Olympus-OM
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [OM] 50mm 2.0 macro lens

Subject: Re: [OM] 50mm 2.0 macro lens
From: Tris Schuler <tristanjohn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2001 11:01:57 -0700
Well, the Zuiko 50mm f1.2 has several issues one must contend with. First, used wide open its critical focus is well-nigh impossible to determine in practical use (by that I mean on the job, assuming a moment to compose and focus before squeezing off a frame). Of course one needn't shoot wide open necessarily, and it's true that as you stop down the DOF offers relief. Assuming sufficient time to achieve proper focus the result is stunning. Second, the space between the focus and aperture rings is small and difficult to negotiate for anyone but a child--or that guy in Stephen King's novel Thinner, and at that only toward the end of the book. The f1.4 is somewhat easier to use in both regards, the f1.8 easier still and for most applications this latter offering from Zuiko is just as good a lens as its larger, more expensive siblings. All three represent build quality and performance unsurpassed by anything available no matter the price.

Don't let the street price of the Zuiko 50/8 fool you. That's one world-class lens!

I've only owned the 50mm f3.5 macro a short while and have yet to take a picture with it. I have it in my bag, though, and plan to do a few studies with it over the next month, both with macro photography in mind and as a walk-around tool. The Proof's always in the pudding, but assuming everything's in order inside this lens then I would be very much surprised if it captured anything other than superb images. An old (and happy) Zuiko story.

Tris

At 01:41 PM 7/31/01 -0400, you wrote:
I don't have a quantitative evaluation, but the Zuiko 50/2 was tested by one of the big US magazines a few years back and the comments were something to the effect that it was the sharpest 50mm lens they had ever tested, besting even the vaunted Leica 50/2 Dual-Range Summicron.

I've never seen any structured comparisons between the 50/2 and the 50/3.5, but the old 3.5 seems to get a lot of accolades. Personnaly, I really like my 50/2, and I use it as my normal lens most of the time. It's actually my most recent bought-it-new lens; acquired in 1986 at Wolf Camera in Atlanta.
(that shows how long it's been since I bought anything except used Zuikos!)

Skip
<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
Sponsored by Tako
Impressum | Datenschutz