Playing With Lenses: Compact and solid: Olympus OM-System Zuiko Auto-Zoom 1:4 f=75-150mm

Monday, 11 November 2019

Compact and solid: Olympus OM-System Zuiko Auto-Zoom 1:4 f=75-150mm

Cost: $21 (average market price $40)

This Olympus zoom was the first zoom designed for the OM-System Camera's and has been a pretty successful lens in sales and quality. It's a two-touch fixed-focus (parfocal) lens, or in other words, once it is in focus, any change in magnification or focal length will not result in any changes to the focus. That make is really easy to use, although it's safe to always check and adjust the focus for the upmost sharpness. This also lens handles very smoothly, and is easy to focus.

The lens was a technological step forward in optical and mechanical engineering, resulting in a compact and for it's day, a light-weight design, while providing steady high-quality images. Something that was no common yet for zoom of that era. It also included specialised optics to remain high quality even when shooting a minimum distance.

Today, it feels more like a solid, heavy lens, but oozing old quality with a metal build, retractable hood, and a lot of attention for details. Try to find a good zoom lens today, with this range, and of this small size.

Image quality is very nice, with nice colors, decent sharpness in all corners and a minimum of color aberration. I'm really getting impressed with these older Zuiko lenses. This is my 3rd one, but others are to follow for sure. A keeper...

Lens Specification:

Type: Two-Touch Tele-Zoom
Focal Length: 75-150mm
Maximum Aperture: F4.0
Minimum Aperture: F22
Image Format: 35mm
Lens Mount: OM
Optics: 15 elements in 11 groups
Blades: 8
Focussing: Manual
Minimum Focus: 160cm
Filter Size: 49mm
Build-In Hood
Weight: 455g
Length: 115-122mm
Production: from 1974, or from 1984 with the "MC" or Multi-Coated marker.
Serial Number: 287764
Made in: Japan

More information on: Olympus Corporation

Samples: