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on September 14, 2012
I actually don't have too much to add that hasn't been said in the first few reviews.
This lens is insanely sharp, corner to corner, wide open. That is a pretty amazing thing to accomplish.
The bokeh is excellent. Color fringing in out of focus areas is well controlled (controlled, not absent).
Wide open, as one would expect, contrast is slightly lower, but image is still extremely sharp. Loss of contrast is minimal compared to most lenses in this class.
It does cost a fair bit. In my book well worth it.
Finally, to answer some of the typical criticisms:
"Why isn't it half the price like the 45/1.8" - The 45/1.8 is a very nice lens and a great value. The 75/1.8 is definitely higher quality. I've shot them side by side wide open. The 45/1.8 is going soft in the corners, the 75/1.8 is still sharp in the corners. They are two different lenses with different levels of optical quality and thus different prices.
"It is only F/1.8, expensive glass should be 1.4 or 1.2" - Well, this is meant for m43. It should be compact and lightweight. To me Olympus did this perfectly. It is an F/1.8 lens that is wickedly sharp all the way to F/1.8. If you compare to similar F/1.4 and F/1.2 lenses in other formats there the optical quality degrades wide open and yet the lens is much larger to allow for the wider maximum aperture. I prefer the Olympus approach - only go to F/1.8 to keep the size down but make the lens perfect all the way to F/1.8.
"I can adapt cheaper 85/1.8 lenses, this is too expensive" - I can say with confidence, there is absolutely no legacy 85mm lens in existence that sells for less than this lens that is as sharp at 1.8. You can get a lens that is cheaper and it will be noticeably softer at 1.8. Or you can get a lens that might be as sharp but it will cost as much or more even in the used market.
"It is really a F/3.6 lens in 35mm terms of depth of field" - Indeed. Who cares. If you find vanishingly shallow DoF portraits with one eyelash in focus to be your thing don't get a micro-four-thirds camera. Better still, skip 35mm and go straight to MF. While your at it get a nice pair of hipster glasses and some black clothes to go with your tired photographic trope ;)
This lens is insanely sharp, corner to corner, wide open. That is a pretty amazing thing to accomplish.
The bokeh is excellent. Color fringing in out of focus areas is well controlled (controlled, not absent).
Wide open, as one would expect, contrast is slightly lower, but image is still extremely sharp. Loss of contrast is minimal compared to most lenses in this class.
It does cost a fair bit. In my book well worth it.
Finally, to answer some of the typical criticisms:
"Why isn't it half the price like the 45/1.8" - The 45/1.8 is a very nice lens and a great value. The 75/1.8 is definitely higher quality. I've shot them side by side wide open. The 45/1.8 is going soft in the corners, the 75/1.8 is still sharp in the corners. They are two different lenses with different levels of optical quality and thus different prices.
"It is only F/1.8, expensive glass should be 1.4 or 1.2" - Well, this is meant for m43. It should be compact and lightweight. To me Olympus did this perfectly. It is an F/1.8 lens that is wickedly sharp all the way to F/1.8. If you compare to similar F/1.4 and F/1.2 lenses in other formats there the optical quality degrades wide open and yet the lens is much larger to allow for the wider maximum aperture. I prefer the Olympus approach - only go to F/1.8 to keep the size down but make the lens perfect all the way to F/1.8.
"I can adapt cheaper 85/1.8 lenses, this is too expensive" - I can say with confidence, there is absolutely no legacy 85mm lens in existence that sells for less than this lens that is as sharp at 1.8. You can get a lens that is cheaper and it will be noticeably softer at 1.8. Or you can get a lens that might be as sharp but it will cost as much or more even in the used market.
"It is really a F/3.6 lens in 35mm terms of depth of field" - Indeed. Who cares. If you find vanishingly shallow DoF portraits with one eyelash in focus to be your thing don't get a micro-four-thirds camera. Better still, skip 35mm and go straight to MF. While your at it get a nice pair of hipster glasses and some black clothes to go with your tired photographic trope ;)
on August 26, 2012
I started purchasing an Olympus micro four thirds camera kit back when the Olympus E-P1 first arrived. I also use larger DSLR cameras for work but I wanted something smaller with similar image quality and the micro four thirds (m4/3) cameras deliver just that. What really makes these cameras great are the lenses. I've been looking for a fast telephoto prime for the micro four thirds and the 75mm f/1.8 prime lens is exactly the lens I was looking for.
This gives you the equivalent of a 150mm lens since the m4/3 cameras have a 2x crop factor effectively doubling the focal length of the lens. What makes this lens so great is the fact that it's extremely sharp from edge to edge even when wide open at the f/1.8 aperture. Yes, it gets even sharper if you stop it down to a more reasonable f/2.8 but most people who want this lens want to use that bright 1.8 setting. In terms of image quality, I would say this lens gives me similar results to the Canon EF II 85mm 1.2 L lens on a APS-C crop sensor DSLR when used at f/1.8 onward. The biggest difference is that the Olympus 75mm 1.8 doesn't cost as much as the Canon 85mm 1.2 and the Olympus lens focuses faster (particularly on the latest m4/3 cameras).
Not only that, but the Olympus 75mm is a surprisingly compact lens. It's only slightly bigger than my Nikon 50mm f/1.8 G lens for my Nikon DSLRs and smaller than my Nikon 85mm 1.8 G lens. This makes it one of the largest prime lenses available for micro four thirds cameras, but it's not huge by DSLR standards.
