OM, I've become a Zuikoholic!

[jmilkins]

Here's one with the sub 1 mill MC 50/1.4 @ f2 .

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/79865897@N00/6017123109/] Liz 'n' Iz last summer by transalper, on Flickr[/URL]

 

[jmilkins]

and the humble 35/2.8

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/79865897@N00/5868659875/] Stretch Dawg by transalper, on Flickr[/URL]

 

[Field]

I love the look of the single coated Zuikos. For black and white work they have this amazing glow and for color work they have a really gentle rendering.

I have 3 silver nose lenses and while they might not be the sharpest I have ever used, they are in no way poor performers. To me, their signature is worth way more than zooming in 400% on an image.

Black and white they are beautiful. Color they look amazing but only 1/3 of your shots come out useable with its lack of coating. You have to be in totally even lighting. If there is a source of light from any direction - and I mean as gentle as a raining day's sunlight - it will turn your photos into contrastless smudge.

 

[Field]

Oh and it is impossible to find a 1.1mil 50mm 1.4... been trying. I do not own a 1.4 yet so I might as well go for it right? I think unfortunately since we started talking about it on here people are now "onto it" trends seem to start here often. It kind of sucks... we make holes for ourselves with this forum!

 

[Jani_from_Finland]

My Zuikos are great, but as an user with eyeglasses the extreme wide look thru my OM-2 series bodies is a bit difficult and when i today got to shoot with this OM-4Ti, WOW what a change of usability! Feels like i've come home when shooting with this one.
Lenses currently: 18/3.5 28/3.5 35/2 50/1.2-1.8 50/3.5 35-70/3.6x2 70-150/5 100/2 and waiting to find a decent 24/2.8. Btw, owner for 7pcs of OM-bodies. Am I an OMholic?

 

[antonandreas]

Black and white they are beautiful. Color they look amazing but only 1/3 of your shots come out useable with its lack of coating. You have to be in totally even lighting. If there is a source of light from any direction - and I mean as gentle as a raining day's sunlight - it will turn your photos into contrastless smudge.

Honestly, I can't say I have encountered this problem with my Zuikos (which are single-coated) and I have not had this problem with any of my other single-coated lenses either.

However, the next roll to go through my OM-1 will be some slide, so I will try to look for what you are talking about.

 

[Keith]

My Zuikos are great, but as an user with eyeglasses the extreme wide look thru my OM-2 series bodies is a bit difficult and when i today got to shoot with this OM-4Ti, WOW what a change of usability! Feels like i've come home when shooting with this one.
Lenses currently: 18/3.5 28/3.5 35/2 50/1.2-1.8 50/3.5 35-70/3.6x2 70-150/5 100/2 and waiting to find a decent 24/2.8. Btw, owner for 7pcs of OM-bodies. Am I an OMholic?

So what is the major difference withe OM-4 viewfinder compared to the earlier ones?

 

[radiocemetery]

The OM4Ti has an adjustable diopter in the viewfinder. There is also a difference in the magnification. The OM4 Ti mag is .84 at infinity, the OM 1 magnification is .92. Less magnification results in higher eye relief at the viewfinder. I wear glasses and I can't see all of the view in my OM2 or OM1.

 

[redisburning]

I have the 35mm f2.8 and find it a bit disappointing. I have the later MC version, and find it worse than my silvernose 28mm f3.5 in the sharpness, contrast and overall rendering departments. oh well, Ill still use it because it's a 35.

btw lugging a 6x6 camera around reminds me why so many love OM cameras.

 

[Jockos]

I was thinking about another this the other day; what focusing screen would be the best for low light photography? I find it hard to see the microprism glitter in low light when taking pictures of people.

I imagine split image would be even harder when working with people, since they often lack contrasty vertical lines in their faces 🙂

So, would an ordinary ground glass be the best?

 

[Jani_from_Finland]

I was thinking about another this the other day; what focusing screen would be the best for low light photography? I find it hard to see the microprism glitter in low light when taking pictures of people.

I imagine split image would be even harder when working with people, since they often lack contrasty vertical lines in their faces 🙂

So, would an ordinary ground glass be the best?

Maybe the 1-12 is ok for you or then yous a clear one with microprism.
http://brashear.phys.appstate.edu/lhawkins/photo/om-screens.shtml

 

[cliffpov]

Finally I scored at a garage sale today. Three Zuiko lenses, an OM-1 body, 20 old vinyl record albums, and a record player to play them on, all for $120. I was mostly just purchasing the Zuiko glass and the rest was thrown in.

