This may look slightly over-indulgent ...
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... but I let go of four other lenses in order to justify this:
- Olympus 25mm f/1.8 - wonderful lens, but not weather-sealed.
- Sigma 30mm f/1.4 - great lens, but again, no sealing; a bit big for what it is.
- Olympus 45mm f/1.8 - great lens, hardly ever used anymore.
- Sigma 60mm f/2.8 - greatest bang-for-buck lens in ever - but again, only rarely used these days.
The E-M5 III is my small bad-weather camera; I wanted a fast prime for night (and winter) shooting to pair with it. As much as I love all the lenses listed, they don't qualify, so they have to go. The Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 II, while not necessarily a better lens than the Olympus 25mm f/1.8 and Sigma 30mm f/1.4, adds weather sealing to the mix - and obviously, it's a very, very good lens, too. Now that I have it on the E-M5 III, I'm actually glad I finally took this step: It's really quite compact, and AF is much better than what I expected.
In many ways, this is a major step for me.
was my main system for years, and it was seminal for my as it finally made digital photography enjoyable for me. Now the Z system has taken over for the most part (with some surprising choices, the very enjoyable 24-200mm being one of them; I'd never have thought a so-called superzoom would supersede semi-pro lenses, but this one has). I've decided to concentrate on that system - and between the Z 6 and Z 50 and the lenses doing double duty, I already have a number of very nice options. However, none packs anything near as small in such a sturdy configuration as the E-M5 III - with either one of the zooms (the 12-45mm f/4 PRO is my usual choice, the 12-40mm is better for reportage und people) or the 25mm f/1.4 II. Add the phenomenal I.B.I.S., and you still have a winning combination: bright, sharp, small, stable, versatile. I think I'm down to the final keepers for the system now as far as lenses go (the GX9's purpose is somewhat debatable, however).
The next thing will be rationalising some of the Nikon F glass, mainly the 85mm f/1.8G - the Z version is much, much better; but, as hinted at above, also the 70-200mm f/4G (that's the most unexpected development) as well as the Sony FE 55mm f/1.8 - because the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 clearly beats it (except for pure contrast). So, while I'm still adding the odd lens, the amount of gear in my possession is diminishing considerably - and it feels right that way. Oh, and - ceterum censeo - of course, the Sony stuff is scheduled to go as well, but I first want to know what 2021 may bring in terms of replacements for certain coveted items (again, mostly lenses).
M.