OM System 40-150mm F4 PRO REVIEW - Truly Compact & Sharp
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- Опубликовано: 21 июл 2024
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This is my user experienced based non technical review for the OMSystem 40-150mm F4 PRO lens. I brought it out for extensive shoots before I make my conclusions, which are backed up by plenty of real life sample photographs shown in the video. I found the 40-150mm F4 PRO to be extremely compact yet maintaining the PRO grade qualities - weather-sealed, excellent optics and solid build quality.
0:00 Intro
0:29 Disclaimers
1:38 F4 PRO Series Lenses
1:53 Design & Build Quality
2:35 Locking Mechanism
3:38 Image Samples Reel 1
4:10 Image Quality
5:21 Lens Flaws Control
6:55 Lens Autofocus
7:16 Shooting Video
8:07 Image Samples Reel 2
8:37 What I Dislike
9:25 No MF Clutch & L-Fn Button
10:45 Image Samples Reel 3
11:15 40-150mm F2.8 PRO?
12:52 40-150mm F4-5.6 R?
13:35 Conclusion/END
14:11 Outro
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I must say, whatever one can think of your reviews, you are amazing photographer and the pictures you see when walking around are always noteworthy.
OMG! I need that lens! It's perfect for my snow sports photography.
Given the (lack of) size and weight, this is an excellent lens to carry without really noticing. I don’t mind the drop in bokeh either. In fact, since I’ve started shooting M43 I’ve come to appreciate that less can be more, and in turn it makes me a better photographer. I find myself getting pretty bored of the background being obliterated to nothing.
No need for it to be stabilised either as the OM IBIS is crazy good. I recently back-to-backed the 40-150 f2.8 on my OM-1.2 with a stabilised 50-140 f2.8 on my Fuji X-H2 and the OM was way, way more stable.
Great video as always Robin!
I am very impressed. The 2.8 is an excellent lens but it is a beast and not a practical lens to carry about. This seems like an excellent match with a smaller zoom or a couple primes for travel
Yeah if you want small and light, the 40-150mm F4 PRO is a good solution
I wish it accepted the 1.4x extender.
Another great review as usual. I love your enthusiasm but what always ales me watch your reviews is the quality of your photos - inspiring !
Great pics, thorough review & lens comparisons as always Robin. Like you I find locking lenses a frustrating design. Hope OM make you a future ambassador.
Great review as always Robin. We've followed your quality reviews over the years. Excellent lens, I was surprised how sharp it is for an f4 lens. I use it on my new OM5, great combination. Captured birds in flight, C-AF + 10fps, worked well at the Wetlands Bird centre - the light was good to be fair. I had f2.8 pro before but prefer this for portability, travel and ease of use. Will take it on Austrian hikes in summer. Thanks again for your valuable input.
Hi Robin, Because of your review I just took delivery of a mint Olympus 40-150 mm f4 lens. It is a really nice fit on my OMD 1 mk3 & compliments the 12-40mm f2.8. Thanks for your advice
A fantastic review. Thank you for the content!
Thanks, I am glad I can share
Really love your videos Robin and have done for ages now, fantastic work! The colours, contrast and quality you get out of these cameras and lenses hits me every time on all of your videos, such good stuff. Do you generally shoot in raw and process your photos? I know you quite like using Workspace as you've said in previous videos, or are these shots straight out of camera jpegs?
Either way, fantastic stuff!
Thanks for another excellent review. Since I already own the 40-150 f/2.8 Pro lens, I can't see where I would use the f/4 Pro version enough to justify the expense as I am just an amateur. When I want to travel very light, I'm happy to use the fantastic plastic 40-150 lens while I keep the 12-40 f/2.8 Pro lens in my bag with perhaps a prime lens or two. But, for those that don't already own the 2.8 Pro version, the F/4 Pro version may be an attractive choice, and that is one of the advantages of the 4/3 system which now provides so many attractive lenses!
