Old OM film camera lenses w/ GF1

[Steadyone]

New to photography, can I use old film camera lenses with my GF1? I have 4 OM lenses, wide angle, tele, 50mm, etc and I purchased an OM to 4/3 adapter. I assume if they work, I will have to MF? Tips?

 

[Rooster]

You'll need to either stack OM-FT and FT-MFT adapters, or just find an OM-MFT adapter somewhere. Also keep in mind that all of your lenses encounter the 2X crop factor when used on the GF1. The lenses will all be MF, of course.

 

[Finder]

Manual focus / manual aperture
Aperture Priority or manual exposure.
You can use manual focus assist to enlarge the live image to focus as well.

 

[bwidjaja]

Yes they do work. I think you are better off buying third party OM-MFT adapter separately unless you want to buy Olympus brand. I used one from Fotodiox and it works fine. It is a bit tight mounting the OM lens. But it works.

I have tried using 24mm, 50mm, 100mm OM lenses. Focusing is not an issue; wide open i use the focus assist magnification. Having said that, I have not gotten very sharp images using those lenses. So anybody with suggestions, please let me know.

 

[kuzano]

I too had a stable of lenses for my OM's

I too had a stable of lenses for my OM's

New to photography, can I use old film camera lenses with my GF1? I have 4 OM lenses, wide angle, tele, 50mm, etc and I purchased an OM to 4/3 adapter. I assume if they work, I will have to MF? Tips?

I played the "legacy" lens on 4/3'rd game for a while. Frankly, it got to be a real PITA, since I had to work Sooooo hard to match the ease and Image Quality of the lenses designed for the format and for digital.

I simply don't want to join those who think it's way cool to use those old lenses. I been in plenty of other venues where the old tools simply did not do the job and had to be replaced. I'm starting to think that legacy lenses are reaching that same point.

You do need to stack an adaptor from OM to 4/3 on top of and adaptor from 4/3 to micro 4/3, Or you need the OM direct to micro 4/3. The original camera 4/3 mount is not the same as the micro 4/3 camera mount.

In the meantime, my OM lenses are back in the bag with my OM1 and OM2, and I still use them occasionally.

I'm using Oly and Panasonic digital lenses on my Olympus digitals, so that I can spend the time fussing with "manual" focusing on things like composition and framing, not to mention exposure and compensation, and a few other sundry items in image capture. I really appreciate the help from AF.

I take the time to look at all the Micro 4/3 camera porn, and I do find the look of the old lenses on the new bodies quite interesting. However, why are people posting how the camera looks, as opposed to the images taken with these old lenses. It seems the pride factor is in making some obscure lens mount in some workable way, with image quality a second place winner, if it is, in fact, good at all.

 

[Rooster]

I played the "legacy" lens on 4/3'rd game for a while. Frankly, it got to be a real PITA, since I had to work Sooooo hard to match the ease and Image Quality of the lenses designed for the format and for digital.

I simply don't want to join those who think it's way cool to use those old lenses. I been in plenty of other venues where the old tools simply did not do the job and had to be replaced. I'm starting to think that legacy lenses are reaching that same point.

You do need to stack an adaptor from OM to 4/3 on top of and adaptor from 4/3 to micro 4/3, Or you need the OM direct to micro 4/3. The original camera 4/3 mount is not the same as the micro 4/3 camera mount.

In the meantime, my OM lenses are back in the bag with my OM1 and OM2, and I still use them occasionally.

I'm using Oly and Panasonic digital lenses on my Olympus digitals, so that I can spend the time fussing with "manual" focusing on things like composition and framing, not to mention exposure and compensation, and a few other sundry items in image capture. I really appreciate the help from AF.

I take the time to look at all the Micro 4/3 camera porn, and I do find the look of the old lenses on the new bodies quite interesting. However, why are people posting how the camera looks, as opposed to the images taken with these old lenses. It seems the pride factor is in making some obscure lens mount in some workable way, with image quality a second place winner, if it is, in fact, good at all.

^^ Has not been my experience at all coming from a Canon 5D with all sorts of Leica/Contax/OM lenses adapted. I expect the GF1 coming in the mail tomorrow to be no different. The fact is, great optical designs are exactly that. Sure there are differences with a digital sensor vs. film, but a great lens is a great lens.

The finest lens I've ever used on my 5D was a Contax Planar 100/2. Better overall than either of the 85Ls I've owned.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

I've used adapted lenses on my 5D's, and frankly just don't see the point. If you just like to play with lenses and stuff, then that's a hobby, too. But, I didn't see anything special about any of the various old manual focus lenses when mounted on a digital body. Nobody looking at my photos can tell the difference in lenses anyway, so why go through all the hassle.

Lot's of folks seem to enjoy playing with lenses, though.

 

[kuzano]

Pickett said it better

Pickett said it better

I've used adapted lenses on my 5D's, and frankly just don't see the point. If you just like to play with lenses and stuff, then that's a hobby, too. But, I didn't see anything special about any of the various old manual focus lenses when mounted on a digital body. Nobody looking at my photos can tell the difference in lenses anyway, so why go through all the hassle.

Lot's of folks seem to enjoy playing with lenses, though.

Well said. What's the point?

What are you hoping for in using legacy lenses? If you like to tinker and fuss, that may well be your pastime, as opposed to taking pictures.

 

[Steadyone]

Legacy Lenses

Legacy Lenses

My rationale for using the old lenses is to give me more flexibillty. My GF1 configuration uses the 20mm 1.7 lens without zoom capabilities. I thought that using the older tele-photo, wide angle, and 50mm would give me some new functionality that I don't have today. Plus, I already have the lens, why not tinker with them a little.

You guys make great points however, I really don't want to spend a lot of time messing around with lenses that are hard to work with or that will produce less than perfect shots. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Rooster]

I've used adapted lenses on my 5D's, and frankly just don't see the point. If you just like to play with lenses and stuff, then that's a hobby, too. But, I didn't see anything special about any of the various old manual focus lenses when mounted on a digital body. Nobody looking at my photos can tell the difference in lenses anyway, so why go through all the hassle.

Lot's of folks seem to enjoy playing with lenses, though.

I take photos for my own enjoyment, and I can see characteristics of certain pieces of glass that distinguish them from others. That's the point. Doesn't matter one iota to me that nobody else can tell what lens took what shot in my galleries.

It's not that adapted glass is better, it's that it's different.

 

[Paul T.]

I've used adapted lenses on my 5D's, and frankly just don't see the point.

So... you've used different lenses than those being discussed. On a different camera than those being discussed - and of course the m4/3, having an EVF, doesn't have the same hassle-factor with stopping down. So what do you have to contribute to this story?

As someone intending to buy a GF1, and wondering whether to buy an adapter to use my Nikon 50/1.4, which should make a great portrait lens, I would love to know how well similar 50mm legacy lenses work on the GF1 with the new firmware, in terms of both ergonomics, and how the photos come out.

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

For my part, I think the feel of manual focusing is kind of lousy on the native lenses, and enjoy shooting with some old glass on m4/3, particularly the Pen-F stuff. A few M and LTM lenses are nice, too, especially the Nokton 1.1. The rendering of these old lenses is distinctive as well. Generally, though, I use m4/3 with the 20/1.7 and with Olympus Pen lenses, and keep my M and LTM stuff on my M cameras.

My tinkering instincts have led me to try out a bunch of stuff that turned out not to be worth bothering with, but it's fun to try. Sometimes these experiments give you interesting results. It's worth doing.