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zuiko lenses on sony alpha body - have finally taken the plunge!


starvy

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<p>i am shooting less these days. less film, even less digital because of time constraints. for the a100, i only have two lenses. the kit lens which was never used beyond the first month, and now what has been attached to it for almost four months - a minolta af28mm lens. i hate zooms but miss the primes i used when using the om4 body. my zuiko range is small - 50mm 1.8, 50mm 1.4, 100mm 2.8. however, i do have sigma and vivitar lenses for om at 19, 24 and 28mm. i miss not being able to use them so much.<br>

one of the most knowledgeable users at the sony/minolta forum pointed me to a specialist adaptor site a few motnhs ago. i noted that the om to minolta af mount was going to be around 45 uk pounds with postage. i was reluctant to spend this. i read the posts here and elsewhere and opinion seems to have been divided. i understands the concern of the sony mount users, the adaptor would take away super steady shot. it would also make the lens 2x in an aps c sensor. stop down metering would also be an inconvenience, plus the manual focus.<br>

i love manual focus. other than my unused sony kit lens and the minolta af, i don't own any non-manul lenses. my other camera is a bessa r rangefinder for which i have older leitz glass, voightlander and fsu lenses, all manual. the om mount lenses are of course manual. i learnt photography on manual om bodies as well as the bare basics rangefinder. surely, manual focus would not deter me nor would the stop down metring?<br>

someone suggested that the adaptor having a rear glass element might take away some of the wonderful aura of the zuiko glass. i don't know if this is true, perhaps someone here would like to confirm it. i am posting this to the olympus forum rather than sony/minolta as there might be more people in my situation here who use zuiko glass on other bodies.<br>

the 2x magnification factor does not bother me too much. my favourite lens on the om4 used to be the zuiko 100 2.8. i am relishing the prospect of walking around with the zuiko 50mm 1.4 on the alpha a100. a friend from the sony forum has kindly put together an older minolta 58mm 1.4 lens to fit in alpha mount. that should come through in a couple of days. so my effective focal range is probably going to be around 85 and 100mm from now on for most photography.<br>

the vivitar 19mm om mount 3.4 lens i have is not 'good'. by zuiko standard is it rubbish, although stopped down at f11 it had produced a few acceptable pictures. i am hoping that this lens would be better than the alpha kit lens. the vivitar 28mm 2.8 lens is acceptable in the middle. somehow, i never liked this so perhaps had only shot two or three rolls since acquiring it over two and half years ago. the sigma 28mm 2.8 lens was my favourite wide. it gave very nice wide portraits of my cat and instantly liked the bokeh! so am looking forward to using that. however, i am sure that this is going to be on par with the present minolta 28af prime, so perhaps i won't be using it that much. i fear that the 24mm might well be something i'd be using more on the alpha. this would be 36mm on aps c. what about the 100 2.8 lens? well, 200mm aps c is not something i had been used to in the past. tele end had never interested me in the past although, at summer festivals and gatherings, i did occasionally yearn for a faster and longer lens. so perhaps, this might well turn out to be that. it is a small lens and even with the adaptor, it should not stick out too much.<br>

i am really excited and am so looking forward to using the om mount lenses again. the 1600 iso black and white film that i put on the om4 about a month ago is still sitting there with the frame counter at 6 or 7. it isn't that i don't like the body so much, but surely it would be nice to be able to use the optics more? if photography is all about taking pictures in an enthusiastic manner, i feel that i am going to step into a brave new world. should you wish me luck or warn me of the impending doom?!?<br>

the blog i read last night about om lenses on a sony a700 is in the link below - http://olympuszuiko.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/olympus-om-mount-lens-on-sony-a700-%E2%80%93-part-i-george-washington-masonic-temple-with-a-zuiko-35-70mm-f4/<br>

the adaptor i have ordered appear to be the same as the user have utilised there.</p>

 

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<p>something i had forgotten to mention and it had not occured to me when making the previous post is that, the adoptor would only allow for zuiko lenses from 50mm to 300mm. the zuiko wides, including the 35mm and 28mm would not work. the aothor of the blog where i came across the info stated that since he did not use third party primes on om mount, he could not test them. i shall have to see how my sigma and vivitar fares. perhaps they won't work after all.</p>
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<p>further to last post, extension tubes could be used to mount wider zuiko lenses, however, one would lose infinity focus. so i won't be trying that i guess. still excited about the 50 and 100mm zuiko lenses though!</p>
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<p>hi patrick, that is what i thought. i am quoting from the gentleman's blog -</p>

