Lens question

[zzzdog]

Hi All,

Please forgive me if I am intruding or making any other newbie mistakes, but I've looked around the internet and haven't been able to find an answer to my confusion, so I thought I'd ask here to see if any of you could help. I wasn't sure where exactly to post this, but since it's about the E-510 and Olympus lenses, I thought here might be best ...

This is probably an excruciatingly stupid question, but here goes ... do the old OM2 compatible lenses fit the E-510 body? I know the E510 uses 4/3 focal properties, (and have a hazy notion of what that all means technically), but COULD I use an Olympus 50mm lens temporarily for basic studio shooting of objects?

Okay, if you're not rolling on the floor howling with laughter and care to know why I ask this, here's the situation:

I am a studio artist and my camera use is confined mainly to product documentation. In 2002 I got the c-3000 zoom and used the manual over-rides with a tripod and lighting and got a usable result. My computer finally crashed and new system compatibility issues made it time to move on .. so I got a Fuji E900 and kept going. But the Fuji had a meltdown the other day and is not really fixable given pricing structures.

Since I don't really use a point and shoot as intended, I've decided to upgrade to a DSLR to get a better studio result. After doing some research and looking at my preferences, I've decided the Olympus E510 will work well for my needs in the studio and for what little personal use I make of a camera.

I'm always on a shoestring unfortunately ... I have found some good deals on a body, and I'm wondering if I can use my old, non 4/3 Olympus 50mm lens temporarily for studio shooting until I can upgrade to the new focal property/image stabilization lenses. With using a tripod and manual focus, can I make do? It would be a help financially to be able to wait a couple of months before purchasing lenses.

Actually, I have 3 lenses I used to use on my OM2 -- 50mm, 28mm, and 135mm.

I'm sorry to be so ignorant about the physics and specifications of all of this; I suppose it's such a basic knowledge question that it's already understood so I haven't seen it specifically addressed anywhere. I once had enough working knowledge of manual 35mm photography to do well in art school photo classes and for studio shooting through the years, but I don't remember the particulars well enough to really know anything. I still have a basic understanding of shutter speed, aperature, focal length, etc., but I'm very ignorant of the technical aspects of equipment -- especially today's digital world.

Also, can you recommend an easy-to-understand book that would refresh my memory? Now that my trial and error photo solution has gone the way of all things, I need to do a better job than I was, and there's no substitute for information and knowledge.

Thanks so much for reading through my questions. I hope my ignorance hasn't been insulting to those of who for whom photography is a passion.

Interestingly, 18 years ago, right after graduate school, I did work for two years as a positive print finish artist with a national professional photo lab ... old school ... dyes, airbrush .. all that stuff. I remember a Kodak R&D team came to us in early 1991 to show us some of the first digital imaging manipulation possibilities ... the first applications I worked with involved digitizing positives for on screen correction, then the program would write a new film negative for emulsion printing. We did simple cloning-based things mostly like removing power lines and image repair. But it was pretty amazing stuff even in its infancy.

I remember seeing some of the first digitally generated images and cameras and finding it hard to imagine emulsion based photography being eclipsed. Obviously, I'm not much of a fortune teller! Anyway, thought you might find that interesting.

Thanks again.

Robin
http://www.zzzdogstudio.com

[SmartWombat]

Welcome, Robin.

The lens mounts are different.
An old OM lens won't fit directly on to a 4/3 camera.
So you need the Olympus OM Four Thirds Adapter.
Or a cheap copy made in the far east.

I found these useful:
http://forum.fourthirdsphoto.com/showthread.php?t=18497
http://www.biofos.com/cornucop/omz_e1.html
http://brandymorecastle.org/projects...s-adapter.html

[Greg McCary]

Yes as Paul wrote you can use your lenses with the adapter. I haven't fitted any OM lenses on a 4/3rd mount but did try one that fit my old Yashica lenses. The results were pretty good. The small viewfinder of the 510 made it some what harder to focus but if you are in a studio I am sure it would work out fine. The adapters can be had cheap enough off of e-bay. Will you be doing a great deal of macro stuff?

[Atomic2]

If your camera is mounted on a tripod, and the subject is not moving, you can use the camera's LIVE VIEW function and zoom in to adjust the focus.

Using manual focus lenses through the view finder on the 510 is very difficult.

[zzzdog]

Smart Wombat (Paul?) and Greg - thank you both SO much for your responses.

Adapter! What a concept! LOL. I didn't think of that, I just figured it would be yay or no.

Okay, this thing has possibilities.

I don't do much macro, but I find with a higher resolution and decent focus I can crop in pretty closely upon editing and get the close up effect I need for details. The size of my work is such that focal lengths in the 3 - 5 foot range work out pretty well.

