You mentioned it in passing, but the fact that they all take 49mm filters is such a blessing! Practically every other lens I have has different thread sizes, and carrying a bunch of different filters around with each lens is sooo annoying. (I have the zuiko 60-200, which does take a larger thread size, but I guess nothing is perfect!)
I really enjoy watching your videos. Extremely informative! You have inspired me to acquire an adapter for my Fujifilm X-t2 and I've just brought my Olympus Zuiko lenses out of storage!! I'm very glad I kept them.
Aside from image quality (great) I've always liked the design of the Zuiko. Even their front and rear caps look premium and feel good in my hands. I realized I'm slowly getting all your older videos suggested plus the new ones as they come out. A real treat. Thank you! - Alberto
Thank you so much Sir for your videos as they helped me choose the Zuiko 50mm f1.4 as my first vintage lens to adapt to my M4/3. It's been two weeks now and I'm having a hard time taking it off my Olympus E-M10 II! Thanks to this gem, I'm discovering a totally new style of photography and am having a lot of fun going on photo walks at night. Greetings from Switzerland!
As a long time OM1 user I have a very similar set: 24mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.8, a 50mm f/3.5 macro, 100mm f/2.8 & the 135mm f/3.5. I chose most these lenses back in my film days for the fantastic feature that they all take 49mm filters. I have a good selection of B&W contrast filters in this size. I now use these lenses on a Sony a6000 & the 24mm is a recent acquisition to give me a 35mm equivalent. The 50mm macro is a really useful optic. I am currently saving for the 85mm f/2.0. But every time I get close a wad of bills fills my PO Box! :o Soon, or hopefully, even sooner...
The 85mm f/2 is a gem and seems to have an increasing price tag as of 2022. I got a new old stock one around 2001. New VERY old stock.🤣 It was a find, frankly. Strange that it's actually smaller than the 75mm f/1.8 currently made from OMD MFT cameras. That is also a drop dead gorgeous lens and it gives distinctively classy images. Plus background blur on both is about perfect.
I'm wanting the 135mm f/3.5. There is no equivalent new lens for MFT cameras and I want it for my OMD EM10 and EM5. Also for Olympus film SLRs if I ever use them again.
9:41 The background blur on my 50mm f/1.4 is busier than I expected but is gorgeous. I notice it's more like "O"s or circles to zn extent. Onion rings appear but look fabulous.
Unfortunately due to circumstances (financial) beyond my control, I had to part with my OM kit. Gutted isn't the word. I had 3 OM1n bodies and a variety of lenses, the 28mm f3.5, 50mm f1.8, 100mm f2.8 and the big daddy 180mm f2.8 which I regret ever having to part with. This kit served me really well from the 70's to the end of the 90's. Bleddy women and families put paid to that little lot. Don't ever think I could find a 180mm again :(
I already got the zuiko 28mm f3.5, 50mm f1.8 and 55mm f1.2. I guess the 135mm f3.5 is the final lens to complete my kit. Thank you very much, Zenography.
Just did a video test comparing several lenses to decide on the “look” of a project I’m working on and loved the Zuiko OMs. The fall off of the bokeh even when stopped down is beautiful. The colors are beautiful and I find the contrast very nice as compared to a modern lens like the Sigma ART series. A huge thank you for the time you put in to your videos as they’ve been an invaluable resource.
There's a whole other series of Zuiko lenses made for the PEN F/FT which are in many ways more suitable for adapting to Micro 4/3. Since they are designed for a half-frame SLR, the PEN F lenses are smaller than the lenses for the OM cameras. But they do not disappoint. I have the G.Zuiko Auto-S 40mm f/1.4 and it's got lots of character. If 5-sided bokeh are not your thing, the D.Zuiko Auto-S 38mm f/1.8 is a very sharp lens with 9 blades and there is also a H.Zuiko Auto-S 42mm f/1.2 lens but it is very rare. Other lenses range from 20mm wide angle to 200mm telephoto. There are a couple of zooms, too, but I've never seen one. By the way, the letter before the word Zuiko indicates how many elements the lens has. D.Zuiko = 4, E.Zuiko = 5, etc.
After using the 85mm f/2 on my Olympus MFT camera, I wanted the new 75mm f/1.8. It's a great lens. The amazing thing is that the old 85mm f/2 and 100mm f/2.8 are actually SMALLER than the new 75mm f/1.8. The new 75 and the old 85 are the most gorgeous lenses I've ever seen and are in the never sell category. I hope to keep the 85 and use it on an old OM1 or OM2 with film again someday.
Really good video pointing out that there are legacy lenses out there that are frankly dirt cheap and wonderful. This particular group are a great match for MFT cameras.
Team zuiko 50 f/1.4 silvertip squad, where you at? That lens never left my om1 for some time now. The lens is sharp and fast renders good images and so much fun to use. Also my zuiko 40mm f/1.4 of my pen fv is as sharp as my 50 1.4.
Nice video! I was recently given an Olympus OM-10 with a couple of nice primes, and I can't wait to try it out. I see from your videos that you like that camera! Think I'll have to browse ebay for some more Zuiko primes in the near future, so good timing for me with this video. Thanks!
I had the Olympus 50mm F/1.4 and loved it. I sold it and purchased a Pentax SMC-A 50mm F/2 which is my best 50mm lens ever purchased. But the Olympus 50 is a great lens. The Pentax is in another league but very expensive. I paid £650 for my mint copy
Makes me want to explore and experiment more with my own Zuiko lenses; I have acquired all of these lenses, except the 50mm f/1.4 but I do have the the 50mm f/1.8 instead. All in all these five lenses, bought mostly from charity shops and boot sales, haven't set me back more than £100. It would seem money well spent; thank you for your time and insight!
Another enjoyable video. I've been using the Zuiko lenses since the early eighties and I agree with your selection wholeheartedly Since you like compact lenses you might enjoy the 2oo/f5 lens which I don't have, but it has a good reputation..Keep up the good work.
I have many OM's. Especially many OM10's. 4 of which, I plan on purchasing precut skin-kits, to replace the existing. I also have other OM10's with special skin, soon including one with black and red snakeskin I purchased via eBay approx. 2 days ago. I look forward to recieving it.
The remarkable thing about the wonderful 85mm f/2 is that it actually fits into the standard camera case with an OM 1,2,3 or 4. The 100mm f/2.8 at about the same size probably does too.
Exelente video!! Tengo desde hace años la Olimpus om2n y desde luego con varios lentes Zuiko. Me encsnta el 135 es muy pequeño y muy util el parasol.. Estos lentes Zuiko son imas joyas de metal y cristal.. Muchos saludos desde México...!
Hi Zenography, Some years ago I owned an Olympus OM kit, and had several Zuiko lenses, among them some of those featured here. I also had a nice Zuiko 300mm f/4.5, but the standout was the Zuiko 90mm f/2 Macro. It was rather compact given its wide aperture., with superb image-quality, even wide open. I'm all digital now with Canon, but am considering re-acquiring one for my EOS 6D. They are quite pricey ($400-700), but well worth the expense.
I got the 28 mm 2.8 for a month now. The colours are exquisite something I can't get with my Nikon 28 2,8 ais . The Zuiko are compact and the diameter of the lens is just spot on for focusing , something that the Takumars are not , to small to turn the focusing ring , so Zuiko lenses for me is a very good purchase.
I have a few old Olympus lenses but by far the best (in my opinion) is the 24mm f2.8. It gives me the standard 50mm focal length lens 35mm terms. It is not the cheapest of legacy lenses though. I have now purchased an Olympus MFT 25mm f1.8 lens which is somewhat smaller and lighter, although again, expensive at £300.00. I bought mine second hand and in mint condition for a lot less. I must admit to enjoying the process of manual focusing and the "old school" photography experience.
