OM 90mm macro (2 Viewers)

[Steve Babbs]

It is here: OM SYSTEM M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO | London Camera Exchange.

I've been looking forward to this lens. I have to admit that, although I knew it wouldn't be cheap, I was hoping it would be a little less pricey.

 

[Richard D]

Ouch! I'll stick with my 60

 

[Jim M.]

It's their top of the line pro series, so not surprising price to me. Getting very good reviews, e.g. DPReview TV: OM System 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO Review Can be paired with the oly 1.4x and 2x teleconverters for even more magnification.

 

[Steve Babbs]

Ouch! I'll stick with my 60

Having only joined the OM club last summer just before a foreign trip, I haven't yet bought a macro. I have to admit the 60 at £1000 less is looking tempting. Also, at under half the weight, I am more likely to slip it in my pocket when I have the 100 - 400 (which is an excellent general wildlife lens anyway) attached so it would still be of use even if I do decide to splash the cash on the 90 latter.

I figure I have until about a month or so until I really feel I need a macro so I have a bit of dithering time.

 

[Adey Baker]

The 90mm appears to be an excellent lens (looks like a smaller version of the 300mm F4 lens). I think it's more of a specialist lens than, say, the 60mm. The 2:1 macro will get you right into tiny creatures whereas, for subjects such as moths, damselflies, smaller species of butterfly, etc., you only really need a close-focussing tele lens and a bit of cropping to get good quality photos.
I have the 60mm and it's a fine lens but you definitely need to get quite close in on the above subjects whereas with my 300mm (plus either converter) working from a greater distance means less disturbance to the subject. Either way, the best technique is to decide on your angle of view from a distance and then move slowly straight towards the subject - moving 'across' the subject will alert it more readily than the 'straight line' approach.
The sync-IS with the 90mm will definitely be better than the body-only IS with the 60mm - I get acceptable shots with the 300mm (even with the converters) at remarkably slow shutter speeds but when I switch to the 60mm I still need to take almost as much care as if there were no stabilisation at all when close to macro-range.
I think the converters with the 90mm will be just as useful for getting the desired magnification ratio at a longer distance rather than just tiny critters at 4:1.

 

[Jim M.]

Having only joined the OM club last summer just before a foreign trip, I haven't yet bought a macro. I have to admit the 60 at £1000 less is looking tempting. Also, at under half the weight, I am more likely to slip it in my pocket when I have the 100 - 400 (which is an excellent general wildlife lens anyway) attached so it would still be of use even if I do decide to splash the clash on the 90 latter.

I figure I have until about a month or so until I really feel I need a macro so I have a bit of dithering time.

What you describe is similar to my current set up for photographing bugs in the field. Not sure about the Oly 100-400 (which I assume is what you are referring to), but the Panasonic-Leica 100-400 provides excellent macro capabilities for larger bugs (e.g. butterflies & odonates) and 1: 0.25 magnification at minimum focusing distance. I believe the Olympus 100-400 lens provides the same. (If you won't be photographing anything smaller, you won't benefit from a macro lens.) The 60 mm macro I use with the macro flash for smaller stuff or bugs that are easier to photograph close-up. I also screw on the raynox 250 for really small stuff.

The main advantages I see for field bug photography with the new lens are high magnification (with autofocus) and a greater working/flash distance for smaller bugs – plus no need to screw on the Raynox 250 for tiny critters, especially if you're using one of the teleconverters. Also, it has more reach than the 60 mm (especially with the teleconverters), so you will also be able to get good shots of butterflies and odonates if they aren't too distant--so it is a more versatile lens than the 60 mm. But I will still probably carry around my 100-400 as well most of the time for the extra reach and working distance for skittish butterflies and odonates and other large bugs.

In any event, I agree this is more of a specialty lens for those who want to photograph small bugs and other things.

 

[Steve Babbs]

I do definitely need a macro lens - I've always had one with other camera systems - but the 100 - 400 Olympus is great for butterflies and dragonflies and the 60mm will be fine for Hemiptera and moths (my two other main insect groups). There will definitely be times when I wish I had the 90mm but whether I can justify the money on a 'middle(ish) income I'm not sure. I do have the TG-6 if I need more than 1:1.

I will dither a bit. It partly depends how many tropical trips I plan.

 

[Steve Babbs]

Does anyone use the 60mm macro with the 1.4x convertor?

 

[seawatcher]

Does anyone use the 60mm macro with the 1.4x convertor?

no, because they are not comaptible. SW

 

[Steve Babbs]

no, because they are not comaptible. SW

The 100 - 400 lens is not listed as compatible but a Google search turns up people using then together with good results.

 

[seawatcher]

The 100 - 400 lens is not listed as compatible but a Google search turns up people using then together with good results.

Yes, the 100-400mm is certainly compatible, but apparently not the case for the 60 mm macro lens (unless you fiddle about with extention tubes, guess that would work). SW

 

[Jim M.]

The 100 - 400 lens is not listed as compatible but a Google search turns up people using then together with good results.

Not sure where you are looking, but the Olympus 100-400 is listed on their website (as well as independent reviews) as compatible with both the mc-14 and mc-20 oly teleconverters. The Panasonic-Leica 100-400 micro 4/3 lens is not compatible with either teleconverter.

 

[Richard D]

If you can live with manual focus for macro work the old mikro-nikkors work well on an adapter for a longer focal length than the 60mm - they still hold their own optically.

 

[Steve Babbs]

I think I have decided on the 60mm, which I can get for £329, at least for now. I may splash out some time in the future. Pity the 60mm doesn't work with the 1.4x convertor but I was reminder how good the 100 - 400 was for larger insects with this minotaur beetle yesterday. This has been cropped slightly.

 

[C B Allen]

I think I have decided on the 60mm, which I can get for £329, at least for now. I may splash out some time in the future. Pity the 60mm doesn't work with the 1.4x convertor but I was reminder how good the 100 - 400 was for larger insects with this minotaur beetle yesterday. This has been cropped slightly.

Steve, if you haven't come across this before see if it will work for you (this guy does absolutely awesome macro work with OMDS kit!)

Using the MC-14 Teleconverter on the Olympus 60mm macro lens: Micro Four Thirds Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

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