Ducks with 40-150

This article features a selection of handheld images of ducks captured with the M.Zuiko PRO 40-150 mm f/2.8 zoom and MC-20 teleconverter. As noted in a previous article, I was not initially planning to do any bird photography on this particular day, and left my M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS at home.

NOTE: Click on images to enlarge.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko PRO 40-150 mm f/2.8 with M.Zuiko MC-20 teleconverter @ 150 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600, ISO-640, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, cropped to 4232 pixels on the width, subject distance 8.9 metres

When I first moved into the Olympus M4/3 system I regularly photographed ducks with the PRO 40-150 mm f/2.8 lens and MC-20 teleconverter. I quite enjoyed using this combination and found that it was capable of producing very good results.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko PRO 40-150 mm f/2.8 with M.Zuiko MC-20 teleconverter @ 164 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600, ISO-320, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, cropped to 3460 pixels on the width, subject distance 17.1 metres

After purchasing the M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS I used that lens almost exclusively for all of my bird photography. It was an interesting experience to re-acquaint myself with the PRO 40-150 mm f/2.8 for this genre of photography, as well as experiment with Pro Capture L and Bird Detection AI with this particular lens.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko PRO 40-150 mm f/2.8 with M.Zuiko MC-20 teleconverter @ 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO-640, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, cropped to 3123 pixels on the width, subject distance 25.9 metres

Suffice to say that this combination worked very well with the combination of technologies noted. My understanding is that the M.Zuiko 100-400 mm is not capable of performing continuous auto-focusing at 50 frames-per-second like PRO lenses such as the 40-150 mm f/2.8 can.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko PRO 40-150mm f/2.8 with M.Zuiko MC-20 teleconverter @ 200mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO-640, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, subject distance 14.2 metres

This is shown by information on the OM System website which states the 100-400 mm is limited to 25 frames-per-second when using continuous auto-focus with the OM-1 body.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko PRO 40-150mm f/2.8 with M.Zuiko MC-20 teleconverter @ 124mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO-800, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, cropped to 3441 pixels on the width, subject distance 11.5 metres

Feedback I had from OM Systems indicated that this is not a firmware issue… but something to do with physical ability of the lens. On a subjective basis it appears to me that the AF on the PRO 40-150 f/2.8 is a tad quicker than the 100-400 mm. This becomes more noticeable when the MC-20 is used.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko PRO 40-150mm f/2.8 with M.Zuiko MC-20 teleconverter @ 300mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO-640, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, cropped to 4136 pixels on the width, subject distance 16.1 metres

As noted in a previous article, the M.Zuiko PRO 40-150mm f/2.8 zoom is my favourite M4/3 lens. I’ve found this to be a very flexible lens that delivers outstanding optical performance.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko PRO 40-150mm f/2.8 with M.Zuiko MC-20 teleconverter @ 146mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO-800, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, cropped to 4213 pixels on the width, subject distance 9.2 metres

If the M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS did not accept teleconverters I likely would not have purchased that zoom lens. I would have stayed with the PRO 40-150 f/2.8 and MC-20 as my primary birding combination.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko PRO 40-150mm f/2.8 with M.Zuiko MC-20 teleconverter @ 300mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO-400, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, cropped to 2548 pixels on the width, subject distance 36.6 metres

There are certainly times when a fast zoom comes in very handy… especially a M4/3 lens that extends out to 150 mm at f/2.8. I’m looking forward to using this lens in some lower light environments to photograph birds later this year.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko PRO 40-150mm f/2.8 with M.Zuiko MC-20 teleconverter @ 212mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO-500, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, cropped to 3671 pixels on the width, subject distance 18.4 metres

While photographing ducks with the PRO 40-150 f/2.8 at LaSalle Park, I moved to a few different vantage points so I could capture ducks flying in using a variety of flight paths.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko PRO 40-150mm f/2.8 with M.Zuiko MC-20 teleconverter @ 300mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO-500, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, cropped to 3232 pixels on the width, subject distance 29.9 metres

With the spring migration season just around the corner in Southern Ontario, it is always a good idea to get in some pre-season practice. Even with very common birds like ducks.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko PRO 40-150mm f/2.8 with M.Zuiko MC-20 teleconverter @ 300mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO-500, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, cropped to 4407 pixels on the width, subject distance 13.9 metres

My session photographing ducks with the M.Zuiko PRO 40-150 mm f/2.8 was an impromptu affair. I had no real objective other than to get in some practice with eye/hand coordination. I fully expected to delete most… if not all… of my images from that LaSalle visit. That’s probably why it took me over 5 weeks to even look at my images from that day.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko PRO 40-150 mm f/2.8 with M.Zuiko MC-20 teleconverter @ 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO-400, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, uncropped full frame capture, subject distance 9.3 metres

Finding a few dozen potentially useable photographs from the outing was an unexpected bonus. Getting re-acquainted with the M.Zuiko PRO 40-150 mm f/2.8 with the MC-20 as an effective birding combination was another one.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko PRO 40-150 mm f/2.8 with M.Zuiko MC-20 teleconverter @ 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO-640, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, cropped to 3963 pixels on the width, subject distance 19.2 metres

Technical Note

Photographs were captured handheld using camera gear as noted in the EXIF data. Images were produced from RAW files using my standard process. A single auto-focus point was used, along with 18 frames-per-second. Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking was engaged. My standard Pro Capture L settings were used with Pre-Shutter Frames set to 10 and Frame Limiter turned off.

For those readers who are interested in calculating equivalent field-of-view, multiply focal lengths for Olympus M4/3 cameras by a factor of 2. This is the 1,263 article published on this website since its original inception in 2015.

OM-D E-M1X + M.Zuiko PRO 40-150 mm f/2.8 with M.Zuiko MC-20 teleconverter @ 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO-400, Pro Capture L, Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking, cropped to 3569 pixels on the width, subject distance 37.6 metres

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2 thoughts on “Ducks with 40-150”

  1. Right after I got the mc20 for the 40-150 /2.8, I found the digital 2x converter function in the camera and was surprised the jpeg looked pretty good. Shoot raw (without the 2x) + L SF jpeg (with the 2x). Activated using the lens L-fn button. Saves the weight(not much) of the mc20 and not suffering the 2x exposure needed.
    And depending on situation, I can still add the mc20 for a whopping 4x (160-600) total. Even more with the 100-400!

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