Part of the reason it’s not very common is that it has a limited, not very exciting zoom range (28mm to 48mm), it’s slow (f/4), the minimum focus distance is a long 0.65mm, and the front element rotates (making use of polarizing filters a pain). On the plus side, it’s only 300g and quite tiny.
So why is this thing a “hidden gem”? I use Zuikos with a Kipon Tilt-Shift adapter on my Fuji X-T2. I had most of my favourite focal lengths covered, but 35mm (“normal” on APS-C) was a gap. I tried the Olympus OM 35/2.8 and it was a terrible shift lens. OM 35/2 is more expensive, and has a mixed reputation; the old Modern Photography tests show it does best at f/5.6, with f/8 and f/11 (very common apertures in my shooting) being weaker. I’ll try it one day. But in the mean time OM 28-48/4 is a really excellent 35mm lens with strong shift performance.
At 35mm, it’s absolutely usable wide-open at f/4, with corners being only slightly softer than the centre; it sharpens up very nicely by f/5.6, with corners already excellent. Both f/8 and f/11 are excellent (with f/11 showing a bit of diffraction already). Colours are typical Olympus (which I like). It’s nice and contrasty, and distortion is very low. And best of all, for me, image quality on the far side of an 8mm shift is very good. My Canon FD 35/2.8 has better image quality at the far shifted side at 8-10mm, but OM 28-48/4 is better across the whole field.
At 48mm, image quality with and without shifting is the same as at 35mm, but there’s noticeable barrel distortion. The weak point of the lens is 28mm, which has the same barrel distortion as 48mm, slightly reduced overall image quality, and the weakest shift quality.This isn't much of a weak point though... I compared it to the excellent Fuji XF 27/2.8, and OM 28-48/4 held its own very well. It had just a bit less resolving power than the Fuji, and the difference was only evident at very high magnification (2:1). By happy coincidence, this lens seems to have been optimized for 35mm, the only focal length it provides that I actually need.
So if you happen to need the 35mm focal length on an Olympus OM Zuiko, then have a look at this lens. If you like Zuikos, you’ll love this one.
EDIT: Another nice feature of this lens is that it has two filter threads: an inner 49mm and an outer 55mm. This is very handy for cutting down the number of filters and shades you need to carry.
Looks like a great little lens. I used an 0M4Ti in 35mm film days and really liked the small lens options they had. Now that I am full circle back to a small camera via the Sony A7R and am back to wanting small lenses.
We need many, many more lenses like this, that break the mold. Why the straitjacket on focal lengths? Low range zooms (this one is 1.7 - 48/28) should be promoted with a new name and marketed aggressively as 'prime zooms' or similar. Same principle behind the 35-70 configuration so popular with real photographers last century. Mine I bought new, it weighs 475 grams.
The mir.com site is commended to all, a great resource.
The only thing I don't love about this little thing is the very long minimum focus distance (something like 0.65 m). Some people won't be bothered by this at all. But a few times now I've set up to make a photograph only to discover I can't focus closely enough! Anyway, all lenses have limitations.
I would love to see Loxia or Voigtlander small zooms that follow this OM design style. Most of the zooms for Sony A7 models are too big. Need more like the 55)1.8 and 35/2.8
rdeloe wrote:
The only thing I don't love about this little thing is the very long minimum focus distance (something like 0.65 m). Some people won't be bothered by this at all. But a few times now I've set up to make a photograph only to discover I can't focus closely enough! Anyway, all lenses have limitations.
If you're not using a t/s converter then it can be coupled with a helicoid adapter, although close focus may degrade as I assume it doesn't have a floating element.
I loved this little lens when I was an OM film user.
And I love the idea of small, restricted length zooms.
Sigma have a few restricted length zooms but they have gone for fast and good as their choose of the two you can have out of fast good and small.
I’d prefer good and small
Maybe you could make an f2.8 or even f2.4 28-45 or so that is good and pretty small. Have to be smaller than a 2.8/24-70!
On a small body like an OM-4 or a Sony A7 series I think a lens under 300g is the ideal weight. Many of the OM lenses were in the 200g range, which is even better. I would think you could still do a decent FE mount small manual focus zoom like a 28-48 or 35-70 or the like at under 300g and something like a 52mm filter.
I wish Samyang or Laowa or the like would give them a go.
That's why I started using OM lenses on my Fuji X-T2. The size of the 50/1.4, 24/2.8, 100/2.8 and 135/2.8 is ideal. Ironically, I then discovered that the 50/2 and the 90/2 -- which are not tiny (but still not huge). My camera bag is not as small and light as I hoped it would be now... but I can still fit a lot of primes (plus this one zoom) in one small carry bag and take it along all day.
WestTexas Sky wrote:
On a small body like an OM-4 or a Sony A7 series I think a lens under 300g is the ideal weight. Many of the OM lenses were in the 200g range, which is even better. I would think you could still do a decent FE mount small manual focus zoom like a 28-48 or 35-70 or the like at under 300g and something like a 52mm filter.
I wish Samyang or Laowa or the like would give them a go.
That is a good idea. It occurred to me too (but I was thinking extension tubes whereas a helicoid adapter is a better idea). But I am using the lens on a tilt-shift adapter. And I'm pretty sure it doesn't have a floating element. Oh well.
mcbroomf wrote:
If you're not using a t/s converter then it can be coupled with a helicoid adapter, although close focus may degrade as I assume it doesn't have a floating element.
It is indeed very sharp across the whole zoom range.
Actually, I cannot detect decreased IQ at 28mm.
Resolution is excellent - it resolves more detail than the (also excellent) Pentax-K 28mm f3.5.
CAs (blue and purple) are rather strong, even stopped down; LR takes care of that, so no biggie.
A really neat, compact & light walkaround lens! Count me as a fan!
Unfortunately my copy is decentered, the right lower corner is blurry, regardless of f stop or focus point. Does anyone here know whether a repair shop could fix that? Or can even name a German repair shop which repairs OM lenses?