Getting back to image quality, there is a hint of chromatic aberration or "purple fringing" on high-contrast edges when you shoot wide open (or nearly wide open) but it's VERY minimal and only appears at maximum magnification. In other words, you won't see any optical issues in your images when viewed as prints or when viewed at screen resolution in an online image gallery.
The only "complaint" I have about this lens is the fact that "most" people using m4/3 cameras are looking for more affordable lens options. For example, the Nikon 85mm 1.8 G lens is arguably similar to this lens (only with plastic construction instead of metal) but the Nikon lens costs roughly half the price of this lens. However, as I said before the Olympus 75mm is closer to the Canon 85mm 1.2 in terms of optical performance and build quality so it makes sense that this lens isn't cheap.
Bottom line, the Olympus 75mm f/1.8 lens is a fabulous compliment to the micro four thirds system of lenses and it belongs in your kit if you're looking for the best compact telephoto prime that you can find for the m4/3 mount.
This gives you the equivalent of a 150mm lens since the m4/3 cameras have a 2x crop factor effectively doubling the focal length of the lens. What makes this lens so great is the fact that it's extremely sharp from edge to edge even when wide open at the f/1.8 aperture. Yes, it gets even sharper if you stop it down to a more reasonable f/2.8 but most people who want this lens want to use that bright 1.8 setting. In terms of image quality, I would say this lens gives me similar results to the Canon EF II 85mm 1.2 L lens on a APS-C crop sensor DSLR when used at f/1.8 onward. The biggest difference is that the Olympus 75mm 1.8 doesn't cost as much as the Canon 85mm 1.2 and the Olympus lens focuses faster (particularly on the latest m4/3 cameras).
Not only that, but the Olympus 75mm is a surprisingly compact lens. It's only slightly bigger than my Nikon 50mm f/1.8 G lens for my Nikon DSLRs and smaller than my Nikon 85mm 1.8 G lens. This makes it one of the largest prime lenses available for micro four thirds cameras, but it's not huge by DSLR standards.
Getting back to image quality, there is a hint of chromatic aberration or "purple fringing" on high-contrast edges when you shoot wide open (or nearly wide open) but it's VERY minimal and only appears at maximum magnification. In other words, you won't see any optical issues in your images when viewed as prints or when viewed at screen resolution in an online image gallery.
The only "complaint" I have about this lens is the fact that "most" people using m4/3 cameras are looking for more affordable lens options. For example, the Nikon 85mm 1.8 G lens is arguably similar to this lens (only with plastic construction instead of metal) but the Nikon lens costs roughly half the price of this lens. However, as I said before the Olympus 75mm is closer to the Canon 85mm 1.2 in terms of optical performance and build quality so it makes sense that this lens isn't cheap.
Bottom line, the Olympus 75mm f/1.8 lens is a fabulous compliment to the micro four thirds system of lenses and it belongs in your kit if you're looking for the best compact telephoto prime that you can find for the m4/3 mount.
on August 24, 2012
When talking about lenses, I'm always obsessed for perfection in terms of image and build quality. Portrait has been my favorite type of photography and being in possession of the wonderful Zeiss 100mm F/2 ZF, I thought there should be no more pursuance of better gear down the road.
That was a wrong statement. Carrying a bulky D700 and the Makro ZF all day is absolutely of not many funs. Then I set my eyes on M4/3. I got the GF1 and GX1, but the noise even at low ISO had annoyed me a lot, and I even thought I shall never touch M4/3 again. And then the Olympus OM-D E-M5 was announced, which sheds a bit of light for this system. And then the Olympus 75mm was announced, which impulses me to grab an E-M5 just to hook up this lens.
There's no regret. I spent a whole afternoon shoot this little beauty wide open, under direct summer sun. When looking at the result on Aperture 3, "Wow" was what came through my mouth. In the following week as I played more with the 75mm, I found myself like this little beauty more and more.
Build Quality
-------------
It's not that of Zeiss steel tank, but the all aluminum construction makes it feel like a piece of fine art. Outstanding build in its price range compared to the much more expensive 35mm f/1.4G and such. It weighs a lot more than other M4/3 lenses, and more than twice of the exceptionally built Olympus 12mm F/2. Having said that, the plastic stock lens cap is a shame to put on, and it's not easy to take out as you can hardly grab your fingers on it. I strongly recommend to replace it with the metal cap LC-61, which perfectly matches this lens.
Performance
-----------
This lens focuses pretty fast and precisely and I seldom saw the E-M5 hunt in focus. However, I would be very glad to see an aperture ring, and the focus ring lacks a bit damp compared to its 12mm sibling. Was I asking for too much if it could be real manual focus instead of focus-by-wire?
Image Quality
-------------
The little 75mm really shines here. When looking at its MTF for the first time, I was astounded. How could it be? The numbers just blow away almost all "Pro" lenses, starting at f/1.8. In actual shooting, set at f/1.8, I got very sharp image from edge to edge, period. You have to shoot by yourself to believe it. The transition from in-focus to blurred background/foreground is simply beautiful, bokeh is amazing. If there's anything to criticize, there're visible purple fringings wide open (zoomed to 100%), but only in a couple of the shoots.
To sum up, the Olympus 75mm f/1.8 sets a benchmark of its class. I do hope other manufacturers including Olympus itself focus more on quality products.
That was a wrong statement. Carrying a bulky D700 and the Makro ZF all day is absolutely of not many funs. Then I set my eyes on M4/3. I got the GF1 and GX1, but the noise even at low ISO had annoyed me a lot, and I even thought I shall never touch M4/3 again. And then the Olympus OM-D E-M5 was announced, which sheds a bit of light for this system. And then the Olympus 75mm was announced, which impulses me to grab an E-M5 just to hook up this lens.
There's no regret. I spent a whole afternoon shoot this little beauty wide open, under direct summer sun. When looking at the result on Aperture 3, "Wow" was what came through my mouth. In the following week as I played more with the 75mm, I found myself like this little beauty more and more.
Build Quality
-------------
It's not that of Zeiss steel tank, but the all aluminum construction makes it feel like a piece of fine art. Outstanding build in its price range compared to the much more expensive 35mm f/1.4G and such. It weighs a lot more than other M4/3 lenses, and more than twice of the exceptionally built Olympus 12mm F/2. Having said that, the plastic stock lens cap is a shame to put on, and it's not easy to take out as you can hardly grab your fingers on it. I strongly recommend to replace it with the metal cap LC-61, which perfectly matches this lens.
Performance
-----------
This lens focuses pretty fast and precisely and I seldom saw the E-M5 hunt in focus. However, I would be very glad to see an aperture ring, and the focus ring lacks a bit damp compared to its 12mm sibling. Was I asking for too much if it could be real manual focus instead of focus-by-wire?
Image Quality
-------------
The little 75mm really shines here. When looking at its MTF for the first time, I was astounded. How could it be? The numbers just blow away almost all "Pro" lenses, starting at f/1.8. In actual shooting, set at f/1.8, I got very sharp image from edge to edge, period. You have to shoot by yourself to believe it. The transition from in-focus to blurred background/foreground is simply beautiful, bokeh is amazing. If there's anything to criticize, there're visible purple fringings wide open (zoomed to 100%), but only in a couple of the shoots.
To sum up, the Olympus 75mm f/1.8 sets a benchmark of its class. I do hope other manufacturers including Olympus itself focus more on quality products.
on June 27, 2014
I made a mistake 2 years back. I was given a loaned unit of the 60mm macro to write a review and I just thought it would be a good idea to compare it with other primes so I got the 12/2, 75/1.8 and 45/1.8. In one part of the review I tested how the 60mm fares in portrait and compared it with 3 primes and also my favorite ZD 50mm macro on adapter.
I am a huge fan of the old 4/3 50mm macro. I love it and was blown away by its sharpness. The first time I used it was a loaned copy and I ended up having sleepless night for a week before getting one myself. On credit. But even that did not prepare me with what I experienced with the 75mm f1.8. This lens is pure evil, sent personally by the devil to make mankind feel deprived. Go take a shot with the E-M5 and you can't believe how good the contrast being rendered. Yes, everyone is talking about how sharp lenses are but I have never seen such magnificent contrast from any lens by a Japanese manufacturer. And this is straight out of camera JPEG!
I had to wait for a while before being able to get myself one and that was painful. Using this lens, even for a while, will take you into a new perspective of photography which redefines the meaning of image quality. Once you have seen this, every time you look at a photography subject which can be taken by a 150mm ELF will make you think, "why don't I have that 75mm???". You can't be focused at work, thinking that the result can be so much better just by changing the lens. You will have nightmares. Above all, you crave to share with the world what they are missing out simply because you don't have the 75mm yet.
If you ask me about the price, even if it took me a while to muster enough fund behind my wife's back, I think it's fair. Good things don't come cheap and this fella is way better than good. I also have the 12-40 which is also very good but clearly cannot compete with this king of primes.
Don't touch it unless you really mean to get one. It is so sharp that your heart bleeds.
p/s. I brought this to my office and one of my staffs who uses a D300s tried it. She called it the "crying lens" because her tears drop after playing with it and watched the images. So you have been warned.
I am a huge fan of the old 4/3 50mm macro. I love it and was blown away by its sharpness. The first time I used it was a loaned copy and I ended up having sleepless night for a week before getting one myself. On credit. But even that did not prepare me with what I experienced with the 75mm f1.8. This lens is pure evil, sent personally by the devil to make mankind feel deprived. Go take a shot with the E-M5 and you can't believe how good the contrast being rendered. Yes, everyone is talking about how sharp lenses are but I have never seen such magnificent contrast from any lens by a Japanese manufacturer. And this is straight out of camera JPEG!
I had to wait for a while before being able to get myself one and that was painful. Using this lens, even for a while, will take you into a new perspective of photography which redefines the meaning of image quality. Once you have seen this, every time you look at a photography subject which can be taken by a 150mm ELF will make you think, "why don't I have that 75mm???". You can't be focused at work, thinking that the result can be so much better just by changing the lens. You will have nightmares. Above all, you crave to share with the world what they are missing out simply because you don't have the 75mm yet.
If you ask me about the price, even if it took me a while to muster enough fund behind my wife's back, I think it's fair. Good things don't come cheap and this fella is way better than good. I also have the 12-40 which is also very good but clearly cannot compete with this king of primes.
