Olympus 75mm review at Lenstip.
Lenstip published the full Olympus 75mm f/1.8 lens review. And the conclusions says it all: “I do not hesitate to write it: testing such lenses is pure pleasure which starts when you take the lens out of its box and you look at it for the first time. You already know you deal with a very solid instrument. Pleasurable experience lasts when you take sample shots or photos of testing charts“.
I hope the new 17mm f/1.8 lens will be as good as that lens!
The best price I found in Europe is at Pro Video France (Click here). A third party lens hood is sold by ProPhotoshop Germany (Click here). In US the lens will be back inS tock at Amazon on October 22th.
More reviews:
60mm macro image samples at Letsgodigital. Part two of the 60mm macro battle posted at Admiringlight.
Panasonic 14-45 mm vs Olympus 12-50mm at Cameraergonomics.
LX7 review at Cameralabs and Steve Digicams.
ED
8 months ago |Anyone knows what lens this is?? Is it the same lens? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwcyFiTOLes
Albert
8 months ago |Olympus 14-42mm.
Yun
8 months ago |No doubt the 75mm F1.8 is a lens surrounding with superlatives .
The stunning sharpness featuring in such focal length is remarkable , make me wonder if Pana’s Leica branded lens capable in such stunning wide open sharpness .
Things can turn out beautifully if Pana come out cameras with IS to facilitate all Zuiko lenses but I know is very unlikely .
The M.Zuiko ED 75mm is such an example for Pana to come out long tele photo lens with fast aperature .
Plochmann
8 months ago |Looking at that LX-7 review, is it just me or does the RX100′s photos look like crap. I never liked the way photos looked from it to be frank, but in that review they just all looked awful! Does the LX-7 count as a 43 sensor, it has a 4:3 mode.
Narretz
8 months ago |There’s a difference between sensor aspect ratio and sensor size. A four-thirds sensor has a size of 18×13.5 mm. Any other sensor might have a ratio of 4:3, but the actual size may vary.
thethirdcoast
8 months ago |The elephant in the RX-100 room, which Sony refuses to admit, is that there are simply too many pixels crammed onto it’s 1″ sensor.
Sony simply hasn’t realized that there is a useful upper-limit to how many pixels you can cram on a sensor before noise concerns start becoming an issue. Panasonic, and I think in some cases Canon, have seem to realize this.
Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised since Nikon and Pentax both get more out of Sony’s 16 Mp APS-C sensor than the OEM.
lorenzinonkatu
8 months ago |you would be right if the RX100 sensor were not better than the sensor in the Nikon 1 series (same size) at almost all ISO settings, when downscaled. We often confuse evaluations of noise capacities at pixel level with what the camera is capable to do in the actual final photo. And in real-life final photos RX100 sensor wins hands-down vs. the 1 sensor (by Aptina).
Sure 43 sensor, being bigger, performs better. Should I remember, though, that the sensor in em5 is also made by Sony? Besides, the sensor in apsc cameras perform better than 43, and the sensors in FF cameras perform better than apsc. Almost all of them made by Sony (the best ones, at least)…
Dan Smith
8 months ago |RX100 photos are not crap. RX100′s sensor is way bigger than P&S, and significantly smaller than m43.
This means that the quality of an RX100 image will not be the same as from an em5, and don’t set your expectations there. Set them at the P&S level, and you will be very happy. I have the RX100, and the em5 plus the Oly 75mm reviewed here.
Guess what? RX100 does not match em5 + Oly 75mm. But I don’t expect them too.
And I don’t critically review my RX100 shots right after editing my em5 shots. And I’m happy.
lorenzinonkatu
8 months ago |It is all a matter of expectations.
RX100 is not Em5, and does not match Em5. And Em5 is not a Nikon D800, and does not match a Nikon D800. And so on…
an0n
8 months ago |…now Olympus, when will the 75 be available in black?
Fabrys
8 months ago |I saw it in a shop in Paris at 699,00 €
SIROU GOMEZ
8 months ago |I really just wana this lens now
jevfp
8 months ago |it is no doubt that right now the Oly F1.8/75mm is among of the best M43 lens up to date .probably the new Oly F2.8/60mm macro will have the similar result as many review said it is one of the Best Macro lens in the world -I hope is true,./i havent try it yet .The Oly F1.8/75mm In term of 3C – Color-Clarity-Contrast , is exceptionally beautiful,.and what makes me interesting while the sharpness is unbelievable high at wide open also still create a very nice bokeh,.and this is very rare.
sneye
8 months ago |I have used many quality lenses over the years, but none of them quite matches the 75. It is just transparent. No artifacts, no aberrations, no “character”.
