Test: LUMIX DMC-GH1 - Pt.3
Lens: OLYMPUS ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 50-200mm F2.8-3.5 SWD OLYMPUS ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 7-14mm F4.0 OLYMPUS ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 8mm F3.5 Fisheye LUMIX G VARIO ...
Olympus Digital Zuiko 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 ED SWD
Introduction The Olympus Digital Zuiko 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 ED SWD is a pro grade tele zoom lens for four-thirds DSLRs. The principal optical design has been inherited from its predecessor but Olympus improved the AF by using its new SWD ("Supersonic Wave Drive") which is supposed to deliver fast and silent AF operations similar to Canon's USM or Nikon Silent Wave AF.
The build quality of the Zuiko is exceptional - it is based on a combination of high grade plastic and metal parts. Typical for designated Olympus "pro" lenses it features a sealing against dust and moisture. As you can observe in the product shot above the lens expends when zooming towards the tele end of the range. The size increases quite a bit and with an attached lens hood it's quite a sight. The lens features an internal focusing mechanism so the front element does not rotate. The mechanically linked focus ring operates smooth and precise. The weight of the inner lens tube is obvious during zooming but there aren't really any friction problems when turning the zoom ring. As mentioned the Zuiko relies on Olympus' new SWD AF for focusing. Typical for such ultrasonic-driven motors the AF operations are virtually silent. Usually (although not always) there's also a AF speed advantage compared to conventional AF motors - this is certainly true compared to its predecessor. In absolute terms the AF is very good but not quite as fast...
