Best Third Party Zoom Lenses Ever for Olympus OM?

[matthew_newton]

<p>The Sigma 28-70 f/2.8 was also a pretty good zoom. I just got rid of mine just because I really don't use zooms in that focal length, but it was pretty good. A little soft wide open, especially at f/2.8, but it was very sharp by f/5.6 (plenty usable wide open).<br>

The Vivitar Series 1 70-210 f/3.5 produced by Tokina lens (not the Kiron) is also pretty good. That is my medium telezoom walk about lens that I normally use (since my Sigma 70-210/2.8 doesn't fit in my shoulder bag :D). Its not quite as sharp as my Sigma, which is shaving sharp, but it is pretty good wide open and very good by f/5.6. Its a bit smaller then the Kiron version and still goes to 1:4 at its MFD.<br>

I really want to try to track down a Sigma 70-210 f/4-5.6 APO zoom. So far I've been striking out as all of the ones that come up on Ebay and other places are the slightly earlier 70-210/4-5.6 and are not the APO version. I am really looking for a very small medium telezoom for my bag. I like speed, but normally I don't need much at that focal length, at least not when 'walking about'.</p>

[rob_h5]

<p>Matthew, as far as a fairly low budget hi end 3rd party zoom in the 70-210mm range that is lightweight and a good walk around zoom, that Series 1 Vivitar 70-210mm f3.5 zoom lens you have is about as good as your going to get. Your Sigma APO 70-210/2.8 zoom is really one of the best 3rd party zooms for OM mount in the market, yeah it's heavy but as far as IQ that zoom is one of the best. I would recommend the <strong>Angenieux 70-210mm f3.5 Macro 1:2:5 APO zoom </strong>it's really expensive but that would be perfect for you as a walkaround with hi end optics. I did a search for the Sigma 70-210mm f4-5.6 APO and you are right they are rare especially in a OM mount.</p>

<p>What about the Carl Zeiss Jenazoom zoom lenses? They are basically Sigma zooms (see photos above). They are also all MC (Multi-coated) and were definitely APO glass in AF Olympus OM mount zooms and I think some of the manual Olympus OM mount Jenazooms may have had APO glass in the later the Series II versions . A Carl Zeiss Jenazoom Series II 70-210mm f4.5-5.6 zoom lens was made in Olympus OM mount and is lightweight good for walkaround and cost apx. the same as the Sigma 70-210 f4-5.6 APO zoom, they are not available in USA but fairly common in Europe.</p>

[rob_h5]

<p>Anyone else with 3rd party zooms to share? 3rd party zooms in Olympus OM AF mount are OK if you want to mention those. Anybody use Hoya, Miranda or Osawa 3rd party zooms?</p>

[User_502260]

<p>The 28-90 Vivitar Series 1 is fine at the 90 end but I am more partial to single focal length lenses. If I know I will be shooting portraits I will use the 100/2.8 Zuiko or the 90/2.8 Vivitar macro or the 90/2.5 Tamron SP (2nd version). The 70-150/3.8 Vivitar zooms (1 touch and 2 touch) can be used for portraits if you don't mind the slow speed. The most discolored lens I have which I think has radioactive elements is a 28/2.5 Minolta MC Rokkor. It desperatey needs UV treatment. My 35/2 Canon FD SSC (1st version) got this treatment and must be my favorite 35. I have the 28-90 Series 1 in other mounts too so I'll check their color.</p>

[nick_baker]

<p>Tamron SP 80-200/2.8. Nothing else in that range matches it in Gary Reese's tests. It certainly topped the OM 75-150 and 180/2.8 lenses that I had, by some distance.</p>

[denis_davydoff]

<p>Hi guys! I decided to push up this topic rather then creating a new one. I recently got an OM mount lens Voigtlander 28-70/4 color-ZOOMAR. It's very well built and apparently has Macro ability. The filter size is 62 mm. I could not find anything about it on the net. Has anybody any information on that? The approximate years of production and such? Is it Cosina-built or earlier design?</p>

[rob_h5]

<p>Denis, you have thrown me a curve ball!! That Voigtlander 28-70mm f4 Color-Zoomar is indeed a Japanese Cosina made lens and Cosina leases rights to the trademark name of Voigtländer. Exactly what Sigma did with Carl Zeiss Jena with the Jenazoom series lenses Cosina also had a similiar type of partnership with Voigtländer. It looks like this partnership started in 1999 but it may have been started before that.</p>

<p>A clue was in the name "Zoomar" <strong>Heinz Kilfitt Zoomar </strong>was from the Kilfitt line of lenses that included the original Zoomar lens, <strong>the worlds first zoom lens back in the 1960's </strong>made under contract for Voigtlander. Zeiss, Voigtlander, Kilfitt all these guys were genius German scientists that basically invented the lenses and optics we use today. They partnered often to produce lenses and other photography gear in one form or another.</p>

<p>Back to your zoom lens, it's a rarity alright, like the Jenazoom lenses. They made other focal lengths like the Voigtländer Color-Zoomar 70-200mm f4 zoom lens. They were available in all the famous Japanese camera mounts both rangefinders and 35mm SLR cameras: Canon, Nikon, Minolta, Olympus OM mounts ...well you get the idea. It looks like these Cosina-Voigtlander lenses were only available in Japan or Asia. Again same thing basically as the Carl Zeiss Jenazoom lenses from Sigma of Japan. On a side note, it appears Cosina-Voigtländer recently came out with a super fast prime lens last month in August 2010 called the <em>25mm</em> 0.95 Nokton lens for Micro 4/3rds cameras.</p>

<p><em>"Cosina Voigtländer refers to photographic products manufactured by Cosina under the Voigtländer name since 1999. Cosina leases rights to the Voigtländer name from Ringfoto. Cosina Voigtländer products have included 35mm film SLR and rangefinder camera bodies, and lenses for the M39 lens mount (Leica screw mount), M42 lens mount, Leica M mount, and other lens mounts"</em> - source Wikipedia<br /><a href="http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Cosina_Voigtl%C3%A4nder">http://www.camerapedia.org/wiki/Cosina_Voigtl%C3%A4nder</a></p>

[rob_h5]

<p>Edit/typo: Cosina-Voigtländer Color-Zoomar 70-210mm f4 zoom and Voigtländer Color-Zoomar 80-200mm f4 zoom lenses were made, there is not a 70-200mm zoom. These lenses were also available in certain countries of Europe.</p>

[denis_davydoff]

<p>Thanks Rob for all the information. I suspected it was Cosina, but the lens looks very solid, like something not from age of plastic of late 90s, when Cosina obtained the brand. So I had some doubts. I usually prefer non-third party lenses but I like this one :)<br>

BTW @everybody. There are couple of Tokina OM-mount zooms in the local shop. One is 28-70 and another is 35-105 (or 135?) as far as I remember. Can anybody say something good/bad about them? Also there is Tokina 28/2.8 prime.</p>

[rob_h5]

<p>Denis - I am certain your Voigtlander 28-70mm/4 Color-Zoomar lens is a very well made zoom lens. The Carl Zeiss Jenazoom 75-300mm f4.5 macro in Olympus OM that I shot with my Olympus OM-3 camera was a very high quality zoom lens and the build design was made of mostly solid metal construction, mulitcoated optics and it took superb photos that were sharp, had good color rendition and image quality. Basically these lenses are the best Japan has to offer because of the unique partnership with these German optical companies. These lenses are also very rare...especially to find in Olympus OM mount!!</p>

