Quick questions: Some of the shots look like they were taken with the OM-3. How did that feel with the 50-200mm lens? (I have the OM-3, but not the OM-1 mkii)
These were actually all with the OM-1, but it feels like you’d imagine… not great unless you balance the weight of the lens in your left palm. Not terrible though, because the weight isn’t crazy!
Jerred, first of all, I'm so sorry to read about your mom. I am sending good thoughts your way for your family... I did see your incredible article on PetaPixel today! Congratulations!! They gave you a lot of airtime to share your wisdom and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I hope 2026 continues on a good path for you.
I mainly shoot landscapes and pictorial shots. Any wildlife has been horses in paddocks and the 75-300 has been good enough (-ish). Now I'm thinking that the 50-200 can replace the 12-100, 40-150 and 75-300, eliminating the redundancy and lightening my bag. Do you think that sounds realistic?
Hey! Thanks for the comment - and I would say the 50-200 would open up more options for you - more light - and while it doesn’t have the reach of the 75-300, the quality is so much better. Add on the 1.4 TC and you’d be doing some amazing stuff!
I have my own lens, arrived just two days ago. Totally concur with the observations you make, including that using the x2 convertor requires a bit more work to get the best results. The 'icing on the cake' for me would be the presence of a focus clutch; as a long term actual user of the 40-150 f2.8 I used the clutch extensively.
Thanks for the review. I started this morning thinking I don't need this lens (I have the 40-150 and 150-400, plus the 12-100 and many more). Your amazing images are one reason to reconsider. I really like the OOF bokeh, but your comments re. stabilisation, and faster AF are making the swingometer glide towards pre-ordering.....
Hey, Jerry! Thanks for the comment, my man! It's an amazing lens - and that dreamy OOF is awesome!!! The focus is fantastic - seriously - at least on bugs/butterflies! Lol - I'm still out looking for some birds in flight, but I'm not patient, and they see me from far off! :) Thanks for the comment!
Man, I wish I could tell you - I don't have the 100-400. BUT - the images I'm getting from the 50-200 with the 2.0 CAN be amazing. Most of them are - but with that distance AND it being on a TC, the AF can slow down a touch. However, the detail is pretty great, especially if you have good light. I wish I had the 100-400 to compare!
Seriously great images! You are a great photographer and I’ve seen a lot of your work. This lens brings out the beast in you - sort of a typo but I’ll just leave it. Beast of a lens for a beast of a photographer!
Beautiful photos Jerred! This review along with your recent ones on the OM System are truly convincing. I shoot with Nikon and Leica systems currently, but the image IQ and versatility of this system is starting to win me over. Great review - thanks.
Dude - that's a great comment. I'm honored! I shot with Nikon for some years (Z8/Z9) - and loved it. The quality is great. BUT - OM has some real juice there too! :). I love this stuff too much! Thank you!
Thanks a lot for the best review of the 50-200 currently online! Stunning images and many details explained. Especially the better bokeh, seperates it clearly from the harsh 40-150 f2.8 lens.
I have already the 150-400 from the beginning and I will also pre-order the 50-200 from the beginning. What a wonderful piece of optics!!!
So cool to hear - the better bokeh is dreamy - I'll do a comparison soon of the two! Excited for you to get your hands on it - share photos if you can!
dude the images you've got are STUNNING. Sounds like you've been on the road, and what a collection of images you have, man. wow. you're really selling the OM system stuff to me more and more, I have to say. love how versatile this is, and love the colours too. Nice to see you out there man. keep it up!
Thanks, Chris! Been super busy lately with pretty much everything, including getting out on the road a bit. Thanks for letting me know man!!! I don't really want to "sell" anything - but I do want people to know about the value with versatility and size - and I've never gotten more consistently natural, vibrant colors outside of OM SYSTEM. Seems tuned to nature!!! lol! I like tech too much. I need to keep digging in like you do.
Quick questions: Some of the shots look like they were taken with the OM-3. How did that feel with the 50-200mm lens? (I have the OM-3, but not the OM-1 mkii)
These were actually all with the OM-1, but it feels like you’d imagine… not great unless you balance the weight of the lens in your left palm. Not terrible though, because the weight isn’t crazy!
