Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/02/28
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Nothing like first hand experience. One question: is the Oly lens smaller than the Leica? On 27/02/2007, at 21:38, Howard Cummer wrote: > Alaistair Didier, > > I offer the following comments based on my experience with my Oly > 330E and L 1 and the OLy 14 - 54 and Leica 14 - 50 Elmarit. Sorry > for the delay in commenting but I only get the digest. > >> Date: Mon, 26 Feb 2007 13:11:46 +0100 >> From: Didier Ludwig <leica@screengang.com> >> Subject: Re: [Leica] The Elusive Digilux 3 compared to the L1 and >> Oly >> 330E >> To: Leica Users Group <lug@leica-users.org> >> >> Alastair >> >> I have followed several discussions about that on a german oly >> forum. Yes the O.I.S. works with the Vario Elmarit on a Oly e-330 >> body - but in the "stabilize: always" mode only. > > True. > > >> Oly users reported it is very power consuming and the accus went >> down in less than the half of the usual time when they used the >> Leica lens. > > This is not my experience. I haven't noticed battery consumption > variations when using the Oly lenses verses the Leica zoom on the > 330E. That may be because I wasn't looking for it but in any event > I always carry a spare battery. Battery consumption in my > experience is about the same for each camera body irrespective of > lens used. Obviously your mileage can vary! > >> Others also reported the O.I.S. significantly lowers the picture >> quality in terms of sharpness and contrast. > > Good grief! Not my experience at all. Both lenses with OIS on > provide outstanding images - with my taste leaning towards the > colour and contrast drawn by the Elmarit. > >> One user wrote he had to fix the Elmarit's aperture ring as it did >> not work in manual mode on the oly e-330. > > The Oly 330E body does not recognize the input of the movement of > the Elmarit's aperture ring. The Oly needs to be set to Shutter > Priority and the control wheel behind the program dial spun to > reduce the shutter speed until the aperture of the Elmarit reaches > f22. Then move the programming priority to Program "P" and the Oly > will work in that program and control the aperture of the Elmarit. > Move the control dial to Aperture priority with the Elmarit > aperture set to f22 by the wheel and Aperture priority will control > the lens aperture. If a user wants to change the aperture of the > Elmarit he or she has to use the control wheel. Nothing to fix! > >> >> Optical quality seems to be almost equal; the Zuiko may be a tad >> better, as users reported the Vario Elmarit vignets slightly more >> @ wide angle/wide open. > > The vignetting of the Elmarit depends, I think, on the positioning > of the shade which tends to twist around if not securely set. If > properly set, white line on shade to white dot on lens barrel I > don't see any difference in image quality between the two lenses. > If you don't need IS obviously the Oly 14 - 54 lens is cheaper and > gives you 4mm more length at the telephoto end. > >> >> On the plus side, the Vario Elmarit on L1/D-3 is said to be >> faster in autofocus mode than the Zuiko (both used on a e-330). > > Can't comment on this as I haven't made the comparison. Focusing on > the Oly or the L 1 is not in the same league as Canon or Nikon > professional bodies but not bad. Low light focusing is pretty > marginal. Time then to switch to the M8! :-) > >> >> The users recommended the Zuiko 14-54 for Oly bodies, and the >> Leica 14-50 for the L1/Digilux-3 bodies, but not a cross-over >> combination. > > For me, I like using the Elmarit on my Oly 330E to the extent that > I have sold my Oly 14 - 54. Didn't seem like I needed to duplicate > the lens focal lengths with two lenses. Just my several cents worth! > >> >> Didier >> > Cheers > Howard (in Hong Kong) > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information