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Re: [OM] What's the big deal about the 40mm F-2 Olympus lens

Subject: Re: [OM] What's the big deal about the 40mm F-2 Olympus lens
From: "John A. Lind" <jlind@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 07 Oct 2000 22:57:56 +0000
At 02:32 10/8/00 , you wrote:
>What makes the Zuiko 40mm so special? Is there much to be noticed from a
>35mm lens vs the 40mm lens?
>
>Sam....

It's the exceptionally small size and rarity.  It is referred to as a
"pancake lens" due to its very short length.  I have a 35mm f/2, and it's a
superb lens, albeit larger and heavier:
       40/2   35/2
dia.   60mm   60mm
len.   25mm   42mm
wt.   140g   240g
ring   49mm   55mm

The 5mm is a slight difference between a 63 deg. and 56 deg. angle of view
(diagonal), but there is also a mystique to 40mm lenses.  The "rule of
thumb" for a "standard" focal length is one equal to the diagonal of the
film frame.  In 35mm format, that's approx. 43mm making a 40mm the length
closest to that.  The 50mm being considered "standard" for 35mm dates to
the original successful 35mm camera, the Leica A of 1926, in spite of it
being very slightly long.

Combine the 40mm mystique with incredibly small size (smallest of the
"standards" for the OM by a wide margin) and rarity, and you get high prices.

-- John

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