<p><em>Note on Zuiko lenses: The Zuiko wide-angle primes have a little projection at the back of the lens that does not allow them to mount on the Bower adapter. I tested the 28mm f/3.5 and 35mm f/2.8. Since I dont have the 24mm or wider lenses, I can’t tell. However, I can use them with a 12mm extension tube - there’s no infinity focus, but they’re great for close-up or macrophotography. Of course, for greater magnification, one can use a 24mm or 36mm extension tube, or a combination. All my other Zuiko prime and Zoom lenses did not have any mounting problems with the Bower adapter. I was able to mount a 50mm f/1.8; 50mm f/1.4; 100mm f/2.8; 30-70mm f/4, 200mm f/4. 135mm f/2.8, 135mm f/3.5, 75-150mm f/4, 100-200mm f5, 300mm f/4.5. I also tested some 3rd party OM mount lenses - the Panagor 90mm f/2.8, Tokina 70-210mm f/3.5 etc. I’ll have some pictures posted soon. </em> </p>

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<p>Gotcha. Yeah they have some kind of tab that probably blocks stray light from reflective surfaces inside the camera... at least thats what I always thought it was for. The 50mm f/1.8 also has this tab, but its rather short. If you REALLY wanted to shoot your wides you could probably file down the tab and paint the ends flat black and be good to go.</p>
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<p>Hmmm interesting. The Sony mount is continued on their full frame body right? I am not saying that old OM lenses are the end all be all, but I really like some of them (some not even Zuiko). I really don't have any plans to go digital any day soon...but when I do I would like to be able to use at least a few of my favorite lenses on the body and I want a full frame sensor (so currently I am leaning toward Canon), but it would also be really nice to have in body stablization...so Sony. I guess I'll just have to keep my eyes peeled over the next few years at the prices of bodies and what the options are for adaptors and what might work.</p>
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<p>hi matthew,<br>

i know of someone who used it on an a700. not sure if they have been used on a900, the full frame version as yet. one thing for sure, a900 is really fussy and demands good optics. zuiko glass should hold its own against the best of nikkor or minolta, howeveer, the backing glass in the adotpor might take away some of the mystique of zuiko. it would be interesting to hear if anyone had used them on full frame bodies.</p>

<p>i shall certainly post results when i have some. the adaptor is no longer in production. so stock is only limited.</p>

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<p>Well, I can always just hold out hope, that some day, eventually, maybe Olympus will or will be able to enter the full frame game with a mount that will accept OM lenses and focus to infinity (do I smell a 40th anniversery OM-d??? As in digital).<br>

Ah well. I guess I could always just take the plunge on a 5d some day.</p>

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<p>price always seems to be an issue with me. i have only been able to use zuiko and om gear since they were acquired second hand at very affordable prices. had i been of age in the seventies or even eighties, i dare say i'd have been able to afford the new stuff. i've really enjoyed using the battered old om4 body and the 100 2.8 a lot. so when the adaptor turns up tomorrow, i hope it is tomorrow as then i could use it on sunday, i am going to have so much fun with the a100 and my om gear :)<br>

the only problem with the sony gear is the propreitary flash mount. they want you to buy their own flashes!</p>

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<p>Matthew Newton , im sure wer probably going to see somone make a ful frame sensor on a EVF interchangable lens camera before Oly comes out with a Ful Frame SLR. I think they are pretty much set on the 4/3 Digital camera so thats their sensor of choise. But the way the Micro 4/3 is made, Samsung is dooing a similar camera with an Aps sensor and with no mirror box and an extreamly short flang distance im sure all legasy lenses can be adapted to it without an adapter that uses a corrective lens. That camera is slated for next year. And im sure some othere company in anothere year or two after that will make a Fulframe version so dont throw out any old glass</p>
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<p>I saw that Samsung camera. It looks interesting. A full frame EVF with sensor stabalization would be interesting.<br>

For me I love the OM line of cameras. They are just so compact, lovely looking and just feel right in my hands. I have quite a few lenses these days (most 3rd party) and slowly collecting more. For me the 4 'really, really want some day' lenses are the Sigma 14mm f/3.5, Zuiko 21mm f/2, Zuiko 50mm f/1.2 and Zuiko 85mm f/2. I am going to take the plunge on a Zuiko 85mm f/2 soon (in the next few weeks). I am trying to get one of the later versions with the 'new' multicoating as they seem to be the sharpest (kind of like the late versions of the 50/1.4).<br>