Don't touch it unless you really mean to get one. It is so sharp that your heart bleeds.
p/s. I brought this to my office and one of my staffs who uses a D300s tried it. She called it the "crying lens" because her tears drop after playing with it and watched the images. So you have been warned.
on November 9, 2013
You're probably reading this because your pondering the purchase. If you're wondering about image quality and build, stop - it's awesome. It takes amazing pictures, and the construction is top notch. If you're wondering about how it will fit into your current mix of lenses, don't think too hard - it will quickly find it's niche with you. It's a lovely 150mm equivalent portrait lens. If it's the money - well, just don't tell your spouse that you bought it.
on October 22, 2012
Well, to use at least 20 words, before you spend $400 on the Oly 45mm, wait for another paycheck or make room on the credit card and BUY this lens. The difference in DOF and BOKEH makes your pictures go from...oh look another portrait on one of those m 4/3 cameras too...wow, that's m 4/3??? I saw a great review on one of those sites that did a DOF comparison where the girl fills the frame the same BUT, its the cars behind her that tells you there is a HUGE difference. The cars were CLOSER and they had a creamy Bokeh look and not a nervous bokeh (terms I picked up). The next thing I noticed was in some face portraits I took. The review said that there will be less distortion and allow the face and shoulders to fill the picture without cropping to make it look closer. Again, very true. My Oly 45 is designed to be yay so far away and if you get closer, the face does look different. If you take a pic of your dogs and get close, you may not see it cause its a dog face and it can look different without looking odd. But a human face you can see it. I also want to use the term "brighter". As for sharpness, well the Oly 45mm seemed just as great. As for weight...I have the Gariz leather half cover and so it gives you something to hold on to. I also have the battery holder but I returned it because it made the camera a big camera. As for the distance you have to stand away from the person. You do have to stand probably a good 4 feet more I think. So, I use the 45mm and I am, I don't know 4-6 feet away? With the 75mm it seemed like 9-10 feet to get more of the head and shoulders in. I say so what because the bokeh difference is SUPERIOR. I uploaded some examples I guess to show different things. I am an amateur with money to burn so...if your on a budget...get the latter...but if you want your pics to be WOW WOW...save your money or charge the difference!
on September 13, 2012
This lens is so sharp - the only lens with the same sharpness I have shot with is the Nikon 200mm f/2.0.VR
And the bokeh is also very fine.
If you have the money do not think twice, you will not regret it.
If sharpness means something it is "hard" now to use other lenses with weaker sharpness.
I will use it for portraits and street-shooting, but also for detailed landscapes - even it is 75/150mm (FF)it is sometimes fine to use a tele for parts of landscapes, and this lens will be amazing for this.
And the bokeh is also very fine.
If you have the money do not think twice, you will not regret it.
If sharpness means something it is "hard" now to use other lenses with weaker sharpness.
I will use it for portraits and street-shooting, but also for detailed landscapes - even it is 75/150mm (FF)it is sometimes fine to use a tele for parts of landscapes, and this lens will be amazing for this.
on January 3, 2016
I bought this lens because- well, how can you pass it up? If you own any M43 equipement at some point you'll probably consider it. At the going price right now, it's hard to beat.
I own a 135mm 1.8 Zeiss as well and so comparisons were inevitable. While I can't say the bokeh is quite as smooth- I'd still call it exceptional. It's fast to focus but there is a pronounced humming sound as it attempts to lock on. It is- it is very sharp. When I say sharp I mean, I cannot tell much if any difference comparing a 24MP full frame image at 135mm. You really have to size them up side by side in lightroom and then...MAYBE...you'll see a difference. Often, it's differences in ultimate shallow depth of field that stand out- not the optical quality.
I'd mention the build. The outer metal barrel is a thin aluminum. It's quite nice good but I must caution- it can scratch easy. It's just the reality of using a thin material more or less designed to limit weight and I've gotten minor scraches on mine. I'm still impressed with the overall package and the ribbed focusing ring is smooth- albeit fly by wire. Does it matter? Depends. I find mechanical focus at times a bit more easier to insure accuracy but any differences can easily be compensated with a bit of attention.
So why is this lens special? For one, the bokeh is truly outstanding for what it is. You're getting a nine rounded blade aperture often set aside for top shelf lenses. This means at say..5.6...you can still manage a nice background without the fuss of busy or unpleasing out of focus bits. If you like to shoot outdoors, it's a gem. Foliage is the worst for that sort of thing and this lens readily handles that type of situation.
The size- the utterly ridiculous and stupendous size of it all. I can fit this in a coat pocket. All things equal- no, you won't get the same depth of field as a full frame 135mm at F2. Here is the thing- I shoot a lot of weddings with a 135mm on a full frame and normally switch over to a crop sensor to negate the insane amount of shallow depth of field. I'm often shooting at 3.5 and I can most easily say goodbye to the background. With this lens, I get the good stuff without the weight. I can shoot it easily at 1.8 which means...sharp images at lower ISO's...and that's the whole package in a nut shell. When you combine this with 5 axis you've reached next level type of performance in my opinion.
I noted the weight, but their is added value to it's overall size. Take it to your kids sports events, plays, recitals...you name it. You take this out and no one bats an eye..NO ONE. I've taken the 135mm 1.8 out with my big DSLR and it's like the room stopped. This guy? You'll get complements...it just works and no one questions your telephoto powers.
