Olympus CBG-12 Backpack for E-M1 Mark II, E-M10 Mark II, E-M5 Mark II Cameras

2021-12-17T09:17:07

Exactly what I needed and wanted Not a single complaint

ETHAN B.

2021-01-18T04:50:58

This is a really nice backpack and comfortable with couple of issues (CONS): there appears to be no possible way to keep it standing up perpendicular when packed up with gear, whether its 5, 10, or 15 extra lbs. (its already 5 lbs. by itself). It falls over face down towards the front of the bag regardless of how one packs the bag. Looking at the design of the bag the bottom has a zipper compartment for the tripod holster as well as 3 rubberized ridges (rails) sewn in on the outside. Sew in between the bottom of the inside of the pack and the lower zipper compartment is a stiff ridged material that you can clearly feel but it does absolutely nothing to keep the bag upright. The 3 rubberized bottom rails are 1.5" x 3" sew in strips centered on the bags bottom which is around 9" front to back overall. Looking at the bag from a side view on the bottom it is rounded on both sides front to back and there is no possible way to stop the bag from toppling over. When you take off the backpack you either need to lay it on its back or stand it up against something. This is supper annoying. If you want to take off the pack and not have to lay it on its back every single time I would highly recommend passing on this backpack, otherwise be prepared to break out the included blue ground cover every single time you take off the pack to lay it down unless there is something to lean it against. Also there is no strap to slide it over a suitcase handle when traveling, you have to wear it. I feel a suitcase handle strap is a must for a bag of this size and capacity. On the positive side (PROS): I am able to fit the following gear all INSIDE of this bag adding 15 lbs to the bag for a total of 20.1 lbs: OMD EM1 MARK III w/mounted 7-14mm pro and STC Optics FOGRIP, 40-150mm pro, 25mm pro, 1.8 Fisheye pro, 12-40 pro, 3 Legged Thing Tripod (in the center of the bag), OLY FL-900 Flash, OLY FL-LM3 Flash, STC Optics 105mm Filters (UV+CPL+ND64) for STC 7-14mm pro, STC Optics Screw-in Lens Adapter For OLYMPUS 7-14mm f/2.8 Pro Lens, Orbit Hepa Blower, & Misc items.

Stevestr

2020-09-25T17:51:05

I love the bag. I can fit all my equipment in it so that when I get to my location I have everything in one bag.

Orlandus L.

2017-04-26T20:00:00

As I already owned the PRO 7-14, 12-40, 40-150, 75, and 300, I thought long and hard about what a PRO 12-100 would add. Convenience was the answer: a single lens covering most of the range of the 12-40 and 40-150 combination but without the awkward weight of the 40-150, which usually got left at home. It made sense to trade these last two for a single quality substitute. An economic sacrifice, to be sure, but made tolerable by Olympus's recent trade-in discounts. Yes,the 12-100 is f4.0 versus f2.8 of the other two; but the in-lens stabilization more than makes up for that. Plus the 300 with the 1.4x extender gives all the reach anyone would want. The kit will be perfect with the PRO 25.

James

Originally posted at

2017-04-22T20:00:00

Rented this lens over the weekend, and now I'm trying to find out how to afford it! Love the manual focus clutch. With the 14-150, I kept having to use the super control panel to switch from manual to auto focus. The in lens IS + Camera IS is excellent. It does a great job focusing from a moving vehicle. With other lenses, I get a blurry mess out the side window at 60 miles per hour. Longer exposures did reasonably well down to 1/4-second. Very little waiting for it to go back and forth searching for focus, like in cheaper lenses.

Martha

Originally posted at

2017-04-01T20:00:00

I'm a pro photographer and I can testify that this lens is a keeper. I use the lens on an OM-D E-M1 and the 12-100mm focal range, along with dual IS make this my go to lens. No more trying to decide what to carry when you're exploring a new location. This lens is impressive!

Enzo

Originally posted at

2017-03-21T20:00:00

Amazing overall lens. Great for anyone who wants to take amazing photos.

Johnathan

Originally posted at

2017-03-09T19:00:00

I have been looking for a fisheye lens for a while. Finally got this when it was on sale. Truly 180 as I can photograph my husband who was standing right beside me! Took it out for a night shooting and the low light capability is amazing. Absolutely love it and still exploring with it.

Soh Z.

Originally posted at

2017-03-06T19:00:00

This lens is very impressive: the build quality is definitely worthy of being called a PRO lens, solid and tight, and the results are impressive. I originally bought this lens for underwater photography on my OMD EM5 with underwater case, but discovered the many uses one can have topside: architecture shots, macro shots, landscape shots, it does it all. One can also "de-fisheye" pictures with the Viewer 3 so it can double as a general rectilinear wide angle.

Pete

Originally posted at

2017-02-25T19:00:00

I'm saving up for this lens big time. Yesterday, I had an opportunity to try the M.Zuiko ED 25mm f1.2 PRO lens at my photography club with a shoot. I have used a variety camera systems with different brands of premium 50MM prime lenses, and I can say this, in my opinion, is the best premium 50mm prime lens I have ever used. The best low light lens I have worked with the Olympus line. Like its other Pro line brothers or sisters, build quality is fantastic and weather sealed. This lens brought my Olympus OM-D E-M1 to whole new level of photography. If you are a portrait photographer, this lens is must have.

