Waiting for my first Olympus to arrive

[mllanos1111]

I've never used an Olympus but I just acquired an OM-1 with 4 lenses.
28 mm 1:3.5
50mm 1:1.8
135mm 1:2.8
200mm 1:2.8
Now I don't see a 200 2.8 on the lenses list so I'm thinking it could be the 180mm 2.8?

How are these lenses? I was kind of hoping it had a 50mm 1.4 or a 28mm 2.8 since the 3.5 seems a little slow especially when I shoot 50 ASA film.

Thank you for any information

 

[redisburning]

the 28/3.5 is a great lens; I like it better than the 2.8 personally.

the 50/1.8 is competent. not my favorite, but nice. Ive had 2 of the last iteration of the 50/1.8 and sold one and gave the other away. I have owned literally all of the 50s, IMO the macros are the best, then the 1.2s, then the rest. if you like the camera, no lens will bring you more enjoyment than the 50 f2 macro IMO. it's a spectacular lens.

the 135/2.8 is a pretty good moderate telephoto; I dont think there is anything to complain about. I hear good things, but I never shoot longer than 60mm so I dont own one myself.

 

[mllanos1111]

I'll have to look for a macro since I like 50mm lenses, Is there another must have lens in the bunch?

 

[mllanos1111]

Just did a quick search on ebay and no 50 Macros for sale. I'll have to look around

 

[Gregoyle]

I count five for sale on the US Ebay at the time of this post.

-Greg

 

[marcr1230]

The lens I enjoy the most is the 85mm 2.0

 

[kaiwasoyokaze]

Just did a quick search on ebay and no 50 Macros for sale. I'll have to look around

the 50mm f3.5 is another cheaper option to the 50mm f2, they can be found around the 50-100 dollar range.

i heard that the 50mm f2 was compared (Favorably) to the 50mm summicron before somewhere. the prices hover usually from 250-500 iirc.

 

[redisburning]

250 for the 50/2 is an awfully good price.

KEH is going to sell you a BGN one for about 400, which seems to be about as low as you can find one reasonably.

I love the lens and it's the best 400 I have ever spent on a lens without question even compared to the 60/2.8 Macro-Elmarit-R which is my other pick in this price range.

Yes the 50/3.5 is only about 100 dollars for a late one in really good shape (IMO the price doesnt differ enough on condition to justify a user one) and it's one of my absolute favorite lenses ever. But it's very limited.

If you dont mind Ill show you one from each on film so maybe you can see why I like them so much.

Wide (28 and wider) and Macro are where you will find the strength of the OM lineup, or so the popular wisdom goes. I am inclined to agree. I dont yet have my own wide collection built up but that's because macros are my favorite lenses and my 28/2 has sufficed.

Anyway, 50/2

Untitled by redisburning, on Flickr

and 50/3.5

Untitled by redisburning, on Flickr

yes the 50/2 compares well with the 4th/5th gen M Summicron or E55 R Summicron. Gary Reese did a paired comparison. Mike Johnston said the same thing on his blog (paraphrasing: "you will not find a better 50mm regardless of brand"). it is very good wide open and at f2 is about the best I have ever owned excluding 50MP which is in another class. I have not used 55 distagon, 50/1.4 lux asph, 50/2 AA, though. It beats ZM50P and DR Summicron and Rokkor 58/1.2 and Zuiko 50/1.8, 1.4 and 1.2 and it takes it to the edges.

The 50/2 has some unique characteristics to it. Maybe I should write an indepth article on it.

 

[Tejasican]

The lens I enjoy the most is the 85mm 2.0

The 85mm is indeed a really nice lens.

 

[rhl-oregon]

Someday perhaps a 50/2 for me, but the 50/3.5 performs quite beautifully:

 

[mllanos1111]

I love that shot of the tree bark. wonderful. Maybe I will keep the 28mm and sell off the other three lenses and put the money towards a 50mm 2.0.
Mostly I shoot Efke 25 and process it in Rodinol and it seems like this would be a nice compact travel camera.

 

[mllanos1111]

Wow these lenses are in $600 range and up. I'll have to see if I can anything for the other three lenses

 

[mllanos1111]

I just purchased a 50mm 2.0 Macro. I'm selling off the other lenses.
All I ever really use is a 50mm and this will make a great travel camera.
I was looking at OM-3 and I can't believe how much those are selling for.
I could buy a mint Nikon F6 for that price.
Thank you for all the information, excited to get the new lens.

 

[redisburning]

the 50/2 is a great lens I really love mine and it does so much better at the distances I shoot than most other 50mm lenses. I actually started the flickr group for it you should search it out and post your images to it!

the combination of sharpness and OoF rendering is really special with this lens it's so much better than any other lens Ive ever used in the f2-f4 range except the 50MP. something like this:


Untitled by redisburning, on Flickr

it's not just that it's OoF, it's that the level of contrast on the lens drops off so dramatically from the plane of focus that it really accentuates depth IMO. it's kind of the opposite of the 50MP in that but both are REALLY sharp but both have good Bokeh. For the size, weight and price, the 50/2 OM macro is an unbelievable winner and if you like 50 it could be your only lens. I often say I gave up my Leica to shoot the 50MP because I couldnt find a Leica 50 I both liked and afforded but what pushed me to that was comparing ZM50P with OM50/2. well I still have the OM50/2 and Id rather have one even at 800 dollars than a ZM50P I think that says something about how much I like this lens.

 

[rovnguy]

I hope your OM kit gives you as much enjoyment over the years as mine has.

 

[defconfunk]

I seem to have missed it, but which long prime did you end up getting (and selling?) the 180 2.8?

I've never used a prime that long, and have little idea what I'd shoot with sucha beast, but for some reason they amaze me anyways (longest prime I have is the 135 3.5, which is a remarkably small lens compared to zooms with similar reach).

Enjoy your new kit!