Not sure I'm feeling the Olympus 75mm f/1.8...

I don't own a 75mm f/1.8 lens, but I want one in the worst way.

This isn't the best lens for indoor portraits. For the reasons you explained it just doesn't work well in close quarters. The 45mm f/1.8 lens would have been the perfect lens for the headshots of your cat.

I think part of your problem is that you are using cameras that lack IBIS, and the lens doesn't have OIS. It certainly isn't easy to hand hold a 75mm lens (150mm equivalent) when you are trying to get sharp images. You might find it easier to use on an Olympus camera, or a Panasonic GX7.

Personally, I want this lens because it looks like the perfect solution for times you need a long fast lens, and where flash wouldn't work. For example... indoor sports, like High School basketball games, or theater productions, or concerts.

As a specialty lens it won't get much use, but when you need it, you will be glad you have it.

Since I don't own one yet I have no examples to post, but I did find a few that were shot by others...

MAubrey wrote:

Well, to each his own. But I wouldn't trade my 75mm for anything.

+1

honeyiscool wrote:

This is about as close as I can get with my 75mm. It's not any greater magnification than my normal and 45mm lenses. What I really wanted was to be able to use the focal length to have a more natural perspective of tight shots, and I didn't realize how limiting the .10x magnification would be.

Your perspective depends not on the focal length, but on the distance from the subject. The point of a longer lens is that you can stand back further away, while maintaining the same framing as a shorter lens. Then a longer working distance creates a more natural perspective.

So by trying to come in closer you are fighting against exactly what the lens was created for: to put you further away from your subject. That extra distance is what is supposed to give faces a more flattering look, or to create a more realistic ratio of sizes between foreground and background.

If your distance from the subject is limited by close quarters then there's no focal length that will create a better perspective. You might try to change the projection method in post processing from rectilinear to something else, in a program such as Hugin. It's just an idea though, I never tried it myself.

Vlad

You must be smoking crack because your response makes way too much sense for these forums.

honeyiscool wrote:

When Olympus had the $100 discount, I decided to try this lens out. Now that I've had it for a few days, I am wondering whether or not to keep it.

First of all, picture quality is superb. But given that just about every MFT lens has very good picture quality, that can't be the only point behind a lens. The lens is great and delivers. I'm just not sure I am a fit for the lens.

I knew how long 75mm would be. I have the 45mm f/1.8 and 60mm f/2.8 macro, so I fully expected a longer lens. That's not the problem. I'm just not sure I was prepared for these three issues:

1) Focusing distance. The 75mm can't focus closer than 33 inches. This is a problem for me because it makes the lens hard to use in indoor situations. 33 inches is quite far and it's easy to lose track of my working distance, especially when working with smaller subjects like babies and cats. I think if I had maybe another foot, even half a foot, of working distance, it'd make it so much easier to use this lens. As it is, I can't fill the frame with just the head of a baby or cat. It'd be fine for adults, sure, but adults aren't as willing subjects. I snap a lot of cat photos to help me learn how to use lenses.

2) Shutter speed requirements. The 75mm is a natural fit for a larger camera like the GH4, but needing 1/150 or faster shutter speed limits my ability to use it easily. It's not really a huge deal, because I'd been dealing with some of the same issues with the 60mm f/2.8 (which has a lower shutter requirement, but is only f/2.8). Once again, this makes the lens hard to use indoors, but thankfully I do have an Olympus body as well.

3) Focus is pretty fast, but since it's such a long focal distance CDAF lens, it seems that sometimes the focus box just doesn't pick up enough detail to focus, so the lens ends up hunting until I choose a different box. This, I learned to deal with quickly enough, but the problem is that I'd find myself sometimes wandering into those 33 inches and trying to focus and assuming the lens was just hunting, and then focus wouldn't happen, then I'd have to back up. It's overall not very intuitive for me.

I think the surprising thing for me is that when I orderd the 60mm f/2.8 macro, I almost immediately had buyer's remorse, since I'm simply not a macro shooter, but once it arrived, I found it to be such a great all-purpose lens that I can't imagine getting rid of it. The only thing it can't do is shoot in low light, but it's so great at everything else. And really, given how 75mm f/1.8 probably has to be stopped down to f/2.8 for a lot of portraits and can't fill the frame as well as even my 45mm f/1.8, I'm not sure it really even has an advantage. Let me illustrate.

This is about as close as I can get with my 75mm. It's not any greater magnification than my normal and 45mm lenses. What I really wanted was to be able to use the focal length to have a more natural perspective of tight shots, and I didn't realize how limiting the .10x magnification would be.

This is with the 60mm. This is far from a macro, but this is about as close as I would have wanted to go, so that I could back up a tiny bit and fit the entire face into the frame. So we're probably talking like a 0.14x-0.16x magnification level that would have been enough for me.

Of course, the 60mm can do this, too. And this is why I love that lens.

Reference shot of the cat (she's a tiny bit chubby not super fat)

Pulled these back from FB...they were SOOC and onto facebook resize+compression then downloaded back then uploaded here.

