Do I really want an OM-2n? Really?

[astral]

<p>A colleague is keen to give me his unused OM-2n. It's hard to refuse, but I know very little about Olympus cameras and lenses except for their renowned quality. The body is certainly an appealing proposition, but unfortunately all of the lenses on offer are <em>cheap </em> <em>shop-branded zooms</em> .</p>

<p>I already have far too many 35mm cameras, but if I am going to provide this valuable public service I will need a couple of prime Zuiko lenses - one moderate wideangle and one standard or <em>very </em> short telephoto.</p>

<p>So my question is: are there two <em>classic </em> lenses (under 135mm) that would give me a useable bit of kit for a <em>reasonable </em> amount of money?</p>

<p> </p>

[starvy]

<p>the f/2.8 100mm lens is a gem and can be had for a lot less than f/2 90mm. then get yourself a f1.4 50mm, again, they are cheap now. or failing that, a later version 50mm f1.8 is a fantastic lens too.</p>

[patrick j dempsey]

<p>50mm f/1.8 is very affordable and very very usable.<br>

100mm f/2.8 is a superb lens for the money.<br>

35mm f/3.5 is supposed to be pretty good and it affordable.<br>

28mm f/3.5 is again supposed to be pretty good and is far cheaper than any other OM wide.<br>

35-70mm f/3.5-4.5 (not 4.8) is a great light-weight little zoom that is typically pretty cheap.</p>

<p>All of these lenses take 49mm filters which will save you money in the long run on lens caps and filters.</p>

 

[dan_b.4]

<p>Although it's a bit more money (but not by a lot), the 28mm f2.8 is better than the f3.5 if only that it gives you a much brighter viewfinder image for focusing. I've had them both and I've never found the 2.8 lacking for image quality. I'd look for the f4 version of the 35-70mm zoom although the f3.5-4.5 would be my second choice. I love the multi-spot metering capability of the OM-4T but the body is no bargain. For what you can buy one these days, the OM-2N is the best value in the OM lineup.</p>

[User_502260]

<p>Patrick, when did Olympus make a 35/3.5 in OM mount? Did you mean the 35/2.8? If you don't need a lot of speed a 35/2.8 and a 100/2.8 make a nice small pair. This doesn't mean you can't get a 35/2 and 100/2 instead but those lenses are larger, heavier and much more expensive. As for which are classics, by now they are all classics.</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>The 35 mm f2.8 Zuiko is a nice walking around lens if you only have room for one lens. The 50 mm f3.5 macro is another lens that is very good and not too expensive.</p>

[tim_kohlman]

<p>Yes, you <strong>do</strong> really want an OM-2n.... ;)</p>

<p>When I first started shooting olympus I started with...<br /> Zuiko 50mm f/1.8<br /> Zuiko 28mm f/2.8<br /> and then added a Zuiko 100mm f/2.8 a few months later</p>

<p>All 3 lenses are light and compact so easy to carry around in a small camera bag, they all produce great results and are moderately fast (compared to the zoom kit lenses), it's also a good range of focal lengths, I've recently switched to 24mm/35mm/50mm/100mm combination but either is good and it depends on your budget.</p>

<p>If I had to pick a single lens for everything, it would probably be one of the 35mm lenses (actually it would probably be the zuiko 35-80 f2.8 zoom but I don't have $1000 to spend).</p>

[luis_g]

<p> The OM-2n gets my vote. I still have one. Minimal lens kit? Depends on your style and what you shoot. For a short tele, 85/2, and I'd couple it with a 50/1.8 and 28/2.8. Start looking for a T-32 flash, too.</p>

[patrick j dempsey]

<p>Opps... Yes of course Jeff! </p>

[astral]

<p>Many thanks gents,</p>

<p>A UK dealer has some brand new 50/1.8 Zuiko-S in stock, though I feel they're a little pricey at £60/ $99. Olympus prices appear to be a touch higher than Canon FD prices hereabouts.</p>

<p>I'm hoping that selling the unwanted zooms at auction will help to pay for a decent prime or two, making this a low cost deal. Also, I want to be very disciplined and boil this 'project' down to the bare bones and not get into system building. I have more than enough gear already and every £50 spent on gear is less money for film or travelling to photogenic places, etc.</p>

<p>I guess that 35/2 and 85/2 Zuikos don't come cheap . . such lenses never do ;-{</p>

 

[jim_baker6]

Well, the short answer is yes! All of the primes mentioned will serve you well. Look at the very recent Jane Bown thread to see what can be done with just a couple of Olympus lenses (50mm and 85mm).

