Two new reviews to confirm the new Oly 75mm lens is perfectly…boring ;)
Before to to start, the E-M5 with 14-42mm lens is right now in Stock at Amazon (Click here), and so the E_m5 + 12-50mm kit again at Amazon (Click here). That said let’s go back to the “boring” news! The german Digitalkamera (Tranlsation here) and the japanese DC.watch (Translation here) websites posted a new Olympus 75mm lens review. Conclusion? Boring easy…the lens is almost perfect! If you need a lens of that focal length just buy it! 
It’s the same conclusion we read at Lensrentals, DSLRmagazine (Translation here), Robin Wong (part two) , Robin Wong (part one), Pekka Potka and SLRgear.
There is another good news. US stores will start shipping your preordered lens tomorrow: Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), J&R(Click here) and BHphoto (Click here).
Also in Europe Amazon Germany (Click here), Amazon UK (Click here), Amazon France (Click here) and Amazon Italy (Click here) will very likely ship the lens by end of the month.
In Asia it’s already available at Amazon Japan, Digitalrev and on eBay.
Bob B.
11 months ago |I would buy it…if there were any to buy in the US?
tmrgrs
11 months ago |There is nothing in the Amazon, Adorama & B&H links that says that they’re shipping tomorrow on the 20th. I’m registered for automatic notification from B&H for when they have it in stock and haven’t received any notification. I’m one of the very first to preorder with Olympus USA’s online store (morning of May 24th) and have not received any messages from them since I placed my order. Are you sure admin that they’re really shipping tomorrow?
admin
11 months ago |Please check again: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/867365-REG/Olympus_75mm_f_1_8_M_Zuiko.html/BI/4499/KBID/4968. You see the availability message?
tmrgrs
11 months ago |That expected availability message has been there for weeks. I doubt that they’d actually have it tomorrow if the source (Olympus USA) doesn’t already have it today. Just my opinion – but we’ll see soon enough.
admin
11 months ago |Believe me, shipping tomorrow!
mister_roboto
11 months ago |I want to believe
I’ve had it on pre-order since May as well.
Bob B.
11 months ago |My info tells me that they will most likely have the lens to ship sometime next week.
theDA
11 months ago |make it black
mister_roboto
11 months ago |really, people want it in black? First I’ve head of that
Bob B.
11 months ago |Looks and performs awesomely …just the way it is!!!!!! If it has to be black for someone to purchase it…then the buyer really doesn’t need it to take incredible photos…He just wants his purse to match his shoes! No?
Vlad
11 months ago |Well, we do choose our furniture to look good, why not the camera?
mister_roboto
11 months ago |I hear gaffers tape comes in black
FT1 - probably fake rumor
11 months ago |+ 100%! make it black
inis44
11 months ago |Hehe… news’ title reminds me today’s Garfield
D: “Bark”
G: “Is that it?”
D: “That’s all I had prepared”
G: “Can’t you ad-lib something?”
awaler
11 months ago |Some time ago, even Mr. Jagger gave advice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXwPLovHekw
Bob B.
11 months ago |hmmm….that is not surprising…because Mick DEFINITELY does have a purse! LOL!
esrhan
11 months ago |I can’t help but hear all this praise for this lens and wonder, how exactly does it make the Panasonic 12-35mm X lens look from a cost point of view in comparison? The better this lens performs the more expensive the Panasonic lens comes off as…
Bart
11 months ago |Doesn’t compare because the 12-35 is a high quality zoom lens. Functionally this adds quite a bit of flexibility, and in design it makes things a lot more complex and expensive.
Correcting aberrations for a fixed focal length is a lot easier and cheaper then doing this for a focal length range.
The 12-35 has a smaller aperture, and can make do with somewhat smaller elements probably, but it needs more elements and also more exotic ones to provide the kind of quality that it does.