There can be variants of these then again I am no expert nice vid Nigel you like your green gates... I have some local to me surrounding an old hospital now a hospice etc etc....
I have a few Zuiko primes in my collection from a camera kit I bought from a friend years ago. I shot some of them with the NEX-5N that got me back into photography and the wonderful world of legacy glass. I have them on a shelf to sell, but think I'll pull the Zuiko glass from the shelf and shoot them with the A7Sii and my Fuji cameras.
I was on the fence about investing in Olmpus Zuiko OM lenses you convinced me with this and your other videos. I now have the 24mm, 28mm, 35mm and 50mm and will continue to complete the set. I really want the 85mm which I don't see talked about much.
The 85 is wonderful - one of the nicest lenses I've used, bar none. It features in another video on this channel called 'Can a £600 Lens Beat a £100 lens?"
I enjoy watching your reviews very much. And even get inspired: I bought my first zuiko 50mm 1.8 on ebay for 60 Euros. I noticed that at 2.8, the diaphragm shape is not smooth with its 5 sides but jagged. You can see 6 pointy tips of the blades. At 1.8 and 4 and so on, the diaphragm is smooth. Is that normal? Did you notice anything like that on a zuiko lens?
A few years ago, I was fortunate to buy a near mint Olympus OM3Ti, and with such a camera, I also had to improve my Zuiko lenses. Got at very good price, a 21, 28 and 35, all F2.0. A 50 / 1.4 is also provided and the last one listed is 100 / 2.0. Hope to find one at a nice price, but usually they are very expensive.
Beautifully articulated video. Like others have said perhaps there are a few other options that could be added to the collection like the expensive 85mm and the 50mm 3.5 macro but not entirely necessary. I agree with not extending beyond 135mm due to losing the compactness. I owned both the cumbersome 200 and 300mm. They were lovely lenses but impractical on a mirrorless system. A better option is the 135mm coupled with the inconspicuous official teleconverter giving 270mm.
Hi Nigel, one great advantage of these Zuikos worth mentioning is, that you can use them on a Canon camera with EF mount as well, be it digital or analog. Via an adapter. I’ve tried that and it works! For my Canon EOS 650 I’ve purchased a new old stock genuine Canon focusing screen E with split image indicator for easy focusing with manual vintage lenses! And on eBay in the U.K. I found and purchased a Canon EOS 620, which has been looked after with nice blue illumination of the display on the top. The 650 serves as a backup camera. Cheers, Ralf
Zuiko lenses, ahhh. I love the 85mm f/2 and the 21mm f/3.5 as well. I also have a 28mm f/2.8, almost same size as the f/3.5 and also the 24mm f/2.8 and I would never want to sell any of them. .they are just too pretty and too lovely to use either on 35mm SLR or micro 4/3 or even APSC if you can. Then the 16mm f/3.5 fisheye is miniscule, a miracle design from the 1970s. The 35mm f/2.8 is the only Zuiko wide prime that I got new as an individual lens.
I have the 28mm F/2.8 it's a excellent lens. I have the 24mm F/2, 35mm F/2, and more. I use them on my Panasonic GH5s. Would love the 21mm F/2, 85mm F/2, and the 16mm Fish eye. I would never sell them
@@life107familyfitnessboxing8 Glad that someone else uses these lenses still! I notice that some are getting pricey in the secondhand market, though some are dirt cheap like the 135mm f/3.5, which is at the top of my list was a want item.
Yes! I have H.Zuiko 28/2.8 and F. Zuiko 50/1.8, . Enjoy them every time. Beside it I use Helios 58/2 and Zykkor 135/2.8. Of course, I have digital M. Zuiko's but hardly ever use it.
Zenography I remember back in 2014 I purchased my first full frame digital camera, a Canon 6D. I attached this lens via adapter and, indeed, it didn’t disappoint me! Thumbs up!
I’ve got all of those lenses now and, I have to say, I think they’re excellent! My 100mm f2.8 came with its matching 2X converter, which I’ll probably never use. It intrigues me sufficiently to try it out though, and why not.
Sir, your videos are amongst the most informative and genuine content found on TH-cam - I'm very grateful to have found your channel. I am in the process of getting an Olympus OM1. After watching your reviews it really ticks the most boxes for me. However I have a slight problem. I love the 35mm focal length but Zuiko 35mm lenses are practically non-existant at the moment in either the f2 or f2.8 variety. Are there any good 3rd party lenses that made 35mm variations for OM mounts? Any help you have on this area would be much appreciated 🙏🙏🙏
I have only just found your channel and I have really enjoyed watching your videos, I like your style and I wish I had a voice like yours. My wife and I were OM10 photographers in the 1980s and we had 2 OM10s, 1 OM 50mm f1.8, 1 OM35mm F2.8 and an OM 135mm f3.5. So almost 3 of of your 5 choices for your kit of Zuiko primes. I lost interest in photography when Olympus switched to digital and ended up using digital bridge cameras and taking snapshots. Two years ago I got a Fuji X-A2, new but a very good price and eventually learned about vintage lenses, and adapters, but they were difficult to focus with the X-A2. Then I got a X-E2S and that was much better. I have a Kipon focal reducer and 2 "dummy" adapters. When you take your photographs do you use a focal reducer or a "dummy" adapter? I think I need a focal reducer for the short lenses ie my 35mm and 50mm, and use a "dummy" one with the 135mm. Using vintage lenses with a mirrorless camera has reignited my interest in photography, and your channel reinforces that enthusiasm. Thank You
And thank you for watching! As I shoot only on full frame for this channel (unless stated otherwise) I don't use a focal reducer. To adapt lenses I only ever use so called 'dumb' adaptors - no glass or electronics, just a metal tube with the relevant mounts at either end.
I use to own all of these lenes omit the 100mm for my OM-1 in the 80's. For mirrorless Zuiko's and Pentax lenses are a great value. If I shot mirrorless I would re-purchace these myself, but your video might have raised the price. Joking.
I've had a lot of Zuiko lenses over the years they are indeed excellent - as well as their optical performance, they feel great in the hand. I've had the 28/3.5 and 28/2.8, and other than the difference in light gathering and d-o-f, I couldn't tell any difference in image quality. But, the Zuiko I love the most on m4/3 right now is the 50/3.5 macro. It's a superb lens, and so cheap (I paid £70 for my current one, in mint condition). On the 50/1.4, I had a silvernose one, and its only problem really was a bit of a tendency to flare - other than that, it's possibly the best 50 I've had (I unfortunately sold it before m4/3 was a thing). 135/3.5, yep, beautiful - I love being able to carry around a 270 equivalent on my Lumix GX80 in such a small package. As a suggestion, I have a 75-150/4 and I really like it on m4/3 - mine's a silvernose and flares a bit, but other than that it's really nice (but it is a bit physically large). And I'm considering a 200/4 too - bit big, but a lot smaller than FF equivalent 400mm lenses. As an aside, even though they're cheap now, Zuiko lenses were even cheaper before the idea of using them on mirrorless cameras became popular - the 135/3.5 used to go for only around £10-15 not that many years ago.
Those days are gone I'm afraid...oh well! The Zuikos are great on M4/3, though as my GH2 doesn't have peaking, and my eyesight isn't what it was, focussing can be difficult, easier on the A7. That 50 3.5 macro was an absolute bargain - I've seen them go for much more than that! Well done!
@@zenography7923 My eyesight isn't what it used to be either, and I'd struggle without focus peaking - which, thankfully, is pretty good on the GX80. Full frame does seem essential for getting the best out of these lenses, mind, and I should have an A7 arriving tomorrow :-)
I have the Olympus Zuiko 24mm F/2, 28mm F/2.8, 35mm F/2, 35 to 70mm Zoom F/3.6, (this 35 to 70mm Zoom lens performance blew me away), 100mm F/2,8, 135mm F/3.5, 180mm F/2.8, 200mm F/4, and 300mm F/4.5 and love them all. I use them on my Panasonic GH5s
@Armando Lopez The 35-70mm lens gives exceptional sharpness when stopped down by 2 stops and even gives great performance at max aperture. It's not a fast lens but this does not matter to me because I use it on my GH5s. The only thing I dislike about it is that the focus shifts slightly when you zoom in or out. Apart from this, the lens is superb. I would never sell mine. Make sure you get a good one in good condition
Wonderful post. Question: do you have experience manually setting the Olympus mirrorless body (with sensor shift technology)and calibrate the focal length in software? Thank you! See my namesake documentary on Prime Video. Mark
The close focusing distance on the Olympus Zuiko 50mm F/1.4 is the same as my Pentax SMC-A 50mm F/1.2 impressive. I have tried the Olympus Zuiko 50mm F/1.8 and also prefer the background blur of the F/1.4 version. My Olympus Zuiko 100mm F/2.8 is exceptional, I love the quality of the images of both photos and videos this lens produces. I love the low contrast character of this lens too. I was going to purchase the F/2 version of this lens but found the extra expense not justified. I use a Panasonic GH5s which is excellent in low light and find the maximum aperture of F/2.8 adequate for my use. I took a Olympus Zuiko 135mm F/3.5 to Chiang Rai Thailand with me on a project shoot and was blown away by the video footage I got using a GH2 with Flowmotion 2 Hack. I found the built in lens hood really effective when shooting in direct sunlight. My 135mm lens focuses smoothly all the way without any stiffness. Thanks for sharing I really enjoyed
Well, prices do change of course, and I've noticed asking prices for vintage lenses have really shot up over the past 6 months. But - those are only asking prices - I think auctions are a better guide to actual worth.
@@zenography7923 thanks for your reply, it's very interesting. Btw I have both an Olympus EM1 and EM10 mark III. If I was to use a full frame OM lens do I still have to account for the crop sensor when calculating 35mm focal length equivalent, even though the lens is 35mm? (Is a 135mm full frame lens still 135mm or 270mm). I hope that makes sense. Thanks again.
Olympus made some superb lenses and camera bodies. I loved their compact size not just the lenses but the bodies too and how light-weight the OM2SP and OM4 were to cart around. The only lens in your list that I don't have is a 100mm and there I was thinking of junking my Zuiko lenses. Have you used them on a mirrorless camera to shoot video as I'd like to be able to use them on Canon's Eos range with an adapter?
I've shot some video with them, and they're just as good as they are with stills. No stepless aperture, but I wouldn't change aperture during a shot anyway. I'm sure they'd work great on an eos!
have you ever shot the Zuiko 75-150 f/4? I bet the image quality isn't as good as the ones you mentioned, but it seems to be a fun lens and a good way to carry less. I was trying to get something long for landscape and I was between that and getting a couple longer fixed lenses.
hi.... great review, with lots of nice photos.... once correction though, the focus throw of the 100mm is roughly half a turn (180 degrees) i have one in front of me right now. Definitely not a whole turn.
must say there seems to be a lot of flare on the 50mm 1.4 on those pictures if im not mistaken. This might be my next lens though, i'm in need of some faster lenses to be able to shoot portraits and all that in lower light conditions I got an om-10,om-2n,om-1 and a couple of lenses and a mount for my crappy X-E1, the lenses are cheap, feel like quality equipment and take great pictures!
The Zuikos are lovely lenses, they do flare a bit though, just as all vintage lenses do. I quite like a bit of flare but if it's not your cup of tea, a lens hood will significantly reduce it. Thanks for watching!
Hello very nice,what kind of lenses do you recomend the early ones whit silver nose or we have g zuiko s zuiko etc different generation,asI understand the silver nose lenses are the early ones first gen or? thanks for nice channel
Yes, silver nose are first gen, said to have lower contrast and for some lenses less sharpness too. Newer is not necessarily better though - I prefer the silver nose 50mm 1.4 to the black nose version!
@@zenography7923 🙏🙏 Also, if not asking for too much, please try to include a review of this gem macro lens along with its dedicated extension tube, a.k.a. Olympus OM 65-116 Telescopic Auto Extension Tube. That would be really great to see both of them together coz though extension tubes and below are only a hallo extension, this one is sometimes even more expensive than the glass, to which it has to theater!!!
It's not easy, as the focusing mechanism is in the camera body on Contax/Kiev mount. You sometimes see them on ebay for around £70, and they can be made by removing the focus mechanism from a dead Kiev and adding an appropriate mount to the back of this. I think it would be much easier to buy one though...
I put this same question on one of your other videos. How do I know what adapter to buy for these lenses? What mount are these lenses? I have a Sony a7III and really want to try some of these. Thanks very much.
I use so called 'dumb' adaptors for all my vintage lenses - a simple metal tube with a Sony e-mount at the camera end, and the mount for whatever lens I'm using at the lens end. So, to use an Olympus Zuiko lens on your Sony, you'll need an OM mount to e-mount adaptor. Or, if you're using an M42 lens, you'll need an M42 to e-mount adaptor, and so on. Hope that's of some help!
On the secondhand market they are getting more and more expensive people have caught up on how great they are. My fav lens is the 50mm 1.8 I use all the time
They're beautiful little lenses, wonderful optics and beautifully made. The 50 1.8 is very nice indeed, and if you get the chance you might try the 35mm 3.5 and the 135mm 3.5 - both really nice!
I have a Panny GF3 and got the adapter so I could use my old m42 mount lenses, I have a 28mm but being a 4/3rds camera it makes it 56mm and manual focus, where the kit lens with the camera is 28-84mm so not sure really if I am going to gain anything, might give it a try though.... Hope you are well, all the best.
All well here thanks. I think it's worth playing with old glass for the different looks the lenses give - modern M4/3 lenses are technically fantastic, but very sharp and clinical sometimes. Thanks for watching.
@@zenography7923 Good good. Agree re the new stuff being too sharp, I have to soften some images where as with the old glass they need to be sharpened a tad! Might try them out in the next few days at sunset.... All the best.
I have the olympus om-1 and bought few of the lenses because of your video! I also want to buy the zuiko 40mm 1.4f for pen f and wondered if it will fit to the om-1?
As far as I'm aware the mounts are different, but even if you could mount it you'd probably find the half frame lens wouldn't cover the full frame film properly. I haven't actually tried this though, so I could be wrong!
Hello Zenography, So glad I discovered your channel. But after the 1.4 50mm, in my mind, next Zuiko lens in my list is the 24mm 2.8 , I buy it for 68€ . mit freundlichem Gruß aus dem Schaumburger Land Matthias
The 24/2.8 will cost quite a bit more than the 28, but I far prefer the view. To me, the 28 doesn't give you nearly the same drama. The 35/2.8 was my daily lens for years. I got my hands on a 35/2.0 and it was very sexy indeed. One thing to look for: the rubber focus ring will loosen with heavy use (ask me how I know). The 85/2.0 lens is one to look out for as well. One of the true grail pieces is the 90mm/2.0 macro. They were very expensive then and the price has only gone up. However, it's worth keeping your eye peeled for one.
@@zenography7923 The 90/2.0 has always been Rare and expensive. Start the hunt for a Vivitar Series One 105/2.5 macro. They did come in an OM mount. Really well built and excellent glass- absolutely the equal of a Nikkor 105 macro. My colleague used the Nikkor and we compared shots daily.
Having a mirrorless camera I have been acquiring a nice little collection of lenses now having a second useful life. Rather than keeping my lenses in a camera bag (I probably have too many lenses for that) have you come across a nice way of storing your lenses? I was thinking of dedicating a couple shelves on a bookcase just for them. Do you have any thoughts on the subject?
@@zenography7923 Many thanks! I like the cupboard idea. I have enough of woodworking skills and tools to build something useful. I am considering shallow shelves drilled maybe a quarter inch deep with a "fosrtsner bit" for positioning lenses.The rice would surely help control humidity.
I'm considering changing to the Olympus system and getting the OMD 1 MK 11. I have never used vintage lenses before and they seem quite cheap compared to the new digital ones. What sort of adapter would be needed to use these lenses on a new camera?
The OMD cameras have a micro four thirds mount, so to use the OM Zuiko lenses you'll need an OM to micro four thirds adaptor. To use M42 screwmount lenses you'll need an M42 to micro four thirds adaptor, and so on. I hope that helps!
I have seen the Olympus Zuiko 24mm F/2 retail for £1300 boxed and mint on eBay. I purchased mine for £200 mint condition. Worth every penny. The performance is such that I wouldn't even sell it even for £1000
You'll need an OM to OM-D adapter, and you'll have to factor in crop because these lenses are made for full frame. The new OM-D mounts are m4/3 which is a 2x crop. Effectively a 25mm will be a 50mm, 35 will be 70mm and so on.
They certainly can, a cheap 'dumb' adaptor should be all you need. However, a speed booster is a better (though expensive) alternative, as it restores the effective loss of about two stops when using FF lenses on M4/3. Thanks for watching.
You can add speedbooster / focal reducer type of adapter between your camera and lens, but on MFT you'll get just about 50% of focal length back, meaning if you use 50mm lens it'll appear as cca 70mm on MFT in full frame term. That being said, if you use the same lens with the speedbooster on the APSC camera, you'll get more than 90% back...
@@007JAKICA I know it sounds confusing 😁 So, if you put 50mm lens that's designed for full frame on MFT using plain adapter you'll get an image that looks like shot with 100mm lens on full frame, meaning double the focal length, right? Hence teleconverter 😁 But if you are using speedbooster adapter, your picture will look like shot with 70mm or so lens shot on full frame. While if you use that same lens (50mm) on the APSC camera with speedbooster adapter, it will produce an image as originally designed, meaning it will look like it was shot with 50mm-ish lens on full frame. helpful
Only early Olympus OM 28mm F3.5 lens may have that coating (sn 106xxx) but they're less radioactive than others - and may not have that browning effect th-cam.com/video/x4m_pYNLFwM/w-d-xo.html
Could I commend to you a Zuiko lens that is neither compact nor cheap? I bought my 24mm shift back in the eighties, it so respected it has been adapted to fit a digital N!k0n!
@@zenography7923 I have three shift lenses, the Zuiko is the oldest. Each functions in a different way - the designer's case is valid in each example. The 24mm Zuiko was the first available, it is still here after all those years. Odd 20 x 16 print still about. Good piece of glass.
You can use these lenses on any mirrorless camera, although being film lenses, they weer originally designed for a full frame sensor (a piece of 35mm film)!
Hi there, wonderful channel, great presentation, for a hobby photographer that just bought a Xpro1 (yes it is nearly 2021, crazy hug :-) and wants to explore vintage lenses. I d like to keep the overall package as small as possible, I believe the Zuikos are some of the most compact vintage lenses out there. Would you agree with that? It is nice to have a small enough combo to hit the streets 👍🏻 Cheers from switzerland
Yes, the Zuiko lenses are very small, but the adaptor for your Xpro1 will add about an inch to it - the smallest mirrorless combo is achieved with rangefinder lenses (eg Jupiter 8, Industar 61) - these lenses are tiny, as is the adaptor. Could be the way to go if you want a really small rig?
You mentioned it in passing, but the fact that they all take 49mm filters is such a blessing! Practically every other lens I have has different thread sizes, and carrying a bunch of different filters around with each lens is sooo annoying. (I have the zuiko 60-200, which does take a larger thread size, but I guess nothing is perfect!)
"Because, frankly that's boring." Superb! A great overview of the wonderful Zuiko lenses. Your channel sets the standard. Thank you.
I really enjoy watching your videos. Extremely informative! You have inspired me to acquire an adapter for my Fujifilm X-t2 and I've just brought my Olympus Zuiko lenses out of storage!! I'm very glad I kept them.
Aside from image quality (great) I've always liked the design of the Zuiko. Even their front and rear caps look premium and feel good in my hands. I realized I'm slowly getting all your older videos suggested plus the new ones as they come out. A real treat. Thank you! - Alberto
Zuiko lenses are lovely, no doubt about it! Glad you're enjoying the videos!
Thank you so much Sir for your videos as they helped me choose the Zuiko 50mm f1.4 as my first vintage lens to adapt to my M4/3. It's been two weeks now and I'm having a hard time taking it off my Olympus E-M10 II! Thanks to this gem, I'm discovering a totally new style of photography and am having a lot of fun going on photo walks at night. Greetings from Switzerland!
As a long time OM1 user I have a very similar set: 24mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.8, a 50mm f/3.5 macro, 100mm f/2.8 & the 135mm f/3.5. I chose most these lenses back in my film days for the fantastic feature that they all take 49mm filters. I have a good selection of B&W contrast filters in this size. I now use these lenses on a Sony a6000 & the 24mm is a recent acquisition to give me a 35mm equivalent. The 50mm macro is a really useful optic. I am currently saving for the 85mm f/2.0. But every time I get close a wad of bills fills my PO Box! :o Soon, or hopefully, even sooner...
The 85mm f/2 is a gem and seems to have an increasing price tag as of 2022. I got a new old stock one around 2001. New VERY old stock.🤣 It was a find, frankly. Strange that it's actually smaller than the 75mm f/1.8 currently made from OMD MFT cameras. That is also a drop dead gorgeous lens and it gives distinctively classy images. Plus background blur on both is about perfect.
I'm wanting the 135mm f/3.5. There is no equivalent new lens for MFT cameras and I want it for my OMD EM10 and EM5. Also for Olympus film SLRs if I ever use them again.
Thank you for this amazing presentation, well done, I loved it. I think over the years of when I was an Olympus shooter I used all if them...
Fantastic lenses, I'm very happy with mine. Thanks for watching.
9:41 The background blur on my 50mm f/1.4 is busier than I expected but is gorgeous. I notice it's more like "O"s or circles to zn extent. Onion rings appear but look fabulous.
Unfortunately due to circumstances (financial) beyond my control, I had to part with my OM kit. Gutted isn't the word. I had 3 OM1n bodies and a variety of lenses, the 28mm f3.5, 50mm f1.8, 100mm f2.8 and the big daddy 180mm f2.8 which I regret ever having to part with. This kit served me really well from the 70's to the end of the 90's. Bleddy women and families put paid to that little lot. Don't ever think I could find a 180mm again :(
You can bet there'll be one out there somewhere!
You can them from Japan for around £250
I already got the zuiko 28mm f3.5, 50mm f1.8 and 55mm f1.2. I guess the 135mm f3.5 is the final lens to complete my kit. Thank you very much, Zenography.
so happy to find this today, thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!
Just did a video test comparing several lenses to decide on the “look” of a project I’m working on and loved the Zuiko OMs. The fall off of the bokeh even when stopped down is beautiful. The colors are beautiful and I find the contrast very nice as compared to a modern lens like the Sigma ART series. A huge thank you for the time you put in to your videos as they’ve been an invaluable resource.
No problem, glad they've been helpful!
