Quote Originally Posted by Venser View Post
Don't have the 60mm macro, so I can offer no insight for that lens. The phase contrast only kicks in when shooting with continuous focus.

Two scenarios:
Sports - I shoot a lot of sports. It's the reason I picked up a camera in the first place. The 70-200mm f/2.8 was my first lens. The new E-M1 can follow a moving subject almost as well as my D700. The major difference is if there are two moving subjects in opposite directions, the D700 tends to follow the subject I want in focus better than the E-M1.

My kids - I couldn't tell you the last time I pulled out the Nikon to shoot my kids. The Olympus has the same hit rate in terms of focus chasing them around that having a camera I can stuff in my pocket wins every day of the week.
Thanks Chris. I have noticed that the continuous af can suddenly decide to focus on something else when shooting macro on an E-M5 - happens because it's rather hard to keep subject to lens distance spot on. Sound similar to your "problem". I think the idea is to track even if things move in the frame - sort of win / loose arrangement that could do with being limited as an option. It needs a maintain focus in the central area option. It might be possible to do that with a focus now button type arrangement. I haven't tried setting the camera up like that yet.

I assume your comment means that there is no control of what AF phase areas are used in continuous - similar to the E-M5 behaviour?

I can comment on the 60mm macro lens now. It came about due to some difficulty using a 100mm lens intended for phase AF - a sigma one plus the fact that this lens weighed about 4-5 times the weight of the Olympus one even though that has a lot of pieces of glass in it. The switch to limit to macro distances is a boon but of course something might crop up that needs to be switched back to the normal range. Can't complain about that as it's to be expected. Impossible number to get perfect for everything. I'm impressed with the performance. For something of a laugh I posted a shot of a fly that was under 6mm long in mini comp 1917. Not much chance of winning. It's just possible to detect the hairs on the flies wings and it's only just short of showing eye detail. I don't think it could do any better at F18 as diffraction is bound to limit detail. Hand held and available light.

John
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