Thanks, Robin. This is at the top of my wishlist and will replace my Panasonic Lumix 45-150mm f4-5.6 which is not up to the task. It will go nicely with my Olympus 12-45mm f4 Pro, plus I have a 25mm and 14mm if I want to shoot some cityscape.
Fantastic lens. Thank you for review.
Very happy for lock mechanism. No issue for me. I am happy I could have smaller lens. Noone force you to use it :).
Good video Robin. Thanks for the info.
Great review. I own both the new 40-150/4.0 and the 40-150/2.8. Both are great lenses. I usually carry the 40-150/4.0 because it makes my genral kit a lot lighter and more compact. I usually carry couple of fast primes (20/1.4 and 45/1.2) for low light and isolating the subject. I will be carrying these fast primes if I am using the f2.8 zooms since f2.8 is not fast enough. I usually try to extend the lens when I get it out of the bag so it will be ready when needed. Just a change of habit from my usually way. The lens is internal zoom. The lens does not change length once it is extended for use. Still, it is nice to also own the 40-150/2.8 for when f2.8 or a teleconverter is needed, which for me it rarely so the lens usually stays home.
Yeah my complain is, you need to extend the lens as you get it out of the bag, that one step can miss some shots, as some opportunities only happen once. I beg to differ, as the lens extends, it is no longer "internal zoom". The internal barrel is exposed as well.
Great Information. Thank You Robin.
Thanks Doug
Great pics and it looks like a great lens.
Thanks, it is a great lens!
Hi Robin! Good to see you well! Every product you comment about, make want to buy it !!! Hugs my friend, you the BEST
Thanks, I continue to shoot and share what I can
Excellent review! Thank you!,,,,
It's a good video. Since buying this lens it is rarely off my camera.
I've just shot a wedding, including the indoor evening event with this lens on an OM-1. It's plenty fast enough with the superior low light plus the superior high ISO performance of the camera. I was swapping it between the OM-1 and an E-M1 Mark II all evening and it was fine.
Also, wider apertures at these focal lengths often give too shallow a depth of field; I want both the bride and the groom in focus when they are dancing. Like everything in photography, there are compromises and those missing features mean the lens is lighter and easier to use than bigger heavier lenses. Plus, the OM-1 and the E-M1s are smothered in programmable buttons that can have any number of functions assigned to them, functions I can carry forward to other lenses that don't have a function button. Furthermore, combining back button focus plus AF + MF gives all the control you need and makes the clutch redundant. For me, the simplicity and lightness of the lens are well worth the loss of those functions.
I don't really get your point about the lens lock. When the camera is stored away, the lens is locked. However, when it is in use and attached to the camera around your neck, it is permanently unlocked, so there is no delay. Are you locking it between shots?
The other thing is that a shallow depth of field with a completely blurred background is perfectly feasible with this lens. In fact, some of your bird examples have just that. Saying that, I find completely blurred backgrounds a bit boring and I like background detail to add content to the photo.
Apart from those minor points, it was an enjoyable watch. Thanks for posting it.
Need to remember to unlock it when you power up the camera if it's locked. Has gotten me a few times on other lenses.
The pictures were incredible as usual. I have the budget Olympus 40-150mm f4-5.6. I enjoy using it with my Panasonic12-60 mm f3.5-f5.6 and olympus 45mm f1.8 for my vacation setup. I use the 12-60mm most of the time, but I use the 40-150 when taking photos of buildings and landscapes like mountain tops. I rarely use the 45mm, but it is nice to have for portraits and photos needing more light,
Wow, are you me? That is literally the setup I used last year when I visited Vancouver, BC, but also a Pana 25mm f/1.8. From seascapes, to mountains, and urban areas, I never felt like I was missing something. I used to have the Oly 12-50, but I prefer the Pana 12-60 over it. Seems sharper and compact, just miss the better macro capabilities. ALSO, can I just say how EASY it was to carry all these lenses? So light and compact package! That's why I love M4/3 and not some old person either, am in my early 20s and I just like having this amount of flexibility!
The cheap 40-150is way underestimated in performance, you get a lot for little money
The 40-150mm R is a gem, I love it!
thanks Robin, value your opinions and enthusiasm 👍🇬🇧
Thanks for being here
Excellent unbiased review Robin, looks like an interesting lens, but I'm sure some of the cons
you mentioned will be deal breakers for some folks.
Thank you for your hard work.
Thanks Tony, good thing we have options, I myself am leaning toward the 40-150mm F2.8 PRO
@@robinwong Yes I would imagin that would be the right chioce for your needs Robin, low light indoor work, concerts and such.
I have the 40-150 f4-5.6 R which is more than good enough for what I do, being a hobbiest, my stuff just ends up on my Flickr page.
As always Robin, a very complete review. I have been considering changing my backpacking kit since you first mentioned this lens. I carry the 12-45 f4 pro and the 75-300 f4.8-6.7 with my EM5 m3 now. Maybe the 75-300 is too much as I rarely take my pictures beyond 200mm. My priorities are to reduce size and weight while maintaining quality and durability (weather sealing). Olympus does this better than anyone else. More to think about. I am trying to stop this gear acquisition syndrome I am currently in. But I guess that is part of the process for newbies. Thanks for all your efforts.
I think you have a great setup there - 12-45mm PRO and 75-300mm can do a lot! If weather-sealing is a concern then definitely the PRO lens is a good option!
Hey i’m using the same camera & lens setup as you too bro😍😍! Gonna admit yeah with just these two lens you can basically cover all the areas💪
Hi Robin. Excellent presentation as usual and good points made re pro’s and con’s. I always enjoy you little Street photo essays around KL. I feel like I’m there in person. The still images you show on your RUclips channel, are they straight out of camera JPEGS or do you shoot RAW and correct to taste? I ask, as you mentioned the 40-150 f4 showed no signs of chromatic abbreviation or fringing. So, do you try to find signs CA in Raw files and then correct them into JPEG for YT channel or do you find that there is no CA at all in camera JPEG files? Cheers mate.
A great lens, I love mine! The locking mechanism might be annoying, but makes the lens shorter when locked. So you have to extend it to take any shots, because only then all lens elements are in the right position. Interestingly, this lens is internally focussing and zooming! So once it is extended, it doesn't move at all.
The biggest selling point for this lens of course is its price and size compared to the f2.8. The size makes a huge difference, when you wouldn't be willing to carry the f2.8, e.g. when also carrying the 300/4. Or as an addition to a very small kit where you wouldn't bring any telephoto lens otherwise. It would be perfect, if there was an 1.4 converter for this lens, that would make it even more versatile.
True - without locking mechanism lens would be 40% longer. It's just something for something.
Great Review 👍👍👍👍👍 This review helped me make a choice . Still think I would rather go with the 2.8 pro for the fact that you can adapt the 1.4 and 2.0 doubler. And the low light capability when needed.
Thanks. Yeah I appreciate the ability to add teleconverters
I wonder if you could program any Olympus cameras to turn on when you unlock the lens. I would sidestep the one downside that you mention about the need to unlock it.
Nice crisp shots of the critters!
Thanks MIke!
@@robinwong You're enjoying your ''shutter therapy'' with any lens you employ whether the powers that be in our day & age appreciate your contributions or not. We the viewers do appreciate your passionate drive & results you come up with. Thanks!
Hi Robin, while agreeing with the locking mechanism drawbacks, the huge advantage is on being able to pack really small, which is what I believe many like of m4/3. If the lens were bigger, many of us would not consider buying it.
Great review Robin. You nailed all the points why the f2.8 Pro is the better lens. The f4 Pro is a good compromise for many people especially when travelling. I’m not a lover of extending zooms as they are more likely to suffer from the ingress of dust. I think the extending part is made of ABS Plastic like the12-40 f2.8 Pro.
It is not a 'better lens'. As Robin actually said it's a different choice, it's called horses for courses. I already have the f2.8 but can think of many occasions where the f4 would be more useful because it's light and compact.
