Shooting birds with Olympus

[JDArt]

What does Olympus offer in the way of lenses for shooting birds? Are there any 500 or 600mm lenses in the lineup? Last I checked the max was 300 or so.

Thanks.

[BigB]

The 300 would give you 600mm reach in 35mm terms, along with a 1.4x TC would provide a solid 840mm in 35mm terms.

Not sure if that helps, but yes, the 300 is the longest ZD lens available. You might be able to get something longer that was made for the OM mounts, but then you'd have to have MF and manual aperture adjustments.

[Paul Shields]

You just need to remember that any lens size for 4/3rds equals a doubling of lens focal length in a 35mm format. Some people call it cropping, and in a way that's right, but the Zuiko digital lenses are designed to create an image circle for the 4/3rds sensor so I look at it as a non-cropped lens format (lens is designed for the sensor). The 300mm is outrageously expensive (though a pretty fast f/2.8 ). The much more affordable 50-200mm (f/2.8 - f/3.5) is excellent and can work well for bird shots (see many of my posts in the birds category on this site). Add in the 1.4x converter and it's quite a long lens - and means it's often pretty easy to shoot at 560mm (35mm equiv.) even when handheld.

[JDArt]

Interesting.

Excuse the dumb question, but if those 4/3rds lenses double the focal length, why are they called 4/3rds?

[Paul Shields]

Originally Posted by JDArt

Interesting.

Excuse the dumb question, but if those 4/3rds lenses double the focal length, why are they called 4/3rds?

That question usually opens a can of worms . Typical answer is that it is the aspect ratio, though it also happens to fit the physical dimensions of the sensor.

A useful pdf that goes into more (marketing) detail is here.

[matteo]

Originally Posted by JDArt

Interesting.

Excuse the dumb question, but if those 4/3rds lenses double the focal length, why are they called 4/3rds?

The reasons are More


the first is the aspect ratio between height and length (4 to 3) of sensor .
the APS C and the 24x36 mm sensor (full format) have a ratio of 3/2.

In professional use the 3/2 ratio is a problem because normally part of a 3/2 ratio photo is cutted to fit in a paper page.
consequently the composition of image is more difficult.
the second reason is because the 4/3 sensor is double in Length and height of the 2/3" sensor ( they play with 4/3 (aspect ratio) and 2/3" real dimension of sensor in " )
13x18 mm (4/3) sensor and 6.5x9 mm the 2/3" sensor

The reason of the double of the focal Length is:
the 24x 36 mm has a diagonal of 44 mm (fully covered from a 35mm lens)
the 13x18 mm sensor has a diagonal of 22 mm for this reason when I use a 50 mm in a 4/3 sensor i use only the central part of the lens 1/2 of diagonal
consequently I double the focal Length respect to a 35mm.




Bye