I find there are specialty lenses that blend IQ and functionality in such a way that's hard to pass up. This lens is one of them. I can't stress how versatile it is. Put it in a bag and you'll never regret taking it anywhere. I know of no other modest telephoto lens that can do what this does given the size- balance, speed and IQ are all there.
I know I'm rambling but just one more thought. Back in the "good ol' days" reportage photographers had two cameras on them. One was with a 50mm (or thereabouts) and a 135mm. There is a reason for that. It's just enough reach without resorting to too much limitation. You have the speed and overall capabilities to push it through numerous scenarios. Now, because of the 75mm 1.8...you can have all of that but pocket sized. After much use- I can't think of a better lens I'd rather have on me. It also has the M43 DNA I'm really fond of. Maybe that's why I keep finding myself buying more and more of these lenses- because they get used. For all these reasons mentioned above, it is special! I think you'll be truly impressed.
2/5/16- quick update:
Still love the lens...but as a quick tip for those looking to purchase this....I recommend avoiding the Olympus hood. It's metal and slides over the metal barrel. There is a screw on the side which secures the lens to the top hood. You guess it....metal on metal....and you will end up with faint paint wear around the ridge of the barrel where the clamp sits. I bought this lens with the hood and sure enough. Now I have to look really close even in broad day light...but I like my gear as perfect as possible and it is a garbage hood design. I still 100 PERCENT recommend the lens, but just avoid the hood at all costs. Just get a screw in one aftermarket and save yourself some grief.
4/17
Quick update. For the past few months I've been piling on the shots with this lens in an attempt to ascertain it's overall quality in relation to the M43 gear as a whole. I've decided to part with my 135mm 1.8 and move over to M43 exclusively. I've shot A7, A7II, A77II and A900 and have been running these cameras along side my growing Olympus gear for about 2.5 years now. I will take the cash from the 135mm I sell and fund the 42.5 1.2 Nocticron. I suggest anyone starting off give this lens a try with any modern M43 camera. The price used now isn't a deal- it's a steal and the quality is almost ubsurd for just has small and affordable the system is. Also, I'm finding the eye detect with CAF to work really well with the 75 as well. Thanks.
I own a 135mm 1.8 Zeiss as well and so comparisons were inevitable. While I can't say the bokeh is quite as smooth- I'd still call it exceptional. It's fast to focus but there is a pronounced humming sound as it attempts to lock on. It is- it is very sharp. When I say sharp I mean, I cannot tell much if any difference comparing a 24MP full frame image at 135mm. You really have to size them up side by side in lightroom and then...MAYBE...you'll see a difference. Often, it's differences in ultimate shallow depth of field that stand out- not the optical quality.
I'd mention the build. The outer metal barrel is a thin aluminum. It's quite nice good but I must caution- it can scratch easy. It's just the reality of using a thin material more or less designed to limit weight and I've gotten minor scraches on mine. I'm still impressed with the overall package and the ribbed focusing ring is smooth- albeit fly by wire. Does it matter? Depends. I find mechanical focus at times a bit more easier to insure accuracy but any differences can easily be compensated with a bit of attention.
So why is this lens special? For one, the bokeh is truly outstanding for what it is. You're getting a nine rounded blade aperture often set aside for top shelf lenses. This means at say..5.6...you can still manage a nice background without the fuss of busy or unpleasing out of focus bits. If you like to shoot outdoors, it's a gem. Foliage is the worst for that sort of thing and this lens readily handles that type of situation.
The size- the utterly ridiculous and stupendous size of it all. I can fit this in a coat pocket. All things equal- no, you won't get the same depth of field as a full frame 135mm at F2. Here is the thing- I shoot a lot of weddings with a 135mm on a full frame and normally switch over to a crop sensor to negate the insane amount of shallow depth of field. I'm often shooting at 3.5 and I can most easily say goodbye to the background. With this lens, I get the good stuff without the weight. I can shoot it easily at 1.8 which means...sharp images at lower ISO's...and that's the whole package in a nut shell. When you combine this with 5 axis you've reached next level type of performance in my opinion.
I noted the weight, but their is added value to it's overall size. Take it to your kids sports events, plays, recitals...you name it. You take this out and no one bats an eye..NO ONE. I've taken the 135mm 1.8 out with my big DSLR and it's like the room stopped. This guy? You'll get complements...it just works and no one questions your telephoto powers.
I find there are specialty lenses that blend IQ and functionality in such a way that's hard to pass up. This lens is one of them. I can't stress how versatile it is. Put it in a bag and you'll never regret taking it anywhere. I know of no other modest telephoto lens that can do what this does given the size- balance, speed and IQ are all there.
I know I'm rambling but just one more thought. Back in the "good ol' days" reportage photographers had two cameras on them. One was with a 50mm (or thereabouts) and a 135mm. There is a reason for that. It's just enough reach without resorting to too much limitation. You have the speed and overall capabilities to push it through numerous scenarios. Now, because of the 75mm 1.8...you can have all of that but pocket sized. After much use- I can't think of a better lens I'd rather have on me. It also has the M43 DNA I'm really fond of. Maybe that's why I keep finding myself buying more and more of these lenses- because they get used. For all these reasons mentioned above, it is special! I think you'll be truly impressed.
2/5/16- quick update:
Still love the lens...but as a quick tip for those looking to purchase this....I recommend avoiding the Olympus hood. It's metal and slides over the metal barrel. There is a screw on the side which secures the lens to the top hood. You guess it....metal on metal....and you will end up with faint paint wear around the ridge of the barrel where the clamp sits. I bought this lens with the hood and sure enough. Now I have to look really close even in broad day light...but I like my gear as perfect as possible and it is a garbage hood design. I still 100 PERCENT recommend the lens, but just avoid the hood at all costs. Just get a screw in one aftermarket and save yourself some grief.
4/17
Quick update. For the past few months I've been piling on the shots with this lens in an attempt to ascertain it's overall quality in relation to the M43 gear as a whole. I've decided to part with my 135mm 1.8 and move over to M43 exclusively. I've shot A7, A7II, A77II and A900 and have been running these cameras along side my growing Olympus gear for about 2.5 years now. I will take the cash from the 135mm I sell and fund the 42.5 1.2 Nocticron. I suggest anyone starting off give this lens a try with any modern M43 camera. The price used now isn't a deal- it's a steal and the quality is almost ubsurd for just has small and affordable the system is. Also, I'm finding the eye detect with CAF to work really well with the 75 as well. Thanks.
on June 27, 2013
Awesome things about this gem:
+One of the sharpest (if not THE sharpest) lens I've ever used for any system, amazingly sharp even wide open from edge to edge!
+Great build quality, looks great, feels great, focus ring is nice and smooth.
+Just a great range at 75mm equivalent to 150mm on a full frame, there are many creative ways to use this as a portrait lens or short telephoto.
+AMAZING BOKEH! best thing about this lens!
+At 1.8F, this is a freakishly awesome lens for low light portraits
+Colors it produces are elegant, hard to explain, but the images I've produced with this lens are just elegant
Minor things that can be easily overlooked:
-A bit sluggish AF, not by much, but it can sometimes be tough nail focus just right in time to get a quick shot.
-Expensive.. Though I think it's worth it, it is a very expensive piece of glass, for a range that is not very common. It took some courage to pull the trigger, but I'm glad I got it.
-No lens hood? No weather-sealing? at $900, I would expect at least a lens-hood and a carrying pouch.
That's it! Like I said, this is not a common range, but you can really get creative and zoom in and out with your feet to make sure you get the shot just right!
One last note: This lens reminds me very much of a lens I had for my 5D: The Zeiss 85mm 1.4F, which is manual focus, had similar build quality and produced similar colors (nice and elegant) but this Olympus lens beats it! sharper, and with AF!
Enjoy it!
+One of the sharpest (if not THE sharpest) lens I've ever used for any system, amazingly sharp even wide open from edge to edge!
+Great build quality, looks great, feels great, focus ring is nice and smooth.
+Just a great range at 75mm equivalent to 150mm on a full frame, there are many creative ways to use this as a portrait lens or short telephoto.
+AMAZING BOKEH! best thing about this lens!
+At 1.8F, this is a freakishly awesome lens for low light portraits
+Colors it produces are elegant, hard to explain, but the images I've produced with this lens are just elegant
Minor things that can be easily overlooked:
-A bit sluggish AF, not by much, but it can sometimes be tough nail focus just right in time to get a quick shot.
-Expensive.. Though I think it's worth it, it is a very expensive piece of glass, for a range that is not very common. It took some courage to pull the trigger, but I'm glad I got it.
-No lens hood? No weather-sealing? at $900, I would expect at least a lens-hood and a carrying pouch.
That's it! Like I said, this is not a common range, but you can really get creative and zoom in and out with your feet to make sure you get the shot just right!
One last note: This lens reminds me very much of a lens I had for my 5D: The Zeiss 85mm 1.4F, which is manual focus, had similar build quality and produced similar colors (nice and elegant) but this Olympus lens beats it! sharper, and with AF!
Enjoy it!
on September 8, 2012
This is an amazing lens for the m4/3 system. It is every bit the equal of the Super High Grade lenses for the 4/3 system. From corner to corner this lens is so sharp you have to be careful not to cut your eyeballs. A little bit over dramatic but this lens is sharp. There is about a 1/3 vignetting at the extreme corners at 1.8 but otherwise is negligible. It has near zero distortion and, for a lens this fast, great resistance to chromatic aberration (i.e. purple fringing). This lens has a curved 9 bladed aperture which produces the nicest bokeh in my opinion. The auto focus is exceptionally fast and quiet. The build quality is exceptional. The optical quality of this lens is superior to anything Nikon or Canon are putting out. To me Olympus made a mistake by not weather sealing this lens. I know they are marketing it as an indoor portrait lens but really how difficult is it to put a gasket on the flange to seal the lens. Also, for the price there is no reason not to include a lens shade. I don't use lens shades myself and I find them a hassle but I know many people do.
The only other downsides are the size (2.7"), weight (.7 lbs), and price ($899). It works nicely on the OM-D with any part of the grip on. It also works great with the Panasonic G1 G2, G3, GH1, and GH2. If you don't have a grip, then this lens can make the camera feel front heavy.
Overall if the 150mm (35mm equivalent) crop angle works for you then this lens is a no brainer.
