Author Topic: Questions about Zuiko OM lenses (Read 1806 times)

asterinex · « **on:** March 03, 2011, 12:30:09 PM »

Hi All,

I recently bought 3 Zuiko lenses :

1) Zuiko - Auto-S - 50mm - 1:1,8 - made in Japan (serial 3583113)
2) Zuiko - Auto-S - f=50mm - 1:1,8 - MC - Japan (serial 2695341)
3) Zuiko - Auto-W - 28mm - 1:2.8 Japan (serial 300161)
4) Accesoires : Vivitar Close Up No 1,2 and 4

I have 2 questions :

1) Which 50mm is the better lens (1 or 2) ?
2) The vivitar close up add-ons; are they ment for the 50mm lens or for the 28mm lens ?

Thx,
Gert

adash · « **Reply #1 on:** March 03, 2011, 10:08:11 PM »

I would easily say the MC is better, but due to the higher serial number, the first in your list may be the later version. It probably is MC too, but is unmarked, just as described in this page:

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/shared/zuiko/htmls/50mm1a.htm

This Zuiko lense has a long history where can trace back to almost 30 years ago and has only gone through an update probably occurred in 1982 with an entirely different optical configuration. Strangely, Olympus has not been very keen on highlighting any technological advancement applied to the update neither it has addressed some sensitive issue pertaining to the lense coating used in these lenses. For an instance, up to a very late stage, many of the 50mm f/1.8 still have not been identified whether it carries any MC (multi-layers lens coating) despite the fact most of us know, it is.

So my suggestion is to take both for a spin and see how they behave in hight-contrast scenes, etc.

Quote

2) The vivitar close up add-ons; are they ment for the 50mm lens or for the 28mm lens ?

Generally the 50mm would benefit more from these. Check if they will fit the filter thread.

asterinex · « **Reply #2 on:** March 04, 2011, 02:48:10 AM »

I thought I have read somewhere that in later models the MC inscription was removed because they where all MC's.
But there is little information to be found on the net.
I guess I have to test it myself.

The vivitar closup lens is 49mm and fits on the 50mm . I will do some macro work this weekend and post it on the forum.

Maybe somebody else knows more about the differences in the 50mm ?

adash · « **Reply #3 on:** March 04, 2011, 02:57:42 AM »

I use this address as a reference for OM, early Nikkors, etc:

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/

Unfortunately it is not a complete reference.

asterinex · « **Reply #4 on:** March 04, 2011, 11:14:12 AM »

Thx Adash, interesting website.

The 28mm should be a wide lens, but I think it is not wide at all. In the contrary.
Is the because of the crop factor ?

What would be the better Portrait lens on the E-P1. The 50mm or the 28mm ?

adash · « **Reply #5 on:** March 04, 2011, 11:20:38 AM »

Quote

The 28mm should be a wide lens, but I think it is not wide at all. In the contrary.
Is the because of the crop factor ?

Exactly! It is very wide on 35mm film.

Quote

What would be the better Portrait lens on the E-P1. The 50mm or the 28mm ?

The 50mm when wide open will create tons of background blur (a.k.a. Bokeh), while the 28 will create a more natural perspective, because it is closer to the angle of view of human vision, but less background blur. So, both can be used, and quite a difference will exist between the photos made with the two.

A Brit in Euroland · « **Reply #6 on:** April 01, 2011, 07:12:59 AM »

I use my 50mm 1.4 on my new ep1 for portraits, and it is fine as a 100mm lens once you stop down past 2.0. Strangely enough my old Z 135mm 3.5 is ok even fully open.. Not sure why, perhaps the angle of incidence on the inside of the adapter ?

Luckypenguin · « **Reply #7 on:** April 01, 2011, 07:33:24 AM »

A 135/3.5 isn't really pushing any optical boundaries and you'd expect it to work well even at f3.5. A 50/1.4 is closer to the practical limit of lens speed for that focal length and will start to struggle at it's largest aperture regardless of camera format.

A Brit in Euroland · « **Reply #8 on:** April 01, 2011, 08:12:30 AM »

Thanks, I'm not really very technical, but the 135mm seems better somehow on the EP1 while on my old OM1n the 50mm was just "better"... and I remember paying quite a bit for selective work on the prints...

Questions about Zuiko OM lenses