OT: OM10 Lens and dSLR

Ron Wood said:

Hi Group

A bit OT I know but knowing there are many photographers on this NG I'll try
this question here (have tried altrec.photography and got current info).

Apparently there is an adapter ring to fit manual OM10 lens to a dSLR,
anyone here done this and if so what sort of results have been achieved?

TIA, Ron

If you don't get an answer here, have you tried "rec.photo.digital" ?
That's all digital photography.

Rob

In message <[email hidden]>, Ron Wood
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Hi Group

A bit OT I know but knowing there are many photographers on this NG I'll try
this question here (have tried altrec.photography and got current info).

Apparently there is an adapter ring to fit manual OM10 lens to a dSLR,
anyone here done this and if so what sort of results have been achieved?

From

http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00HTTU

QUOTE

OM10 lenses on digital SLR

Jim Horn, Jul 30, 2006; 09:04 a.m.

I have had an OM10 for years. I am concidering a purchase of a digital
SLR. Can I use my OM10 lenses? or do I need new ones? Thanks.
Answers

Eric Friedemannprolific poster, Jul 30, 2006; 09:43 a.m.

You could use OM lenses on Current DSLRs with an adapter, but that
wouldn't be my first choice of things to do:

MF-1 OM Adapter (OM to 4/3 Lens Adapter) Item: #260231-410

Permits the adaption of certain Olympus OM lenses to be used with the
E-1, Evolt E-300, and E-500.

Autofocus (AF)is not available.

Stop-down metering is used.

Spot metering does not work properly.

Although it is possible to use A (aperture priority AE) mode in auto
exposure, the aperture display is not available.

The aperture display in M (Manual) is not available.

In P (Program AE) or S (Shutter speed - priority AE) mode, the shutter
releases, but the auto exposure control does not work.

The distance scale on the OM system lens may not indicate the actual
distance. Always use the viewfinder for focusing.

http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_files/mf1instcomp.pdf

QUOTE ENDS

Personally I would have thought you'd lose infinity focus if you
introduce what amounts to an extension ring into the optical system.

Regards
--
Neil Pugh

Neil Pugh said:

In message <[email hidden]>, Ron Wood
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Hi Group

A bit OT I know but knowing there are many photographers on this NG I'll try
this question here (have tried altrec.photography and got current info).

Apparently there is an adapter ring to fit manual OM10 lens to a dSLR,
anyone here done this and if so what sort of results have been achieved?

Quoted message said:

MF-1 OM Adapter (OM to 4/3 Lens Adapter) Item: #260231-410

list of atributes follwed

Quoted message said:

not available.

Stop-down metering is used.

not work properly.

not available.

not available.

does not work.

Hardly seems worthwhile does it?

Quoted message said:

Personally I would have thought you'd lose infinity focus if you
introduce what amounts to an extension ring into the optical system.

But probably not since the whole point of the 4/3 systerm was to make
the cameras and lenses smaller. The flange of the 4/3 is probably
closer to the focal plane than that of the OM.
--
Phil Cook, last hill: Angletarn Pikes via Beda Fell.
http://www.p-t-cook.freeserve.co.uk/May07/martin9.htm

In message <[email hidden]>

Phil Cook said:

Neil Pugh said:

In message <[email hidden]>, Ron Wood
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Hi Group

A bit OT I know but knowing there are many photographers on this NG I'll try
this question here (have tried altrec.photography and got current info).

Apparently there is an adapter ring to fit manual OM10 lens to a dSLR,
anyone here done this and if so what sort of results have been achieved?

Quoted message said:

MF-1 OM Adapter (OM to 4/3 Lens Adapter) Item: #260231-410

list of atributes follwed

Quoted message said:

not available.

Stop-down metering is used.

not work properly.

not available.

not available.

does not work.

Hardly seems worthwhile does it?

Quoted message said:

Personally I would have thought you'd lose infinity focus if you
introduce what amounts to an extension ring into the optical system.

But probably not since the whole point of the 4/3 systerm was to make
the cameras and lenses smaller. The flange of the 4/3 is probably
closer to the focal plane than that of the OM.

I have an extensive OM system of bodies and lenses dating back to
1979, and now have started to build up a 4/3 system.