There's a whole other series of Zuiko lenses made for the PEN F/FT which are in many ways more suitable for adapting to Micro 4/3. Since they are designed for a half-frame SLR, the PEN F lenses are smaller than the lenses for the OM cameras. But they do not disappoint. I have the G.Zuiko Auto-S 40mm f/1.4 and it's got lots of character. If 5-sided bokeh are not your thing, the D.Zuiko Auto-S 38mm f/1.8 is a very sharp lens with 9 blades and there is also a H.Zuiko Auto-S 42mm f/1.2 lens but it is very rare. Other lenses range from 20mm wide angle to 200mm telephoto. There are a couple of zooms, too, but I've never seen one.
By the way, the letter before the word Zuiko indicates how many elements the lens has. D.Zuiko = 4, E.Zuiko = 5, etc.
After using the 85mm f/2 on my Olympus MFT camera, I wanted the new 75mm f/1.8. It's a great lens. The amazing thing is that the old 85mm f/2 and 100mm f/2.8 are actually SMALLER than the new 75mm f/1.8. The new 75 and the old 85 are the most gorgeous lenses I've ever seen and are in the never sell category. I hope to keep the 85 and use it on an old OM1 or OM2 with film again someday.
Another fantastic Presentation !
Thank you.
Many thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Really good video pointing out that there are legacy lenses out there that are frankly dirt cheap and wonderful. This particular group are a great match for MFT cameras.
These old Zuiko lenses are gems. I also love the 85mm f/2 but that has got more expensive. I really want to use the 135mm f/3.5 on my MFT cameras.
Nicely presented - thank you.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Team zuiko 50 f/1.4 silvertip squad, where you at? That lens never left my om1 for some time now. The lens is sharp and fast renders good images and so much fun to use. Also my zuiko 40mm f/1.4 of my pen fv is as sharp as my 50 1.4.
Well, then. I am them part of this squad. I have one :).
Nice video!
I was recently given an Olympus OM-10 with a couple of nice primes, and I can't wait to try it out. I see from your videos that you like that camera! Think I'll have to browse ebay for some more Zuiko primes in the near future, so good timing for me with this video. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
After watching your videos, I now have an increased interest in photography and vintage lenses, bought, The Helios, zeco, Olympus, mir, Jupiter...
Very glad you're enjoying the vintage lenses; they're fantastic old things with individual and characterful images. Welcome to the club!
The old zooms also works manually like before the digital era for a minimal cost and is very funny.. cheers
i have the 50mm f1.4 and i love it. i use it with my om2 and canon rp. so small and great build quality and sharp image. co;or rendition is amazing.
I had the Olympus 50mm F/1.4 and loved it. I sold it and purchased a Pentax SMC-A 50mm F/2 which is my best 50mm lens ever purchased. But the Olympus 50 is a great lens. The Pentax is in another league but very expensive. I paid £650 for my mint copy
Makes me want to explore and experiment more with my own Zuiko lenses; I have acquired all of these lenses, except the 50mm f/1.4 but I do have the the 50mm f/1.8 instead.
All in all these five lenses, bought mostly from charity shops and boot sales, haven't set me back more than £100.
It would seem money well spent; thank you for your time and insight!
Thanks! The Zuikos are real bargains, with great image quality and small size too! Thanks for watching.
Just purchased the 135mm f3.5 for my fujifilm X-T1 mirrowless. As soon as I have the adaptor, I will test it with joy ! Thanks for the video.
Enjoy!
Fantastic portraits! Now I enjoy the 50mm and 200mm as well. And looking forward to get the 28mm.
Enjoy a lot revisitng your vids. Thanks
The 100 2.8 is fantastic sharp even wide open. My absolute favorite!
Another enjoyable video. I've been using the Zuiko lenses since the early eighties and I agree with your selection wholeheartedly Since you like compact lenses you might enjoy the 2oo/f5 lens which I don't have, but it has a good reputation..Keep up the good work.
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
i just got my hands on a lovely condition om10 today and my god im in love with it.
That's a great little camera - enjoy it!
I have many OM's. Especially many OM10's. 4 of which, I plan on purchasing precut skin-kits, to replace the existing. I also have other OM10's with special skin, soon including one with black and red snakeskin I purchased via eBay approx. 2 days ago. I look forward to recieving it.
The remarkable thing about the wonderful 85mm f/2 is that it actually fits into the standard camera case with an OM 1,2,3 or 4. The 100mm f/2.8 at about the same size probably does too.
Lens cleaning simplicity Thank you.
Exelente video!!
Tengo desde hace años la Olimpus om2n y desde luego con varios lentes Zuiko.
Me encsnta el 135 es muy pequeño y muy util el parasol..
Estos lentes Zuiko son imas joyas de metal y cristal..
Muchos saludos desde México...!
Hi Zenography, Some years ago I owned an Olympus OM kit, and had several Zuiko lenses, among them some of those featured here. I also had a nice Zuiko 300mm f/4.5, but the standout was the Zuiko 90mm f/2 Macro. It was rather compact given its wide aperture., with superb image-quality, even wide open. I'm all digital now with Canon, but am considering re-acquiring one for my EOS 6D. They are quite pricey ($400-700), but well worth the expense.
I have a Olympus 300mm F.4.5 and will never get rid of it. I use it on my GH5s th-cam.com/video/YWNsGKxRF-U/w-d-xo.html
I got the 28 mm 2.8 for a month now. The colours are exquisite something I can't get with my Nikon 28 2,8 ais .
The Zuiko are compact and the diameter of the lens is just spot on for focusing , something that the Takumars
are not , to small to turn the focusing ring , so Zuiko lenses for me is a very good purchase.
The Zuikos are great! Glad you're enjoying it, and thanks for watching.
I have a few old Olympus lenses but by far the best (in my opinion) is the 24mm f2.8. It gives me the standard 50mm focal length lens 35mm terms. It is not the cheapest of legacy lenses though. I have now purchased an Olympus MFT 25mm f1.8 lens which is somewhat smaller and lighter, although again, expensive at £300.00. I bought mine second hand and in mint condition for a lot less. I must admit to enjoying the process of manual focusing and the "old school" photography experience.
Love this review lots of lenses to consider
There can be variants of these then again I am no expert nice vid Nigel you like your green gates... I have some local to me surrounding an old hospital now a hospice etc etc....
I have a few Zuiko primes in my collection from a camera kit I bought from a friend years ago. I shot some of them with the NEX-5N that got me back into photography and the wonderful world of legacy glass.
I have them on a shelf to sell, but think I'll pull the Zuiko glass from the shelf and shoot them with the A7Sii and my Fuji cameras.
I was on the fence about investing in Olmpus Zuiko OM lenses you convinced me with this and your other videos. I now have the 24mm, 28mm, 35mm and 50mm and will continue to complete the set. I really want the 85mm which I don't see talked about much.
The 85 is wonderful - one of the nicest lenses I've used, bar none. It features in another video on this channel called 'Can a £600 Lens Beat a £100 lens?"
I enjoy watching your reviews very much. And even get inspired: I bought my first zuiko 50mm 1.8 on ebay for 60 Euros. I noticed that at 2.8, the diaphragm shape is not smooth with its 5 sides but jagged. You can see 6 pointy tips of the blades. At 1.8 and 4 and so on, the diaphragm is smooth. Is that normal? Did you notice anything like that on a zuiko lens?
I have the 35/2.8 on my OM1. Sweet little len
A few years ago, I was fortunate to buy a near mint Olympus OM3Ti, and with such a camera, I also had to improve my Zuiko lenses. Got at very good price, a 21, 28 and 35, all F2.0. A 50 / 1.4 is also provided and the last one listed is 100 / 2.0. Hope to find one at a nice price, but usually they are very expensive.
