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Archive 2011 · Some questions about Olympus OM 50 & 24

FlyPenFly
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Some questions about Olympus OM 50 & 24

The difference is in rendering style. If you have a lot of Zeiss lenses and you're sick of the heavy global contrast Zeiss look, the OM lenses are a very different flavor.

Jul 16, 2012 at 08:03 AM

AmbientMike
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Some questions about Olympus OM 50 & 24

I have 3-4 50/1.8's sitting around. All are good but the early mc one is the best. If you look at old mp tests there was quite a bit of variation. Silvernose is early version, 50/1.4 over 1.1M ser.# is supposed to be best and not radioactive. Mine's about a million and is pretty good. The 50/1.8 is supposed to be sharper than 1.4 stopped down. That one 50/1.8 is really good center and corners and I can't see buying a Zeiss or Summilux.

Several have suggested Nikon. I've taken some great photos with Nikon lenses bu mostly I take this as proof you don't need as much sharpness as you think. Nikon lenses usually come out last when I test vs. OM and tamron and others, even 75-150 e and 105/4 ais. My af 20/2.8 was better in extreme corners than my early 21/3.5 zuiko but actually both lost to 17-35 Sigma (latest ) at 20.

Jul 16, 2012 at 10:10 AM

AmbientMike
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Some questions about Olympus OM 50 & 24

I should probably add the 50/3.5 is a good lens. If I remember correctly it was sharper at 1:4, fairly close, in the old mp tests than at infinity but was good at either. I would believe this after shooting with the lens Any version of 50/1.4 would probably beat 1.8 up to f/2 imo, 1.8 probably gets better round f/4( or so.

Jul 16, 2012 at 11:09 AM

redisburning
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Some questions about Olympus OM 50 & 24

sample variation is one thing, but it won't make up for the fact that the Zeiss 1.7 planar is in a completely different league and the 50/2 ZM planar I have is better still.

FWIW I've had two MiJ 50/1.8s and both a silvernose and >1.1 mil 50/1.4.

the 50/3.5 is a gem. better in rendering, sharpness and handling than any of the standard Olympus 50s I've played around with.

Jul 16, 2012 at 11:25 AM

AmbientMike
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Some questions about Olympus OM 50 & 24

I suspect the Summilux is better in flat light but looked at the performance I was already getting and didn't want to spend a few hundred dollars upgrading. I am heavily biased toward mc right now but 16-9.net had a silvernose 28/3.5 that beat the Zeiss distagon in the corner. So worth a look. Think most/all zuikos were mij, so you didn't have any luck with late 1.4?

Many of the OM's tested in the old mp tests were capable of higher sharpness figures than the Summilux tested if memory serves.

The 50/3.5 is good, that and the 21/3.5 were the ones I used most with om-1. 50 had a bit of fungus when I got it which I cleaned it and there was that incident getting out of the canoe where it got wet. So there were incidents whether these hurt anything who knows I kinda think it did but was still a great lens up close. Felt like 1.8 I was talking about was better, certainly in extreme corners on ff.

Edited on Jul 16, 2012 at 12:19 PM · View previous versions

Jul 16, 2012 at 11:43 AM

AhamB
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Some questions about Olympus OM 50 & 24

AmbientMike wrote:
I am heavily biased toward mc right now but 16-9.net had a silvernose 28/3.5 that beat the Zeiss distagon in the corner. So worth a look.

I believe that there is no MC version of the 28/3.5 and all are single coated. I wasn't impressed with my near-mint copy of that lens. I like the character of my Contax 28/2.8 much more.

Jul 16, 2012 at 12:08 PM

AmbientMike
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Some questions about Olympus OM 50 & 24

I believe that is correct. Sharpness only 1 part of equation, sc often has less contrast imo. Of course, 11-16 Tokina has a lot of flare as well, and I've seen 80 lp/mm out of Om 24mm center, which is Zeiss land.

Jul 16, 2012 at 12:21 PM

redisburning
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Some questions about Olympus OM 50 & 24

@Mike,

MiJ refers to the last 50/1.8 made that had "made in Japan" on the front.

the late 50/1.4 was alright, but no I didn't really like it. The Zuiko 50/1.4 is definitely not my favorite 50/1.4 ever made, that would be the pre-ASPH summilux-M actually.

yes my 50/1.8 is sharp, but it's hardly the sort of lens I would wax poetic about. Ive got my rokkor 58/1.2 up for sale which I think is a much better lens than any of these standard OM 50s but you'll pry the 50/3.5 from my cold, dead hands.

as far as the 28/3.5 goes, yes everyone should have one. they don't cost much and they're good. I have one myself, it really sings on Acros.

maybe it doesn't make such a practical difference on digital; I don't know. but I can see the negatives and like I said with some exception I think Zeiss is just in a completely different league when it comes to 50mm lenses.

Jul 16, 2012 at 01:25 PM

AmbientMike
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Some questions about Olympus OM 50 & 24

Ok sorry I'll have to look that up mij rings a bell now. Well I guess I'm not saying the 50/1.8 om is the best ever. If you look at the old mp lens tests the best on center and corners was about 1980 I think, which I think is what I have. Not actually marked mc but has green coatings. Certainly pleased with the performance. I feel it's better than my 50/3.5, although I've never tested side by side. I agree on 28/3.5 seems like a nice lens, sharp all the way to the corners on ff stopped down. Maybe I'll have to try a Zeiss one of these days was looking at 24-85 , 28-85, etc. a few years ago,35 might be good. Are you adapting these to EOS? Loved the om cameras and lenses ergonomics. Shot Nikon with B&W more than anything.Ever try Pan F. Isn't acros b&w? Might have to try one of those 50mm zeiss. Wish I could find the webste that had mp test numbers.

Jul 16, 2012 at 03:37 PM

redisburning
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Some questions about Olympus OM 50 & 24

not EOS, two OM-1s and a Leica M2. yeah I have a 40d but I never use it because in my mind digital rhymes with junk.

I almost never shoot at infinity, maybe that has something to do with it. I normally use my OM-1s and that 50 for stuff like this, where it's unique sharpness to unsharpness gradiant appeals to me:

Untitled by redisburning, on Flickr

I use my Leica to take bokehful pictures of my cats:

Untitled by redisburning, on Flickr

Jul 16, 2012 at 05:23 PM

AmbientMike
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · Some questions about Olympus OM 50 & 24

You have good taste except for 40d. My favorite camera ever. Picked up leica screw which led to OM. Hard to pick up Nikon gear after Leica. Can't go back to film, it seems, 36+ just not enough. Although it's tempting sometimes. Perhaps you should try an earlier. 1.8, is Zeiss really thart much better?

Jul 16, 2012 at 07:30 PM

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