Tomas
8 months ago |the sample pictures are …are…lets say not good and base on them the lens is not extraordanary …I would like to see the review from Robin Wong…ast this lenstip review is not for me…graphs…graphs ..graphs…and the pictures with very strange colours … my subjective opinion…would never say it is 800eur lens
Starred
8 months ago |What are you talking about? Robin W reviewed this lens already some months ago and he is also raving about it
DonTom
8 months ago |You don’t need to wait for Robin’s review, he published it 3 months ago!
http://robinwong.blogspot.com/2012/07/olympus-mzuiko-75mm-f18-review-street.html
tomas
8 months ago |thanks…i am newbie and have oly since end of august only…and have to say that now i am covinced it is worth the money…the sharpnes and clarity on focused eyes is so nice
The Master
8 months ago |So, I have to wonder how many people find that they shoot at 75 mm a lot, or even enough, or ever, to justify this expensive chrome lens.
By the looks of the photos, I would say it’s about like the Nikon or Canon 85 1.8 or maybe the Pentax 77 1.8. The close ups I’ve seen so far, seem over sharpened, to over dramatize the sharpness I suspect.
It just seems like a lot of hype for a lens that is at a focal length that most people never really use and yet a lot of people seem to be out of control with their emotions over this lens.
I bet you right now, that most people who buy this lens will end up using it rarely and suffer from a stiff dose of buyers remorse for getting sucked into the Internet hype.
Most people shoot between 24 and 100 mm, which is 12- 50 mm on M4/3. People that use longer lenses for sports and wildlife, for the most part, are looking for lenses 200 mm FF equiv. and over. So, 150mm FF equiv. is really a bastard focal length, that may get used by some portrait photographers, for outdoor portraits and what not, but I doubt the average M4/3 shooter, will ever use it much after they play with it for a while and find that it’s just too long for every day stuff and too short for serious Telephoto work.
Anyway, I’m not trying to be a downer, but after buying and selling cameras and lenses over the past thirty years or so and loosing my ass on most of it, I’ve come to realize that just because it’s new and pretty, it’s doesn’t mean I need it and if I don’t use that focal length now, then I sure won’t miss it, but I might miss the money I spent on it.
sneye
8 months ago |While not having the most useful focal length in the world, the 75 justifies some compositional effort. I find it useful for indoor candids, concerts and formal portraits outside. It is clearly not a sports or wildlife lens. Instead it fulfills an aspect of what mirrorless designs do best: people photography.
BLI
8 months ago |> but after buying and selling cameras and lenses over the past thirty years or so and loosing my ass on most of it
Strangely enough, this admittance makes me really wonder how reliable your advice is
.
I bought the 75/1.8 about a month ago, and am very happy with it. Of course, it is definitely not a snapshot lens. There is more “tele” in it than I first thought. But if one frees the mind from conventional thinking, one will discover new angles for taking pictures. And as e.g a concert lens, it is fabulous. I am sure it is also a good wedding/portrait lens. And because of the high quality, pictures from a little afar actually can take some cropping.
I need to get to know better the angle of view to not get too close. But, I think this also opens up new freedom.
Anyway, it is too expensive for a whimsical purchase, but for those desiring a top quality lens and with a willingness to experiment, it is an exciting lens.
The Master
8 months ago |At BLI: Well, it’s sort of like this BLI, an idot never learns, a dummy usually learns from his own experiences, after time and can actually become an intelligent person, but an intelligent person, can learn from other peoples mistakes and not have to make them. When I was younger, I was a dummy, and I admit it.
DonTom
8 months ago |You’re right, but most reviewers of the lens have pointed out the same thing. It really is a specialised portrait lens, and that’s fine, good to have some specialised lenses.
In it’s defense, a portrait photographer who wants to use m43 bodies does need this lens for proper subject isolation. Yes, the 45/1.8 is a great lens (especially for the price), but specialised portrait work often calls for a shallower DOF. You do need a lens of this speed and length to offer that on this size sensor. Olympus knows this, which is why they built it.
