Zuiko Pen-F 42mm f/1.2: compact superspeed

[uhoh7]

Pen-F 42/1.2, here she is:






at 270 grams, able to fully cover the APS-C sensor, I think this may be the smallest, lightest superspeed lens made with a working aperture.

I've been looking for one of these for several months and finnally found this one.

15,771 made between 1966 and 1971. All but 2435 were sold with a Pen-FT body.

They are not cheap, I was happy to pay 520USD for this one, which originally retailed at 99.95.











all but first sample are wide open.

the advantage of the Pen-F lenses (there are a number of very good ones) over rangefinder lenses for the nex is the close focus, which is .35.

Of course an M39 extension will get your RF even closer

[LucisPictor]

Wow!!

I would LOVE to have this lens for my NEX, but - as you write - it's really expensive!

Congratulations to your new dream lens!

[ManualFocus-G]

Never seen one before! Thanks for sharing images of this super rare lens!

[Attila]

[uhoh7]

TY guys

Anything under 600 and I don't think you can loose money unless you drop it

They come up on EBAY about once a month, sometimes more often sometimes less.

The PEN F system really amazes me. It was the NEX of it's day, and the fixed lens versions sold like crazy, but OLY was forced to go OM when Kodak would not get behind the half frame.

here is a fantastic site with all the brochures
http://www.skipwilliams.com/olympus/pen-lit.htm

The lens set is sick, starting with a superb 20/3.5, and ending with the ultra rare 800 mirror, including one of the first zooms.

here is the rez test for the 42/1.2


What is remarkable about this lens is the sharpness at F8.

So many high speed lenses are not really steallar stopped down, like my Canon LTM 50/1.2, but this one really does bring it home

[vlousada]

Great deal and very nice pictures.
Thanks for sharing.

[uhoh7]

one more interesting note on the rez test



and here the entire article
http://www.skipwilliams.com/olympus/pen-lit/camera35-test-pen-lenses-0170.pdf

note the 25/2.8 with rez off the charts.
the much lighter 40/1.4 kills the 1.2 at 1.4, but surprisingly the 1.2 is better at f8!

[aleksanderpolo]

I really like the 1.4, but it has vignetting wide open on m4/3, do you notice that too with your 1.2 on NEX? The 20/3.5 has even more vignetting and smearing on m4/3.

[uhoh7]

[uhoh7]

Some Pen 42/1.2 practice outdoors at dusk:

[kds315*]

Congrats, nice find(s)!

[uhoh7]

TY sirs,

here are two shots which show somewhat the versatility of the lens:



5 mins later, stopped down to around f/4(both shots after susnset)

[Phenix jc]

Olympus, Leica for poor man ? I'll grab that beauty if I can, but I'm not ready to pay that price. Rare n' cheap aren't matching together, though. So enjoy !

[ozdigicams]

Very nice, thanks for sharing.

If you pull the aperture ring forwards against spring pressure (towards the filter threads), and then turn the ring around 180 degrees, you'll have the aperture numbers on top, while the Olympus "meter numbers" at the bottom of the lens. It'll then be easier to set various apertures.

[uhoh7]

[uhoh7]

I shot some garden shots yesterday as follow up ( first round I used the sel18200) w the 42, most around f/8


above sun at my back, below shooting in the sun's general direction:

back with the sun again:












Turns out 42 is a great length for apsc-c

[uhoh7]

here you can get an idea of general performance near inifinity at 1.2:



and some atmospherics:



above, the Pen drops hints of swirls like the Canon LTM 50/1.2 throws out at the drop of a hat,e.g:

[tikkathree]

Well, that's definitely a lens with a little camera hiding behind it for sure. Not sure how I feel about the balance involved - I seem to function best with a great big body/lens combo but hats off sir, they certainly work well together.

[uhoh7]