As I said, my product is usable and I get pretty good feedback on my site, but I'm really hoping to improve it. My shots just don't have the image quality or visual depth that I'd really like. They're okay, it works, but it could be a lot better ... should be a lot better.

Thank you both for your help.

I'll probably have more questions as I encounter the nuts and bolts ... I'll try not to pester anyone. Who knows, maybe it'll come back to me ... like bicycle riding ...

Anyway ... Thanks again.

Robin
http://www.zzzdogstudio.com

[zzzdog]

If your camera is mounted on a tripod, and the subject is not moving, you can use the camera's LIVE VIEW function and zoom in to adjust the focus.

Using manual focus lenses through the view finder on the 510 is very difficult.

Thanks for the info. That makes sense.

That's how I was using the point and shoot. One of the reasons I'm attracted to the e-510 is because of the LIVE VIEW function. I wanted it on the DSLR I chose because after years of using it, I'm not ready to go cold turkey.

Thanks again,
Robin

[SmartWombat]

Questions?
What we're here for

Hope you'll share some results, because I'm looking at the MMF-1 to put some of my old OM lenses on the E-P1 both macro and telephoto.
I wonder if I can use OM extension tubes?

Or find a micro 4/3 converter for my Zenith m43 screw lenses?

You've started me thinking now !

[Atomic2]

Zenith = Zenit, russian lens?

Im using a Zenit 58mm F2 on my E3 and LOVE it.

[rubeel]

I used the old OM 300mm lens on my E-300 (using the adapter) and it worked wonders for me, you have to manually focus and it takes some getting used to but it was not a bad experience

[Dave6223]

I have a 510, and the two kit lenses, the 14-42 and the 40-150. I also have:

Olympus 50mm f1.8. Great lens, sharp and fast.
Olympus 135mm. One of my favourite lenses from the old days. Capable
Sigma 24mm. On the 510 gives me approx a standard lans field of view
Sigma 28-70 zoom. Really sharp
Vivitar 75-205mm f4. Amafing and fast for its length.

All of them are capable of very good results, but not for fast use, cos focussing can be a real pain in the arris.

Hope this helps..

Dave

[Atomic2]

What aperture is the Sigma 24mm?


I want a fast legacy lens that is about 25mm but as much as 35mm wouldnt be too much of a problem. And by fast, I mean F2 or faster.

Its really hard to find one that isnt super expensive for the M42 mount which I have an adapter for, but if theres a cheap one for another mount, Ill get it.

[Dave6223]

Hi Atomic,

If I remember correctly it's a 3.5. Focussing it is a bit of a pain, because everything is so small in the viewfinder, but when you get it right, it's a beauty.

Dave

[Dave6223]

This is taken with the Sigma 28-70 f3.5-4.5.

It's not suppose to be artistic but was taken at 70mm f8

Dave

[Dave6223]

This with the Sigm 24mm f3.5

Taken at f8

[Dave6223]

This taken with the Olympus 50mm f1.8

Taken at f8

I hope these images have helped you. If they aren't as good as you may have hoped, I hope it's because I havent developed the RAW images anf then processed them in Paint Shp Pro very well.

Dave

[Dave6223]

I use an Olympus OM to 4/3 adapter, the Olympus 50mm f1.8 can usually be bought on ebay these days for around £10:00 for a decent quality. Bear in mind that the focal lenghts on an evolte will give a field of view of around double it's focal length, making the 50mm equivalent to around 100mm. I don't actually see it that way myself, the field of view is narrower, but the image seems around the same size to me.

Hopw this has helped you

Dave

[Dave6223]

From my Vivitar 75-205 at 205mm f8

Dave

[rubeel]

this picture was a test shot when i had bought the 300mm OM lens, used the converter with E-300. i know it is a crappy pic but i was playing with a camera for the first time seriously

[SmartWombat]

Zenith = Zenit, russian lens?
Im using a Zenit 58mm F2 on my E3 and LOVE it.

Yes, I used to get better photos than a friend with an expensive Canon with FD lenses.
Found the Zenit-EM at my parents house a few months ago when clearing out before the students moved in, nearly put a roll of 35mm through it for old times' sake
Now I'm thinking of a micro 4/3 m42 adapter.

[Atomic2]

Yes, I used to get better photos than a friend with an expensive Canon with FD lenses.
Found the Zenit-EM at my parents house a few months ago when clearing out before the students moved in, nearly put a foll of 35mm through it for old times' sake

Same story here mate! [almost]
Found a Zenit-ET in my father's drawer, I kind of always knew something was there, but never really bothered checking out what it was. Then I remembered about it and did some research finding out that it was an M42 mount lens. Immediately I ordered an m42-4/3 adapter from eBay and now I love that guy!

I also then found a 55 1.4 Sears lens [rebadged Ricoh] but theres something wrong with that lens I guess. The glass is all yellow and makes photos all weird.