Hi all:
For those of you who like lens tests, here is Part 1 of my tests on Zuikos in
my personal collection, ranging from 21mm to 300mm. Coming up in Part 2 (in
about two weeks):
21mm f/3.5
24mm f/2.8, single coated
28mm f/2.8
50mm f/1.8, single coated
50mm f/1.8, multicoated
50mm f/1.4
35-105mm f/3.5~4.5 @ 50mm
35-70mm f/3.6 @ 50mm
35-70mm f/4 Auto Focus (OM-F) @ 35, 50, & 70mm
135mm f/3.5, multicoated
135mm f/4.5 Macro
200mm f/4, multicoated
200mm f/5, multicoated
300mm f/4.5, multicoated
65-200mm f/4 @ 65, 135, 200mm
****************************************
Olympus Zuiko Lens Tests: Part 1
Gary Reese
November 8, 1998
Note: Set display to non-proportional font (ex. Courier) to view with columns
aligned.
* All tests photographed at 1:40 magnification ratio, on Fujichrome 64T film.
* Test subject: Grand Canyon National Park USGS topographic map.
* Subjective quality factor grades are relative with A+ = best, then B, C, D,
and F (worst); differences are significant across full letter grades only.
Corner grades are less rigorous than center grades, with A+ set to the
performance of a 50mm f/2.0 Zuiko Macro at f/8.
* Evaluations at 24X projection through a Rollei-Vario-Projar 70-120mm lens at
ca. 100 mm focal length
* Vignetting grades determined at full aperture: A = none apparent, tending
towards D = more and more pronounced, with D = unacceptable.
50mm f/2.0 Zuiko Macro
Vignetting = B
Distortion = None
Aperture Center Corner
f/2 C C
f/2.8 C B-
f/4 B B
f/5.6 A A-
f/8 A+ A+
f/11 A A
f/16 A A-
(very contrasty with high resolution)
85mm f/2.0 Zuiko, single coated
Vignetting = A
Distortion = none
Aperture Center Corner
f/2 D C
f/2.8 B B
f/4 B B-
f/5.6 B B-
f/8 B+ A-
f/11 A- B+
f/16 A- A-
(moderate contrast)
35-70mm f/3.6 Zuiko @ 70mm
Vignetting = B+
Distortion = some pincushion
Aperture Center Corner
f/3.6 C+ B-
f/5.6 B B
f/8 B+ B+
f/11 A- A-
f/16 A- A-
f/22 A- B
(contrasty)
35-70mm f/3.6 Zuiko @ 35mm
Vignetting = B
Distortion = moderate barrel
Aperture Center Corner
f/3.6 C+ C
f/5.6 B- B
f/8 B B
f/11 B+ B+
f/16 A- B+
f/22 B+ B
35-105mm f/3.5~4.5 Zuiko @ 105mm
Vignetting = B+
Distortion = None
Aperture Center Corner
f/4.5 B- B-
f/5.6 B B
f/8 B+ B+
f/11 B B
f/16 B B+
f/22 B B+
(very contrasty at the expense of resolution)
35-105mm f/3.5~4.5 Zuiko @ 70mm
Vignetting = B
Distortion = slight pincushion
Aperture Center Corner
f/4.0 D C
f/5.6 B B
f/8 A- A-
f/11 A- A-
f/16 A A
f/22 A B
(contrasty)
35-105mm f/3.5~4.5 Zuiko @ 35mm
Vignetting = B
Distortion = some barrel
Aperture Center Corner
f/3.5 B- B-
f/5.6 B B
f/8 B B
f/11 B+ A-
f/16 A- A-
f/22 B+ B+
100mm f/2.8 Zuiko, single coated
Vignetting = A
Distortion = None
Aperture Center Corner
f/2.8 D- D-
f/4 C C
f/5.6 B- B-
f/8 B B
f/11 B B
f/16 B+ B+
f/22 B+ B+
35mm f/2.8 Zuiko, single coated
Vignetting = B
Distortion = slight barrel
Aperture Center Corner
f/2.8 D- C-
f/4 C C
f/5.6 B B
f/8 B+ A-
f/11 A- A-
f/16 A A-
(only moderate contrast)
35mm f/2.0 Zuiko
Vignetting = C
Distortion = slight barrel
Aperture Center Corner
f/2.0 B- C+
f/2.8 B C+
f/4 B+ B
f/5.6 B+ B+
f/8 A- B+
f/11 A A-
f/16 A A-
(contrasty)
The sleeper lens here is the 35-105mm zoom! But remember that "mileage may
vary." The fixed focal length lenses in this round of testing have been
through wars, so they may just test poorer than pampered examples.
Gary Reese
Las Vegas, NV
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
|