Both
9 months ago |The 12-35mm f/2.8 by Panasonic performs excellently. Good sharpness and contrast. This is a completely different lens then the Olympus 75mm f/1.8. You just can’t compare the two. Different aperture and focal lenghts. They can however complement each other.
The Master
11 months ago |I think some people here are ill informed. First of all, black lenses are the norm and do not really draw attention. Those that seek attention use bright, shiny colors. Olympus wants attention, so they are making people pay to draw attention to their gear. Me I just want to take pictures, I’m not into doing free advertising for the gangsters at Olympus. Don’t be so stupid, try to think things through, before you buy, or look like an idiot, without a clue – your choice.
BLI
11 months ago |So people who do not agree with you are either ill-informed or stupid? Seems like a very narrow-minded view based on very limited experience.
* if it is dark, it hardly matters
* if you are on the beach, or in tourist areas, many people dress colorful/in shining outfits — a light/silver lens will not be seen as something special
* if you are skiiing, the majority dress in red or some other colorful thing
* if you are wearing a white/light dress/T-shirt, a black lens will stick out
* etc, etc
Yes, if you are trying to hide in a sunny day with a silver lens, sun reflections may give you away to animals/birds/stalked actors/etc. The 75/1.8 lens is not for such occations or for papparazzi-people. “…black lenses are the norm…” — I couldn’t care less. No, let me turn it around: statements like that make me really, really want to buy the silver lens. Not to be flashy for its own sake, but to be a pain in the eye of people with such points of view.
mister_roboto
11 months ago |+1K!
Bart
11 months ago |For all I can tell, people respond a lot more to the size of the lens then to its color, so I don’t understand this ‘black is stealthy’ attitude much either.
E-M5 with 45/1.8? People don’t care. Stick on a lens hood? Some people will start responding. Replace with 4/3 14-54? Many more people will take note and respond, replace with 4/3 50-200? People will definitely start moving out of the way. Thats simply what real world experience is telling me again and again and again.
Additionally, that front element is going to cause enough reflections to make the lens color rather irrelevant for stealthiness.
Paulus
11 months ago |Olympus 75mm is not perfect –
It has two impairments: silver and not weather sealed.
Why a black, weather sealed version in addition to the silver line?
The silver 75mm, 12mm and the 45mm are eye-catchers!
This is even the official statement of the Olympus marketing!*
I have to admit – the silver versions are beautiful – perhaps even stylish – at least for Ladies.
If you are one of the “fishing for compliments guys” or a highly narcissistic person you are certainly right with the silver versions.
But many of us need no lifestyle accessories but reliable work horses (weather sealed).
And not an eye-catcher everyone is looking at with the effect that each movement of the photographer is controlled by an omnipresent public.
I have the Olympus 45mm/f1.8. It is a superb lens. The only disadvantage: Everybody is admiring the design of the silver version. In two cases I could not take pictures because interested people asked me about this stylish design icon.
*Official Olympus statement:
http://www.olympus.co.uk/consumer/pen-camera_pen_21693_accessory_m_zuiko_digital_45mm_1_1_8_24771.htm
“…. On top of all this, it looks good too – packaged in a compact body with a subtle metal-like exterior and complete with interchangeable decoration rings to perfectly match the colour of different PEN cameras.”
Perhaps it was my fault to invest in the more professional OM-D E-M5. I didn’t buy a Nikon or a Canon because I was interested in a professional performance in a compact mirror less design. I thought Olympus will provide the quality of the E-5 (or even better) and the famous, weather sealed Zuiko HG and SHG lenses within the new system. But Olympus cheated on me and I got a stranded investment.
Next time I will take a Nikon or a Canon.
henrik
11 months ago |Fully agreed:
A camera that attracts special attention is counterproductive. If you need, get yourself a “stylish” smartphone or bag. But photo equipment, lookwise, should simply be as inobtrusive as possible. The silverish Oly primes clearly fail in that department and thus are not ideal photographic tools
MikeS
11 months ago |Seriously. Silver lenses make street photography practically impossible. Oh wait.