Here's what I got.
1. Zuiko 28mm 3.5. I've got two of these fine lenses now.
2. Zuiko 50mm 1.4. I've got two of these fine lenses as well now.
3. Zuiko 135mm 3.5. I've been wishing for a Zuiko 135mm focal length for a while.
Just goes to show that you only find these things when you aren't necessarily looking for them.

 

[Field]

I like Fujipro film on OM glass. The lenses are not warm enough. Porta is naturally cooling (but not in a blue grade).

P.S. These are sample photos of film, not of any shots I care about.

 

[nighstar]

i've recently borrowed an Olympus OM-1 from a family member who no longer shoots film. the owner also gave me a few lenses (not all of which work), filters and a flash gun. after putting in new light seals, changing its leatherette (see here) and getting Wein Cell batteries for it, i shot my first roll of film with it using Kodak Ultra Max 400 and a Zuiko 50mm f1.8 lens.

turns out that the light meter doesn't work... the needle stays pointed towards the bottom of the screen in the viewfinder. oh well. i don't have a light meter and suck at manual exposure, but i tried my best. the results were several underexposed & overexposed shots, but i really like the faded look of the underexposed ones. 🙂









provided i fall in love with this camera (which i probably will), i'm hoping that i can convince its owner to sell/give it to me. 😀

 

[pggunn]

I like Fujipro film. I think porta looks stupid on OM glass. The lenses are not warm enough. Porta is naturally cooling (but not in a blue grade).

I don't think I can agree with you that Portra looks stupid on OM glass, but that's just my opinion. I'm certainly not an expert - far from it in fact - but I thought that any cooling had more to do with the light than with anything inherent in Portra film or the Zuiko lenses. I thought Portra was a daylight rated film, albeit a versatile one, that renders skin tones very nicely in a variety of settings. If you shoot film in shade it will render bluer, or cooler, but I thought Portra worked pretty well for me.

Do Zuiko lenses render cooler than others? Is Portra naturally cooling? I'm just asking, not arguing, because I genuinely don't know. At any rate, I have a few examples shot on Portra 400 NC with Zuiko glass on my OM1 that I hope don't look stupid! 😱

The first is a mix of sun and shade with some lens flare thrown in for good measure. Okay, so if not stupid, not exactly smart either! 😀

[/url]
Glenwood_Festival25 by pggunn1, on Flickr[/IMG]

Next is pretty sunny, maybe light shade:

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Glenwood_Festival38 by pggunn1, on Flickr[/IMG]

And now one indoors pushed two stops:


Wedding45 by pggunn1, on Flickr

 

[AFenvy]

Here is a somewhat recent shot in the Caribbean with my OM-4Ti and Zuiko 16mm f3.5 Fisheye on Kodak Portra 400:

 

[pggunn]

Wow! Very nice!

I've never used anything wider than a 28/2 on my OM1, but your picture makes me want to try! Thanks for the post!

Here is a somewhat recent shot in the Caribbean with my OM-4Ti and Zuiko 16mm f3.5 Fisheye on Kodak Portra 400:

 

[AFenvy]

Thank you pggunn! The Zuiko wides and ultra-wides are fantastic. The 16mm is a stunner, and my go-to lens for maximum dramatic effect. I want to try the Zuiko 21mm, and I would love to get my hands on an 18mm ($$$$).

Here is another shot with the Zuiko 16mm f3.5 Fisheye on Fujichrome Velvia 100:

 

[Field]

Skin with Porta often ends up looking like everyone is wearing a base layer of make-up. People's face just have more definition and imperfection than shown with it. A lot of the Olympus lenses already cause this to happen so you combine the too and for me it is just too much.

Perhaps others would not describe porta as being cooling, but to me it appears the amount of yellow in it is reduced a far bit. It has a very "white" look to it as white is too strong with it.

If this was Porta his helmet would of lost a lot of definition along with one side of his face.

 

[pggunn]

Hi Field,

Thanks for clarifying. I think there is something to that especially the way Portra renders skin. It does seem to smooth things over. I'm probably not as perceptive or discriminating as most. It might help if I got some new glasses! 😎

And maybe it's good that I don't shoot color very often anyway!

Happy shooting.

Skin with Porta often ends up looking like everyone is wearing a base layer of make-up. People's face just have more definition and imperfection than shown with it. A lot of the Olympus lenses already cause this to happen so you combine the too and for me it is just too much.

Perhaps others would not describe porta as being cooling, but to me it appears the amount of yellow in it is reduced a far bit. It has a very "white" look to it as white is too strong with it.

If this was Porta his helmet would of lost a lot of definition along with one side of his face.