StormanNorman

Originally posted at

2017-01-11T19:00:00

I bought the 12-100 f/4 just yesterday and it is rapidly becoming my favorite lens. It is clear, sharp, and the 12-100 range (24-200mm in 35mm format) covers most of my shooting requirements. The combined in lens stabilization and in body stabilization in my OM-D E-M5 Mk II is astonishing, allowing hand held shots at 100mm using 1/4 second or even less. I have tried test shots down to 1 second with acceptable results. The lens is large, larger than I expected, but it is well balanced on the camera (I use a grip and the PBH). It does not creep when carrying the camera and lens on a strap and it really does not feel that heavy compared to the 12-40 f/2.8. It may still be too large for a tourist setting, but will try it anyway.

Richard

Originally posted at

2017-01-03T19:00:00

I love this lens and I am happy to share with you why. I am a professional photographer that has been publishing calendars of my own photos for 15 years so I demand good quality. You can see my work at www.apollopub.com if you like so you can see that I know a lot about photography and the importance of quality equipment. I switched to micro 4/3 about 5 years ago and love the format because it is much lighter and the lenses that are available are awesome. I have been using the Leica Lumix 14-150mm lens for years because it is a very good lens which has very high review ratings. I just bought the Panasonic 12-100 PRO lens and have been comparing it to my Leica lens and find it to be superior in many ways. First of all it focuses much faster. Secondly, what surprised me is that the colors were more vivid and the shadows weren't as dark. (It made it look like my Leica had sunglasses on compared to the Olympus). Thirdly, the image stabilization is far superior. Fourthly, it zooms very smoothly and the lens doesn't creep like the Leica did. And for me there was the added bonus that it was from 12mm (24mm equivalent) which helps a lot for my landscape photography.

Michael

Originally posted at

2016-12-16T19:00:00

I really love the f/1.8 aperture. This lens is great for taking unusual shots and being creative. And its image quality is wonderful as well.

Sylvie

Originally posted at

2016-11-14T19:00:00

For most people, they will wonder how sharp it is--and I can say, it's sharp, right at f1.2, fairly evenly across the frame, and gets a bit better as it is stopped down (nice to know, but not really what you buy this lens for). There's nothing to worry about from a resolution standpoint, unlike some lenses that have an available aperture that is very wide--but not terribly useful due to loss of resolution. You can shoot this lens right at f1.2 and not need to think much about it. Color and contrast are good at the micro level, with a very slightly muted overall character. Something to be aware of in post processing. Autofocus is fast, accurate, but you may need to be very careful as you get close to a subject as the very thin DoF is very hard to work with. A little camera movement, or subject movement can throw off your point of focus easily. Not a problem with the lens, but an operational concern for those not used to it. Just as important as sharpness (maybe more), the quality of the bokeh is very good, which is sort of the big point of using an expensive lens with a large aperture. The bokeh is very smooth in transition, and devoid of many busy artifacts that are present on less designed lenses. It adds a very pleasing softness that doesn't bring much attention, which is exactly what most people want--yet is not always easy to find.

Michael

Originally posted at

2016-11-01T20:00:00

I've had a few fisheye lenses and was attracted to this one because of the speed and overall IQ. Let me get this out of the way- it's the best fisheye I've ever owned. It's now one of my...no, correction....it is my favorite micro four thirds lens. It's incredibly sharp across the frame. The contrast is excellent and the overall color rendition is just sublime. I can't get over how sharp it is and if you're shooting up close it gets even better. The sharp transition from in focus to out of focus is superb. It's also easy to defish either in lighroom or using the warp tool in photoshop. It'll give you wider pictures than either 7-14mm M43 lens or the 9-18mm. It's also much better than the 9-18mm in terms of contrast, corner sharpness and resolution. I know as I own that lens and the panasonic 7-14mm. This is better although they all have their place. I've enjoyed the thoughtful touches built into this lens as well. For one, the focusing ring has the perfect amount of resistance without to long of a throw. The focusing rib design is just perfect as it doesn't attract dust, is easy to clean but still provides enough texture for your fingers. I think it's brilliant. I've taken this lens outdoors for panoramic like shots of rivers and mounts in my area. I've also used it most recently at Yale Museum of Art and got some of my best pictures of the year with this lens. All handheld- and I never had to go above 250 ISO. I've done nighttime photography handheld..even down to 1.5 seconds...without any blur. I was just taking shots like this last night for Halloween while walking around the neighborhood with my kid. You really don't know what your missing until you've tried this. This lens is now getting more rotation into my camera bag then any other lens. You really...and I mean REALLY...need to give this lens a chance. It's pretty much optical perfection.

