OM/AIS differences on digital?

[Tejasican]

I currently am going through a rationalization on my 35mm film gear. Although I am familiar with how my AI/AIS lenses and OM lenses perform on their native bodies with film, I have heard that these can perform differently on digital. Is that so? I am aware for angle of view changes for the various sensors, but I am more interested in changes in the other behaviors and the impact of that on final output.

My most likely purchase will be either a Fuji or Olympus for weight. I have no desire to own a Sony product again - fool me once and all... and I have been the fool twice there already. Would I be in for any major surprises regarding bokeh, in focus / out of focus transition, sharpness, etc with either of these sets of lenses? Would a Metabones Speedbooster alleviate or aggravate any changes?

I am hoping to use legacy lenses to plug holes in the focal length range as I slowly acquire digital system native glass.

For reference I am using the Zuiko 28mm 2.8, 50mm 1.4, 85mm f2, and 200mm f5. On Nikon - 50mm 1.4 AIS, 105mm 2.5 AI, and 200mm f4.

Thanks in advance for the input.

 

[dnk512]

Nikon 50 f1.4 AIS works better than the Zuiko for me with openish-f (on Oly 4/3 sensor and Sony E-mount). But for both brands their f1.8 (late models) are equally best.

Nikor 105 f2.5 AIS (not plain AI) works incredibly well on 4/3 (Oly) and APS (Sony E and Canon).
Sorry, no other common lenses or bodies available.

 

[f16sunshine]

Performance could be difficult to distinguish in completed images between most of the Zuiko and Nikkor similar Focal lengths.
They both are that good.
The Zuikos have two major advantages one of them a biggy when you consider adapting lenses for stopped down use.
The first is size. Zuikos are almost all much more compact than the Nikkor counterparts.
The second is ergonomics.

The Zuiko lenses have their aperture ring at the front of the lens (like a RF lens).
That placement makes adapting so much easier.
The chances of bumping focus accidentally while stopping down are much less than if one was to adjust a ring at the base of the lens like the nikkor.

I've been adapting Zuikos/Contax/M42 to my 5D cameras for years. There have been a few Nikkor lenses over the years too.
I've settled into Zuiko almost completely for these two ergonomic reasons.
It's an easy choice because the optical performance is superb as well.

One more thing... The lens release on the Zuiko is on the lens. This makes for a much cleaner adapter.
HK and China adapter makers can make a very robust ring with no mechanical release required.
You can buy one adapter ring, snap it in, and now your camera is a native OM Zuiko Mount.
All the adapters I have used for Nikkon, Leica, and Contax have been fiddly do to their need for a lock and release mechanism on the actual adapter.
With the OM this is not the case.

Cheers!

 

[leica M2 fan]

I have tried all my OM lenses on the A7 with very good results and also my AIS lenses.
Had really good results also. I am very satisfied with the A&.

 

[Shac]

The beauty of the OM lenses on the Sony's is IMO their small size. IQ essentially the same as AIS lenses. That said I'm selling a bunch of OM's on RFF at the moment but only b/c I have way too many lenses (will be selling other makes of lenses as well soon)

 

[Godfrey]

I currently am going through a rationalization on my 35mm film gear. Although I am familiar with how my AI/AIS lenses and OM lenses perform on their native bodies with film, I have heard that these can perform differently on digital. Is that so? I am aware for angle of view changes for the various sensors, but I am more interested in changes in the other behaviors and the impact of that on final output.

My most likely purchase will be either a Fuji or Olympus for weight. I have no desire to own a Sony product again - fool me once and all... and I have been the fool twice there already. Would I be in for any major surprises regarding bokeh, in focus / out of focus transition, sharpness, etc with either of these sets of lenses? Would a Metabones Speedbooster alleviate or aggravate any changes?

I am hoping to use legacy lenses to plug holes in the focal length range as I slowly acquire digital system native glass.

For reference I am using the Zuiko 28mm 2.8, 50mm 1.4, 85mm f2, and 200mm f5. On Nikon - 50mm 1.4 AIS, 105mm 2.5 AI, and 200mm f4.

Thanks in advance for the input.

While critical results vary a good bit depending on the specific lens and sensor you're using together, I've owned and used all those Nikon lenses (and more) on FourThirds SLR (Olympus E-1, E-5, Panasonic L1), Micro-FourThirds (Panasonic G1, Olympus E-PL1, Olympus E-M1), Ricoh GXR-M, and Sony A7. They work very well on all of these bodies, as do these others that I've worked with:

Nikkor 18mm f/3.5 AI-S
Nikkor 20mm f/3.5 AI-S (52)
Nikkor 35mm f/1.4 AI-S
Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 AI-S
Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5 Pre-AI
Nikkor-H 85mm f/1.8 Pre-AI
Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 AI-S
Nikkor 180mm f/2.8 ED AI-S
Micro-Nikkor 200mm f/4 ED-IF AI-S​

I don't have much experience using Olympus OM System lenses on the digital bodies, but I wouldn't expect any problems with them.

G