For me a great m4/3 kit would be Olympus 12mm f/2, Panasonic 25mm f/1.4, and Olympus 75mm f/1.8. Many people would add in the 45mm f/1.8 but for me that is too close to the 25mm and the Panasonic is by far the better lens.
For the rest of this discussion I will be referring to lenses in there 35mm equivalent crop angle length of 150mm. As far as the 150mm goes it is a little of an oddball length. At 150mm it is a tweener lens or short telephoto lens. For me this works great and I think for many people it would work great also. The reason for this is one of the reasons I love the 100-300mm and recommend it to all my friends who shoot their family. The biggest major error most people make when starting to take pictures is to not press the shutter release smoothly and, therefore, blur their pictures. The first major compositional error that most people make is to not crop in tight enough with the shot. They include a whole host of extraneous stuff which takes away from the photo. With the 150mm, I can pretty much guarantee that most people would feel exceedingly uncomfortable when first using that length. However, by using it and cropping in tighter, their photos would be much better for it. Also, with how fast the lens is it would provide nice high shutter speeds even in poor light. The 150mm focal length would be too short for most outdoor sports unless you are right on the sideline and even then the 100-300mm would serve you better. At something like indoor vollyball or basketball, if you are close to the sidelines you could get some good photos. Also, at recitals or graduations, 150mm would be good if you are close to the front. If you are further back, then the 300mm is going to be what you are looking for. However, for most indoor family situations you can usually get close enough where 90mm is too short and 150mm is just right.
Pros
Close to Optical Perfection
Excellent build quality
Focal length - short tele useful for portraiture and indoor functions
Price
Cons
Size and weight (.6lb and 2.7 inches. Heavy by m4/3 standards)
Not splash and dust proof
Does not include a hood
Focal length - some people will not like this length. Not very good for shooting groups of people.
Price
I've listed price under both sections for a reason. A lot of people want to compare this lens to a 150mm lens. However, this lens is not 150mm it is 75mm and should be compared to a 75mm lens so I will compare it to the Nikon 85mm f/1.8 selling for $500. This is $400 less than the Olympus lens so obviously it must be way over priced since those lenses cover a bigger sensor. It is not that obvious and I will explain below. While I would like all lenses to cost $100 or less that is not realistic. Also, Olympus can only produce so many of these at one time so the pricing is such that they can keep up with the anticipated demand.
The place to start on this discussion is with the ill fated 4/3 system and Olympus' Super High Grade lenses and more specifically the 35-100mm f/2 (70-200mm equivalent). This lens costs $2500 new. This lens is also big and heavy which is why the 4/3 system was soundly criticized. Why take a smaller sensor when the lenses are just as big. Unfortunately, what Olympus failed to market on this lens is that as a f/2 zoom (Nikon and Canon only have f/2.8 zooms), this lens is optically sharper and superior than most PRIMEs that Nikon and Canon make. First off it is f/2 which is one full stop faster than the Nikon or Canon equivalent and unlike the Nikon and Canon lenses does not vignette or go soft at the corners. This is not to bad mouth Nikon or Canon, it is just to show that Olympus makes some amazing lenses.
Now with that said, Leica lens designers say that anyone can make a big and heavy corner to corner sharp lens. I agree with them on that but the fact of the matter is that no one else is. Everyone is trying to make there lenses as small and as light as possible at the expense of optical quality. This is the very successful approach both Olympus and Panasonic are taking in m4/3 and I applaud them. They sacrifice optical quality to make a smaller lens and then digitally fix the flaws when the picture is made. However, Olympus should be applauded for taking a huge gamble and making amazing lenses also.
With that said lets compare this lens with the Nikon 85mm f/1.8G. For Nikon, this was a tiny update on a very old lens design. Optically they did not change anything. What they did was make it out of plastic and remove the aperture ring. So basically, Nikon recouped its engineering costs on this lens years ago. Olympus just designed this lens so it still needs to recoup the engineering and tooling costs.
The Nikon is made in China and is made of plastic. The Olympus is made in Japan and is made of metal. The Nikon uses all regular glass and spherical elements. The Olympus uses 3 lenses made of Extra-Low Dispersion glass (decreases the chromatic flaws) and 2 lenses with a high refractive index which allows Olympus to make those lenses smaller and lighter than usual. The Olympus has 9 aperture blades the Nikon only has 7. The Olympus also has completely silent focus for use in video. All of these items combine to make the Olympus more expensive than the Nikon. However, the lens simply outperforms the Nikon in every way.
It really is simple. Do you want a 75mm lens that has the best optical quality available? If not then get the Nikon or Canon or Sony or Pentax and enjoy. If you do, do you want to pay almost $4000 for it. If so get the Leica. They have mastered how to make the highest optical quality lenses small. However, you will pay for it. The Olympus 75mm is frankly oversized for what it is and that is why it is so optically amazing. It could have been made smaller. It could have been made lighter. But there would have been tradeoffs for that. At $900 this lens is expensive that is not in doubt. It should come with a hood and it should be weather sealed. However, none of that really matters. What really matters is that for $900 you getting one of the sharpest and as close to optically perfect lenses produced on this planet.
The only other downsides are the size (2.7"), weight (.7 lbs), and price ($899). It works nicely on the OM-D with any part of the grip on. It also works great with the Panasonic G1 G2, G3, GH1, and GH2. If you don't have a grip, then this lens can make the camera feel front heavy.