Those lenses sound lovely; good luck in your continuing search! Thanks for watching.
Beautifully articulated video. Like others have said perhaps there are a few other options that could be added to the collection like the expensive 85mm and the 50mm 3.5 macro but not entirely necessary.
I agree with not extending beyond 135mm due to losing the compactness. I owned both the cumbersome 200 and 300mm. They were lovely lenses but impractical on a mirrorless system.
A better option is the 135mm coupled with the inconspicuous official teleconverter giving 270mm.
Now that's a good idea!
Hi Nigel, one great advantage of these Zuikos worth mentioning is, that you can use them on a Canon camera with EF mount as well, be it digital or analog. Via an adapter. I’ve tried that and it works! For my Canon EOS 650 I’ve purchased a new old stock genuine Canon focusing screen E with split image indicator for easy focusing with manual vintage lenses! And on eBay in the U.K. I found and purchased a Canon EOS 620, which has been looked after with nice blue illumination of the display on the top. The 650 serves as a backup camera. Cheers, Ralf
Which adapter did you go for ?
@@ATreeForFive I use the Novoflex adapter
Zuiko lenses, ahhh. I love the 85mm f/2 and the 21mm f/3.5 as well. I also have a 28mm f/2.8, almost same size as the f/3.5 and also the 24mm f/2.8 and I would never want to sell any of them. .they are just too pretty and too lovely to use either on 35mm SLR or micro 4/3 or even APSC if you can. Then the 16mm f/3.5 fisheye is miniscule, a miracle design from the 1970s. The 35mm f/2.8 is the only Zuiko wide prime that I got new as an individual lens.
I have the 28mm F/2.8 it's a excellent lens. I have the 24mm F/2, 35mm F/2, and more. I use them on my Panasonic GH5s. Would love the 21mm F/2, 85mm F/2, and the 16mm Fish eye. I would never sell them
@@life107familyfitnessboxing8 Glad that someone else uses these lenses still! I notice that some are getting pricey in the secondhand market, though some are dirt cheap like the 135mm f/3.5, which is at the top of my list was a want item.
Thank u for that video!
And thanks for watching!
Yes! I have H.Zuiko 28/2.8 and F. Zuiko 50/1.8, . Enjoy them every time. Beside it I use Helios 58/2 and Zykkor 135/2.8. Of course, I have digital M. Zuiko's but hardly ever use it.
Hi Nigel, thanks a lot! The 1.4/50mm is indeed a really nice lens! Cheers, Ralf
It really is!
Zenography I remember back in 2014 I purchased my first full frame digital camera, a Canon 6D. I attached this lens via adapter and, indeed, it didn’t disappoint me! Thumbs up!
The 24mm f2.8 is superb! I strongly recommend you obtain one.
THanks for the tip, I'll keep a look out...
I have the 24mm F/2 and love this exceptional lens on my GH5s
I’ve got all of those lenses now and, I have to say, I think they’re excellent! My 100mm f2.8 came with its matching 2X converter, which I’ll probably never use. It intrigues me sufficiently to try it out though, and why not.
I have 2 135mm 2.8 wow you got to try it on micro four thirds
I have them all too including the 100mm F/2.8 all excellent quality glass
Sir, your videos are amongst the most informative and genuine content found on TH-cam - I'm very grateful to have found your channel.
I am in the process of getting an Olympus OM1. After watching your reviews it really ticks the most boxes for me.
However I have a slight problem. I love the 35mm focal length but Zuiko 35mm lenses are practically non-existant at the moment in either the f2 or f2.8 variety.
Are there any good 3rd party lenses that made 35mm variations for OM mounts? Any help you have on this area would be much appreciated 🙏🙏🙏
I have only just found your channel and I have really enjoyed watching your videos, I like your style and I wish I had a voice like yours.
My wife and I were OM10 photographers in the 1980s and we had 2 OM10s, 1 OM 50mm f1.8, 1 OM35mm F2.8 and an OM 135mm f3.5. So almost 3 of of your 5 choices for your kit of Zuiko primes. I lost interest in photography when Olympus switched to digital and ended up using digital bridge cameras and taking snapshots.
Two years ago I got a Fuji X-A2, new but a very good price and eventually learned about vintage lenses, and adapters, but they were difficult to focus with the X-A2. Then I got a X-E2S and that was much better. I have a Kipon focal reducer and 2 "dummy" adapters.
When you take your photographs do you use a focal reducer or a "dummy" adapter?
I think I need a focal reducer for the short lenses ie my 35mm and 50mm, and use a "dummy" one with the 135mm.
Using vintage lenses with a mirrorless camera has reignited my interest in photography, and your channel reinforces that enthusiasm. Thank You
And thank you for watching! As I shoot only on full frame for this channel (unless stated otherwise) I don't use a focal reducer. To adapt lenses I only ever use so called 'dumb' adaptors - no glass or electronics, just a metal tube with the relevant mounts at either end.
I use to own all of these lenes omit the 100mm for my OM-1 in the 80's.
For mirrorless Zuiko's and Pentax lenses are a great value.
If I shot mirrorless I would re-purchace these myself, but your video might have raised the price.
Joking.
Oh, I do hope not!
Olympus was ingenious to put the DOF switch on the lens itself !
Indeed!
I've had a lot of Zuiko lenses over the years they are indeed excellent - as well as their optical performance, they feel great in the hand. I've had the 28/3.5 and 28/2.8, and other than the difference in light gathering and d-o-f, I couldn't tell any difference in image quality. But, the Zuiko I love the most on m4/3 right now is the 50/3.5 macro. It's a superb lens, and so cheap (I paid £70 for my current one, in mint condition). On the 50/1.4, I had a silvernose one, and its only problem really was a bit of a tendency to flare - other than that, it's possibly the best 50 I've had (I unfortunately sold it before m4/3 was a thing). 135/3.5, yep, beautiful - I love being able to carry around a 270 equivalent on my Lumix GX80 in such a small package. As a suggestion, I have a 75-150/4 and I really like it on m4/3 - mine's a silvernose and flares a bit, but other than that it's really nice (but it is a bit physically large). And I'm considering a 200/4 too - bit big, but a lot smaller than FF equivalent 400mm lenses. As an aside, even though they're cheap now, Zuiko lenses were even cheaper before the idea of using them on mirrorless cameras became popular - the 135/3.5 used to go for only around £10-15 not that many years ago.
Those days are gone I'm afraid...oh well! The Zuikos are great on M4/3, though as my GH2 doesn't have peaking, and my eyesight isn't what it was, focussing can be difficult, easier on the A7. That 50 3.5 macro was an absolute bargain - I've seen them go for much more than that! Well done!
@@zenography7923 My eyesight isn't what it used to be either, and I'd struggle without focus peaking - which, thankfully, is pretty good on the GX80. Full frame does seem essential for getting the best out of these lenses, mind, and I should have an A7 arriving tomorrow :-)
Lo zuiko 38 1.8 è buono come obiettivo?
