I have been using this 4kg lens for almost two months now, enough to share a couple of impressions with other potentially interested users of this lens. This has unfortunately not been a photographically prolific period for me due to life's pressures, but hopefully that can now change.
(sourced from the Olympus ESIF)
Any Zuikoholic knows that this lens is the crowning optical achievement of the Olympus OM system, introduced in 1983/1984 as part of an aggressive new set of bodies / lenses to try and re-capture some of Olympus' glory from the 1970s, when the OM system took the photo world by storm.
This lens is remarkable for a number of reasons:
Swooning over specifications aside, I am a *user* (not a collector, otherwise I'd not be sticking this lens onto a plain old OM-1 body, but rather an OM-3Ti or some such) - what I found to be pertinent with this lens, compared to other OM tele lenses (e.g. I have been using the 300 f/4.5) are
Some images (nothing that I would call great yet, I am still getting to know the beast): As ever, all of these are shot on B&W film (This is APUG, right?), and printed in the darkroom (unfortunately only to 5x7in, I didn't have bigger paper at the time). All of these were taken at f/2.0, hand-held:
(OM-1, FP4+, f/2.0, hand-held)
At f/5.6 (optimum aperture for this lens, although I can for the life of me not see any dfference from f/2.0):
A colour shot (f/2.0, taken on expired Fuji 800 print film, ugh) just for fun, taken after sunset:
My current evaluation: At f/2.0, in the corner, this lens has better resolution and contrast than any lens I have ever personally used, at any aperture, anywhere in the frame. It's un-be-lievably good.
This comes at a massive weight cost, though it's not physically huge considering its specification. But the question remains:
Of course, when one finds a deal on a lens like this (as I have) one does not ask questions. One does the right thing. One worries about so-called necessities like food and transport later. Or how?
No really - I imagine - like so many of you fellow film users - one is increasingly drawn to rangefinder-land. We all want to use those great Leica M or Mamiya 7 (my personal preference, I have been bitten by the 6x7cm bug, it's just great in the darkroom) lenses.
Until, in perhaps a year or two, I migrate to something like a Mamiya 7, I wish to focus on using the SLR system for what it's really, really good at. And this is telephoto and macro photography.
My boring test images perhaps do not convey this, but a 250mm f/2.0 lens is capable of unique images which simply cannot be created with any other system (other than a 35mm SLR). I wish to find out if I can exploit this to my own artistic benefit. I've never really used a fast supertele before, it's an interesting change for me. This, together with Macro (and my, does the OM system have some nice Macro toys), shall be my main goals for this year.
With this post, I simply wanted to share a bit of my experience with this lens with the group. When I was looking around, I could not find any such posts, so I simply bit the bullet.
(sourced from the Olympus ESIF)
Any Zuikoholic knows that this lens is the crowning optical achievement of the Olympus OM system, introduced in 1983/1984 as part of an aggressive new set of bodies / lenses to try and re-capture some of Olympus' glory from the 1970s, when the OM system took the photo world by storm.
This lens is remarkable for a number of reasons:
- The ridiculous focal length / aperture combination, exceeded only by Nikkor's 300mm f/2.0
- Though the lens is very hefty, in use it's really not as large as it seems, about the same size as a typical 300mm f/2.8. It's absolutely tiny compared to Nikkor's only-slightly-longer 300mm f/2.0, which is a truly gigantic lens.
- This lens is optical perfection, period. I can actually vividly see, by looking through the viewfinder, how much crisper this lens is than the Zuiko 90mm f/2.0 Macro. And (there was a url link here which no longer exists)?
- I can't get any real number anywhere, but by all accounts only a couple of hundred copies were produced, all hand-assembled by one master craftsman whose name we shall apparently never know (I would love more info on this, if anybody has).
Swooning over specifications aside, I am a *user* (not a collector, otherwise I'd not be sticking this lens onto a plain old OM-1 body, but rather an OM-3Ti or some such) - what I found to be pertinent with this lens, compared to other OM tele lenses (e.g. I have been using the 300 f/4.5) are
- The best focusing action ever. The internal focusing makes a massive difference, it's smooth, quick, and precise.
- Wow, this lens exudes build quality. It has to be felt to be understood. The locking built-in metal lens hood is great. Though not official, some parts (like the drop-in rear filters) are definitely weather-sealed with rubber gaskets.
- It's unbelievably difficult to hand-hold a 4kg lens when you're not used to it. After my first day, I felt like I swam a marathon or something (arms and upper body pain). When you're used to it, though, it's easy. Heavy weight plus f/2.0 has ensured that not a single of my hand-held shots have had appreciable camera shake. Accurate focusing is another story though!
Some images (nothing that I would call great yet, I am still getting to know the beast): As ever, all of these are shot on B&W film (This is APUG, right?), and printed in the darkroom (unfortunately only to 5x7in, I didn't have bigger paper at the time). All of these were taken at f/2.0, hand-held:
(OM-1, FP4+, f/2.0, hand-held)
At f/5.6 (optimum aperture for this lens, although I can for the life of me not see any dfference from f/2.0):
A colour shot (f/2.0, taken on expired Fuji 800 print film, ugh) just for fun, taken after sunset:
My current evaluation: At f/2.0, in the corner, this lens has better resolution and contrast than any lens I have ever personally used, at any aperture, anywhere in the frame. It's un-be-lievably good.
This comes at a massive weight cost, though it's not physically huge considering its specification. But the question remains:
WHY?
Of course, when one finds a deal on a lens like this (as I have) one does not ask questions. One does the right thing. One worries about so-called necessities like food and transport later. Or how?
No really - I imagine - like so many of you fellow film users - one is increasingly drawn to rangefinder-land. We all want to use those great Leica M or Mamiya 7 (my personal preference, I have been bitten by the 6x7cm bug, it's just great in the darkroom) lenses.
Until, in perhaps a year or two, I migrate to something like a Mamiya 7, I wish to focus on using the SLR system for what it's really, really good at. And this is telephoto and macro photography.
My boring test images perhaps do not convey this, but a 250mm f/2.0 lens is capable of unique images which simply cannot be created with any other system (other than a 35mm SLR). I wish to find out if I can exploit this to my own artistic benefit. I've never really used a fast supertele before, it's an interesting change for me. This, together with Macro (and my, does the OM system have some nice Macro toys), shall be my main goals for this year.
With this post, I simply wanted to share a bit of my experience with this lens with the group. When I was looking around, I could not find any such posts, so I simply bit the bullet.
- it is so cool to see this lens again and find it being actually used - great find.