Photo's of a cat we were babysitting....she's hissing at me in the wider shot...yet she's somewhat serene contemplative in the close up? (cats are weird)

Can't remember the settings but that's the 75mm for both in fairly dim light. I'm so close....not much of her is in focus. I think the close up one is stopped down even.,

Don't know why you can't get closer?

honeyiscool wrote:

When Olympus had the $100 discount, I decided to try this lens out. Now that I've had it for a few days, I am wondering whether or not to keep it.

First of all, picture quality is superb. But given that just about every MFT lens has very good picture quality, that can't be the only point behind a lens. The lens is great and delivers. I'm just not sure I am a fit for the lens.

I knew how long 75mm would be. I have the 45mm f/1.8 and 60mm f/2.8 macro, so I fully expected a longer lens. That's not the problem. I'm just not sure I was prepared for these three issues:

1) Focusing distance. The 75mm can't focus closer than 33 inches. This is a problem for me because it makes the lens hard to use in indoor situations. 33 inches is quite far and it's easy to lose track of my working distance, especially when working with smaller subjects like babies and cats. I think if I had maybe another foot, even half a foot, of working distance, it'd make it so much easier to use this lens. As it is, I can't fill the frame with just the head of a baby or cat. It'd be fine for adults, sure, but adults aren't as willing subjects. I snap a lot of cat photos to help me learn how to use lenses.

2) Shutter speed requirements. The 75mm is a natural fit for a larger camera like the GH4, but needing 1/150 or faster shutter speed limits my ability to use it easily. It's not really a huge deal, because I'd been dealing with some of the same issues with the 60mm f/2.8 (which has a lower shutter requirement, but is only f/2.8). Once again, this makes the lens hard to use indoors, but thankfully I do have an Olympus body as well.

3) Focus is pretty fast, but since it's such a long focal distance CDAF lens, it seems that sometimes the focus box just doesn't pick up enough detail to focus, so the lens ends up hunting until I choose a different box. This, I learned to deal with quickly enough, but the problem is that I'd find myself sometimes wandering into those 33 inches and trying to focus and assuming the lens was just hunting, and then focus wouldn't happen, then I'd have to back up. It's overall not very intuitive for me.

I think the surprising thing for me is that when I orderd the 60mm f/2.8 macro, I almost immediately had buyer's remorse, since I'm simply not a macro shooter, but once it arrived, I found it to be such a great all-purpose lens that I can't imagine getting rid of it. The only thing it can't do is shoot in low light, but it's so great at everything else. And really, given how 75mm f/1.8 probably has to be stopped down to f/2.8 for a lot of portraits and can't fill the frame as well as even my 45mm f/1.8, I'm not sure it really even has an advantage. Let me illustrate.

This is about as close as I can get with my 75mm.

Looks like you focused in front of the eyes because look at where the sharpness peaks on the cat's paw which is certainly in front of the cat's eyes.

You can get in closer than this if you put the focus point further back on the cat's face and move in

I think the 75 is not for you. Since I bought mine most of my favorite pictures have been taken with it but I only use it occasionally. It is what it is but it isn't every day.

ApertureAcolyte wrote:
Looks like you focused in front of the eyes because look at where the sharpness peaks on the cat's paw which is certainly in front of the cat's eyes.

You can get in closer than this if you put the focus point further back on the cat's face and move in

I set every focus point via touch screen. I almost never let the camera make that decision.

ApertureAcolyte wrote:

Photo's of a cat we were babysitting....she's hissing at me in the wider shot...yet she's somewhat serene contemplative in the close up? (cats are weird)

Can't remember the settings but that's the 75mm for both in fairly dim light. I'm so close....not much of her is in focus. I think the close up one is stopped down even.,

Don't know why you can't get closer?

Beautiful cat, by the way. I don't know if you got this from my post but my picture is of a kitten. The calico in your picture looks quite fully grown. My subject is probably just smaller, that's all.

Tom Caldwell wrote:

Jeff Tokayer wrote:

Ulric wrote:

These things are toys for grownups anyway, and cheap compared to sailing or golf or cars.

Or smoking, drinking or gambling.

Well I don't sail, own a racehorse, or a private aeroplane, don't play golf and haven't needed to buy a car for years, don't take expensive holidays, don't smoke, don't gamble, heck, I don't even have a girlfriend (of that sort) ..... working on the drinking Must be boring.

... I guess that I need another lens or three .....

You need (and deserve) a full set of Olympus, Canon and Nikon.

I actually use it a lot more for sports than I thought I would when I bought it, and a lot less for indoor portraits.

bcalkins wrote:

I actually use it a lot more for sports than I thought I would when I bought it, and a lot less for indoor portraits.

Great photos! Yes, I recall even Olympus was promoting it as a sports and events lens, not as indoor portrait lens.

Vlad

Thanks Rick

Thanks Vlad. Agreed - on the website they list "studio portraits, theatre stage and indoor sports photography".  I would definitely agree - it is very useful for indoor sports, I use it for the kids' swim meets every year...