Thanks for telling me, Manoj - it is comments like yours that make it so enjoyable!

have you checked nikon 1 system lately sir!? i wanted to experiment with it, in combination with some cctv lenses, just ultra budget portrait photography !

No, I stick with Micro Four Thirds equipment. Hard to keep up with just that at times!

Thanks for the kind words, Joel. I have to say that with the mainstream Micro Four Thirds lenses it becomes quite difficult to find criticism of them as the designs become more and more refined. Basically, put a 12-40 on your 5, a 40-150 on the 1 and you have what would have been a fantasy only outfit ten years ago.

Like you, I prefer more mechanical manual focusing like Olympus's 17mm. or Pro lenses. These would be good video lenses but....the price. I'd be more inclined to FF glass with a Metabones.

Good to hear that Todd, thanks.

Thank you, Mr.P!

Useful comment, thanks Adam.

I always start off wanting to like things and I do like these lenses. But if I'm not honest, there's no point to the videoes. Thank you, Christopher.

The focus peaking works OK but I find it better to combine magnify and focus peaking. I do that with any lens under 25mm or so, actually.

Hope I haven't disappointed you. I have no doubt there will be photographers who can't wait to get hold of one of these. Not many, though, I think.

David Thorpe actually, impressed! The cosina 10.5 was known to have coma issues. I am keeping my eye on the 8.5mm kowa. Might be pricey but worth it. Not much into the auto focus especially for the wide angled lenses. And I can have something that is timeless for the asking price, it can even be sold as a second hand lens for a decent price since it can hold the test of time. However I don't see myself going to get with that lens anytime.

It's worth taking a look at the Voigtlanders, too.

There's an eBay one here bre.is/D6wovXk5 but I can't speak for its quality for effectiveness.

@@DavidThorpeMFT thank you Nana I never saw this comment these people actually have a great reputation as far as I know I can't wait to try one stay safe

I'd go for the Olympus. The GH5 stabilization is good enough for any unstabilized lens and the GX8, while not as accomplished is plenty good enough for a medium zoom. Given the fascinating detail in birds' plumage, while the 12-35mm is no slouch, the 12-40 is an exceptionally sharp zoom and will make the most of it. It's a fair bit bigger, though, but still not big.

I own the Panasonic 35-100mm f2.8 and it is a great lens; very sharp with good detail. I use it on my Panasonic G80 and with the firmware update can implement the Dual IS feature which helps.

Yes, it's a great aspect of digital cameras, the ability to upgrade the firmware. I'm told the Dual IS is particularly effective with long lenses so it should suit the 35-100 perfectly.

Thanks! Yes, sent to me via ePhotoZine. I don't enjoy dissing any gear and I always start out preferring to like equipment because, well, I just enjoy photo gear. On the other hand, if a review is to mean anything, you have to say honestly what you think. I think makers accept that because reviews get the lens out there and noticed. While I do criticize the price of these lenses, they do have some good attributes and I take care to point that out too. There will be some photographers who will have been looking for a lens such as these and the price won't worry them. I'd be very happy if my review pointed them in the direction of one of these Kowas. The bigger the choice, the better for all of us. The overriding thing is that I've built up a level of trust with my viewers and that takes a long time to build and a very short one to destroy.

I'm ok, thanks! I agree with you entirely but I suppose in principle the more lenses available the better.

:-) - No, manual focus does not have confirmation of focus due to its working method. However, focus peaking and/ or VF magnification make manual focus a very certain business. Also, you can set the cameras to AF with manual focus, half press the shutter to find focus then just turn the focusing ring if you want to amend it.

David Thorpe Thank you for your response! I currently own two EOS bodies and half a dozen lenses and other accessories worth far too much money for my amateurish needs, but I am tempted to trade it all in for a MFT system, especially after viewing a number of your reviews. I shoot wildlife, portraits, landscape, architecture and - my favorite - airplanes at air shows, and while I love my equipment and knows it intimately, especially my long "L" lenses are quite heavy and bulky (swing around carelessly and I could accidentally bludgeon someone to death with my 100-400...). So having something lighter and smaller to carry around would at least make my back, and probably my fellow plane spotters too, happy. :-)

Your thoughts on the bulk of DSLR equipment are the reason that I went over to Micro Four Thirds cameras. I'd be loath to influence anyone to do similar because there is an inevitable loss of image quality and the two genres are different with each having up and downsides. My reasoning was that given that I'm not making 40 inch or more prints the extra IQ is academic and so in practise Micro Four Thirds IQ is no different from a full frame camera. What is different is the ease of carrying around and using an outfit. The modern EVFs are every bit as good as DSLR finders and the handling of the cameras is just as good. Basically, Micro Four Thirds Brought the fun back into photography for me and sounds like it would for you too.

Yes, I think so too. I will definitely go to my photo store and make some comparisons. I am not that concerned about image quality, from what I have seen they are more than adequate for my needs, it is more the inevitable differences in handling that might put me off (or on). I have shot with Canon EOS since 2001, and my fingers will be confused for a while if they won't find the buttons and wheels in familiar places. :-) Thank you for taking the time to comment, much appreciated!