Myself, I’ll get the 60/2.8 macro instead. Enough DOF for good situational portraits, added bonus of awesome macro ability, plus weather-proofing for when I get a weather proofed body. My wife will probably complain it’s too sharp though!
Fish
8 months ago |Are you sure you’re not letting your emotions get out of control here? If I was in the market for this lens, I think I would trust Lenstip’s measurements more than your pleas to not buy it.
I have decided to go with the 60mm instead but there are already people taking beautiful pictures with the 75mm f1.8, even if you and I won’t be.
ph
8 months ago |I agree. I own a Nikkor ED 2.8/180mm. A high quality lens, but I rarely use it. They better release a 9 or 10mm soon. That’s the one I really mis in the m43 lens catalogue. The first one to release this might have a hit.
Mymaco
8 months ago |Well, you should try it. I own this great lens since day one. I used it in theaters (La Fenice in Venice), on the red carpet at Venice Movie Awards, I take some street/candid photos if something catches my eye, I take portraits at people and animals, and it happened that I used it to take some landscape pics, believe it or not. The fact is that you just have to be open minded, ready, and lucky. (I’m not saying that YOU are not!) The lens is truly amazing, and its quality pushes me to keep it mounted on the OMD. I agree that it’s weird to take landscape photos with this lens, but believe me, it’s possible and the results are great.
Mr. Reeee
8 months ago |75mm is quite useful and I use mine a lot for street shooting… people, architectural details and whatnot.
Mine is a Voigtländer 75mm f2.5 Color Heliar (Leica L39 screwmount). It’s a lens I find myself almost always carrying because it’s small, light (220g), has great image quality and is a lot of fun to shoot with.
It’s also black and the lens hood was included… all at no extra charge!
Mymaco
8 months ago |Reese, some posts ago I asked you infos concerning your voigtländer 25mm: how is it? I already own the PanaLeica 25mm and I’m obviously happy with it, but I don’t want a double lens. I know Voigty quality since I already have the 17,5mm.
Mr. Reeee
8 months ago |Sorry, I guess I missed your earlier post.
Honestly it’s a really great lens. I’m not a sharpness-at-all-costs fanatic, but it’s very sharp, even wide open and has very good, rich color and a really nice analogue kind of character to it. I just love using it and the images I get from it. I do a lot of shooting at night and have never had issues with it at f2.5.
It has that solid Voigtländer build and feel to it, too. For me, they way a camera and lens handle is a critical part of the shooting process. I’m just an MF kind of a guy.
Unfortunately, it’s no longer in production. I got the last one new from http://www.cameraquest.com for $489 (+ a $20 adaptor from Rainbow Imaging). I’ve seen them used from KEH for about $300.
Recently, they somehow “found” a few more and jacked up the price to $689. Ouch! At that price, I might go for the newer Voigtländer 75mm f1.8 ($715), which is almost exactly the same design and size of the Nokton 25mm (pretty much my favorite lens).
But the size, handling and image quality of the 2.5 are really great and a good match for M4/3 cameras.
My rig:
http://g1.img-dpreview.com/3089893FD46E43BD8D0B0789AECC4A17.jpg
http://g3.img-dpreview.com/DF86A6EECA974F58A1CC88147E180870.jpg
Mymaco
8 months ago |Are you talking about the Voigty 25mm? That’s the one I’m interest in. Thank you again!
Mr. Reeee
8 months ago |Since the discussion was about the Oly 75mm, I assumed…
Guess I failed Reading Comprehension 101.
No, I was talking about the 75mm, the 25mm is better. The Nokton 25mm is fantastic. If you have the 17.5mm, then you know what I mean.
homer
8 months ago |Graphs are made with photos people, learn to read them, theres a million things to do in post to make “real world” photos look fantastic, there’s also a million to make them look bad. I really appreciate test sites.
Stravinsky
8 months ago |I really want this lens. I have no use for it. Unless I use it for flowers and bugs
Mark Patterson
8 months ago |No, it’s not a macro lens. It’s magnification ratio is only 0.1. If you want to capture that sort of thing, wait for the 60mm f/2.8 macro coming out soon, with a magnification ratio of 1.0.
Stravinsky
8 months ago |Unfortunately, or mostly fortunately, I still have my Oly 50 2.0 macro, so really have no reason to buy the 75. But I would still love to hold it.