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Arts/Arts_/Pictures/2009/10/22/1256205117212/Henri-Cartier-Bresson-pho-001.jpg
Steve
11 months ago |Yeah, those silver Contax G lenses I used for street photography for years and years were just horrible. (That’s sarcasm, for the slow-witted)
Anyone who seriously thinks the lens color affects their photography is making excuses for their lack of skill – period. Many, many classic lenses were silver. Many classic cameras had silver accents. It doesn’t stop you from taking effective pictures at all. Not one little bit.
BLI
11 months ago |> I have the Olympus 45mm/f1.8. It is a superb lens. The only disadvantage: Everybody is admiring the design of the silver version. In two cases I could not take pictures because interested people asked me about this stylish design icon.
This probably says more about the people you hang around with, than the fact that it is silver colored. I’ve used the 12 and the 45 daily in a big city since November 2011: not a single comment on what it looks like. Am I disappointed? No, I couldn’t care less.
> I have to admit – the silver versions are beautiful – perhaps even stylish – at least for Ladies.
I have no idea about this — in fact, I don’t think in those terms. Doesn’t it make you wonder why you are so preoccupied with this?
jules
11 months ago |Many canon-L are white.
No one complains.
simonl
11 months ago |Not true. Many people have complained about wanting L lenses in black – they’ve just given up years ago.
tmrgrs
11 months ago |You’re wrong. Most photographers who use L lenses want quality images and generally don’t care at all one way or another about the white color.
Bob B.
11 months ago |If the lens is the top shelf…Like the Canon L tele’s ..REAL photographers do not care if they are white, silver or black. And if they know they will be out shooting in the sun a lot like say Surfing photographers, Golf etc…white is all the better …reflects the heat. People and clients are looking at their images…not “what color the lens was”????????????????? Too funny….I think a lot of the chatter in here about the color of this lens is just sour grapes..nothing more.
Fred
11 months ago |You’re right about white Canon lens, but one of the m43 strengths is to have a small and stealth camera for street photography or to avoid robbers (this is one of the biggest reasons I went for m43 system). A shinny silver lens doesn’t help much for that. I really don’t care about aesthetics.
jules
11 months ago |Well, they are white and they sell.
Too bad we are not in a perfect world.
Paulus
11 months ago |BLI:
…. I have no idea about this — in fact, I don’t think in those terms. Doesn’t it make you wonder why you are so preoccupied with this?”
I am absolutely not preoccupied with this!
I voted for a professional Olympus Micro Four Thirds in November 2008 in several emails to the Olympus Corporation.
I believe that some of my ideas could have an influence for the development of the OM-D E-M5.
But you can take it for granted that the ideas and comments of all “43rumors-Members” and the outstanding work of our ADMIN had certainly a heavy effect for the launch of the innovative products of Olympus and Panasonic – and even for the competition.
That is the reason I believe in the power of the internet for getting products we customers want.
It is one reason for the existence and the success of http://www.43rumors.com.
It is not too late for black, weather sealed 12mm, 17mm, 45mm and 75mm High Grade m.Zuiko lenses.
Here are some of the proposals I summarized at http://www.43rumors.com March 19, 2010:
http://www.43rumors.com/what-are-your-questions-to-olympus/
Paulus:
3 years ago | Reply
Dear all,
“here are my questions to Olympus:
Will the “E-4″,”E-5″, “EM-1″ will be the long awaited mirrorless camera for the 3/4 and the MFT-Standard (flexible integrated adapter system – super flexible camera design?)
Will it have the size, weight and ergonomic quality of the Olympus E-620?
Phase detection and contrast autofocus-ability?
Fastest autofocus for Zuiko and M.Zuiko lenses
Full HD-Video 1920 x 1080 progessive, 50/60fps, H264, AVCHD?
No time limitation for Full-HD-Videos – 4 hours AVCHD on a 32 GB SDHC-Card?