Overall if the 150mm (35mm equivalent) crop angle works for you then this lens is a no brainer.
For me a great m4/3 kit would be Olympus 12mm f/2, Panasonic 25mm f/1.4, and Olympus 75mm f/1.8. Many people would add in the 45mm f/1.8 but for me that is too close to the 25mm and the Panasonic is by far the better lens.
For the rest of this discussion I will be referring to lenses in there 35mm equivalent crop angle length of 150mm. As far as the 150mm goes it is a little of an oddball length. At 150mm it is a tweener lens or short telephoto lens. For me this works great and I think for many people it would work great also. The reason for this is one of the reasons I love the 100-300mm and recommend it to all my friends who shoot their family. The biggest major error most people make when starting to take pictures is to not press the shutter release smoothly and, therefore, blur their pictures. The first major compositional error that most people make is to not crop in tight enough with the shot. They include a whole host of extraneous stuff which takes away from the photo. With the 150mm, I can pretty much guarantee that most people would feel exceedingly uncomfortable when first using that length. However, by using it and cropping in tighter, their photos would be much better for it. Also, with how fast the lens is it would provide nice high shutter speeds even in poor light. The 150mm focal length would be too short for most outdoor sports unless you are right on the sideline and even then the 100-300mm would serve you better. At something like indoor vollyball or basketball, if you are close to the sidelines you could get some good photos. Also, at recitals or graduations, 150mm would be good if you are close to the front. If you are further back, then the 300mm is going to be what you are looking for. However, for most indoor family situations you can usually get close enough where 90mm is too short and 150mm is just right.
Pros
Close to Optical Perfection
Excellent build quality
Focal length - short tele useful for portraiture and indoor functions
Price
Cons
Size and weight (.6lb and 2.7 inches. Heavy by m4/3 standards)
Not splash and dust proof
Does not include a hood
Focal length - some people will not like this length. Not very good for shooting groups of people.
Price
I've listed price under both sections for a reason. A lot of people want to compare this lens to a 150mm lens. However, this lens is not 150mm it is 75mm and should be compared to a 75mm lens so I will compare it to the Nikon 85mm f/1.8 selling for $500. This is $400 less than the Olympus lens so obviously it must be way over priced since those lenses cover a bigger sensor. It is not that obvious and I will explain below. While I would like all lenses to cost $100 or less that is not realistic. Also, Olympus can only produce so many of these at one time so the pricing is such that they can keep up with the anticipated demand.
The place to start on this discussion is with the ill fated 4/3 system and Olympus' Super High Grade lenses and more specifically the 35-100mm f/2 (70-200mm equivalent). This lens costs $2500 new. This lens is also big and heavy which is why the 4/3 system was soundly criticized. Why take a smaller sensor when the lenses are just as big. Unfortunately, what Olympus failed to market on this lens is that as a f/2 zoom (Nikon and Canon only have f/2.8 zooms), this lens is optically sharper and superior than most PRIMEs that Nikon and Canon make. First off it is f/2 which is one full stop faster than the Nikon or Canon equivalent and unlike the Nikon and Canon lenses does not vignette or go soft at the corners. This is not to bad mouth Nikon or Canon, it is just to show that Olympus makes some amazing lenses.
Now with that said, Leica lens designers say that anyone can make a big and heavy corner to corner sharp lens. I agree with them on that but the fact of the matter is that no one else is. Everyone is trying to make there lenses as small and as light as possible at the expense of optical quality. This is the very successful approach both Olympus and Panasonic are taking in m4/3 and I applaud them. They sacrifice optical quality to make a smaller lens and then digitally fix the flaws when the picture is made. However, Olympus should be applauded for taking a huge gamble and making amazing lenses also.
With that said lets compare this lens with the Nikon 85mm f/1.8G. For Nikon, this was a tiny update on a very old lens design. Optically they did not change anything. What they did was make it out of plastic and remove the aperture ring. So basically, Nikon recouped its engineering costs on this lens years ago. Olympus just designed this lens so it still needs to recoup the engineering and tooling costs.
The Nikon is made in China and is made of plastic. The Olympus is made in Japan and is made of metal. The Nikon uses all regular glass and spherical elements. The Olympus uses 3 lenses made of Extra-Low Dispersion glass (decreases the chromatic flaws) and 2 lenses with a high refractive index which allows Olympus to make those lenses smaller and lighter than usual. The Olympus has 9 aperture blades the Nikon only has 7. The Olympus also has completely silent focus for use in video. All of these items combine to make the Olympus more expensive than the Nikon. However, the lens simply outperforms the Nikon in every way.
It really is simple. Do you want a 75mm lens that has the best optical quality available? If not then get the Nikon or Canon or Sony or Pentax and enjoy. If you do, do you want to pay almost $4000 for it. If so get the Leica. They have mastered how to make the highest optical quality lenses small. However, you will pay for it. The Olympus 75mm is frankly oversized for what it is and that is why it is so optically amazing. It could have been made smaller. It could have been made lighter. But there would have been tradeoffs for that. At $900 this lens is expensive that is not in doubt. It should come with a hood and it should be weather sealed. However, none of that really matters. What really matters is that for $900 you getting one of the sharpest and as close to optically perfect lenses produced on this planet.