Dugo
8 months ago |Wow, no wonder lens makers love photographers going gaga over these simple lenses. They cost less money to design and manufacturer than comparable zoom lenses would cost, and yet, Olympus and Panasonic are happily selling them for more money than any rhyme or reason would dictate.
Over US$1,000 for a single focal camera lens that only covers a modest 21.64mm image circle? Wow, sounds like another “must have lens” and a “superb deal” to boot for M4/3rders.
Dugo's Mom
8 months ago |Dugo, get back in your cage you silly TROLL, no lunch for you!
ronnbot
8 months ago |So you’re a lens expert? Do you know that regardless of the projected image circle, the minimum aperture diameter for a given focal lens and f-stop is the same? And, for systems with shorter flange distance like mirrorless, it is harder to make lenses with longer focal lengths small. So, it is actually less simple to design tele lenses for m4/3, especially with optical performance such as this. This is so much better optically and build-wise than my Canon 85/1.8. The list price of this new lens is also reasonable if you recall the list prices of the Canon 135/2 ($1800) and 100/2 ($790) for FF and APS-C equivalents.
Dugo
8 months ago |I am not as much a lens expert, as an expert of recognizing when people might get ripped-off bad, and some of them not even realizing it.
I find it nonsensical comparing Micro 4/3 lenses and sensors to full-frame 135 lenses and sensors — after all, the total sensor and image area of a 36x24mm FF sensor is almost 4-times as large as for M4/3, wow. Image circle diagonal is over 2x as long for FF as for M4/3. too.
Now, regarding APS-C sensors and lenses, those would lend themselves to better comparisons. B&H does not sell any 100mm/F2 Canon lenses for APS-C sensor cameras. In fact, they don’t sell any 100mm focal length lenses for APS-C sensor cameras, period.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?atclk=Lens+Format_APS-C+Lenses&ci=274&N=4288584247+4108103536
They do have 85mm and 200mm lenses for APS-C DX format cameras, but nothing doing w. F2.0 maximum open aperture. However, if what you say is true and if M4/3 lenses do indeed costs more to make because of the technical issues you have raised, then everyone contemplating into the M4/3 form factor better become aware of this, as I am presently trying to do. You see, I am not yet married into M4/3 and presently am debating whether or not I should take the plunge. I am debating between 1-inch size sensors, on the one hand, and APS-C, on the other.
Mr. Reeee
8 months ago |Some valid points. Although, “ripping off” is a bit inflammatory. Just remember that Oly fanbois are very sensitive, so be careful what you say around them, they’re easily wounded and provoked.
As an interesting exercise, try comparing the equivalent focal length, either 135mm or better yet, 150mm.
Here are three 135mm f2 lenses.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?atclk=Lens+Mount_Canon+EOS&ci=274&N=4288584247+4261208108+4108103567
And several 150mm f2.8
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=150mm+f2&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=
Note that there’s an Olympus 150mm f2.0 ED lens for $2500. Is that thievery or just a fucking great lens?
I vote the latter.
Jed
8 months ago |Wow. You really are thick.
ronnbot
8 months ago |“B&H does not sell any 100mm/F2 Canon lenses for APS-C sensor”
That’s because Canon doesn’t make a lot of EF-S lenses – only about 10, which are mostly slow zooms, and none are faster than f/2.8. Anyway, Canon does make a 100/2 EF lens that you can obviously mount on a cropped body and it’ll be equivalent to the 75/1.8 in terms for FoV and brightness:
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-100mm-Telephoto-Lens-Cameras/dp/B00009USVW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1349674323&sr=8-3&keywords=canon+100mm
I’m not knocking Canon; I’ve shot Canon. It’s just that, unless you get their FF body, you’re pretty much screwed with lenses. That is, suck it up and buy the larger/pricier EF lenses for your APS-C body to get the FoV you want or go third party.
E.g. if you want a fast normal on your Rebel, get the 28/1.8 or 35/1.4, which is kind of a waste; or get the Sigma 35/1.4. On m4/3, you can get the 20/1.7 or 25/1.4; I have the former and it’s great. Same thing if you want a short tele for portraits/candid shots. I’ve used the 50/1.8 II EF, but it’s crap wide open. I also have the Olympus 45/1.8, which is so much better (very sharp from f/1.8) and totally worth it even when bought at it’s MSRP. The 2 Oly zooms I have, the 9-18mm and 14-150mm, are decent but wouldn’t pay the list price for them and didn’t; bought on sale for less than $500 each.
