Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm noise issues?

woodcarver

woodcarver

Well-known member
Just got the Oly zoom and loved it for the first 15 minutes--until I mounted a shotgun onto the top of the body. Manual focusing (and AF of course) creates a noise which is easily picked up on the mic.

I do a lot of run and gun doc work so I need a fast zoom and I need to be able to mount it on the camera. In quick tests the sound of someone talking nearby seemed to be enough to drown out the focusing noise. Of course, this isn't ideal.

Anyone have experience with this lens in a run and gun setting? What was your experience with the noise of the lens?
 
I would love to know this as well. Would you mind recording a little video showing how noisy the lens is?
I wanted to get this with a GH2 but if it isnt useable for run n gun then this is unfortunate...
 
The Olympus 14-54mm Mark II was once my favorite handheld lens on the GH1. Then I did a zoom test:


I upgraded to the Panasonic 14-50mm f2.8-3.5 for its superb Optical Image Stabilization. Its iris is much better behaved than the Oly 14-54mm:


However, the Panasonic does have some issues: the lens breathes noticeably while focusing and the OIS motor makes a quiet, but audible churning noise when it's on. I'd recommend shock-mounting your shotgun mic as far as practical from the camera.
 
Since I need on-camera audio, the 14-54mm MKII and the 14-50mm OIS are both out as lens options.
What about the 12-60mm SWD?
 
lpowell said:
Pretty much rules out anything Micro/Four Thirds made by Olympus or Panasonic.
Click to expand...

Im realising this now...
I may have to go with Canon then since m4/3 doesnt have a fast stabalized standard zoom lens that is quiet.
I love the resolution and less aliasing of the GH2 but it seems going with the crowd is best for what I want to do lol
 
Boncrek said:
Since I need on-camera audio, the 14-54mm MKII and the 14-50mm OIS are both out as lens options.
What about the 12-60mm SWD?
Click to expand...
I used to own the 12-60mm.

It is a super awesome lens, v e r y sharp and well built. But on a GH1 it has no autofocus. I believe it does on the GH2 however. But there I can´t really tell you anything on its autofocus noise.

Edit: No stabilization of course
 
JackBayer said:
I used to own the 12-60mm.

It is a super awesome lens, v e r y sharp and well built. But on a GH1 it has no autofocus. I believe it does on the GH2 however. But there I can´t really tell you anything on its autofocus noise.

Edit: No stabilization of course
Click to expand...

Yeah I know its sharp and will autofocus on the GH2 but it was really the image stabalization and constant aperture I was looking for.
I didn't mind a clicking iris as I know I wasn't going to be changing iris during a shot.
A constant aperture would just makes life easier when composing the shot.
 
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