I think for a compact lens, the 40-150mm F4 PRO is an excellent lens. But for PRO shooters, I'd say go for 40-150mm F2.8, it has a lot more to offer.
Excellent video description and evaluation. Question: Are all the animal and bird species from Malaysia?
I always found the f2.8 a bit heavy to use all day ( I could never handle full frame lol ) I think this one will be a good compromise
Enjoyed your review! When you talk about the F4-5.6 image quality, are you talking about sharpness and contrast or bokeh? Having just getting my first Olympus, trying to get more familiar with the systems. By the way, I'm very thankful you have so much Olympus content published. I'm also happy to see you having fun with other cameras.
The 40-150mm R is a good lens, it produces good contrast, sharpness and bokeh quality, of course, not on the same level as a PRO grade lens, but very good indeed considering the budget price tag. I have made a video specifically for the 40-150mm R if you want to find out my thoughts more.
Hi Robin, thank you for the OMD support. Just wondering, in today's social media age, I see content with really good videos, I don't know what they are. Are they cinematic, shot on an iPhone? They're really HD. I can't seem to get that quality out of my EM10 Mark 3 on 4k?
I'm a bit bewildered with om not appreciating your value to the brand.I own and use 3 Olympus cameras, and always follow you for your insight, and will continue to. Thanks Robin
Thanks for the show of support, it is time to move on and not look back. I am here, and continue doing what I do, and I hope that matters. Thanks for being here.
I agree on the lens lock. It is a bit of an irritant. It is a great outdoors hiking lens. I do wish I could use a teleconverter on it. I have 2 things I consider for my lenses purchases. 1 I call wq which is weight vs image quality. The other is value which is cost vs image quality and this ranks very high on both of those to me. This and the 8-25 make a great combination hiking landscape type photos. 9, 12, 20, 56 all at f/1.4 make my low light combination now. However 2 of them do not do well on my wq ratio. Still, the 2 stops faster than a 2.8 zoom makes it worth it to me for how I shoot. Which is of course different for everyone.
How are you doing 9, 12, 20, 56 all at f/1.4 with m43 gear?
@@craig_m_mi My mistake, the 9mm which I just added is 1.7. Pany 12/1.4, Oly 20/1.4, Sigma 56/1.4. I had a 30/1.4 but just to heavy so I got rid of it and the 15/1/7 to get the 20/1.4. I have a sling for 2 cameras so usually have the 12 and 20 inside with the other in my lens carrier.
@@DeMorcan Thanks for the clarification.
These images are of excellent quality, but I'll be staying with my inexpensive yet very good m.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4-5.6. I paid $100 for it several years ago and it hasn't let me down yet. It probably won't ever win any lens awards, but for a $100 lens, it's still very capable of producing extremely beautiful dawn to dusk images.
The 40-150mm R is a gem!
The lens elements are not properly aligned for 40mm until unlocking (extending). This is a feature to make the lens as short and compact as possible when not in use. Similar to the Panasonic 35-100mm F4-5,6 i guess. I don't lock it when it is on the camera, only when it is stored.
My concern is, when I get the camera and lens out of the bag, I want it to be ready. I have many moments that happen right as the camera got out from the bag. That one additional unlocking step is very dangerous.
Hi Robin. A couple questions if I may, First, regarding the zoom mechanism. I watched the dPreview review and Chris commented that once the lens was unlocked, zoom is internal. Is that accurate or not? The other is the possibility of missing shots when unlocking the lens. Chris said the same thing as you. Is there a reason, for example, when you entered the bird park why you can't just unlock the lens and leave it is shooting position until you are ready to put it back in your bag? Maybe I'm misunderstanding how the locking mechanism works. Thanks
Thanks!
Thanks Vernon, much appreciated!
Thank you :)
Glad I can share
Great lens but is the f4 aperture enough for coincert photos? (the 40-150 2.8 is much heavier and bulkier)?
