Using OM lens with E-PM2 newbie question

2raj wrote:
Any recommendations for good legacy portrait lenses and long zoom lens for birding?

At this point, you should spend as little as possible, since you might pitch the lens and adapter into the lake after your first days' use. Ninety percent of the users here cannot be bothered with manual lenses.

Get any 50mm made by a major camera maker. They've all been mentioned in previous posts. Maybe you have an older relative who shot SLR's 40 years ago who still has a camera and lens in the closet. Ignore the ebay sellers who ask big bucks for common lenses they got for $5 at a yeard sale or from their uncle.  Add your $10 adapter and see if you can make the EPM2 work for you.

As for long zooms, the above closets are full of 70-210 and 80-200 zooms. All of them are heavy and hard to use on any M43 camera. If you come across any Vivitar Series 1 70-210 zooms, they are relatively sharp (still low on contrast) and probably worth $20-25. Anything else, unless it says Nikon, Canon, etc,  has little value.

baxters wrote:

2raj wrote:
Any recommendations for good legacy portrait lenses and long zoom lens for birding?

At this point, you should spend as little as possible, since you might pitch the lens and adapter into the lake after your first days' use. Ninety percent of the users here cannot be bothered with manual lenses.

Get any 50mm made by a major camera maker. They've all been mentioned in previous posts. Maybe you have an older relative who shot SLR's 40 years ago who still has a camera and lens in the closet. Ignore the ebay sellers who ask big bucks for common lenses they got for $5 at a yeard sale or from their uncle. Add your $10 adapter and see if you can make the EPM2 work for you.

As for long zooms, the above closets are full of 70-210 and 80-200 zooms. All of them are heavy and hard to use on any M43 camera. If you come across any Vivitar Series 1 70-210 zooms, they are relatively sharp (still low on contrast) and probably worth $20-25. Anything else, unless it says Nikon, Canon, etc, has little value.

Thanks for the great advice. Unfortunately, I don't have any relatives who shot SLRs in the past. What's the most I should be paying for a 50mm lens?

Joinker wrote:

Olympus and Minolta lenses have good reputations as adaptable legacy types. So do Canon FD, Konica AR. Check out the adapted lenses forum at mu-43.com.

Also that forum contains a focus-peaking type of workaround for the current generation of Olympus cameras that don't have it built in. I use it in conjunction with the magnification and its very useful and fun.

I'll be sure to check-out mu-43.com. Thanks!

hindesite wrote:

2raj wrote:

hindesite wrote:

The OM 50/1.8 is very good on m4/3, I have used a couple (with different results) on both an E-P1 and G6. Not as sharp as the 45/1.8, nor as convenient, but definitely useful. And cheap.

Would you recommend the OM 50/1.8 over other brand (Nikon, Canon etc.) lenses to use with the E-PM2?

The OM lens feels and looks nice, but I also have Helios 44K-4 58/2, Canon 50/1.8, Nikon 55/2.8 Micro Nikkor, Nikon 50/1.8, Pentax 50/1.4 and OM 50/3.5 Macro. Cost varied from about $50 to $5 or $0 for most of them.

Of the standard 50mm lenses, it really comes down to what you are used to handling, they are somewhat similar though of course the macro lenses and the Helios are different.

The OM lenses have the aperture ring on the front of the lens, can be confusing for some; also Nikon bayonet is braindead and backwards. Canon FD mount is the subject of quite a few questions in this forum, it is a bit complicated. Adapters are so cheap it is reasonable to leave them permanently attached to your favourite lenses.

The big deal with these lenses is stay clear of fungus and you should be right.

The main problem you will have is judging focus, with no EVF and no focus peaking you will need to use magnified view which wasn't implemented at all well on the E-P1; maybe it is better on the E-PM2 (it isn't good on the E-PM1, either).

Thanks for the tip. I'll try to program one of the buttons to Zoom to help with manual focussing.

On the E-P1 I had to be in the correct display mode, press the centre button, focus then press the centre button to compose. Very tedious. Anything would be an improvement, and the G6 was more than that - it makes using MF lenses a delight.

Pretty much any cheap adapter will do, the advantage f the OM lenses is that the adapter don't need any release button or moving parts. I prefer adapters with tripod mounts, so they can support heavier lenses without straining the camera.

So, you think going with the $10 adapter over more expensive ones is ok?

I've never bought an expensive adapter and been happy with what I have received and the results I have got.

Thanks for all the great tips and recommendations. It's much appreciated.

M43 Dude wrote:

You don't have to use OM lenses, you can use lenses from just about any system you like, Canon and Konica lenses are also very good. If you do go with a Canon lens, just make sure you get a new FD lens (FDn) rather than an old breach lock lens which can be hard to mount on adapters.

Great! I'm somewhat familiar with the Canon; will be sure to check Konica as well.

farmer35 wrote:

Yeah just get one and see if it suits you and your camera. If you don't like it, don't get any more. And if you do.....well, I just ordered an Industar 61 from Russia and I'll admit I got it partly for it's looks. But it was $19, freight included, and in a couple of weeks I'll find out what I have. If I was in it only for the looks I might have tried an Industar 22.

Those lenses look pretty cool How well do they perform?

I'm arriving very late to the party, but I use several manual focus legacy lenses to fair effect, some better than others.

I picked up a 50mm f1.7 Pentax SMC lens for about 60 bucks and an adapter for about 5 more, and here's what I've noticed: