The Zuiko 50mm Bokeh Thread

[Trius]

Got Zuiko 50 bokeh shots? Post 'em here!

The esteemed Mr. Crawford "hates" the bokeh of the 50/1.8 ... I could argue with him, but he may be right ... I really don't have empirical data (i.e., comparative shots,) to do that. For the record, while I enjoy bokeh discussions as a lark, and think the OOF performance of a lens can be important, bokeh's not the last word for me.

 

[Keith]

Never use my f1.8 ... the 1.4 or zany 1.2 always take preference.

I don't think the bokeh is that bad ... it just strikes me as being a little harsh!


f1.4

f1.2

 

[PatrickT]

I LOVE my 50/1.4 and have used it extensively on my Canon 5D. Here's wide open:

Lots more photos here: http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=50%2F1.4&w=84341102%40N00

I also have the 50/1.8 but don't like it nearly as much. I do like how small it is however and sometimes that takes precedent depending on the situation.

Please note...some of the vignetting above and at the link was added in post production.

 

[Keith]

Patrick ... your shots go a long way to proving in my mind that the f1.4 is one of the best all round lenses that Zuiko made ... period!

Or any one else for that matter. 🙂


(note to self ... I have to get a 5D eventually)

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Hey, I'm famous now!

LOL

Trius, your pics look nicer than I usually get from that lens. They look like you used a little smaller aperture than I usually do with it, maybe f8? I usually use it at f2.8-f5.6 and thats where I see the bad bokeh. My backgrounds are usually closer too....looks pretty good for further off backgrounds!

 

[wintoid]

The Olympus 50mm f1.2 is a king of bokeh IMHO. I never liked the 1.4 somehow, but I like the 1.8 from what I've seen on the web (for what that's worth!)

Here's one from the 1.2

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Wintoid, was that shot at f1.2? It does look nice. I wish that lens wasn't so hard to find/expensive! I have one of the last version f1.4 with serial over 1,100,000 and it is a very sharp lens with good bokeh. Earlier f1.4 versions did not have as good of bokeh. The last version is fairly expensive for a 50/1.4 from a dead system, about $80 on ebay usually, but that's cheap compared to the $500 that the f1.2 usually goes for.

 

[wintoid]

Wintoid, was that shot at f1.2? It does look nice. I wish that lens wasn't so hard to find/expensive! I have one of the last version f1.4 with serial over 1,100,000 and it is a very sharp lens with good bokeh. Earlier f1.4 versions did not have as good of bokeh. The last version is fairly expensive for a 50/1.4 from a dead system, about $80 on ebay usually, but that's cheap compared to the $500 that the f1.2 usually goes for.

I don't think it was wide open, no. Probably more like f/4.

That was pretty much my all time favourite lens, but I sold it on RFF earlier this year because I don't really enjoy the Olympus bodies (sorry Olympus fans).

 

[oftheherd]

Patrick ... your shots go a long way to proving in my mind that the f1.4 is one of the best all round lenses that Zuiko made ... period!

Or any one else for that matter. 🙂


(note to self ... I have to get a 5D eventually)

Or any one else for that matter? Watch it Buster!! 😀 😀

I remember in the 80s, one of the old Modern Photograpy lens testers commenting on how it was only possible to tell the difference between Nikon and Zuiko lenses by very slight differences in the way one treated some colors over the other, only noticable in the lab. That at a time when no self respecting commercial magazine would dare say anybody had better lenses than Nikon.

Zuiko got recognition for having excellent lenses sooner than some other brands. It took a long time for Fujica and Konica lenses to get their due.

Nice photos above everyone.

 

[ruby.monkey]

Silver-nose 50mm f/1.4:

 

[hans voralberg]

From the 50/1.8

From the 50/2 Macro, quite rare as well

 

[raid]

How is the Zuiko 50mm different from, say. a Nikkor 50 or a Canon 50 or a Rokkor 50 ... etc.? Do you have side by side comparisons for us to look at? I like using a Canon FD 50/1.2L a lot. The FD 50/1.4 was used a standard for comparisons for many years by some well known photography magazines.

 

[pggunn]

Nothing but bokeh. Autumn bokeh with the 50/1.4

Bokeh Kitty; another with the 50/1.4

 

[Trius]

Chris: Yes, my shots are set up differently, i.e. not real close and as wide open. I'm going to do some more with closer subject, etc., and I suspect we'll see more difference. That said, I think the two shots I posted so far were in the f5.6 range. It was an overcast day, and the film was ISO 100 (PhotoLab aka Fuji), and I was purposely trying to stay @ f2.8 - 5.6 for any purposely "bokeh" shots.

Keith & Wintoid: Yeah, if I could find a 50/1.2 at a reasonable price, it would be great. Truth be told, I dream of finding a garage sale or estate sale where a 50/1.2 is included in a kit for $50 or so. 😀 Yes, I do believe in larceny for the sake of art!

Hans: That first shot especially is a very good example of goodness from the 50/1.8.

I have more I will be able to post at some time, but my lack of consistent scanner access and less than expert post skills means they'll be coming later, so I may have to resurrect this thread when it dies down. 🙂

Raid: If people are interested one of us could start another thread for that. I'd sorta like to keep this thread to Zuiko 50s.

 

[helen.HH]

I believe the 50 1.8 is Jane Bown's (The Observer)
FAVORITE lens on her OM1 !!!

 

[Cale Arthur]

No complaints about the 50/1.8 here..

I also seem to be in the minority, insofar as i prefer the SC version (of which this is an example) to the miJ version.

 

[erik]

Two from the 55mm 1.2; love this lens:

 

[Keith]

I WANT,I WANT, I WANT a 1.2....🙂
Heres the 1.4

When I got mine Helen it was thanks to a heads up from Roland. (ferider)

BUT ... it cost me $500, was one owner and came with the original box and documentation. I went through some serious buyer's remorse after shelling out that much money for an SLR lens ... especially considering I was putting it on a camera body that cost me $50.00! 😱

No regrets now though I must admit ... it's a little quirky at times but having something that fast that can focus so close means it can do things a Noctilux can't! 😀

 

[Igor.Burshteyn]

50mm f2 macro.
Just love this lens - would be even more so if it be easier to focus on normal distances, I rarely use it as a macro lens anyway 🙂

 

[Keith]

Great pics in this thread. Considering it's a rangefinder forum there's some remarkable work done with 'evils' here! 😀