Redesigning a new stable of lenses?

[NMSS_2]

After redesigning 14-45 and 40-150 with ED elements making them hell lot smaller and compact while maintaining their lens quality.

Do you think they will redesign the entire range of zuiko lenses?

Please share your thoughts here.

[say123]

I think not all of zuiko lenes will be redesigned..

oly had to redesign the lens to be smaller but maintaining the same quality, at the expense of faster lens.. there might be a market for it but is it big enough for oly to survive?

For me, i would rather want big brighter lens.

[Mikefellh]

The new kit lenses are to go with the more compact E-400. Whether they will be better or worse, only time will tell (the new lenses have PLASTIC bayonets, but they also have an ED element which the old kit lenses don't have).

[microcosm]

If Olympus wants to capture a bigger consumer market, they then might focus more on the entry level lenses because they are selling an aweful lot of them. To have a kick ass kit lens means you can sell more bodies.

But in a year or two, these entry camera users will be upgrading, that is when they start investing into high grades and super high grades, which not the complete series has been released for the super high grades. They might even add a few more choices for the high grades too... I am hoping to get a super tele in the high grade class... I am missing that... brighter but not breaking the bank unlike the super high grades...

Just a thought...

[ryuggen]

I saw the Super High Grade lenses are labelled as ED. Whats ED?

Also, is Zuiko normal grade lense good? In fact, I dont really understand the differences in their labelling. How much IQ differs between the lenses.

[drakon09]

Originally Posted by microcosm If Olympus wants to capture a bigger consumer market, they then might focus more on the entry level lenses because they are selling an aweful lot of them. To have a kick ass kit lens means you can sell more bodies. But in a year or two, these entry camera users will be upgrading, that is when they start investing into high grades and super high grades, which not the complete series has been released for the super high grades. They might even add a few more choices for the high grades too... I am hoping to get a super tele in the high grade class... I am missing that... brighter but not breaking the bank unlike the super high grades... Just a thought...

I am just dreaming of a 100mm/f2.8 Macro!

As for super tele, maybe a 300mm/f4 would tickle your fancy?

[drakon09]

Originally Posted by ryuggen I saw the Super High Grade lenses are labelled as ED. Whats ED? Also, is Zuiko normal grade lense good? In fact, I dont really understand the differences in their labelling. How much IQ differs between the lenses.

ED stands for Extra-low Dispersion. It is basically a special coating on the lens element to reduce chromatic aberrations.

As for normal grade lenses the best ones probably would be the 40-150mm/f3.5-4.5 and the 35mm/f3.5 Macro. The 18-180mm performs better than most 10X zooms, but with its zoom range being so large, expect some compromises in sharpness. Still takes good pictures though, just don't pixel-peep.

[drakon09]

Originally Posted by NMSS_2 After redesigning 14-45 and 40-150 with ED elements making them hell lot smaller and compact while maintaining their lens quality. Do you think they will redesign the entire range of zuiko lenses? Please share your thoughts here.

I would like to see a whole new range of a smaller and lighter e-system. I think that is what Oly is planning; in one of the interviews with the President (i think) of Oly Imaging Crop, he did say that the E-400 would be the bedrock of a whole new line of e-system products, so I imagine that the smaller and lighter concept would be it.

They probably would use plastic to keep things light; as long as it is strong enough it should not be an issue. Maybe they'll use carbon fibre in the "pro" lenses of the smaller and lighter line!

Nothing wrong with plastic there! (pun intended, obviously!)

[ryuggen]

Actually, i'm quite excited about the announcement of E-400. But it wont be released for Asia and US after PMA2007. The compact size really makes a wonder equipment for travelling.

But i'm pretty torn apart between selecting Pentax 10D and E-400. Not going for the C and N is mainly due to their inability to have IS/VR/OIS/SR in their body. And most importantly, the water proof casing.

Since the body is still a mystery, i'm curious on the lense support.

thks drakon for the prompt reply!

[microcosm]

Originally Posted by drakon09 I am just dreaming of a 100mm/f2.8 Macro! As for super tele, maybe a 300mm/f4 would tickle your fancy?

A 100mm Macro would not be effective for me, I would rather use the 50-200 with extension. Since I usually shoot macro with flash, so the loss of one f-stop does not really bother me.

300mm f4? Well, if they can keep the weight down!! It would be excellent!

[microcosm]

Originally Posted by drakon09 I would like to see a whole new range of a smaller and lighter e-system. I think that is what Oly is planning; in one of the interviews with the President (i think) of Oly Imaging Crop, he did say that the E-400 would be the bedrock of a whole new line of e-system products, so I imagine that the smaller and lighter concept would be it. They probably would use plastic to keep things light; as long as it is strong enough it should not be an issue. Maybe they'll use carbon fibre in the "pro" lenses of the smaller and lighter line! Nothing wrong with plastic there! (pun intended, obviously!)

Titanium, Carbon Fibre, would make my day!!! I love exotic metals. I cannot imagine... a new range of titanium lenses... but machining them would be a pain. Talking about "plastic", where is he?

[Hacker]

The Oly system requires that the lenses have twice the resolving power of a FF sensor to have the same resolution as the sensor is half the size. This translates to bigger lenses. Think of the 35-100, the 300 and the 150 or even the 90-250. They are huge. I really cannot imagine smaller lenses without losing quality.

[drakon09]

Originally Posted by ryuggen Actually, i'm quite excited about the announcement of E-400. But it wont be released for Asia and US after PMA2007. The compact size really makes a wonder equipment for travelling. But i'm pretty torn apart between selecting Pentax 10D and E-400. Not going for the C and N is mainly due to their inability to have IS/VR/OIS/SR in their body. And most importantly, the water proof casing. Since the body is still a mystery, i'm curious on the lense support. thks drakon for the prompt reply!

There are rumours going about an updated E-400 with liveview to be announced during PMA 2007, of course expect it to be priced at least at the E-330's original price point...

Where the K10D is concerned, it's the total opposite to the E-400. It is heavier than the E-1! But with that said it does have excellent features for the price point.

Also pentax has a large stable of primes, if you're one that primarily shoot with primes, it is a factor to consider.

[drakon09]

Originally Posted by Hacker The Oly system requires that the lenses have twice the resolving power of a FF sensor to have the same resolution as the sensor is half the size. This translates to bigger lenses. Think of the 35-100, the 300 and the 150 or even the 90-250. They are huge. I really cannot imagine smaller lenses without losing quality.

I think the top pro-line lenses are the size that they are due to the large constant aperture.
Shrink it by half a stop or so should greatly reduce the lens size, probably...

[microcosm]

Originally Posted by drakon09 I think the top pro-line lenses are the size that they are due to the large constant aperture. Shrink it by half a stop or so should greatly reduce the lens size, probably...

Half a stop can make or break a shot my friend! Sigh... still no solution...