The main reason for purchasing the 4/3 system for me was the smaller
size and weight compared to other DSLR systems. I now have an E400
twin lens kit (14-42mm and 40-150mm) with a selection of additional
lenses including the 11-22mm and the 50-200mm. The camera and lenses
perform at the equivalent of x2 compared to 35mm i.e. 14-42 is
equivalent to 28-84mm on a 35mm SLR.

I'm very pleased with the handling of this camera and its dedicated
lenses, particularly for use in mountaineering and hillwalking
activities where the size and weight (particularly for the two
'standard' lenses in the kit) are important factors for me.

I have purchased the adapter for use with my older lenses but hardly
ever use it. The old OM mount lenses work much better on the 35mm bodies
and the newer 4/3 lenses have been custom designed for use with the
newer 4/3 system bodies (4/3 system includes Olympus, Panasonic, Leica
and Sigma dedicated system components).

Whilst the adapter can allow a stop gap measure so that older OM
system lenses can be used with a new 4/3 system camera until new lenses
covering the full range are purchased, it shouldn't be the deciding
factor in changing systems. If you are making the move from 35mm to DSLR
take time to choose the DSLR on its own merits. For me the merits of the
4/3 system are exemplified in the compact E400 and E410 bodies together
with some of the smaller 'standard' lenses in the series.

Mike
--
o/ \\ // |\ ,_ o Mike Clark
<\__,\\ // __o | \ / /\, "A mountain climbing, cycling, skiing,
"> || _`\<,_ |__\ \> | immunology lecturer, antibody engineer and
` || (_)/ (_) | \corn computer user"

Phil Cook said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Apparently there is an adapter ring to fit manual OM10 lens to a
dSLR, anyone here done this and if so what sort of results have
been achieved?

Quoted message said:

list of atributes follwed

Quoted message said:

not available.

Stop-down metering is used.

not work properly.

not available.

not available.

does not work.

Hardly seems worthwhile does it?

My thoughts too. I will add one more point though.

Having to focus and set aperture manually may not bother you in theory, it
certainly didn't bother me in the olden days, but what I didn't realise
before getting a DSLR was that the image in the viewfinder is a lot smaller
than in a film SLR. This makes manual focusing a lot more difficult. Not
only that, but digital viewfinders don't have the usual split screen aids in
the centre of the viewfinder. To my surprise therefore, not only did I stop
focusing manually in favour of auto-focusing (on the point of my choice),
but I couldn't do without it now!

When I look through my OM1n viewfinder nowadays I'm amazed at how large the
image looks, and how easy it is to focus manually, compared to a DSLR. And
the Olympus 3/4 system is even smaller than the 1.6x factor Canon system
that I'm now using.

Trust me, you really need to invest in some new lenses. I took some
convincing too at first, but it's well worth it.

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/weblog/
Latest Blog Post: Why Do You Walk?
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/weblog/outdoor-opinions/why-do-you-walk/

Mike Clark said:

I have an extensive OM system of bodies and lenses dating back to
1979, and now have started to build up a 4/3 system.

So you were into Olympus a few years before me then!

Quoted message said:

The main reason for purchasing the 4/3 system for me was the smaller
size and weight compared to other DSLR systems.

That was the reason I originally chose Olympus, back in the film days. Had
Olympus got their 4/3 system sorted out sooner, I might have gone for that,
but instead I've committed myself to Canon now. Olympus still looks very
appealing as a lightweight system though.

Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/weblog/
Latest Blog Post: Why Do You Walk?
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk/weblog/outdoor-opinions/why-do-you-walk/

Mike Clark said:

I have an extensive OM system of bodies and lenses dating back to
1979, and now have started to build up a 4/3 system.

There are a lot of users on the Olympus SLR Forum on dpreview, that use
'legacy' Oly lenses on their 4/3 systems.

Jim Ford

In message <[email hidden]>, Ron Wood
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Hi Group

A bit OT I know but knowing there are many photographers on this NG I'll try
this question here (have tried altrec.photography and got current info).

Apparently there is an adapter ring to fit manual OM10 lens to a dSLR,
anyone here done this and if so what sort of results have been achieved?