<p>I suspect what happens is whenever Sigma or Cosina of Japan license world famous trademark names of world famous optical companies like Carl Zeiss and Voigtlander, the Japanese spare no expense to make the highest quality lenses to meet the high standards of Zeiss and Voigtlander in the license agreement. Be certain that Zeiss and Voigtlander make sure the lenses meet or exceed thier standards required for their lenses even if it is made in Japan, it is fully QA, and fully overseen and tested by Zeiss and Voigtlander. To me this is the most interesting partnership in photography today, a succesful partnership of West and East photographic companies.</p>

<p>Interestingly Cosina is also a partner with Carl Zeiss now. From what I read, Voigtlander SLR lenses were manufactured by Cosina up until 2006 when the company landed a Carl Zeiss contract to take over the production of the new ZE/ZF/ZS/ZK/ZM lens lineup. I have been considering a Carl Zeiss ZE lens for Canon EF mount for some time, ever since it was first introduced a couple of years ago.</p>

<p>Now I am interested in trying a Cosina-Voigtländer lens in Olympus OM mount!! Thank you for sharing with us this amazing lens in this thread about Third Pary Zooms for Olympus OM!</p>

<p><strong>Voigtländer </strong><br>

<a href="http://www.voigtlaender.de/cms/voigtlaender/voigtlaender_cms.nsf/id/pa_home_d.html">http://www.voigtlaender.de/cms/voigtlaender/voigtlaender_cms.nsf/id/pa_home_d.html</a></p>

[denis_davydoff]

<p>Thanks Rob, I'm going on holiday to my native Karelia in a couple of days and want to check the lens in action. Hope the weather will stay sunny and dry. It's what we call "The Golden Autumn" at the moment - lots of bright yellow and red and purple in the nature. And there is a whole lot of nature around there, the humans haven't spoiled much of it yet :)</p>

[wblynch]

<p>I have only one non-Olympus zoom.. It's a Tokina 35-105 with a Zuiko label. I just recently learned these lenses were made by Tokina and when I compared it to the Tokina labeled objective it was clear they are the same.<br>

I haven't even used it yet so I'm hoping for great results.</p>

 

[george_b.1]

Hi Rob H,

Sorry for my bad English, write from Hungary - Budapest. I read all the comment about jenazoom 75-300mm. It is shown here for sale?

Between Jenazoom (I) and II what is the difference? Thanks

[denis_davydoff]

<p>I took first shots with Voigtlander on OM-1 body. It behaved well. I liked the lens though had to get used to it a bit in the beginning. I can't place the photos at the moment - do not have an access to a proper film scanner, but will try to put the photos of the lens itself.</p><div></div>

[rob_h5]

<p>Denis, this is a really nice Voigtlander 28-70mm f/4 color-zoomar lens. Can you post photos of the front and front lens caps to share here? I know there are a lot of photographers who have never seen a Voigtlander in Olympus OM mounts. And please do post photo samples as soon as you are able to scan the film.</p>

<p>Slightly off subject from zoom lenses but I am interested in Voigtlander primes in Olympus OM mount especially the Voigtlander APO Lanthar 90mm f/3.5 SL Lens and Voigtlander 40mm f2 SL Pancake lens in Olympus OM mount. Are you familiar with these lenses? Theses lenses are RARE and were not sold in the USA, at least not in a walk in retail camera store (maybe online stores) but they were more available in Europe.</p>

[george_b.1]

<p>Hi Rob, I would like to know that the Jenazoom for sale?</p>

[denis_davydoff]

<p>Sorry, was far from my computer for a while. Here are a couple of more pics of Voigtlander.</p>

[denis_davydoff]

1)<div></div>

[denis_davydoff]

<p>Sorry, the web interface here is quite cumbersome.</p><div></div>

[denis_davydoff]

<p>1</p><div></div>

[denis_davydoff]

<p>Some pictures taken with the lens and OM-1</p>

[denis_davydoff]

<p>1</p><div></div>

[denis_davydoff]

<p>2</p><div></div>

[denis_davydoff]

<p>3</p><div></div>

[denis_davydoff]

<p>4</p><div></div>