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45mm F1.8 Olympus topic
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    image

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    Product page:

    http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1569


    Available:

    eBay had lowest prices.

    * http://www.ebay.com/ctg/Olympus-MZuiko-ED-45mm-f-18-Lens-/111952406?_refkw=olympus+45mm&_pcatid=783&_pcategid=78997&_dmpt=Camera_Lenses&_dashexp=1
    * http://www.amazon.com/Olympus-Zuiko-Digital-Thirds-Cameras/dp/B0058PL9QG/

    Reviews:

    http://robinwong.blogspot.com/2011/08/olympus-mzuiko-45mm-f18-review-petaling.html

    Review in english - http://www.lenstip.com/index.php?test=obiektywu&test_ob=316
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  • 122 Replies sorted by
  • GreenidgeGreenidge
    The results from this lens look great, The price is not that bad either. I'd love to have this one replace my current Zeiss Ikon Ultron 50mm f1.8 which is a beautiful lens but i have to use it with a M42 to M43 adapter which is not ideal in some situations, This should be a good addition to my GH2 & Voigtlander 25mm kit. Can't wait for this lens to be available in India.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev


    Via: http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2011/10/01/the-olympus-45-1-8-micro-43-lens-review-by-steve-huff/
  • DrDaveDrDave
    This one is on my list. I was initially skeptical, as some of the online photos looked a bit soft--including the ones in the Huff review--but the MTF numbers are very good, better than the the 12mm which is much more expensive. Bokeh looks decent. Hoping for a holiday sale.
  • Kount_MichulaKount_Michula
    I picked this lens up a couple of days ago. My initial impressions are very positive.

    I attach a PNG frame grab. The image is shot using Dynamic B&W Film Mode at 1/50th sec. wide open at F1.8. I am also using a LCW Fader ND. Also, I am using CBrandin's 66M setting.
    45mm portrait.png
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  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
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    http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.peterlueck.com%2Ffotografie%2Freview-olympus-m-zuiko-45mm-f1-8%2F
  • driftwooddriftwood
    OMG new beauties :-)
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    Another review:
    http://www.ephotozine.com/article/olympus-45mm-f-1-8-zuiko-digital-micro-four-thirds-lens-review-17667

    Some charts from it:

    image

    image
    45mm_chart1.jpg
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  • DrDaveDrDave
    The Olympus 45mm F/1.8 was in stock at Bhphoto. Lens was not well packed, but arrived in good condition. Here's my short review.
    It is an odd shaped lens, I have the silver one and it looks a bit Flash Gordon on the Gh1 or GH2. Comes with a tiny sliver of a lens cap. Also, it is really a snug fit. Better snug than loose, but it is pretty snug. I had some trepidation ordering it as I have already two 50mm primes that are very good, and I imagine that is a typical situation for M4/3 owners. So is it worth it, for the autofocus, and lightness? In a word, yes. Five minutes with this lens and you are convinced: this is a special lens. It is sharp enough, even wide open, but what really jumps out is the color and the contrast. The combination of the sharpness with the color and contrast is a winning combination. Nice bokeh. Focusing on the GH cams is fast enough but I expected faster--I'm sure it is faster on the Olympus. Anyway, fast enough. And quiet and very smooth.
    After more than a year with the 20mm, the 45 is quite a difference. You find yourself walking backwards. It won't fit on your pocket, but fits fine in a small case. Build quality is good.
    I'll try to post some vid comparing the 45mm to some legacy 50mm lenses next week.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    @DrDave

    New primes really make me wish to spend more time on sound driven follow focus idea.
    If we could make it work...
  • DrDaveDrDave
    I'm testing this lens on the GH13 now and I'll do some on the GH2 as well. First impressions on the GH13 is the 45mm and the GH13 gives you real sharpness and also real low noise at ISO 100. It is a very interesting effect, very real looking. The high sharpness and contrast of the lens makes it look a bit more like the GH2 without the tiny bit of extra noise. Of course, the GH2 may be even better......
  • DrDaveDrDave
    Shot 5 hours of video in a concert setting with some different lenses. If you are looking for something that is similar to the Olympus 45mm, take a look at the legacy Vivitar 55mm macro. No autofocus, only F/2.8, but does full macro and looked similar in color, contrast and sharpness at a distance of 50 feet. I paid $12 for my copy on eBay. The main differences were the 55vs 45, the sharpness at the very edges of the frame, and, of course, the fact the the Olly is reasonably sharp at F/1.8. Of course there are any number of 50mm legacy lenses that are even closer in focal length--and very attractively priced--but the Vivitar does look sort of Olly like in rendition. So this raises I think the important question about this lens, which is, for video, are you better off--for a similar investment--buying a complete set of sharp primes than the Olly 45? I'm not sending it back, but investment wise I think it is important to have a range of primes first, as the IQ is similar and the price can't be beat. For travel, the 45 is a nice lens to have. Not pancake, not pocketable, but lightweight, zippy, and takes great photos.
  • fatpigfatpig
    @Vitaliy_Kiselev: If sound driven FF would work, how would one go about using it? Create an app for mobile phone which does different pitch for different focusing, and connect via normal audio cable?
  • alcomposeralcomposer
    @fatpig or maybe a $10 signal generator kit from sparkfun or ebay? (Attached to a rotary pot with a NICE large Focus Knob!) mmm
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    @alcomposer

