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Re: [OM] Zuiko Zooms

Subject: Re: [OM] Zuiko Zooms
From: Lars Haven <lhaven@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 1998 22:48:02 +0200
Roger Davies wrote:
> 
> I will be meeting a guy tomorrow who's selling all his Oly kit. Among the
> items are a 35-70mm and a 75-150mm zoom. Both lenses are Zuikos, but that's
> all I know. The 75-150mm must be the f/4, right? The 35-70mm could be any
> one of three models; the f/3.6, the f/4 or the f/3.5-4.5. I'd be grateful to
> anyone who could give me an idea of how these lenses rate when compared with
> other Zuiko zooms. Also, what's the pecking order when it comes to the three
> 35-70mm zooms?
> 
> Roger Davies
> Lisbon
> Portugal
> 
I believe the order of preference on the 35-70mm zooms is f/3.6,
f/3.5-4.5 and last f/4 (I may be wrong here). I have heard high
praise of the f/3.6 verion here on the list. I have tried the
3.5-4.5 briefly. It appears to be a very nice and compact lens.
Finally I am a not so happy owner of the f/4 version, which I
find quite large.

In my experience, it is necessary to be very careful when buying
used zoom lenses. The zoom mechanism may be worn, resulting in
drifting focus when zooming. The lesson I have learned the hard
way is to check very carefully for slack in the mechanism. On lenses
where the focus ring moves when zooming try pulling gently on the
focus ring when holding the zoom ring in place. There should not
be any slack. Also check zoom and focus of the lens when mounted on
a body. Keep a very close eye on the focus stability when zooming.
Then there are of course the normal checks of glass and diaphragm
you would make on any lens. A small flashlight is useful for inspection
of the lenses.

The 75-150mm f/4 zoom is a nice lens, if a little flare prone. I bought
mine new 20 years ago. It has worked flawlessly until last summer when
it lost the ability to hold focus when zooming. Rather suddenly BTW.
Olympus service was able to improve on things, but it has never been
restored fully.

Unfortunately I do not have any data on how these zooms compare to
other Zuiko zooms. They seem to have acceptable sharpness, even when
suffering from the focus drift problem.

Regards
Lars

-- 
Lars Haven  <mailto:lhaven@xxxxxxxxxxxx> http://isa.dknet.dk/~lhaven
"When writing about women, one must dip one's pen in a rainbow"
                                                    D. Diderot

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