Double memory slot for SDHC-, CF-, SDXC-Cards ..?
GPS-Modul?, Geotags (Google Earth, Microsoft Maps)?
Professional M.Zuiko 12-75 mm/F2.5-3,3 like Panasonic or even faster with motor zoom for video – zoom-controller on the “E-5″ (for example like the Olympus C 8080 Widezoom?)
Dynamic autofocus for HD-Video
Superior LCD-resolution?
A second wireless Telecontrol-LCD with shutter release (simultanous mobile phone, mp3-player, voice recorder, picture viewer (slot fpr SDHC-, SDXC-cards), mobil-TV … perhaps in cooperation with Pansonic – one product for Olympus and Panasonic cameras?)
Bluetooth compatibilty 3.0 and wireless-lan photo transfer to windows mobile, apple ipod, blackberry, symbian, android and palm os for instant image transfer by mobile phone/WIFI?
special olympus software for camera and video controll, which runs on all that operating systems and on windows, apple and linux platforms?
Highspeed USB 3.0? (upwards compatility)
15 MP Sensor (or more) ?
Better low-light sensivity?
Superior image stabilization ?
Superior live view?
Sequential shooting speed approx. 5 – 8 frames/sec.?
Wireless flash controll via integrated flash?
Splash Proof?
Dust Proof?
External microphone input for HD-Video (perhaps even for bluetooth microphones)?
Earphone output?
HDMI-Output?
Will there be a clear roadmap for future camera and lenses for one integrated Olympus-System (3/4 and MFT in one system?)
Till now there is no real and believable investment protection perspective for Olympus consumers, but much confusing information about the future of Four Thirds – which in my opinion leads to market share losses to Panasonic, Samsung NX, Sony, Canon and Nikon
By the way: Art filters are not a must and no substitution for better image quality!
Best Regards
Paulus”
The Master
11 months ago |@ BLI….. Well, I think you should buy one, in fact, I think you should buy two. Put one on your camera, and well, you know where to put the other one. That way, you can be a fashion statement, from both ends.
E-1
11 months ago |Hey, he’s “The Master”!
beautemps
11 months ago |This lens was for sure invented by Olympus Marketing. It’s a marketing trick to let everybody buy an OMD with IBIS instead of a Panasonic m43. Just a carrot hanging in front of your camera body. An permenant option that most of us will never take.
BLI
11 months ago |Eh?? What are you trying to say?
BLI
11 months ago |Somehow, the translation of the Japanese review made me hungry…
Bob B.
11 months ago |Whoah…..did you see the full size image of the first shot of the model at f/1.8 in the DC Watch review? I cannot believe how sharp this lens is wide open….look at her eye and in-focus hair. Its amazing. This truly is the best looking and performing MFT lens to date!!!!!!!! No doubt!
BLI
11 months ago |I don’t know if it is the picture or the image quality, but it reminded me of a 25 year old song…
‘ Along came a young girl
She’s pretty as a prayer book
Sweet as an apple on Christmas day
I said, “Good gracious can this be my luck?
If that’s my prayer book
Lord, let us pray” ‘
–
But where, oh where can I get hold of it?
avds
11 months ago |Yes, indeed! It’s almost like they placed a scanner next to the model’s face
Curious choice of priority for a portrait lens, but surely Olympus only intended it to be part-time portrait and part-time everything else lens.
Bob B.
11 months ago |A lens this good inspires you to find ways to use it!
TTTulio
11 months ago |Can someone adapt it to Leica M mount?
Yun
11 months ago |Good reviews but it didn’t mentioned if the sharpness of 75mm beat the famous 45mm .
This is what I want to know . It should edge it .
No doubt , this is a very great lens but the price also great too .
For me , I really need that focal length so I’ll get it .
Abraham
11 months ago |I want mine
I am waiting as patiently as I can! Do you know if Canada will be shipping around the same time as the US?