Would you recommend another lens for concerts (olympus, pana or other)? Thanks in advance...
The disadvantages you mentioned were exactly why I settled for the lighter and much cheaper version. The Pro was not pro enough for me to spend so much money.
Of course, if you don't need weather-sealing and high grade optics, then the non-Pro is more than good enough.
I thought the plastic fantastic was great when I first bought it. It was my 2nd lens.
But since then I've bought much better lenses and tbh it looks terrible when you compare side by side.
Really lacks that fine detail.
The F4 is in a different league.
I am sort of considering this lens as an addition to my 12~40 pro. The size appeals to me. The aperture does not. Why you ask? I am not a fast lens nut. I don't care too much about shallow depth of field as I mostly shoot landscape. But an F4 lens for an MFT sensor has an apparent DOF of F8 on a full frame. This is where things begin to fall apart for me. I think I hold on for a good 2nd hand F2.8 version, as large as it is.
It’s heavy to use all day remember it’s still a f4 in every other aspect than depth of field :) I just wish this lense went to 200mm
For a hobby photographer would you recommend this lens over my 14-150mm f4.0-5.6? I'm tempted but not sure I can justify the cost (tho I can get a really good deal brand new...)
I don't really shoot in the rain. Are the images that much better and would I realistically notice a big difference unless I pixel peep?
I just upgraded to an OM-1 as a treat.
How does the image quality in good light conditions (e.g. daylight outside) of this lens compare to the 12-150mm f4-5.6 lens ?
When will they have an OM-1 for you to test out? I've heard that the supply chains may be improving. I'm looking forward to that video. :)
The local distributor did not even have the 40-150mm F4 PRO samples, they had to open a retail box. It will be unreasonable to ask them to open an OM-1 retail box for me...
@@robinwong I stuck with my em1mk 3 while the om1 technically has better low light I didn’t like the way it resolved grain compared to the em1mk3 so technically you get more stops of light at high iso but the grain just doesn’t look as clean … also I don’t need bird af. And that stuff, so for me the em1mk3 is more than enough plus I never shoot 4K 60 40k30 all the way :)?
@@robinwong also technically the em1mk3 will be the last ever all “Olympus” camera, I think that’s something special.
You are the best
Bonjour mon ami , pense tu que l'écart d'argent avec la version 2.8 et justifiable ? Ou celui-ci suffirait en complément d'un 12-40 pro ? Je suis sur un omd em1 mark1 j'hésite entre investir dans cet objectif ou changer mon em1 mark 1 par un mark2 ou 3 et rester sur mon simple 12-40 pro . Au passage qu'elle est le lien pour ta lanière je la trouve superbe et pratique , merci beaucoup !
Great review. How do you think the IQ of the 40-150/F4 when cropped to 200mm FOV compares to the IQ of the 12-200mm/F6.3 @200mm?
Thanks. I don't have the 12-200mm at the moment, and I don't want to make baseless assumptions. I'd come back to this question when I have both lenses to do real life comparison.
Hi, what lens would you choose for Video 12-100f4 or 12-45+40-150f4 the price is pretty much the same.
I have the 40-150mm f2.8 Pro lens and don’t use it that much, because of the weight. The lens I find I use is the Zuiko ED 12-200mm f3.5-6.3 which suits me, as it’s light. I also find it very sharp for a cheaper lens! I recently bought the Zuiko ED 8-25mm f4 Pro lens and it has the same locking mechanism as the 40-150mm f4, and is, indeed, a nuisance. Love your reviews, Robin!
Thanks Trish, appreciate it. Yes the 12-200mm is such a flexible and versatile lens to use!
Same I found the 40-150 2.8 stunning but too heavy for all day use at the zoo my arm had it haha
Hi Robin,
I come for an advise: considering sharpness, do you recommand the 40 150 pro f4 or 75 mm f1.8. Which one is the best? For information I am using an OM1. I give you this information, because it is a recent one and I observe a difference with budget and old lens (75 - 300 for example ) a real difference with my old pen f. I got very good result with pen… and poor result with the last system. OM1 and 75mm will be a good combo ?
