PC Mag tested the new 90mm macro and concluded:
The M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm F3.5 Macro IS PRO lens hones in on the smallest details for otherworldly macros and comes with the all-weather construction we expect from OM System.
Preorders:
90mm at BHphoto, Amazon US&EU, Adorama, FotoErhardt, Fotokoch, WexUK.
Preorders: 90mm at BHphoto, Amazon US&EU, Adorama, FotoErhardt, Fotokoch, WexUK.
Amateur Photographer reviewed the new lens and concluded:
Being as lightweight as it is for the focal length reminds us of the benefits of Micro Four Thirds, and for “field macro” photographers it’s an absolute dream. Of course, all of this doesn’t come cheap, and this lens will set you back a pretty penny, but, if you get a lot of use out of it, it may very well be money well spent.
Preorders: 90mm at BHphoto, Amazon US&EU, Adorama, FotoErhardt, Fotokoch, WexUK.
Photographylife reviewed the new lens and concluded:
I was excited to work with a 2:1 macro lens optimized for Micro Four Thirds cameras, because I believe it serves as a reminder that the Micro Four Thirds format should not be slept on. Despite having limitations due to the smaller sensor size, the format has its advantages, and macro photography is one of them. You can fill the frame with tiny subjects more easily with the OM System 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO than any other camera + lens combo on the market today.
Optically, I haven’t experienced any significant weaknesses on the 90mm f/3.5 Macro. The sharpness is breathtaking, even compared to the M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8 Macro that has always been my sharpest lens. Not to mention that the working distance of this lens is comfortable, and the image stabilization works as it should.
My biggest criticisms of the lens both involve focusing. First, the ergonomics of focusing with this lens are peculiar due to the unusual focus limiter options and the lack of an autofocus/manual focus locking mechanism. Second, although the lens is quick to focus on distant subjects, it’s slower than most macro lenses at close-focusing distances. This is largely due to the additional 2:1 magnification that causes the AF system to hunt a bit more extensively.
As for the price, at $1500, it’s a good value but still more expensive than the alternatives. I think it’s worth it compared to the M.Zuiko 60mm f/2.8, even if you’re not using 2:1 magnification, thanks to the better working distance. But if you don’t need these benefits, you can save some money with other macro alternatives for Micro Four Thirds.
In short, the OM System 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO is an exceptionally sharp, high-performing macro lens with great usability due to the large working distance. Once you adapt to the peculiarities of focusing with this lens, it’s hard to beat – and I’d say it’s stolen the crown as the ultimate macro lens for the Micro Four Thirds system.
OM-1 store links:
OM-1 at BHphoto, Adorama, Amazon. GetOlympus.
OM-1 in EU at Calumet DE. Fotokoch DE. Wex UK. Olympus DE, Olympus UK, Olympus FR, Olympus IT, Olympus ES. Olympus NL. Olympus BE. Olympus AT. Olympus CH.
The OM-5’s balance between durability, capability, and portability is hard to match anywhere in the photography world. Although it lacks bleeding-edge performance, for the money this model gives beginners a lot of bang for the buck. It can take great-looking stills, has some of OM System’s famed computational photography features, and can shoot good enough video in a pinch, all while snapping away in snow and rain.
OM-5 at Bhphoto, Amazon, Adorama, GetOlympus. Amazon EU, FotoKoch, FotoErhardt, WexUK.
Preorders: 90mm at BHphoto, Amazon US&EU, Adorama, FotoErhardt, Fotokoch, WexUK.
Lenstip reviewed the new OM 90mm macro lens and concluded:
Our resolution test showed clearly that the lens has to be closed down by 1-1.5 EV to reach the peak of its performance. It means that the macro scale and the maximum performance needs an effective aperture f/8-11 so you will have to tolerate just decent resolution values near 55-65 lpmm at most. They are very far from record values amounting to 95-100 lpmm that are possible to achieve in the Micro 4/3 system.
In other words, the decision of using the f/3.5 aperture means potential users will profit from only a bit over a half of resolution that can be offered by this system.
Another misconception is a recommendation for photographers to attach the OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 90 mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO to a teleconverter. We are tempted by an impressive 4:1 mapping scale but nobody mentions the fact that working in its proximity you can count on the maximum effective aperture of f/16. By f/16 the Micro 4/3 system is simply useless because it provides resolution on a level of just 40-42 lpmm. Indeed, even such values are unattainable because it’s a diffraction limit for this aperture. Meanwhile for this set it constitutes the maximum relative aperture which has to be closed down by 1-3 EV in order to achieve the peak of the performance. It means in turn you would have to employ f/22-45 apertures which are completely useless in the case of the Micro 4/3 system.I don’t doubt that a macro lens, designed for the Micro 4/3 system, that is supposed to offer better mappings than 1:1 should be faster than its full frame equivalents. Unfortunately OM Digital Solutions copy mistakes of Olympus and consequently offer slower lenses, destroying all possible assets of the use of a smaller sensor. I fail to understand such a policy…
When it comes to the tested model, so the OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 90 mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO, it performed exactly as we expected, delivering good quality images up from the maximum relative aperture, very good on slight stopping down. Its parameters didn’t allow it to do more but we’ve already covered that topic…
Lenstip is disappointed that OM Digital didn’t make the lens faster. I know it would have been an even bigger lens but maybe this would have made more sense?
