Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 75 mm F1.8 Lens, Fast Fixed Focal Length, Suitable for All MFT Cameras (Olympus OM-D & PEN Models, Panasonic G Series), silver

Product Information

The Olympus 75mm ƒ/1.8 M.Zuiko accepts the LH-61F lens hood, which is not supplied with the lens. A special lens cap (LC-61) is also available - this cap fits directly over the lens hood.

Let me start out by saying that if you're considering buying this lens, and are in the market for a prime Micro Four-Thirds short telephoto lens, buy this 75mm f/1.8. That's the short version of the story: buy it in confidence knowing it's great. I wouldn’t recommend this lens for a camera like the BMPCC 4k or GH5S because neither have IBIS. That is unless you put the camera on a tripod for an interview situation. No weather sealing In most respects, performance is extremely similar to the Olympus 25mm lens. Autofocus is fast, virtually silent and consistently accurate. Sharpness is outstanding even at f/1.8, while bokeh is delightfully smooth despite the modest aperture rating. Vignetting is minimal and color fringing is negligible but, whereas the 25mm produces noticeable barrel distortion, the 75mm gives a slight touch of pincushion. Olympus M.Zuiko 75mm f/1.8: Lab results Its more expensive than most other lenses, but it performs way better. Think of the last 135MM lens you bought brand new . . . How much did you spend? This costs less, and delivers way way more. Don't expect filet-mignon for hamburger prices. As can be seen in the above series of photos, this 75mm lens is sharpest wide open or stopped down to f/2.8. The results are stunning at f/1.8 and f/2.8, but nothing is dropped in quality until f/8.0 in my opinion. Granted, finding small discrepancies in sharpness has often baffled me, so take this for what it’s worth.

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 75mm f/1.8 Sample Photos

The Olympus 75mm f/1.8 doesn’t have weather sealing either. It’s still well protected with the sun hood. In this Olympus 75mm f1.8 review I am going to show you how this lens performs in the real World. You wont find any charts here, just real World use and everyday photos. Olympus 75mm 1.8 Review – Build quality

Fast forward almost three years and not a whole lot has changed. Olympus has begun to release higher end lenses as part of the M. Zuiko Pro line that compete slightly with the 75mm and other manufacturers have released a few lenses in the same focal length range as well. Even still, the 75mm provides some of the best optics in the Micro 4/3 system and remains one of the highest quality lenses money can buy at this point in time. The price I payed is included the hood and special cap for this hood, and the overall price is OK for such a fine lens, and if you want it to be perfect I think you need the hood, because it can loose some contrast in strong light, but not worse than so many others (but there are some lenses, that are better in this special area)

Conclusion

The Olympus 75mm ƒ/1.8 M.Zuiko looks and feels like a premium offering, with an old-school aesthetic and all-metal construction. Despite being a micro-four thirds lens, it's fairly big, but not overly heavy (10.7 oz). It is a natural fit with the OM-D EM-5, but may be slightly heavy for the smaller micro four-thirds cameras. The lens uses a fairly complex design: 10 elements in 9 groups, including 3 ED lens elements (Extra-low Dispersion) and 2 HR (High Refractive Index) lens elements. The diaphragm is made up of 9 rounded elements to provide pleasing out-of-focus results. In fact, I’d say that the “Oly” 75mm f1.8 is still one of the best prime lenses for street and concert photos you can get for MFT cameras. Here are some sample images. Each image is shot from the same spot with the same light. The only adjustment made between photographs is a stop down in aperture. Olympus cameras generally do a good job of removing Chromatic abberations in camera using profiles for each lens so it is not always a problem. I have also intentionally shot the lens in what is the most difficult situation so that I can highlight any flaws.

The Olympus 75mm 1.8 doesn’t exhibit any issues with lens flare. In fact I shot it straight into the sun through some leaves and it coped remarkably well. It retained plenty of contrast in the image. Move the sun just out of frame and you have no problems with flare at all. If you’re ready to buy your first portrait lens for the Micro Four Thirds system, I cannot think of a single reason you shouldn’t jump on the Sigma 56mm f/1.4. Indeed, the only reason to consider the more expensive 75mm instead is for its longer focal length, which is preferable for headshots or events where you need a longer reach. Technology and specs aside, this autofocus system was a saving grace two months ago when I shot my sister’s engagement photos. We headed out on a nippy January morning and I originally had the 20mm attached to my camera. I expected the 40mm full-frame equivalent lens to be my go-to choice for the more artistic kind of photos my sister was looking for.Size wise it is easier to just show you the lens compared to the 45mm 1.8 and 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro zoom to give you an idea of the size.