I think the Voigtlanders have a lot to offer for the dancer scenario. I doubt there is enough DoF at f0.95 but stopped down to f2 it would be very sharp across the filed. I wish I could get hold of some of these lenses. But I'ma minnow!

Not really when we have three zooms available covering this focal length with just as good image quality, one faster, one slower and one with a wider range but more expensive. I'm unwilling to be absolutist, though because there are too many photographic situations and scenarios that I don't know about or understand.. Somewhere there will a photographer or photographers who have been waiting for a lens just like this to appear.

Yes, best of this bunch for sure.

Thanks!

Rohit Rai i have the 12mm and 25mm t1.9 mint silver and black used once! Interested? Make me an offer

@@cdeltv8025 what is the price of 25mm t1.9 mint silver??

Once upon a time you'd assume a zoom could never have the image quality of a prime but those days are long gone. I understand the attractions of manual focus lens but there's no question that AF is faster and more accurate nowadays.

If you ever do have a stack of money, don't buy these - send it to me :-)

David Thorpe haha

No, no adapter needed. They fit directly.

I do wonder what sales of lenses like these would be. I can see Meike lenses selling well, for example, because they offer a genuine alternative to Olympus and Panasonic lenses and at a much lower price. Having said that, there will be photographers who find these Kowas exactly what they were looking for. Great range of lenses you have there - I'm hoping to get my hands on some of the new Olympus lenses. What a great system Micro Four Thirds is - even a choice of f/1.2 short tele lenses!

I can't think pf a better camera for the task than the G85. Fast focus, great video - I'd stick with that. In fact, at the moment if I were to have only one Micro Four Thirds camera a G85 it would be. Twin boys - it is hard enough to get one child to cooperate but two - I wish you luck! Sounds fun, I must say, photographing them playing and interacting

David Thorpe thank you for the dedicated time and effort. I will consider my search completed

When I can get hold of one - it's not easy!

I actually have a set, and UK based if you'd be interested in linking up?

I'm going to France and will be away for a month, back in August. Can I contact you then?

David Thorpe Yes no problem.

I don't know if they _have_ to be so expensive. but there is so much good competition that it spoils the market for these Kowas.

Manual focus can be very fast but does take practise.

I agree about the training. I trained on a camera that had no focusing screen or finder, just a wire frame . The standard lens was a 135mm f/4.5 with distance markings at 2, 3, 5 and 7 yards. Depth of field was zilch. A fuzzy pic got you torn apart by the 9 senior staff photographers. They regarded the focus screen on a Rolleiflex as being for big girl's blouses who didn't know their craft. The fact remains, auto is more versatile, faster and more accurate. With Panasonic's cross hair focus point I can focus with absolute accuracy in twilight conditions, It's hard to argue with that.

David Thorpe ok I highlight with fp a zone in focus I shoot that area in focus always If i use AF they work but, im sure when everything tracks focus is on, but as most of my shots r manual im not "easy point compose " like with MF, its more whats the camera brain trying to do with the aperture etc and while sharp in oly pro line up not actually better than nikor primes and slower nikors r most f2 with prime voigtlanders f1.4 1.7 and .95 Im more landscape than portrait etc. all that being said its wat u do with u gear more than what gear you do Imo Again, your a champion to me and i really love your style. Another variance is i like zooms but slower heavier ( vs primes) and ouch most good ones r more money than my oly 5-2 Cheers!! Thinking of a ff Sony A series but must be ibis and again its costly!!!

When I started out in photography there were cameras that were definitely bad and not worth their money. That's all changed now and I can truly say that whether you buy a £5,000 DSLR or a £500 Micro Four Thirds or Sony or whatever, you will get great value for money. That's what competition does, I suppose but the downside is how and what to choose.

I know, I know! I'm beavering away at the GH5 book and it is just so b***dy complicated. I have an 8-18mm Panasonic at the moment so that'll be next.

David Thorpe can't wait!!! But for real, take your time to deliver good stuff. No rush.

:-)

Thanks! Yes, I wonder if they'll bring the price down.

Yes and it is surprising how easy it becomes with practise, isn't it? For large formats it is probably quicker, too, since you focus precisely where you want straight away, rather than the compose/focus/recompose sequence with auto.

I was quite excited about these lenses until you mentioned the price

Yes, just impossible with an electronic viewfinder. Mind you, aftermarket microprism and laser cut screens used to cost a small fortune for the Nikon Fs. I find autofocus so utterly accurate now, especially with Panasonic's pinpoint AF that I only use manual focusing for macro, where the magnified view, 6x or so, is good for accurate focus.

yeah right...an $800 lens for $25, must be knocked off....

@@no15minutecities nope it was a eBay seller that had no reserve on it, got lucky. I will say he had no other camera items listed so he probably didn’t know what he had

Thanks for the input - very useful!