TIA, Ron

Further and better particulars:
Quoted from
http://www.fourthirdsphoto.com/vbb/archive/index.php/t-186.html

Pros:
Years ago Olympus and its Zuiko lens division earned an excellent
reputation in the SLR camera industry for its OM line of 35mm film SLR
cameras and high-quality lenses. Many of these Zuiko OM lenses were
considered to have some of the best optics in the world and a
consistently superior build quality to their larger competitors. The OM
system was popular enough for a variety of third-party lens
manufacturers to develop lenses for the system. The result today is that
there is a substantial number of these older "legacy" lenses available
for sale on eBay and at used camera dealers. Often these lenses cost
hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars less than their Zuiko
Digital 4/3rds equivalent.

The MF-1 OM adapter provides an excellent way to mechanically mount one
of these legacy OM lenses onto a 4/3rds mount camera like the E-1,
E-300, E-330 and E-500. I have one and I've used it with a variety of OM
lenses. The adapter is carefully designed so that the focus range of the
lense is preserved. You can still focus to infinity.

Cons:
This is only a mechanical adapter. It does not adapt any electrical
connections. Nor would any of the 4/3rds camera bodies be able to
control an automatic OM lens even if the electrical connections were
adapted. This means that the only way you can control a legacy OM lens
is manually. You must manually set the aperture (f-stop) and focus. The
latter is a serious problem for consumer and prosumer 4/3rds bodies like
the E-500 and E-300 because their small optical viewfinders make it
difficult to see well enough to manually focus a lens. A pro body like
the E-1 is much better. Plus the focusing screen of an E-1 can be
replaced with a custom split-prism focusing screen from a third party
like Katz Eye Optics (http://www.keoptics.com/). I did this and I love
having a high-quality split prism with microprism collar in my
viewfinder. It makes it very easy to quickly focus a lens manually (both
a legacy OM lens and a Zuiko Digital 4/3rds lens). The E-330 has been
announced but is not yet available. Its large live preview in its LCD
monitor may aid manual focus, making it a good choice for use with a
legacy lens. We'll have to wait and see once it is available.

Since the MF-1 is only a mechanical adapter, it also means that you will
not be able to operate your camera in Program (P) or Shutter-priority
(S) mode. You must use either the Aperture-priority (A) or Manual (M)
mode. This will be further complicated by the fact that the in-camera
metering system of your 4/3rds camera will not function properly with a
legacy OM lens (it will be worse when the lens aperture is wide open).
In other words, your pictures may not be exposed properly if you rely on
the camera's light meter. But this is not as big of a problem as it
sounds because you can easily review a test shot on the camera's LCD
monitor and adjust the aperture and/or shutter speed until you get good
exposures.

The lens image circle of a legacy OM lens is designed for a 35mm film
frame so it will be substantially cropped by the much smaller image
sensor of a 4/3rds camera. Measured diagonally, a 4/3rds camera will use
only the center half of the lens image circle. This means that the
effective optical resolution of the lens will be less and your pictures
will often be softer than a lens made for the 4/3rds system. It also
means that you will lose at least one f-stop of brightness compared to a
4/3rds lens that focuses all of its light on the image sensor. This
won't affect the depth of field (DOF) but it will force you to use a
slower shutter speed. The only good news here is that the center portion
of a lens is usually its best.

Digital image sensors need light to strike the sensor straight on.
Problems occur if the light strikes the sensor at an angle. For this
reason, the 4/3rds standard has very stringent specs for the light path
angle. Legacy OM lenses had no such requirement because 35mm film is not
as sensitive to the light angle. As a result, many legacy OM lenses that
produce great pictures with film may exhibit problems when used with a
digital camera. You can expect to see some vignetting and chromatic
aberrations (CA) in otherwise good lenses. Fortunately, these problems
are worse near the edges and, since only the center half of the lens
image circle is used, the problem may not be noticeable with many
lenses. Generally, it is worse with wide-angle (short focal length)
lenses.

Quote ends.

Regards,
--
Neil Pugh
www.blacknail.org.uk
The online organ of The Black Nail Fellwalking & Climbing Club

Thanks for responses to my original post.

Comments taken on board.

Thanks, Ron