, it is true that the 50-200 has a high quality, but we need a 400 with the same quality as the 50-200 and a normal price,would like everyone the 300 f2.8 but is very expensive, I I think the sigma 50-500, will remain our only option

Cristian, your gallery is very nice, you have great photos with the 50-200 and 70-300 also.
Grettings

Illapa said:

Thanks guys for the comments, it is true that the 50-200 has a high quality, but we need a 400 with the same quality as the 50-200 and a normal price,would like everyone the 300 f2.8 but is very expensive,

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Understand this:

1) Olympus will not make any mid-range lens which slower than f4 (needs to work well with the EC-14)
2) Olympus will not make lenses with large machine-ground elements. A 400/f4 would have a 100mm objective and that means a top-pro lens with hand-ground elements. It would weigh about the same as the 90-250/f2.8 and would cost a similar amount (check out the Nikon 200-400/f4)
3) If Olympus does ever produce a 400mm it'll be a standard-grade f5.6 lens
4) The best mid-range option would be a 100-300/f4 (assuming Olympus were ever to build such a lens) in combination with the EC-14

You can wish and wish all you want but it will never happen.