Olympus 12-40 f2.8 and BMPCC: Manual Focus

I saw a reference to this old review in another post and found it very helpful:

http://www.dvinfo.net/article/acquisiti ... ras.html/4

I was wondering if the Olympus 12-40 had the same manual focus delay on the BMPCC as described at this link, down under "Speed and Responsiveness". From the review:

"Two of the Olympus primes, the 12mm f/2 and the 17mm f/1.8, have a “snapshot” focus ring. In its normal, forward position, it’s a typical free-spinning, no-endstop, focus-by-wire control. Pull it back, though, and you’ll get a focusing scale with hard endstops (operationally, it’s like the focus ring on the Sony PMW-EX1). The focus is still servo-driven, only now the focus rings sends absolute position commands, not rate commands. On my GH3, the 12mm lens works very well, and very quickly, with the focus ring in either mode. On the Pocket Cine Cam, pulling the focus ring back makes focusing slower: it’s as if the camera waits for me to stop turning the ring before it sends a focus command to the lens. Push the ring forward again, and focus becomes instantly responsive once again." [bold emphasis mine]

Thanks in advance.
Steve

I use this as my main lens (on both an Olympus penF and my bmmcc) and never noticed anything odd - the lens responds as you'd expect and it doesn't feel that fly by wire really with the manual focus clutch engaged

the only criticism I have on the clutch mechanism is that the focus throw is pretty small - 90 degrees at most, probably a chunk less - with it on

Thanks, Stu.

I'm in "lens limbo", where every lens in my price-range has some trade-off and I really can only get one. My research indicates that this is a fairly common phenomenon amongst camera folks.

Thanks, Stu.

I'm in "lens limbo", where every lens in my price-range has some trade-off and I really can only get one. My research indicates that this is a fairly common phenomenon amongst camera folks.

I hear you!

for a general purpose zoom lens for the micro I think you have 3 mainstream sensible choices all of which have different pros and cons:

Oly 12-40mm f2.8 - pros: reasonably fast, manual focus clutch, great value with recent price drop, sharp, decent size. cons - could be faster, no IS is the biggy

Pana 12-35mm f2.8 - pros: reasonably fast, small and light, has IS. cons: a bit cheapo compared to the oly, only fly by wire non linear focusing

speedbooster plus sigma 18-35mm f1.8 (f1.0 withSB!!) pros: insanely fast, very sharp, bigger sensor look. cons - no IS, much more expensive, bigger and heavier than the above 2

summary:

oly has biggest range and best manual focus

Pana is the smallest and lightest with IS

SB/sigma is superfast and a more super35mm look

Nice stated Stu, but I would add the Panny Leica 12-60 f/2.8-4 zoom, and place it between the Panny 12-35 and Oly 12-60. The Panny Leica zoom adds IS and clickless Iris changes, if you aremshooting in good light and using /3.4-4.0 anyway, then the ramping when zooming will not be an issue, when set to f/4.0 there is no noticeable ramping of exposure. Also, on the Micro cameras, you can set the shutter angle/speed to compensate the Iris ramping when shooting at f/2.8. Also, the PL is the on,ymone of the three MFT zooms that is Parfocal also.

Another option, abiet a bit larger like the Sigma 18-35, is the original Oly 14-35 f/2.0 zoom, which requires the Four Thirds/MFT adapter (I use the Panny adapter). This lens is Parfocal, has a real manual focus (not focus by wire) in addition to a fairly accurate push to focus auto focus, and the best IQ of the lot. This lens produces the same quality Cinematic image as the Angenieux and Zeiss zooms, clean looking, not harsh, smooth bokeh, etc. Every time I think about getting one of the new MFT zooms, I stop, compare it to my Oly 14-35 and walk away. However, the PL 12-60 with its extended zoom range is appealing.
Cheers

Nice stated Stu, but I would add the Panny Leica 12-60 f/2.8-4 zoom...

That's actually what I'm leaning towards at the moment (and I haven't changed my mind in at least 12 hours so that's a good sign).

I decided I can live with the aperture range and just need to get something that allows me to shoot more handheld when I'm outside. I'll save up for a fast prime or use one of my Minolta's if I'm in a low-light situation. That said, I do keep an eye out for the original FT Oly 14/35 that Denny raves about.

Throughout all this, I've learned a lot about all the different options. For example, I was initially disappointed to learn the Panny/Leica 15mm's manual aperture ring didn't work on the BMPCC but then read about the complications even Panasonic camera users had trying to understand how the camera/lens combo should perform when that ring was set to manual. There are some subtle, yet complex, user interface issues that can't be captured on the datasheet. Nothing's easy!

If one of the native MFT zooms had IS and was able to go all manual for focus and aperture, I think my decision would have been made long ago.

Thanks again, both of you.

To me it's still about IQ first, convenience second and I find the Oly 12-40mm the sweetspot for this.

First I've had absoutely no focus issues as discussed - on any BM camera with the Oly. Second as someone pretty obessessed on quality, well damped manual focus, the clutch system, while a short throw, works great..