Thomas

Originally posted at

2016-10-31T20:00:00

I've always loved the unique effects and perspectives that a fisheye lens offers, but I've been without one since I switched from film to digital many years ago. I absolutely LOVE this 8mm 1.8 lens. I find myself taking it with me everywhere and using it on just about every photo outing. Landscape shots are amazing with the ability to capture close-up objects as well as the entire countryside in the shot. This lens, coupled with the AIR, makes for some very fun and funky shots that would be impossible with any other lens and body.

darrell

Originally posted at

2016-10-26T20:00:00

Purchased this lens for deep diving, wrecks and cave. The f1.8 was the deciding feature compared to other lenses and I am not let down. This is may favorite lens underwater due to it's capabilities, aside from macro of course.

CCRpilot

Originally posted at

2016-08-01T20:00:00

Another great lens made by Olympus. This lens made the trek with me to the Galapagos Islands and although it was the longest lens (size wise) m43 lens I have, it was a treat to have. I managed to get lots of great shots with it!

Konrad

Originally posted at

2016-04-28T20:00:00

Fantastic lens - very sharp, great IQ and f1.8 is quite an achievement (worlds fastest fisheye). I bought this lens to replace the Panasonic 8mm f.35 for underwater photography. I do a lot of cave diving so the extra 2 stops (4x brighter) is very welcome indeed. Plus it's weather-sealed which is a nice bonus.

tsg

Originally posted at

2016-04-19T20:00:00

Compact, manageable and powerful. What I've always wanted! Using mostly for Bird Photography. In addition to the 1.4 teleconverter gives great reach. Images are sharp when I can actually get the bird. Not used to having the increased telephoto power, takes some practice to locate a closer subject. Love the quick switch to manual focus and the image stabilization feature. Looking forward to more time and practice with the lens.

Deborah

Originally posted at

2016-04-06T20:00:00

I got this lens a while back and just had it sitting amongst my other lenses. I decided to finally take it out and give it a good test run. Since I have 6 cats and love doing animal photography they became great test subjects. I love the effect of the fish eye and working with cats you can get some really neat images. Although my cats wanted more to sniff the lens, it works great in the low lighting and the auto focus was fast on this lens. All in All I will be using this more to do fun stuff with it!

Tracee

Originally posted at

2016-03-24T20:00:00

First off I own 2 Oly E-M1's and love them both, one Black and one Silver... I now own and use all 5 of the new Oly MFT Pro Lens Line-Up, plus the Oly FT Pro 300mm f2.8 Tele Lens. Secondly, I am a Nikon Pro equipment user for over 53 years. Olympus has won me over and everything else is gathering dust. Now for the New MFT Pro 300mm f4 lens. It is a beauty, hands down. After using it a bit and having it break-me-in, LOL, It is outstandingly sharp, IS in combination with the E-M1, hand held is to die for! I am mostly a action sports shooter, Football, Basketball, Lacrosse, Water Polo, Surfing, Track and Baseball. The only down side is the f4 limitation with this great Pro 300mm f4 lens and having to crank up the ISO etc. in low light or poor stadium indoor/outdoor lighting. For bright daylight, this lens will get the ACTION job done but not so in low-light, I leave it at home and use my Killer, Stop Action Olympus FT 300mm f2.8, with the MMF-3 and the EE-1 Dot Sight! This combo gets "IT DONE!". My other E-M1 is paired up with my Pro 40-150mm f2.8. The only other gripe I have, so to speak, is the lens hood! Olympus has a great idea and they should have used the same concept as the have on my MFT Pro 40-150mm f2.8!! I am looking to remove the hood and find a screw-on hood to replace this binder hood. "It does lock-up and almost impossible to retract. Aside from low-light limitations (FOR ACTION ONLY) and the poor hood design, this lens is a star. I am writing a request to Olympus Corp in Japan and asking them to consider building a MFT Pro 300mm f2.8 or f2.0 lens with all the features my little jewel (Pro MFT 300mm f4) has, less the existing hood design. Now that would be a dream lens for sure. In closing, overall, this is a great lens to have and yes, I would get it again after owning this one and I do recommend getting it...! Build quality is spot on, "Top Cabin" and exceeds my older FT Pro 300mm f2.8 lens, Kind-a-Maybe! V/R The PhotogDog

KENT P.

Originally posted at

2016-03-05T19:00:00

It's a great lens, but one problem so far. The lens hood is stuck in the extended position and I can't retract it. Tried turning it as hard as I can. Sounds minor, but it means I can't fit the lens into my camera case. Apart from this, the lens does take great photos handheld on my Olympus EM5. I bought it to take bird photos, and to be able to travel overseas, and it is admirably suited for these purposes.

Robert

Originally posted at

2016-02-25T19:00:00

This lens focuses very quickly on an EM-1, even in pretty dim light. The lens doesn't "hunt" even when focusing on nearby objects. The close focusing ability is welcome! The image stabilization is truly impressive when hand held even with the 1.4 extender. The images seem to be really sharp, although I haven't evaluated them closely yet. It's heavy, but it handles pretty well and works good with the dot sight.

Glenn

Originally posted at