Olympus' m4/3rds system

[jlm]

i have a pen FT with a 42mm f1.2 lens, same as in your opening shot; did you mention that lens? it looks like it would need an adapter...

 

[monza]

Yes, we are waiting on you to do one for us.

 

[Vivek]

I love that mushroom shot, Vivek, it's an absolutely wonderful image.

Thank you, Steen. The 42/1.2 is magical.

i have a pen FT with a 42mm f1.2 lens, same as in your opening shot; did you mention that lens? it looks like it would need an adapter...

Yes, great lens.:thumbs: One of my favorites. Even more useful than my 50/0.95.

All pen F lenses need an adapter (barring one). Yes, I use them all with an adapter that is also described.

 

[doubledan]

Question for Vivek:

I am fascinated by the possibilities of PEN F lenses on the G1, but I have a basic (stupid) question: how does one calculate the equivalent focal length?

(I know that it's 2X for the Leica M and Canon rf lenses I enjoy using on the G1, but is it the same for the PEN lenses?)

Keep up the interesting work!

Dan

 

[monza]

I'll take this, Vivek.

First, there are no stupid questions.

Yep, to get the effective 35mm field of view for any lens on a G1, just use 2x by the focal length.

 

[doubledan]

I'll take this, Vivek.

First, there are no stupid questions.

Yep, to get the effective 35mm field of view for any lens on a G1, just use 2x by the focal length.

Thanks for the quick response, Monza. As I suspected, it means there's no way just yet to have what many of us want -- a reasonably fast wide prime for the G1 without vignetting.

(Actually, there are stupid questions, and I could give many examples, but I appreciate your kindness.)

 

[monza]

Yep. In any case, the widest Pen F lens is 20mm, which isn't even all that wide on a Pen F. But it is a great tiny option until the 20/1.7 Panasonic lens comes out.

I guess if one puts a Pen F on a Panasonic that makes it a Pan F.

 

[doubledan]

Yep. In any case, the widest Pen F lens is 20mm, which isn't even all that wide on a Pen F. But it is a great tiny option until the 20/1.7 Panasonic lens comes out.

I guess if one puts a Pen F on a Panasonic that makes it a Pan F.

Very good. Meanwhile, though, I've been using ZM 21/2.8, which is superb on the G1 but still about 1 stop too slow, not as easy to focus as longer lenses, and not quite wide enough for reliable zone focusing under some conditions.

The 20/1.7 Panasonic should be great (even if it isn't "great"), but I still hope for something like a 12 or 14 f2 with autofocus. If the latest rumor is correct, maybe the closest we'll come in the near future is an Olympus 12-45 zoom at f2.4 on the wide end. That would be a rather bulky lens, I imagine.

 

[Vivek]

The focal lengths remain the same and as I mentioned in the opening post, the pen F 42/1.2 is the perfect portrait lens for the m4/3rds sensor. Let me reiterate that this lens was tested to be the fuzzy one in the pen F line-up!:shocked:

Pen F 42/1.2, G1, f/1.2, 1/50s, ISO800

 

[Michael S]

Yes, unacceptably fuzzy. After all, I can just barely count the eyelashes on my screen.

 

[wblynch]

The focal lengths remain the same and as I mentioned in the opening post, the pen F 42/1.2 is the perfect portrait lens for the m4/3rds sensor. Let me reiterate that this lens was tested to be the fuzzy one in the pen F line-up!:shocked:

Vivek,

Is there an Olympus Pen-F forum for those of us interested in more info?

Thanks, Bill

 

[Vivek]

Bill, It would be difficult to find an Olympus (not digital) forum nowadays. I linked Skip Williams' site (in the other thread) that has some pen F literature.

John Foster has written the complete book on Olympus Pen F (http://www.biofos.com/pub/index.html). I have only thumbed through this book. It is superbly done. Unfortunately, I was not on time to buy a copy for myself and it is now out of print.

If there is enough interest, John will bring out another print, I am sure. Drop him a line.

Michael, Thanks!

 

[wblynch]

Thanks Vivek and Monza !!

I emailed John Foster and asked to be added to any interest list or waiting list he may be building for a future printing.

 

[monza]

Here is something that might be of interest.

I just received these two Oly Pen F lenses from KEH, a 38/1.8 and a 100/3.5.

Since everyone with a G1 has a kit lens, you know what size it is. I thought I'd show just how tiny these Pen F lenses are.

For reference, the 38mm cost me $17 and the 100 was $62. (Yes, they wanted more for a body cap than the 38mm.)

 

[Brian Mosley]

Wow, that 38mm f1.8 is a beauty - I'll give you $40 for it!:ROTFL:

Have you got an adapter for m4/3rds?

Kind Regards

Brian

 

[kiloran]

Would I be right in assuming to build an adapter for Pen F "all" you need is:

Pen F -> OM -> 4/3rds -> MFT?

Or is the Pen F -> OM adapter rare and expensive enough to mean its better to get a dedicated adapter?

 

[mawz]

Would I be right in assuming to build an adapter for Pen F "all" you need is:

Pen F -> OM -> 4/3rds -> MFT?

Or is the Pen F -> OM adapter rare and expensive enough to mean its better to get a dedicated adapter?

Unless the PenF->OM adaptor has optics, it would be macro only (Given the formats and registers involved, I would assume that adaptor is actually an OM->PenF adaptor for using OM lenses on PenF, going the other way would not work very well).

For PenF->m43, you'd want a dedicated adaptor since the register of PenF's is shorter than 4/3rds.

 

[kiloran]

Unless the PenF->OM adaptor has optics, it would be macro only (Given the formats and registers involved, I would assume that adaptor is actually an OM->PenF adaptor for using OM lenses on PenF, going the other way would not work very well).

For PenF->m43, you'd want a dedicated adaptor since the register of PenF's is shorter than 4/3rds.

Yep, its the other way round, d'oh! Oh well, we'll just wait for Vivek to start the production line

 

[wblynch]

So...

Was Olympus prescient when they named it the Pen FT ? (4/3)

Good thing they didn't name it the P'FT. They might never have sold one

 

[monza]

I'm following Vivek's lead from earlier in this thread and fabricating my own adapter out of Pen FT extension rings. I'm thinking I will probably not get it precise enough, so I'll buy a commercial adapter when they become available.

I'll post a photo of the 38 on the G1 later tonight.