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Re: [OM] Thinking of taking the plunge....

Subject: Re: [OM] Thinking of taking the plunge....
From: Moose <olymoose@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:54:25 -0700
On 10/31/2012 1:00 PM, Frank Wijsmuller wrote:
> Standard 4/3 lenses require a 'mmf-1', 'mmf-2' or 'mmf-3' adapter. ...
>
> The OEMs will get you auto focus but *very* slow. Think 0,5 - 2 seconds,
> depending on the lens.

That's the info I've gotten from others, as well. Someone used to MF, and 
perhaps a lot of pre-focus on suitable 
subjects, may find AF with standard 4/3 lenses and adapter OK.

If one is used to AF with them on 4/3 bodies, or any other contemporary DSLR 
AF, it will likely be painful, especially 
in low light.

The problem is the change in AF technology. Lenses designed for the Phase 
Detect AF used with focus screens don't work 
well with the Contrast Detect AF necessary for non-reflex cameras. A couple of 
other makers have started making combo 
sensors with PDAF points built in, so their legacy lenses can be used.

µ4/3 has gone the other way, designing lenses from scratch for CDAF, which 
gives better results and smaller, lighter 
lenses.. In Oly's case, at least, it also makes them better for video, as it 
involves designing small, light moving 
elements for zooming and focusing and a different kind of mechanism for 
focusing them. Combined with in-body IS, it 
means little or no noise from zoom and AF to turn up in audio.

That's unfortunate in a way, as it means Oly can't simple port their previous 
optical designs from their many 4/3 lenses 
to µ4/3.  OTOH, their µ4/3 lenses are excellent optically, while remaining 
small and light. Part of the reason is, of 
course, that most so far aren't fast. That's only a problem if shallow DOF is 
important to you. The AF is really fast 
anyway, and the high ISO good enough to compensate for lens speed for most uses.

A. F. Moose

-- 
What if the Hokey Pokey *IS* what it's all about?
-- 
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