Admittedly, the 75/1.8 has a steep price, but it’s not ridiculous as the build quality is there and the optical quality seem to be there even based on a few early reviews. I may not get it mostly because I don’t need a lens dedicated to that FL but it’s nice to have that option as I may change my mind later.
I will, however, most likely get the Olympus 60/2.8 macro; it seems pretty good for the price.
Dugo
8 months ago |Thanks for the useful heads-up, ronnbot!
Wow, $464 for a CANON 100mm F2.0 lens, wow. What is the 75mm/F1.8 Olympus lens made out of, platinum?
Also, I am not getting the silver color scheme of these lenses, I had though silver colored lenses went out with the 1960s. Since Panasonic M4/3 cameras are BLACK in color, putting a silver lens on a black body would tell everyone you had just come from the local flea market.
Problem with getting into a M4/3 body like the Lumix DMC-GH3 is the lens availability — rather limited and pricey. Since the Olympus lenses are not readily interchangeable with the Panasonic lenses (autofocusing, built-in optical stabilization versus none at all, etc). So, Panasonic lenses at any price demanded and now, a few 3rd party jobs, none of which are even zooms. If someone likes zooming and shooting videos, Micro 4/3 is probably not the ideal form factor for that to happen at a reasonable cost.
I guess we could use an adapter on the camera and then use APS-C lenses on the GH3 or G5, those are better, cover a larger sensor area, and are cheaper to to buy, too. But then, you will be adding additional cropping factor, so your UWA perspectives will be still jeopardized. I would never use FF 135 sensor lenses on M4/3 bodied cameras, a totally bad match-up overall.
Looking at the new Panasonic 35-100mm/F2.8 lens priced at a whopping $1,500, it is readily obvious that lenses for Micro 4/3 sensor cameras are some of the most expensive lenses out there, save for some full-frame 135 optics and for Super 35 coverage cinema optics (with Arri PL-mount). The sensor of M4/3rd may be small, just not the accompanying prices of the M4/3 lenses.
elflord
8 months ago |It’s not true that lenses aren’t interchangeable (I use the 45mm f/1.8 on a panasonic camera for example).
Most of theses “comparisons” between different format lenses are flawed and the 100mm f/2 vs 75mm f/1.8 is one of them. The 100mm f/2 is an older lens.
Generally, newer lenses carry a steep early adopter premium, and it just happens that all m43 lenses are no more than a few years old, and some are very new. The very new ones are a bit pricy.
It’s true that you’ll do better with cheap fast zooms on APS-C.
I don’t agree with the comment about video though — if you like video, m43 cameras are an excellent choice.
sadwitch
8 months ago |I too have used the canon EF 100mm F2 on a APS-c body. Spec and price wise it’s incredible. But in actual use, I don’t have any shots I took with that lens that have blow my mind or leave a lasting impression and at F2, this lens is rather soft. Its was a so-so lens with tendency of front or back focus issues and the build quality is nowhere near the ZD 75mm f1.8. The opposite can be said when i first got my ZD 45mm f1.8, it just delivers.
Kyle
8 months ago |Here is my first set of shots taken with the 75mm 1.8 at Nuit Blanche, Toronto: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjCjAgNV
Ulli
8 months ago |very nice!
nonmod
8 months ago |moderation takes so long
but if i remove my name & email, its here instantly lol
-Ulli-
admin
8 months ago |veeery weird. Be patient. We will do a complete wordpress reinstallation on a anew server in 10 days. As long as I know the current instalaltion made a mess on the comment approval system. hope this step removes it
Tim van Vliet
8 months ago |http://www.fotodevakman.nl/objectieven-en-flitsers/olympus-m-zuiko-digital-ed-60mm-1-2-8-zwart.html
The new 60mm for sale and in stock.
Just wanted to let you guys know.
Too expensive for me after the 75mm 1.8.
Grtz.
nabruneau
8 months ago |Have not seen this hood listed on the site. This is for the 45 and there is a 75mm coming.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LIMS-SAH-SE37S1-Aluminum-Metal-Lens-Hood-OLYMPUS-M-ZUIKO-DIGITAL-45mm-F1-8-/261075236466