    I am not big fan of DIY.
    If we'll make it work I am sure that we'll have proper firm producing necessary attachment.
    With ability to connect to laptop also.
    Add here Kinect, and you could do complex focus tracking.
  • alcomposeralcomposer
    @Vitaliy_Kiselev

    I agree that an iphone/whatever device will work and be FANTASTIC.

    I am sure that TrusMT will bring out something once it is something that is working on Ptool end- (and how- frequency/amplitude/phase/whatever) as TrusMT already have a prototype electronic FF! So probably not that hard to change over to a mini jack or whatever.

    As for DIY if you are able- there would be no way to 'stop' anyone from completing such project- once the protocol is decided upon. There are TONES of these online for Canon etc.

    One aspect of this hack @VK which would be interesting to discuss (if it hasn't already) is to work out the feasibility of using a small computer (MacMini size) to capture HDMI (once working) to pull focus (audio out with possibility to track focus with Machine Vision software-Kinect sensor) and to also control the GH2 over USB.

    The first 2 I know you have/are/will work on - but I believe that the USB control is not something that is possible? Shame really- as you are already discussing adding a Kinect into the works- that such device can 'only' pull focus and not also control ISO - shutter - etc...

    Just my 2 cents...
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    This is better than 90%(may be more) of 50mm manual lenses considering abberations and sharpness.
    But build quality is, of course much worse. It is plastic, and cheaper plastic than panasonic lenses.
  • AmandaNLAmandaNL
    Mine is now 2 months in backorder @ Recoon :(
    It's 232,50 euro @ Redcoon......
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    @AmandaNL

    Look at ebay, it is available cheaper and with fast woldwide delivery from Korean guys.
    You'll get it in 3-5 days.
  • RamboRambo
    No OIS is the killer for me.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    >No OIS is the killer for me.

    No OIS is ok.
    If you are shooting portraits or interviews.
    Plus all manual 50mm also do not have OIS.
  • RamboRambo
    True, but most 50mm were designed for full frame, with Gh1/2 that becomes approx 90mm. That makes it tough hand held.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    Yep.
    But still, most manual glass are much worse wide open :-)
    And I don't know any old manual lens with comparable low abberations.
  • RamboRambo
    And it has more contrast/less flare in outdoor conditions than FD's, i like that and probably the reason i will buy it.
  • stoneystoney
    I've been searching for short tele lenses. Olympus 45mm 1.8 is looking fine fine fine.

    Many fast nifty-fifty and short tele primes are soft at max aperture. Some give busy bokeh which seems quite distracting. Non-electronic-m43 lenses get no distortion correction, and non-m43 lenses have longer minimum focus distance.

    The 45mm 1.8 is sharp at 1.8 and gives good bokeh. Also it has very low distortion which is the most important thing to me at this focal length. The low distortion will help me get close-up face shot without any noticeable distortion. The lens's minimum focus distance is 50cm which is a lot shorter than non m43 short tele lenses.

    Fast AF sounds nice, but I don't think this lens supports AFC well. The fly-by-wire focus ring... doesn't seem like a showstopper at this focal length. Even with a shoulder rig, I wouldn't wanna leave both hands from the handles to reduce the shake. Leica 45mm 2.8 is the fastest m43 lens with OIS, but it's "only" 2.8 about twice more expensive. Compared to Leica 45mm 2.8, the upcoming 35-100X lens "might" have constant 2.8 aperture and Power OIS and supports AFC. But the X zoom is... again only 2.8 and a lot more expensive than this Oly lens.

    Really hope the price goes below $300....
  • sohussohus
    It can be found for 259 EURO in The Netherlands. I don't think the price will drop, this lens is too cheap already. Could easily be $100 extra. There is only one thing that bothers me: fly-by-wire. I just hate it. Imagine how great the m43 system would be if all the lenses had proper focus rings. I think that is the niche for companies like Voigtlaender, Schneider Kreuznach, PL, Zeiss, Sigma, Tamron to jump in. They are slow to realize that.
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