the 60mm f2.8 macro my thoughts

[alfbranch]

Here my thoughts so far with the Zuiko 60mm f2.8 macro lens.

This is a very sharp little lens and worth a try.

Sorry but this will be compared to my 4/3 fit Sigma 105mm f2.8

It is a nice size and is lightweight also it does not extend when focusing.

Handheld macro photography often needs speed!

At first the focus distance button seems like a great addition but for me it is annoying.
Why is this?
Put simply the AF hunts too much as I expected it would the Sigma does too. The real problem is the MF I have seen faster glaciers in fact so much it is a waste of time.
So then you try AF and rock well it is all over the place and with tubes the focus limiter is just annoying. Set it to 1:1 and move to have the subject nearly in focus touch the shutter release button and you off hunting miles away. Even if you have the centre focus point and place it on area of good contrast.

I can manage better focus more frequently in MF with no focusing as set on the camera (I have havent bothered since V3.0 firmware upgrade)

I tried to get the lens to focus on a small insect the other day and eventually I worked out I was too close but with good MF I would have worked that out faster.

The MF on the the Sigma takes about 0.75 of rotation of the barrel from infinity ti 1:1 the 60mm is 1.5 and feels disconneted. The 12-40 pro is about 0.5 of a turn in MF and is wonderful in MF.
As a note the best MF focus by wire lens I have tried is the 14-42 EZ.

With AF speeds to high WHY OH WHY can Olympus not gives better MF speeds or a way of adjusting them or a choice of frimware

UPDATE 24/09/15 Read post 14 to find out how I use the lens now as I am now getting it to work for me.


Just to show it is not all bad here is a shot with it

Bluebottle by Alf Branch, on Flickr

[IanB]

Re: the 60mm f2.8 macro my thoughts

good write up Alf; thanks for sharing your thoughts

[damianmkv]

Re: the 60mm f2.8 macro my thoughts

I had pretty much the same experience, Alf so I sold mine. I was really disappointed but I found using a raynox with my Nikon gear easier than using this lens.

Don't get me wrong, it was sharp but too frustrating

[Mark_R2]

Re: the 60mm f2.8 macro my thoughts

I really like the 60mm macro. It is sharp, renders well and the colours are great. I also find the AF to be amazingly fast. I should point out that I have only used it (so far) for flower pictures, so I am not generally using it as a true macro lens but more as a close focus lens.

What I like is that I can set the AF point to where I want the focus to be in the frame, foliow the flower as it moves in the breeze and then hit the shutter button fully. The AF will lock on and more often than not give me a sharp picture. Obviously, there are limits; the shutter speed needs to be reasonable and the flower motion not excessive. But this lens is the first lens that has enabled me to take handheld flower pictures of 'unsupported' flowers. With manual focus, I would normally put the camera on a tripod (or at least on a monopod) and hold the flower in a support unless the air was dead still.

So, for me, the 60mm macro was a great buy.

Mark

[mstphoto]

Re: the 60mm f2.8 macro my thoughts

This was to be my next purchase but appears that the Sigma would be a better bet.
Or I can just stick to my FF Canon + 100 f2.8L macro

Mike

[raymondo]

Re: the 60mm f2.8 macro my thoughts

Hi, this is a very good write up and an absolutely fantastic photo, thanks for sharing your thoughts and photo, Raymondo

[alfbranch]

Re: the 60mm f2.8 macro my thoughts

Here are a couple of shots with the 60mm and the EM-5 using flash

A fly 2 by Alf Branch, on Flickr

A fly by Alf Branch, on Flickr

[pdk42]

Re: the 60mm f2.8 macro my thoughts

Thanks Alf - I just bought an(other) 60mm macro and I'm enjoying it a lot:

Dragonfly by Paul Kaye, on Flickr

[BigTom]

Re: the 60mm f2.8 macro my thoughts

I keep flip flipping about whether I should get this lens or not. I really miss my old Sigma 150 (pretty much my only regret about ditching my DSLR).

I hate the by wire MF on a few of the lenses I've had (Panny 20mm I'm looking at you). If the AF is also flakey then I can see myself being hugely frustrated. I also wish it was a touch longer.