[patrick j dempsey]

<p>That is the going rate for the 50mm f/1.4... you should be able to find the 1.8 for much cheaper!</p>

[astral]

<p>There's a big camera fair this weekend, so I may get to handle some Olympus lenses. By the next big fair, at the end of the month, all will be resolved one way or another. The 'rave' lens appears to be the 85/2 - if it's <em>that </em> good it's gonna be hard to find.</p>

<p>Dealer prices here are fairly high, possibly in expectation that folks will buy lenses to fit on micro 4/3rds cameras, etc; but I understand that turnover is fairly slow - maybe the expectations are a shade unrealistic, we'll see.</p>

<p> </p>

[tim_kohlman]

<p>yeah for a budget, the 85/2 is not your best bet. I'd be looking at a 100/2.8 instead or 135/3.5</p>

[harold_gough]

<p>When I bought mine new I bought a 50mm 1.8 with it. I have yet to use that lens. The 50mm 3.5 macro is a far better choice.<br>

The OM2n is the gateway to the OM system, with OTF flash and an unmatched range macro kit (flash, bellows lenses, etc) which is now very affordable.<br>

<a href="http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/">http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/</a><br>

<a href="http://www.alanwood.net/photography/olympus/index.html">http://www.alanwood.net/photography/olympus/index.html</a></p>

 

[nicholas_herndon]

<p>Welcome to the jungle!<br>

The OM-2n and 50/1.8 is what got me started on the system. I would recommend the same for you. The 50/1.8 can be found for less than $20, a little more when you throw in shipping. Pristine 28/3.5 Zuikos go for less than $50 these days--another great lens. But for me, the best value to money ratio is the 50/1.4. When used well, it is an unbeatable lens. Expect to pay about $50-$80 for a user copy. From there, if you want to go wide, I'd say go for a 28/3.5 over the 35/2.8. Cheaper and a better performer wide open than the 35/2.8. Plus it has low distortion, especially compared to the 28/3.5 Nikkor of similar vintage.<br>

If you want to go longer than 50mm, go all the way to 135/3.5. Another great value for the performance. It's a wonderful portrait lens, and while the sharpness won't blow you away, the "look" is really nice.<br>

While I never thought I'd try to "build a system" around my OM-2n (that I bought almost by accident, for pocket change, at an estate sale), it happened. But it happened just like it's happening to you, Alan--I told myself "oh, I'm just going to get the cheapest, best performing Zuikos" but found myself so impressed I continued collecting. And after getting a chance to compare a lot of different OM lenses, I eventually decided on the 28/2, 50/1.4, 50/3.5 macro, 85/2, and 135/3.5 as my standards. So, uh, I guess I'm saying good luck, it's really easy to become a Zuikoholic.</p>

[john_hermanson2]

<p>IMO the 2N is a great camera and still very serviceable. It has all the internal improvements that were implemented during OM-2 production. John</p>

[astral]

<p>Hmmmm! I'm sort of chewing on this one a bit (its gristly): the OM2n on offer is a fairly rough and will probably need a service - which won't make it look any better. It's below the threshold that I'd normally consider. So, I'll have a look around at the next big camera fair and decide what to do then. Certainly the OM-2n has its attractions. The question now is whether I can justify the added expense of a nice and clean body <em>as well as</em> two lenses.</p>

[brooks_lester]

<p>Sure you want one! The OM2n is a classic camera, one of the smallest SLR's ever made, and has a unique and very effective metering system. The designer of the camera, Mr. Mitani, has his own cult following as he was a master of miniaturization while maintaining operability and durability. OM2n's are attractive, a delight to handle and shoot with, and astoundingly compact, especially compared to modern DSLR's. Additionally, the viewfinder delivers a 100% coverage, life size image - fabulous. I keep my black, good condition but "user" OM2n up on a bookshelf in my living room, with a 50mm f/1.8 mounted, proudly displayed. My Nikon D700 lives in its Lowepro bag, ready to go at anytime, but not on display... </p>

[jeff_guthrie]

<p>I have nothing but good to say about my Olympus OM kit. The quality of the Zuiko lenses is superb, and I find that the pictures I get from my OM gear are usually superior to anything I get out of my Leica. My primary lens is the inexpensive 50/1.8, but in my big bag now are the 24/2.8, 28/2, 35/2, 50/1.4, 55/1.2, and the 90/2 macro. If I could have only 3 lenses, I would keep the 24/2.8, the 50/1.8, and the 90/2. I'm going to look at a 18/3.5 lens next week (gotta have them all...).</p>

[alan_ginman]

<p>I've got a 28mm 2.8, 50mm 1.8, 50mm 3.5 macro, 100mm 2.8, Vivitar Series 1 35-85 2.8 parfocal zoom, Vivitar Series 1 200mm 3 and a few other bits and pieces. Also a couple of OM1Ns with malfunctioning meters. Also some bits and pieces like motor winders, right angle finders and other stuff. If you decide to go down this path and want to do a private sale, let me know. I would like it to go to a good home, rather than sitting in a bag in my home.</p>

<p>Cheers</p>

<p>Alan</p>

[rgerraty]

<p>Even with the OM2n switched to off you can grab a well exposed shot in good light (the automatic metering in this scenario won't allow a shutter speed slower than 1/30s). Amazing camera.</p>

[harold_gough]

<p>"Even with the OM2n switched to off you can grab a well exposed shot " with full flash function too, if I remember correctly. The number of times I got shots I would have missed with other cameras...</p>

[lowdowneye]

<p>Always been sad I got rid of my 2n, one of the most comfortable cameras I have ever used. Paired with a 35mm lens it is perfect for landscape and street shots.</p>