Jerred, first of all, I'm so sorry to read about your mom. I am sending good thoughts your way for your family... I did see your incredible article on PetaPixel today! Congratulations!! They gave you a lot of airtime to share your wisdom and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I hope 2026 continues on a good path for you.
All the best your way as well, Juliette. Thank you so much.
I currently have these zooms:
8-25 f4
12-100 f4
40-150 f4
75-300 f4.6-6.7 II
That a lot of lenses and a lot of overlap.
I mainly shoot landscapes and pictorial shots. Any wildlife has been horses in paddocks and the 75-300 has been good enough (-ish). Now I'm thinking that the 50-200 can replace the 12-100, 40-150 and 75-300, eliminating the redundancy and lightening my bag. Do you think that sounds realistic?
Hey! Thanks for the comment - and I would say the 50-200 would open up more options for you - more light - and while it doesn’t have the reach of the 75-300, the quality is so much better. Add on the 1.4 TC and you’d be doing some amazing stuff!
I have my own lens, arrived just two days ago. Totally concur with the observations you make, including that using the x2 convertor requires a bit more work to get the best results. The 'icing on the cake' for me would be the presence of a focus clutch; as a long term actual user of the 40-150 f2.8 I used the clutch extensively.
Awesome, Ian! Yeah - if you love the focus clutch, it would suck to have it gone here!!
Thanks for the review. I started this morning thinking I don't need this lens (I have the 40-150 and 150-400, plus the 12-100 and many more). Your amazing images are one reason to reconsider. I really like the OOF bokeh, but your comments re. stabilisation, and faster AF are making the swingometer glide towards pre-ordering.....
Hey, Jerry! Thanks for the comment, my man! It's an amazing lens - and that dreamy OOF is awesome!!! The focus is fantastic - seriously - at least on bugs/butterflies! Lol - I'm still out looking for some birds in flight, but I'm not patient, and they see me from far off! :) Thanks for the comment!
Now I know why you've been MIA the last few weeks. Out making sweet sweet love with Megatron!
Oh man. We need to talk soon man! I've been crazy busy - but I hope that ends after this weekend for a while!!!! Hope you're well!
Any thoughts on the performance of the lens with 2x tc vs the Oly 100-400mm? I'm sure this is the main question for many!
Man, I wish I could tell you - I don't have the 100-400. BUT - the images I'm getting from the 50-200 with the 2.0 CAN be amazing. Most of them are - but with that distance AND it being on a TC, the AF can slow down a touch. However, the detail is pretty great, especially if you have good light. I wish I had the 100-400 to compare!
Seriously great images! You are a great photographer and I’ve seen a lot of your work. This lens brings out the beast in you - sort of a typo but I’ll just leave it. Beast of a lens for a beast of a photographer!
WES! I love it man. BEAST! Thank you dude!
Beautiful photos Jerred! This review along with your recent ones on the OM System are truly convincing. I shoot with Nikon and Leica systems currently, but the image IQ and versatility of this system is starting to win me over. Great review - thanks.
Dude - that's a great comment. I'm honored! I shot with Nikon for some years (Z8/Z9) - and loved it. The quality is great. BUT - OM has some real juice there too! :). I love this stuff too much! Thank you!
Thanks a lot for the best review of the 50-200 currently online! Stunning images and many details explained. Especially the better bokeh, seperates it clearly from the harsh 40-150 f2.8 lens.
I have already the 150-400 from the beginning and I will also pre-order the 50-200 from the beginning. What a wonderful piece of optics!!!
So cool to hear - the better bokeh is dreamy - I'll do a comparison soon of the two! Excited for you to get your hands on it - share photos if you can!
dude the images you've got are STUNNING. Sounds like you've been on the road, and what a collection of images you have, man. wow. you're really selling the OM system stuff to me more and more, I have to say. love how versatile this is, and love the colours too. Nice to see you out there man. keep it up!
Thanks, Chris! Been super busy lately with pretty much everything, including getting out on the road a bit. Thanks for letting me know man!!! I don't really want to "sell" anything - but I do want people to know about the value with versatility and size - and I've never gotten more consistently natural, vibrant colors outside of OM SYSTEM. Seems tuned to nature!!! lol! I like tech too much. I need to keep digging in like you do.