With macro I mainly shoot moving subjects in aquaria with typically low light levels and glass to contend with, so it really tests AF.

I agree that software adjustment of by wire MF sensitivity would be a massive boon, presumably it isn't possible.

[Barr1e]

Re: the 60mm f2.8 macro my thoughts

Here are a couple of shots with the 60mm and the EM-5 using flash

A fly by Alf Branch, on Flickr

Nice, very nice.

Regards. Barr1e

[alfbranch]

Re: the 60mm f2.8 macro my thoughts

I keep flip flipping about whether I should get this lens or not. I really miss my old Sigma 150 (pretty much my only regret about ditching my DSLR).

I hate the by wire MF on a few of the lenses I've had (Panny 20mm I'm looking at you). If the AF is also flakey then I can see myself being hugely frustrated. I also wish it was a touch longer.

With macro I mainly shoot moving subjects in aquaria with typically low light levels and glass to contend with, so it really tests AF.

I agree that software adjustment of by wire MF sensitivity would be a massive boon, presumably it isn't possible.

In my opinion it very possible to get the FBW MF to work faster as the motor moves focus extremely quickly in AF. The set up is a matter of calibrating the control system.

I shoot a lot of invertebrates and quick predictable focusing is important. I use my Sigma mostly I have sent a message to Olympus asking if they are condidering improving the MF on this and other lenses.

Though a 90mm f2.8 macro pro lens would be ideal IMO with a push pull focus ring.

[David Morison]

Re: the 60mm f2.8 macro my thoughts

when I received my 60mm macro I was very pleased with the sharp results I was getting. Most of my photography is close up of insects, mainly the larger species, so is not macro in the true (1:1) sense. It wasn't long before I found the focus limit switch a real pain with the constant risk of AF hunting if the insect moved into the next limit zone. The switch is very fiddly and difficult to operate as on many specialist lenses, the only lens I've owned with a useable focus limit switch, even with gloves on, was the 300mm f2.8 - why is this such a difficult area.

I soon stopped using the 60mm, preferring my Leica 14-150mm plus Opteka 10x Macro attachment, and it was eventually sold. I now use the Sigma 18-300mm Macro for close ups with a macro attachment for very small subjects - so much easier that the 60mm.

David

[timboo]

Re: the 60mm f2.8 macro my thoughts

Nooooo I just received delivery of my 60mm. I not going to give up quite so easily with it but can see peoples frustrations with the AF. I literally used it for 10 mins prior to reading this topic and most of what has been said I have experienced. I did find SF much better for hunting focus but has it limits. Not had chance to take any proper pics yet. I will provide a comprehensive review in the very near future.
Makes an interesting read though so far on this topic :-)

One question though which fstop seems to be the sweet spot for this lens?

Great pics everyone btw i will b happy if i can produce some as good

[alfbranch]

Re: the 60mm f2.8 macro my thoughts

I have been back to this issue after Amatuer photographer last night at work which had a good bit about using Livebulb or livetime.

I also read a bit about how to set up a Canon for wildlife and it finally explained back button focus in a way I understood.

So having now set my E-M1 to back button focus that is I have set AEL lock function to Mode 3 for S-AF

Page 102 here

http://www.olympus.co.uk/site/rmt/media/consumer/pim/_manuals_aw2014_/E-M1_MANUAL_V20_EN.pdf

This works for me in a way that I can work with. I am just getting used to but I managed to get it to work predictably but I would like faster MF.

This means that the AF will not work when I press the shutter button half way which was really frustrating me when I pushed the button to set the lens to 1:1 focus and any touch the shutter had it adjusting focus. It now only focuses when I push the AEL AFL button then I can move to adjust the focus and then shoot. I also set the shutter to priority realease so I do not need the camera to think it has found focus so I am now much happier with the lens.

[alfbranch]

Re: the 60mm f2.8 macro my thoughts

These two shots were possible with this new aproach using tubes too increase magnification but would have been much harder before I changed my aproach.

They are crops these are small though.

Leafhopper 1 by Alf Branch, on Flickr

Leafhopper 2 by Alf Branch, on Flickr

I need to work on my lighting for this lens now.