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Olympus or Vivitar macro?
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 7:58 pm    Post subject: Olympus or Vivitar macro? Reply with quote

Given the choice of either an Olympus 3.5/50 macro or Vivitar 2.8/55 macro, which would you choose?


PostPosted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 8:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Olympus is 1:2 and soft wide-open. But easy to focus and outputs lovely colours.
Vivitar is 1:1 but I suspect its coating is slightly inferior. In return color rendering should be less enjoyable to my eyes (Note that color/coating comments are based on not 55mm but 90mm macro)


PostPosted: Tue Jun 21, 2016 11:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you!


PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2016 3:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had the Vivitar, sold it, now I look to buy it back. Great little lens.



PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2016 3:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Having the Olympus OM 50 f/3.5, it's strengths are sharpness, and size. Did well with a landscape subject at infinity to my surprise. It's small, like most Olympus OM Zuiko lenses.

But the Vivitar is faster at f/2.8 and extends at both ends to give 1:1 macro ability. Komine hasn't made a bad lens for Vivitar either.

I'm continuously seeking a good deal on a copy for myself.

Nod goes to the Vivitar if the cost is the same.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2016 4:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've made a quick and dirty (at least my sensor is) comparison of a couple of 50 to 60mm macro lenses, at 1:2 magnification, wide open and at f/8, on a Canon 5D mkII:

#1 Olympus OM 50/3.5 at f/3.5


#2 Olympus OM 50/3.5 at f/8


#3 Vivitar M42 55/2.8 at f/2.8


#4 Vivitar M42 55/2.8 at f/8


#5 Canon EF 50/2.5 macro at f/2.5


#6 Canon EF 50/2.5 macro at f/8


#7 Leitz Macro Elmarit-R 60/2.8 at f/2.8


#8 Leitz Macro Elmarit-R 60/2.8 at f/8


PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2016 4:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Full sized versions of these test photos can be found here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/oxdutbs6g70360s/AACNTsd4WQqTvj_WPDZIeKhba?dl=0

The Olympus is the lightest at 200g, Vivitar 300g, Canon 370g and Leitz 430g. I like the smoothness of the focus throw best for the Leitz, with the Vivitar a close second. The Olympus's throw is very light, not as heavily dampened as I like best. The working distances at 1:2 varied more than I anticipated, a few mm more focal length do make a clear difference in working distance.


PostPosted: Wed Jun 22, 2016 5:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sample picture

#1


Canon FD 50/3.5 Wide Open Crop

#2


Olimpus OM zuiko 50/3.5 Wide Open Crop

#3


Volna 9 50/2.8 Wide Open Crop

#4


Volna 9 f/4 Crop

#5


PostPosted: Sun Jun 26, 2016 9:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks everyone for your replies. In the end I've decided on the Olympus plus extension tube for a number of reasons. It's small, in new condition and can be used on both my camera systems namely a Sony Alpha A6000 and Canon EOS5D MKII (the Vivitar was in Minolta MD mount).


PostPosted: Sun Jun 26, 2016 11:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Like 1 small

Congratz. It may be one of those lenses that you use more than you imagined. Personally very happy with colours/tonal range it produces and as a matter of fact helped me took some of my better photos.


Spring time


Colchicum szovitsii


PostPosted: Sun Jun 26, 2016 12:45 pm    Post subject: Re: Olympus or Vivitar macro? Reply with quote

DigiChromeEd wrote:
Given the choice of either an Olympus 3.5/50 macro or Vivitar 2.8/55 macro, which would you choose?

Any. Or to say: Minolta, Nikkor, Canon, Pentax... Smile all are very similar in construction and performance. Just pick the one you find the cheapest.