OM thread: Just bought me some ZUIKO p*rn

[gavinlg]

Just won a spanking sexy 55mm f1.2 zuiko for my OM system on feebay. The picture of it showed it with quite a bit of dust on the front element, and a smudge too, but it looks like the lighting was poor and as if it is the cleanable type, and I've been longing for one of these for a while now.

It looks like the model with the radioactive glass due to the yellow reflections in the front element, however I could be wrong. I'm really keen to see how this lens performs - I've been researching through the japanese forums and many people prefer the "character" of this lens over the better sharpness/contrast etc from the later 50 1.2. I'm certainly curious of this mythical beast (it seems that there are barely any pictures from it. The ones I have seen sure do look interesting) so I will be conducting some basic real world tests (resolution charts? don't get me started...) to determine how it performs.

It seems the western forums prefer the 50 1.2 but the japanese forums prefer it over the 50 1.2 - I suspect this is a result of circulating rumours of downfalls.

I especially will be interested to see if the lens has the reputed and much talked about "yellow cast" on its images - supposedly from its radioactive element which yellows with age.

Anybody out there with experience with this lens? I'll post up a pic when I get it.

 

[oscroft]

Sounds great, congrats - I look forward to seeing pics of and with it (real shots, not test charts 😉 )

 

[oftheherd]

50 f/1.2. I can only dream ...

 

[shadowfox]

Ooooh, I'm green with envy! picture of the lens as well as from the lens, please 🙂

 

[Spyderman]

...I must resist... I must resist... I must resist.......

excuse me for a moment... I must go visit the auction site... 😉

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

There's a Zuiko 18mm there at eBay right now.

 

[Trius]

The 55/1.2 employed Lanthanum glass, IIRC. I hate you.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

I am offended at the use of asterisks. How dare you type characters where I wouldn't? tsk tsk tsk

😉

Oh, and enjoy. I have a 55 f/1.2 also (Canon FD) and the Canon 50 f/1.2 in LTM; dreamy. I mean, tsk tsk tsk.

 

[giellaleafapmu]

Anybody out there with experience with this lens? I'll post up a pic when I get it.

Well, I have a 55 f1.2, I have no idea whether it has a radioactive element or not (the number of the lens is 140*** if that might suggest you anything) and I don't use it really much (it might sounds a bit strange in this forum but when there is low light I normally use a tripod rather than a fast lens, but then I also like to use a view camera if I can...).

Anyway, I bought the lens because is was relatively cheap due to the rumors which yourself mentioned and because I had never had the chance to try such a fast lens.

well, I must confess that I like it quite a lot. My lens is perhaps a bit soft but I still like the way for portrait. I cannot compare with any other f1.2 lens because I never had any other but I can say, for example, that wide open I like it better than my old Nikon f1.4 (the old series) which come with my Nikon F and that I like the fact that I can shot with both eyes open.

In colour it has a very warm rendering which is also very pleasent for portrait but I don't like much for other things.

Well, without pictures to show it might be a very bad review, but I bet that you will not regret. If you are into available (lack of) light photography you will possibly want also to try the 50mm but still you will not part from this lens.

Congratulation!

GLF

 

[Trius]

The Lanthanum glass of Zuiko 55/1.2 yellows with age, hence the warmish rendition. It is the earliest of the OM 1.2 standard lenses (the other being the 50/1.2), and as such is not as good an optical formula for sharpness/resolution as later Zuiko standard lenses. But it has its place, and the "softness" can be a virtue, as GLF has discovered.

 

[Noserider]

I used to have this lens. Still wish I had it, with the OM-4t. Got rid of it all when I went to Nikon back in the early 90's and I still wish I had kept *just* that lens and body. Sigh.

 

[gavinlg]

From what i've read the serial numbers 135xxx and up don't have the radioactive element... not sure about that though - should be about a week and a half till I get it!

 

[Trius]

Yeah, I think maybe the later ones didn't use the radioactive glass.

 

[jmilkins]

J

It seems the western forums ... but the japanese forums ....

Congrats on the lens!

OK so there are some Oly SLR users here that have in the last week resulted in a GAS attack for me. This was reinforced after I got out my old OM1n with 50/1.4 and left the RF at home for a weekend. So I have have an Om 28/ 3.5 on the way now as well as ...oops...an 85/2 from the classifieds here ....and oops.... an Om4 (won for AU$174).

My question is - can anyone direct me to the Oly forums mentioned above? Please🙂

 

[plummerl]

Congrats on the lens!

OK so there are some Oly SLR users here that have in the last week resulted in a GAS attack for me. This was reinforced after I got out my old OM1n with 50/1.4 and left the RF at home for a weekend. So I have have an Om 28/ 3.5 on the way now as well as ...oops...an 85/2 from the classifieds here ....and oops.... an Om4 (won for AU$174).

My question is - can anyone direct me to the Oly forums mentioned above? Please🙂

Not sure which specific forums are being talked about above, but "the forum" (list) for me is: http://www.zuikoholic.com/

 

[gavinlg]

I actually typed in on google "zuiko 55 1.2" and went back quite a few pages until some japanese results came up, and then using a bit of creative clicking I managed to find some information on it.

I wouldn't think you could look for just anything ont hem though...


That OM4 was a really good deal... and that 85 f2 as well - looks to be a beautiful lens.

 

[giellaleafapmu]

From what i've read the serial numbers 135xxx and up don't have the radioactive element... not sure about that though - should be about a week and a half till I get it!

Do you mean my lens is not as nice as his...😡

😉

GLF

 

[darkkavenger]

I would just say OMgosh 😉

 

[gavinlg]

Do you mean my lens is not as nice as his...😡

😉

GLF

Well if the whole yellowing thing is true you'll be getting the more neutrel color balance than my radioactive one!

 

[gavinlg]

Do you mean my lens is not as nice as his...😡

😉

GLF

Well if the whole yellowing thing is true you'll be getting the more neutrel color balance than my radioactive one!