I just tested it on a lit set beside the Sigma 18-35mm with and w/out a SB. So on the Micro, from 30mm to 100mm (relative 35mm FLs). I tested it against the Oly at it's marked position of 12, 14, 18, 25, and 35mm.
I really like and use the 18-35 a lot so I can honestly say I was surprised at how well the oly compared. I actually prefer the way it draws an image, especially people, to the contrastier Sigma. It also renders a noticeably warmer image than the sigma.

I never took the lens that seriously, but now it's one one of our cameras all the time. From a build, focal range, focus and IQ it's an absolute gem for a lot of uses.

I have a lot of Olympus lenses and use them extensively with the pocket I haven't seen this issue.

And I love Olympus glass.

It's not so well known, but they OEM a lot of lenses for a lot of companies. It would surprise many to know who !

Olympus lenses I find also don't rely on as much post lens correction like a lot of the Lumix lenses do, something that works fine in stills, but done't work at all in motion.

Full disclosure, I'm an Olympus Visionary, but I've been an Olympus user for over nearly 15 years. (and only been with Olympus officially for the last 2.)

My first Olympus was the camera that started 4/3, the E1 with a beautiful Kodak CCD sensor.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympus_E-1

They have always been great innovators and unlike other well known brands, they really do make their own lenses.


JB

It was some of your posts with the Olympus that first got me interested in their lenses John.

It was some of your posts with the Olympus that first got me interested in their lenses John.

Awesome.

Yeah, not to bang on too much but I loved that damn E1.

https://flic.kr/p/4q6Crs

https://flic.kr/p/zvxLG

https://flic.kr/p/4q6v2b

Sorry to go OT

JB

You guys are killing me! (thought my mind was made up)

John,
Thanks, yes, I had found your earlier posts on the Olympus lenses and that's what got the 12-40 into contention for me. And now Jim really confirms it. Thanks for the detailed input regarding your experience.

Appreciate pros responding to questions from hacks like me. That's one big reason I've read this forum since 2013.

More to ponder...

Steve, if you find a Oly 14-35 FT lens, it will run almost as much for a used one, as a new Oly 12-40 f/2.8 lens. Also, to give you an idea of its size, the 14-35 uses 77mm filters! It is large by MFT standards, but not that heavy.

John, the E1 Volt was a sweet camera, and with a 2560x1920 sensor, it was HD! What is not to like about it. How was the color rendering of the Kodak CCD sensor? I ran around with one of the first Kodak/Sony CCD cameras, twice the size of the E1, and probably three times the weight. But it too, took nice images, but more like shooting Etkachrome slides, color wise, with less latitude.

Cheers

I ordered the Olympus 12-40 last night. Thanks again for the perspectives. I like the IQ argument and think I can get pretty stable with the tip Mattias Burling posted on YouTube a couple years ago. I've got the small Sirui tripod and it anchors very well against the body, positioning the camera a foot or so in front of me in a very comfortable spot. I'm practicing imitating a fluid tripod head.

Synovial fluid comes to the rescue!


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I ordered the Olympus 12-40 last night. Thanks again for the perspectives. I like the IQ argument and think I can get pretty stable with the tip Mattias Burling posted on YouTube a couple years ago. I've got the small Sirui tripod and it anchors very well against the body, positioning the camera a foot or so in front of me in a very comfortable spot. I'm practicing imitating a fluid tripod head.

I think you'll really like it on the BMPCC. If you want an inexpensive and stable way to move with that setup check out this little Benro monopod: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... nopod.html

You can stick the head from your sirui on it and lock the base for smooth pan and tilt as well as well as unlock the base (three mini tripod feet) and there's actually a very functional ball head movement that allows you to get slidersish moves. It's really cheap, and really solid - I've beat the crap out of it in the field.

Thanks, Jim. I'll check it out.

Steve, I just received the Panny/Leica 12-60 zoom, discovered it is Parfocal also. Got it primarily to use on my Pen my Len F, and match IQ,with my Panny/Leica primes. Checked it out on thrmMicro camera to see of auto shutter,would,compensatemformthe rsmping of the Iris. Going from wide to tele, the ******* Speed did change in the Micro Studio, but going from tele back to wide, it did not. Kind of odd behavior? Need to run some more tests in better lighting. The Iris changes were dead smooth, no steps, and if you set it to f/4.0, the there is no ramping up of the f/stops, unlike the Four Thirds (14-50) version of the zoom. Also there is bresthing is very well controlled when pulling a focus change from near to far or the other way round.

But, the Oly zoom you are getting is sweet also. Good luck with it.
Cheers

Denny,
Thanks for continuing to supply real-world info to the forum. I wish BMD would assign a summer intern to catching up some of the compatibility info for the BMPCC. I guess it's done more efficiently this way in some respects.

I just wanted to close the loop (for my part) on this thread. My 12-40 arrived today and looks fantastic. Manual focus works beautifully, as expected. I think the lens's sharpness enhances the focus peaking but haven't spent a lot of time with it.

Check out my auxiliary battery solution! XT Power (12V out selected!) with iPhone 6S exercise armband.

That works, but you,should get the Wooden Camera Pocket cage to protect the power and HDMI connections. It is very minimal and does not add any real weight, or make the camera larger. You do get a place to connect s grip and additional mounting points too and bottom.
Cheers