olympus 14-54 2.8/3.5 lens

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DustBowl

Active member
Anyone using this lens on the AF100? If so, do you need an adapter for the lens? Do all the electronics work with the AF?
 
Nope. I have one . It's a nice lens and relatively fast on the wider apertures. I think Iris control is all it's good for ( but I do most everything manually tho.) I can check to see if anything else works. Panansonic has a list of lenses on their site that shows which features work with the AF100.
 
I have this lens as well. It is a good choice until someone introduces a real MFt zoom. It is cheap, very light, 2.8 wide, 3.5 at telephoto and is as sharp as any of the Zuikos. It is a varifocal, which means you have to refocus whenever you change focal length - but what I do is zoom in, focus, make a mental note of the distance readout in the finder, zoom out and reset - I also use a Cineroid which has an excellent red peaking, and that helps a lot. The 14-54 works well as a 14mm wide even if you never zoom in.

HOWEVER, as I have said many times, I've grown to hate this lens because it doesn't allow you to smoothly change aperture during a shot, which I do regularly in my work. This is unfortunately endemic of all the digital still zooms. As a result the 14-54 stays in the case and I use primes with the AF, even though I make documentaries and shoot handheld without an AC.

This glitch has been a major disappointment in my adoption of the AF100, and, in my not so humble opinion, a huge oversight in the rush to introduce of this camera.

But, again, the 14-54 is a good lens with that notable exception. The electronics almost work (I don't use them, but have tested them), push exposure and auto focus creep around a little, but eventually find their way. You do need a 4/3 to M4/3 adapter, get a Panasonic.
 
Olympus is good too.. I just mean get a good one.. The off-market ones are okay for backup - I have a Canon FD, Leica R and Minolta, about $36 apiece, that I use for telephotos - but for any lens that's wider than 28mm don't try to save money on the adapter.
 
Mac said:
... HOWEVER, as I have said many times, I've grown to hate this lens because it doesn't allow you to smoothly change aperture during a shot, which I do regularly in my work. This is unfortunately endemic of all the digital still zooms.
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Agree 100%. I've grown to like it as well as despise it at the same time. I can live with the 1/2 stop change between 14 and 54 but the lack of a smooth iris change is maddening. I am hopeful that Birger and my EF lenses will solve the problem.

For now I am enjoying the return to Cine101 - prime lenses de-clicked and a re-embrace of classic film style shooting.
 
For now I am enjoying the return to Cine101 - prime lenses de-clicked and a re-embrace of classic film style shooting.
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Yup, and the return (for me at least, because I shoot documentaries and don't like to interrupt people) to double system sound. I'm glad I held on to my Tascam, sorta wish it was a Nagra-4 though (I'm kidding, but there is nothing like seeing reel to reel tape rolling at 7 1/2 ips through a clear lid).
 
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