The 2.8 lenses are really large and heavy but then again I use a EM-1X and non-2.8 lenses work well with it but look abit undersized haha
So, the Oly 8-24 f.4 pro and this 40-150 f.4 pro, with a 20mm f/1.4 or 1.8 prime (17mm, 25mm)?
Or the Oly 12-45 f/.4 pro and this 40-150 f.4 pro, with a 20mm f/1.4 or 1.8 prime (17mm, 25mm)?
Options and choices.
It all comes down to what you need, or do with your photography. Some people are happy with just 12-40mm F2.8 PRO or 12-100mm F4 PRO.
I love the absence of the Fn button and MF Clutch - just simple lens, like the 20/1.4 - the real Zuiko... 🙂
Don't forget the Panasonic G X Vario 35-100 f 2.8 II. It's a excellent professionnel lens, very lightweight small, weather sealed and so on...
100mm.... too short!
If Robin doesn't do video, what are we watching?
F2.8 is a fantastic lens, but it's so bulky that arguments in favour of it come close to arguments in favour of having a full frame. I even think F4 version plus 75 1.8 compete in size, weight and even cost against F2.8.
Show me a ff 80-300 f2.8 with the same size, weight... and price.
I don't think F2.8 is so bulky, it is still about half the size of full frame similar lens.
You stated that you don't like to unlock the lens before use. Why lock the lens when turning off the camera?
So you don't lock the lens when you put it in your camera bag? That is one sure way to destroy the lens.
@@robinwong I have the Olympus 12-100 lens and it doesn't even have the locking mechanism on it. There is no issue when traveling with this lens. Since I don't have the 40-150, I guess the lock prevents lens creep while carrying the lens?
When the lens is not at locked position, it moves freely, and in a bag, that is very dangerous. Unlike the 12-100mm, which does not move much.
IMO the lock mechanism allows the lens to be physically as short as possible but in a way that makes it optically unusable.
@@peterreber7671 Unusable? I think you may mean usable?
Not sure I'm liking this new om system removing the focus clutch and focus button and using the term pro. To me the pro line is defined by having these two features. Seems like half pro,f4 is not what I call pro either but I see the reason why to keep it small and light. Be very interested to see some comparison shots at 40mmand 150mm against the 40-150mm f4-5.6 kit lens.
There's no comparison with the 40-150mm f4-5.6 lens. I found it hard to get sharp images, especially in low contrast. The focus was all over the place. I swapped it for the f4 pro and haven't looked back.
👌👍👍🙏
👋🙋
Thanks
In my comperison the budget lens matches the f4 lens!…..
The budget lens is pretty bad.
Take a photo of some fine hair or fibres and you can see it looks a blur in comparison to the pro.
1:18 for someone who doesn't do video you have quite the following on RUclips! 😉
10:57 11:02 ⭐!!!
Looks like the 2.8 has much better performance at the long end
The two examples were not shot at long end. I don't understand what you are trying to say
@@robinwong Two different things - I like those two shots; and thought that the longer shots were weaker :)
Do you have to retract the lens when switching off the camera? If not, the solution is simple: Just don't retract the lens, and the start-up time of the camera will be as fast as with any other lens. Well, yes, now the camera might no longer fit into the camera bag …
Leaving the lens extended while keeping it in the camera bag is a sure way of destroying the lens quickly.
@@robinwong That's an aspect I overlooked. Fair point! But this would be an issue with every retractable lens.
Bokeh is over rated. More importantly is lens to subject distance and lens to background distance. This lens is brilliant. Shooting my grandchildren at 50mm f4 with the background 4m behind them gave plenty of separation. If I am shooting in low light I use my Nikon D850. Horses for courses
Crikey - costs more than my car!
My experience with the 9-18mm was enough to avoid this lens at all cost.......it ended up in the garbage bin.