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Olympus 45mm v. Olympus 75mm

Started May 8, 2013 | Discussions thread
David Kieltyka
David Kieltyka Veteran Member • Posts: 6,450
I like both...

ArthurG1987 wrote:

Hey there kind dpreview.com forum folk!

I'm in a bit of a situation. granted, nice situation, but a situation nonetheless.

I'm torn between getting the olympus 45mm f/1.8 and the olympus 75mm f/1.8. Yes, the 75mm has its seductive claws in me. That front element and the all-metal construction are sexy as hell. But My main concern is the focal length: specifically, does an effective focal length of 150mm excessively flatten someone's face as compared to a 90mm effective focal length?

I'm especially interested in feedback from people who have experience with both focal lengths, or preferrably, both oly lenses.

Thanks, and keep it real.

IME 45 & 75mm lenses both work well for portraits in M43 format. I can't say I notice flattening effects until I go beyond 100mm or so. Although your definition of "flattening" might differ from mine...I like a bit of perspective compression but not so much that the subject looks like a cardboard cutout. Wide open the Oly 75 has more bite than the 45, so if you prefer a less clinical portrait approach w/ shallow DOF the latter lens would be your best option. The 75 is pretty amazing, though...one of the best lenses I've ever owned, and not just because it's sharp. It is that, but it doesn't sacrifice broad tonal range or rich color response to the god of resolution.

-Dave-

 David Kieltyka's gear list:David Kieltyka's gear list
Leica M9-P Leica M8.2 Pentax 645D Pentax 645Z Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 +9 more
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