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-   -   Olympus OM 35mm lenses (http://www.film-and-darkroom-user.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=13533)

Martin Aislabie 29th November 2020 07:18 PM

Olympus OM 35mm lenses
 
I have a couple of OM bodies sitting in a cupboard gathering dust and wondered about reviving them for a bit of fun.

So, I am looking for 35mm focal length lens and have read elsewhere that the f/2.8 lens isn't all that great for corner sharpness, where as the f/2 is a sharper lens.

Of course there is also the f/2.8 shirt lens just to add a third alternative in to the mix.

Does anyone have any views as to the merits of the various options ?

Martin

Rob Archer 29th November 2020 09:02 PM

I've got the OM Zuiko 35mm f2.8 and have no complaints about its sharpness. That said, I rarely use it wide open or shut down to f16. It's probably the 35mm lens I use the most tbh. The Olympus OM cameras and lenses are pretty much all superb but, unless you shoot wide open, my experience is that the f2 versions aren't worth the extra cost - plus they're bigger, heavier and use a 55mm filter rather than the 49mm on the 2.8 versions. The notable exception is the 85mm f2 which is superb across all apertures and still takes the 49mm filter. Sadly I can't afford one but I know a couple of people who do have one and swear by it. I love my OMs and have OM1n, OM2, OM2n, OM10, OM20 and OM2000, along with 24mm f2.8, 28mm f3.5, 35mm f2.8, 50mm f1.8, 50mm f3.5 macro (my current favourite!), 100mm f2.8 and 135mm f3.5. Get your OMs out - you won't regret it!

Collas 29th November 2020 09:26 PM

Shirt lens? Is that the Olympus version of the Vest Pocket Kodak?

Alan Clark 29th November 2020 11:01 PM

Hi Martin, I have been using a 35mm f2.8 Zuiko lens on my OM1 for 40 years. At f4 it is a bit soft round the edges, but at f5.6 it is pin-sharp right into the corners.

Alan

Quendil 30th November 2020 08:55 AM

I'm an Olympus fan like Rob and have never had an issue with the 35mm lens. I don't own the faster F2 lenses as can't justify the price my fastest is a 50mm 1.4. As Rob states the 50mm f3.5 macro is a great lens. I do at some point want to get the 35mm shift lens but have not yet used one

Dave

John King 30th November 2020 09:17 AM

Olympus lenses
 
These are (were) among some of the sharpest around and when I used Olympus equipment, I really appreciated the aperture ring being at the front of the lens - a lot easier for large fingers to use.

I never found a bad one among them. Right from the 21mm F3.5 (I could not afford the F2 version) up to the F4 300mm. They say the 28mm F3.5 was to be avoided - well I never has a problem with it. The only down side I found was the lens diaphragm on all of them can get 'lazy' with lack of use and would only close down slowly, but a good clean and check-over always sorted it out

The Zoom lenses they made, especially the 35/70 F3.6 constant aperture was an absolute cracker - I doubt if it has ever been bettered, and would certainly give my 35/70AFD Nikon a good run for it's money!

Terry S 30th November 2020 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Collas (Post 137009)
Shirt lens? Is that the Olympus version of the Vest Pocket Kodak?

I too was confused with that name as well, even though I'm a Pentax type of guy. :)

Looking it up, I think the poster meant to say 'shift' lens, as in perspective control lens. It's only one letter different, but on the other hand I could be wrong and it is actually a 'shirt' lens...? Anyone?

Terry S

Quendil 30th November 2020 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry S (Post 137017)
I too was confused with that name as well, even though I'm a Pentax type of guy. :)

Looking it up, I think the poster meant to say 'shift' lens, as in perspective control lens. It's only one letter different, but on the other hand I could be wrong and it is actually a 'shirt' lens...? Anyone?

Terry S

Its a shift lens

David

alexmuir 30th November 2020 05:57 PM

Just as well it wasn’t one letter less😂
Alex


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Alan Clark 30th November 2020 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexmuir (Post 137022)
Just as well it wasn’t one letter less😂
Alex


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Yeah! I think we have all had lenses like that....

Alan


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