Review of Panasonic Lumix Vario 14-140mm f/4.0-5.8 Aspherical Lens for Micro Four Thirds Lens Mount Systems

I had a Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 lens. Somehow, my camera and lens got knocked off the table. The camera was fine, the lens was not. So it was an opportunity to get a new lens! I wanted something a little wider - cause I wanted this to be my street lens. I found the Lumix 14-140mm and I really like it. First of all, it appears to be metal (unlike the Oly). Yes it is bigger and heavier, but not too bad on the OMD-EM1. I think the image quality is very good. Focus is very fast. I have used it with extenders with good results. It is an outdoor lens. Interior shots need to be well lit or use a flash. At twice the cost of the Oly 40-150mm - I think it is well worth it.

Cosmicar Television Lens on OMD-EM1

I have had a Cosmicar video lens for quite some time. I never have used it for anything. I decided to purchase a C-mount adapter for micro 4/3rds and try it on my EM-1. It fits perfectly and works. Here are the specs for the lens:

Cosmicar Television Lens
25mm 1:1.4
Min Aperture 16
Focus 22ft to Infinity

It actually focuses a lot closer, maybe 15" on the EM-1.

I got my adapter from: C mount to micro 4/3 rds adapter

I had no problems attaching the lens to the adapter. No problems attaching the adapter to the camera. No I can get some use out of the lens.

Review: SMC Pentax-FA 80-320mm F4.5-5.6 Teleoto Lens

I recently picked up this lens on eBay for $80. I got the silver version. I use it on my K30. I already had a Tamron 70-300mm telephoto lens. So basically, I am comparing the two. The autofocus is similar to the Tamron, slow and imprecise at times. The sharpness of the Pentax lens is much better than the Tamron. I find the sharpness suitable wide open. The color reproduction is excellent. I do not get the CA on the Pentax that I easily get on the Tamron. I have just had this lens for one day and I think I no longer need the Tamron 70-300. Sadly, I paid more for the Tamron than the Pentax lens. Very good lens for the price. Here is an image taken with the Pentax SMC FA 80-320mm lens:

Spicebush Swallowtail

My Review of Olympus Zuiko 9mm - 18mm f/4.0-5.6 E-ED Digital Zoom Lens for the E Digital SLR System.

Originally submitted at Adorama

Olympus Zuiko 9mm - 18mm f/4.0-5.6 E-ED Digital Zoom Lens for the E Digital SLR System.

Olympus Zuiko 9mm - 18mm f/4.0-5.6 E-ED Digital Zoom Lens for the E Digital SLR System.

Excellent Wide Angle LEns

By HWP from Greer, SC on 3/12/2011

4out of 5

Pros: Fast / accurate auto-focus, Lightweight
Best Uses: Landscape/Scenery, Indoors/Low Light
Describe Yourself: Photo Enthusiast
Was this a gift?: No

When you need a wide angle lens for your Olympus E system cameras, this lens is an excellent choice. For price and features it is a great lens.

(legalese)

Macro using Reverse Mount Lens Adapter

Last week I received a reverse lens mount adapter for my Zuiko 35mm f3.5 macro lens. I tried it right away. The way it works is this: You are able to thread the adapter to the outer filter threads of the macro lens. Then you flip the lens and attach the adapter to the lens mount on the camera. By reversing the lens, you get more magnification. Here's a sample photo of a small spider. I realized right away that a non-moving target is a must.

Also, a tripod will be necessary for the best shots. This spider was shot holding the camera by hand, and it was difficult to control. The DOF is very shallow. Also, it becomes more important to hold the camera lens parallel to the plane on subject that you want in focus. But, it shows a lot of promise. I will be able to get magnification that I was unable to get before. With patience and practice hopefully I will get some decent images. Here are some links at DPReview that deal with the subject. I'm looking forward to working with this setup to get some interesting macro shots.

The More Information You Have, The Better

Information is good. Specific information on the items in your kit is better. Today, I created a list of my lens specification in excel. Now I have a convenient list of my lenses and specifications. I copied the specs from the lens manufacturer's website. I added weight conversions, as all weights were listed in grams. I still use the Imperial units of lbs and oz. I highlighted the specifications I thought would be most useful. I highlighted each spec with a different color, but used the same colors for each lens. The idea here is that "pink" highlight corresponds to minimum focusing distance for all lenses. Helps the brain make the connection. I printed this out and stuck it in my camera bag. I think I will resize/rearrange the document to make something a little smaller. Then I will print it out and laminate it to give it durability. I can then access this chart when looking for filter sizes, minimum focus distances, etc.