I have the Olympus Zuiko 24mm F/2, 28mm F/2.8, 35mm F/2, 35 to 70mm Zoom F/3.6, (this 35 to 70mm Zoom lens performance blew me away), 100mm F/2,8, 135mm F/3.5, 180mm F/2.8, 200mm F/4, and 300mm F/4.5 and love them all. I use them on my Panasonic GH5s
@Armando Lopez The 35-70mm lens gives exceptional sharpness when stopped down by 2 stops and even gives great performance at max aperture. It's not a fast lens but this does not matter to me because I use it on my GH5s. The only thing I dislike about it is that the focus shifts slightly when you zoom in or out. Apart from this, the lens is superb. I would never sell mine. Make sure you get a good one in good condition
Wonderful post. Question: do you have experience manually setting the Olympus mirrorless body (with sensor shift technology)and calibrate the focal length in software? Thank you! See my namesake documentary on Prime Video. Mark
The close focusing distance on the Olympus Zuiko 50mm F/1.4 is the same as my Pentax SMC-A 50mm F/1.2 impressive. I have tried the Olympus Zuiko 50mm F/1.8 and also prefer the background blur of the F/1.4 version. My Olympus Zuiko 100mm F/2.8 is exceptional, I love the quality of the images of both photos and videos this lens produces. I love the low contrast character of this lens too. I was going to purchase the F/2 version of this lens but found the extra expense not justified. I use a Panasonic GH5s which is excellent in low light and find the maximum aperture of F/2.8 adequate for my use. I took a Olympus Zuiko 135mm F/3.5 to Chiang Rai Thailand with me on a project shoot and was blown away by the video footage I got using a GH2 with Flowmotion 2 Hack. I found the built in lens hood really effective when shooting in direct sunlight. My 135mm lens focuses smoothly all the way without any stiffness. Thanks for sharing I really enjoyed
Many thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
@@zenography7923 You're welcome
Lovely video. Hard pressed to find those prices on an auction site though, even a year on. Thank you.
Well, prices do change of course, and I've noticed asking prices for vintage lenses have really shot up over the past 6 months. But - those are only asking prices - I think auctions are a better guide to actual worth.
@@zenography7923 thanks for your reply, it's very interesting. Btw I have both an Olympus EM1 and EM10 mark III. If I was to use a full frame OM lens do I still have to account for the crop sensor when calculating 35mm focal length equivalent, even though the lens is 35mm? (Is a 135mm full frame lens still 135mm or 270mm). I hope that makes sense. Thanks again.
Olympus made some superb lenses and camera bodies. I loved their compact size not just the lenses but the bodies too and how light-weight the OM2SP and OM4 were to cart around. The only lens in your list that I don't have is a 100mm and there I was thinking of junking my Zuiko lenses. Have you used them on a mirrorless camera to shoot video as I'd like to be able to use them on Canon's Eos range with an adapter?
I've shot some video with them, and they're just as good as they are with stills. No stepless aperture, but I wouldn't change aperture during a shot anyway. I'm sure they'd work great on an eos!
Thank you Zenography for the very interesting video. Please tell me what is the Capital Monogram letter eg G or S next to the juiko name?
It denotes the optical construction of the lens - this page: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zuiko
should clarify. By the way, Zuiko means ‘Light of Gods’!
have you ever shot the Zuiko 75-150 f/4?
I bet the image quality isn't as good as the ones you mentioned, but it seems to be a fun lens and a good way to carry less.
I was trying to get something long for landscape and I was between that and getting a couple longer fixed lenses.
hi.... great review, with lots of nice photos.... once correction though, the focus throw of the 100mm is roughly half a turn (180 degrees) i have one in front of me right now. Definitely not a whole turn.
Just checked this - you're absolutely right, thanks for pointing it out!
@@zenography7923 thanks mate. great videos
I have 2 135mm 2.8 wow you got to try it on micro four thirds
I did a test on the 135mm F/3.5 using a Panasonic GH2. I just have to edit and upload it.
I have the 35 and the 50mm Zuikos and looking for an adapter for Canon.
Which one would you recommend ?
Thx !
must say there seems to be a lot of flare on the 50mm 1.4 on those pictures if im not mistaken. This might be my next lens though, i'm in need of some faster lenses
to be able to shoot portraits and all that in lower light conditions
I got an om-10,om-2n,om-1 and a couple of lenses and a mount for my crappy X-E1, the lenses are cheap, feel like quality equipment and take great pictures!
The Zuikos are lovely lenses, they do flare a bit though, just as all vintage lenses do. I quite like a bit of flare but if it's not your cup of tea, a lens hood will significantly reduce it. Thanks for watching!
Hello very nice,what kind of lenses do you recomend the early ones whit silver nose or we have g zuiko s zuiko etc different generation,asI understand the silver nose lenses are the early ones first gen or? thanks for nice channel
Yes, silver nose are first gen, said to have lower contrast and for some lenses less sharpness too. Newer is not necessarily better though - I prefer the silver nose 50mm 1.4 to the black nose version!
Great review as always.
You did not mention the 85mm f2. Is it because it is "out of budget" for this video's idea or else?
Thanks
Glad you enjoyed the video. There's no 85mm only because I don't currently have one; have owned one in the past though and it's lovely...
I would like to see a comparison between my Pentax ,Takamar lenses and the Zuiko lenses they seem very similar.
Trying to gather some lenses to do that very thing!
I love Zuiko lenses. Wished you could cover 80mm F4 macro, also here along with the rest.
As soon as one comes my way, I'll review it!
@@zenography7923 🙏🙏
Also, if not asking for too much, please try to include a review of this gem macro lens along with its dedicated extension tube, a.k.a. Olympus OM 65-116 Telescopic Auto Extension Tube. That would be really great to see both of them together coz though extension tubes and below are only a hallo extension, this one is sometimes even more expensive than the glass, to which it has to theater!!!
I have a question. I have a Helios 103 and am trying to adapt to mirrorless ideAs please
It's not easy, as the focusing mechanism is in the camera body on Contax/Kiev mount. You sometimes see them on ebay for around £70, and they can be made by removing the focus mechanism from a dead Kiev and adding an appropriate mount to the back of this. I think it would be much easier to buy one though...
I put this same question on one of your other videos. How do I know what adapter to buy for these lenses? What mount are these lenses? I have a Sony a7III and really want to try some of these. Thanks very much.
I use so called 'dumb' adaptors for all my vintage lenses - a simple metal tube with a Sony e-mount at the camera end, and the mount for whatever lens I'm using at the lens end. So, to use an Olympus Zuiko lens on your Sony, you'll need an OM mount to e-mount adaptor. Or, if you're using an M42 lens, you'll need an M42 to e-mount adaptor, and so on. Hope that's of some help!
On the secondhand market they are getting more and more expensive people have caught up on how great they are. My fav lens is the 50mm 1.8 I use all the time
They're beautiful little lenses, wonderful optics and beautifully made. The 50 1.8 is very nice indeed, and if you get the chance you might try the 35mm 3.5 and the 135mm 3.5 - both really nice!
Zenography because of this video and I blame you I got the 28mm today I am now looking for the. 35mm 😂
I have a Panny GF3 and got the adapter so I could use my old m42 mount lenses, I have a 28mm but being a 4/3rds camera it makes it 56mm and manual focus, where the kit lens with the camera is 28-84mm so not sure really if I am going to gain anything, might give it a try though.... Hope you are well, all the best.
All well here thanks. I think it's worth playing with old glass for the different looks the lenses give - modern M4/3 lenses are technically fantastic, but very sharp and clinical sometimes. Thanks for watching.
@@zenography7923 Good good. Agree re the new stuff being too sharp, I have to soften some images where as with the old glass they need to be sharpened a tad! Might try them out in the next few days at sunset.... All the best.
I have the olympus om-1 and bought few of the lenses because of your video!
I also want to buy the zuiko 40mm 1.4f for pen f and wondered if it will fit to the om-1?
As far as I'm aware the mounts are different, but even if you could mount it you'd probably find the half frame lens wouldn't cover the full frame film properly. I haven't actually tried this though, so I could be wrong!
Hello Zenography,
So glad I discovered your channel. But after the 1.4 50mm, in my mind, next Zuiko lens in my list is the 24mm 2.8 , I buy it for 68€ .
mit freundlichem Gruß aus dem Schaumburger Land
Matthias
Hi Matthias, it sounds like you got a bargain there, hope you're enjoying it! Thanks for watching.