I will deffinitely say there is just something about an OM body with one of the little lenses on it (mostly Zuiko, but the Tamron 28/2.5 and Sigma 24/2.8 are also real pleasures). I find the more I am expanding my options for use because I acquire more lenses the more I find that I am just using my Zuiko 50/1.4 and Tamron 28/2.5. I'd wager a guess once I get an 85/2 that those 3 lenses will probably see 90% of my use.</p>

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<p>my zuiko 50 1.4 appears to have specs of dust stuck somewhere close to the back elements. it hasn't shown up in pictures but i was cleaning the back element today as i took it off the om4 to mount on the a100 with adaptor (!!) and it upset me somewhat.</p>
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<p>Interesting. I am budget conscious like many. One can buy a used E-1 ( a fine and someday to be classic camera I use with pleasure) for about the same cost as an OM-4T in decent shape. Is E-1 too large or inelegant in some way? Perhaps. One member declared it the ugliest camera of recent vintage, as you may have noticed.. Beauty is truly in the eye and hand of the user. I didn't want to challenge anyone to their choices, yet I want to see if there is any agreement on facts. Namely, that Olympus has essentially moved on to finally enter the digital decade with a totally redesigned mount and a new size of the imaging acquisition module , the IAM. ( made that up-) and I like the sound). I have to believe they kept the OM system running even when it was a loss for the company.What do you think? Sort of a product loyalty thing.</p>

<p>I am still sometimes using with film the 1950s Stereo Realist,that has not been superseded for its unique design. You held the camera braced against your forehead with the mirrored viewfinder on the bottom of the camera. The lenses were fixed, and the film plane moved to focus...lke some other model,was it a Contax? And although I must use my Gossen Luna Pro meter. There just has not been a digital 3-D SYSTEM to supplant it. Within my price range of course. You can get theRealist in good condition for a few hundred dollars.</p>

<p>A fixation on the gear is less important to me since I came of age a while back and am filthy rich,NOT. i wonder why not stick with film and use the OM series and lenses as intended. <br>

and get a mid range point and shoot for other work, like the great late Camedia C 5050. When Canon changed mounts in 1987 they left me with 7 good and still good FD lenses. The new micro four thirds is not a real resurrection for the FD lenses.</p>

<p>I will explain another time if anyone wonders why not..it is a long one. Aloha and I wish you well all OM SLR fans and Om to 4/3 types. Oly made some nice accessories too- bellows and focus slider rack. Great lineup of wide angle small optics which can now be bought cheaply but so can many other good optics.</p>

<p>Anyway,let's keep up the posting volume to bring life back to this forum... a sane place for tech discussion on Olympus product old and new and we will let Panasonic in too, why not they seem to be in harness with Olympus, more or less.</p>

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<p>I read an ad in a photo mag that displayed adapters (suggested retail about $200.00) for those who want to mount Leica M and some other topnotch brand legacy lenses mounts on micro 4/3, <strong>and</strong> <em><strong>get this now</strong> ,</em> a solid company that does quality accessory products---<strong>NOVOFLEX</strong> . Novoflex I would trust to do it right. Yes, I know these look simple, so do Arca style plates, but we hang both on our expensive cameras..Novoflex have made some semi- crap yes, that happened with one item they wanted to cut costs on materials, but not for most of their line of goods, which I trust. The price of a custom adapter might give me momentary pause. None for FD lenses yet I notice from Novoflex. (Incidentally,only one of my FD lenses cost more than $200.00 used, the FD 200mm internal focus F 2.8. Since I now use the 70-300 mm ED Zuiko on my 4/3 old E-1, it does not compute as a bargain deal,hard to say). No, I don't go for manual focus that much anymore except for macro work.) That 200 mm is a beautiful ruggd optic with twist up metal lens hood, but it is not a lightweight. Would I try some off brand from Asia vs the name brand Novoflex?. Maybe. I am ready to be persuaded. (I will check Wrotniak and Foster to see what they are doing with their older lenses.) I am a believer in recycling, not only virtuous, may be a big market sell add on for micro 4/3. But it will be the mini micro four thirds lens zooms that will be the seller for the broad majority I predict. Just posted this to show that a company of stout quality like Novoflex has entered the adapter market...good sign.</p>
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