@@zenography7923 I think he says, "with friendly greetings from the Schaumburger-country".
The 24/2.8 will cost quite a bit more than the 28, but I far prefer the view. To me, the 28 doesn't give you nearly the same drama. The 35/2.8 was my daily lens for years. I got my hands on a 35/2.0 and it was very sexy indeed. One thing to look for: the rubber focus ring will loosen with heavy use (ask me how I know). The 85/2.0 lens is one to look out for as well. One of the true grail pieces is the 90mm/2.0 macro. They were very expensive then and the price has only gone up. However, it's worth keeping your eye peeled for one.
90mm f2? Now that sounds interesting!
@@zenography7923 The 90/2.0 has always been Rare and expensive. Start the hunt for a Vivitar Series One 105/2.5 macro. They did come in an OM mount. Really well built and excellent glass- absolutely the equal of a Nikkor 105 macro. My colleague used the Nikkor and we compared shots daily.
Having a mirrorless camera I have been acquiring a nice little collection of lenses now having a second useful life. Rather than keeping my lenses in a camera bag (I probably have too many lenses for that) have you come across a nice way of storing your lenses? I was thinking of dedicating a couple shelves on a bookcase just for them. Do you have any thoughts on the subject?
I keep mine in a dedicated cupboard - with an open bag of rice to keep moisture at bay. These old lenses are great to collect - enjoy!
@@zenography7923 Many thanks!
I like the cupboard idea. I have enough of woodworking skills and tools to build something useful. I am considering shallow shelves drilled maybe a quarter inch deep with a "fosrtsner bit" for positioning lenses.The rice would surely help control humidity.
I'm considering changing to the Olympus system and getting the OMD 1 MK 11. I have never used vintage lenses before and they seem quite cheap compared to the new digital ones. What sort of adapter would be needed to use these lenses on a new camera?
The OMD cameras have a micro four thirds mount, so to use the OM Zuiko lenses you'll need an OM to micro four thirds adaptor. To use M42 screwmount lenses you'll need an M42 to micro four thirds adaptor, and so on. I hope that helps!
My advice. Use vintage Olympus OM lenses on a Sony A7(S) mark 1. No crop issue and a great sensor.
could you do a. Vid on the tamron sp adapatable2 series
I'll look out for some!
I have seen the Olympus Zuiko 24mm F/2 retail for £1300 boxed and mint on eBay. I purchased mine for £200 mint condition. Worth every penny. The performance is such that I wouldn't even sell it even for £1000
You certainly got a bargain there!
@@zenography7923 I certainly did. Love the glass
I have an Olympus OMG film camera with 50mm 1.8 but really interested in the 35mm lens
You won't regret it if you get one!
Hi can these be used on MF3 cameras such as the EM1 Mk2?
You'll need an OM to OM-D adapter, and you'll have to factor in crop because these lenses are made for full frame. The new OM-D mounts are m4/3 which is a 2x crop. Effectively a 25mm will be a 50mm, 35 will be 70mm and so on.
They certainly can, a cheap 'dumb' adaptor should be all you need. However, a speed booster is a better (though expensive) alternative, as it restores the effective loss of about two stops when using FF lenses on M4/3. Thanks for watching.
If I put any of this lens on a new mirrorless Olympus, do I need to account for double the focal length or this lens were made for M4/3 focal length?
On a micro four thirds camera, the effective focal length of all these lenses will be effectively doubled.
You can add speedbooster / focal reducer type of adapter between your camera and lens, but on MFT you'll get just about 50% of focal length back, meaning if you use 50mm lens it'll appear as cca 70mm on MFT in full frame term. That being said, if you use the same lens with the speedbooster on the APSC camera, you'll get more than 90% back...
@@tomislavmiletic_ do you mean 50mm of equal full frame to 35mm equal full frame? because your comment sounds like using teleconverter..
@@007JAKICA I know it sounds confusing 😁
So, if you put 50mm lens that's designed for full frame on MFT using plain adapter you'll get an image that looks like shot with 100mm lens on full frame, meaning double the focal length, right? Hence teleconverter 😁
But if you are using speedbooster adapter, your picture will look like shot with 70mm or so lens shot on full frame.
While if you use that same lens (50mm) on the APSC camera with speedbooster adapter, it will produce an image as originally designed, meaning it will look like it was shot with 50mm-ish lens on full frame.
helpful
I only have the Zuiko 21mm 3.5 any good?
I haven't tried it, but I've heard it's very good indeed. Do you like the results?
Very good keep hold of it.
Lovely lenses, thank you for recommending these! Are any of these radioactive? Thanks in advance ☺
I don't think any of these are radioactive lenses.
@@zenography7923 ok thank you so much for responding!
Only early Olympus OM 28mm F3.5 lens may have that coating (sn 106xxx) but they're less radioactive than others - and may not have that browning effect
th-cam.com/video/x4m_pYNLFwM/w-d-xo.html
@@jcrnda thank you!
I feel dumb for asking this, but these should all work fine on an OM1?
Yes, absolutely!
Zenography Thanks man.
Could I commend to you a Zuiko lens that is neither compact nor cheap? I bought my 24mm shift back in the eighties, it so respected it has been adapted to fit a digital N!k0n!
Oh my gosh that sounds a lovely lens - would love to use one someday!
@@zenography7923 I have three shift lenses, the Zuiko is the oldest. Each functions in a different way - the designer's case is valid in each example. The 24mm Zuiko was the first available, it is still here after all those years. Odd 20 x 16 print still about. Good piece of glass.
well made .. men why do you use the shutter filter ?? and skylights filter changes the colors to a red image
I assume you mean lens filter? I use them to protect the vulnerable front lens glass. Thanks for watching.
@@zenography7923 yes.. use UV and nothing else ;-).. have you tried the Olympus zuiko 85mm 2.0, or their 100mm 2.0 ???
@@rasmussen75 I would love to, but to be honest they're a little outside my price range. Ah well, maybe someday...
I've just realised that I can get the 28mm one of these for the same price as the EF-S 50mm. 😏
:)
is it for full frame or apsc?
You can use these lenses on any mirrorless camera, although being film lenses, they weer originally designed for a full frame sensor (a piece of 35mm film)!
Hi there, wonderful channel, great presentation, for a hobby photographer that just bought a Xpro1 (yes it is nearly 2021, crazy hug :-) and wants to explore vintage lenses. I d like to keep the overall package as small as possible, I believe the Zuikos are some of the most compact vintage lenses out there. Would you agree with that? It is nice to have a small enough combo to hit the streets 👍🏻
Cheers from switzerland
Yes, the Zuiko lenses are very small, but the adaptor for your Xpro1 will add about an inch to it - the smallest mirrorless combo is achieved with rangefinder lenses (eg Jupiter 8, Industar 61) - these lenses are tiny, as is the adaptor. Could be the way to go if you want a really small rig?
I think test shots boring too but may take 1 or 2 films till you truly get it right...
these lenses are great and all ...... unless you use a stabilizer
are Zuiko lenses radioactive?
I think the 55mm f1.2, and the early 50mm f1.4 are, and there may be one or two others, but most are not.
@@zenography7923 Thanks! Do you know how to tell if you have an early 50mm f1.4?
"makes me wonder" the chemistry of glass it's a special discipline.... dont you know?
nice voice
Thank you!
Have you checked your chapter titles for this video? They're all over the place. Zeiss 35mm and Sony 100mm - WTF?
your missing the 20mm hehe
Unfortunately, yes!
5:45 - "... It's sharp...", you say while showing an unsharp sample. Hmmm... I would entirely exclude that image from the video.