Unofficial Olympus OM Zuiko Lens Page

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Lens Types

This page includes the lenses which have been produced for manual focus OM series cameras. It does not include the autofocus (for OM-77) or power focus (for OM-88) series.

Thanks to the many people who have provided information for this page.

Fisheye
Wide-Angle
Normal
Telephoto
Zoom
Shift
Teleconverter
Bellows-Mount
Lens Extensions

NOTE!

I AM NOT A DEALER! Don't send me email trying to buy lenses, or telling me my prices are too high.
SEE FOOTNOTE #5 BELOW ON WHAT PRICES MEAN! If you are an individual who is selling, don't expect to get these prices from dealers. (ebay auctions are a different matter. Skip Williams has produced a massive compilation of ebay prices. Yaay, Skip!)
Read this before you try to buy by phone or mailorder. Also read this.
The information contained on this page is believed to be accurate, but this cannot be guaranteed. Reliable sources, such as Olympus literature, Shipman's books, and actual examination of lenses were used, but errors can creep in.
There may also be un-noted variant forms of the lenses. Olympus changed lens formulations and construction during the production runs (often over 25 years) without any public announcement. In some cases (50mm/1.4) the later lenses may be substantially better.
There are two main cosmetic design varieties. The earliest lenses were "silver nose". They had a brushed aluminum front surface of the filter ring and another "silver" ring just ahead of the aperture setting ring. The later "black nose" cosmetics had satin black rings.
Serial numbers begin with 100,000, with each lens specification having its own series. On some lenses, such as the 35/2.8, the serial number appears to have been reset to 100,000 when the lens was switched to a multicoated version. On other lenses, it apparently was not, even for major design changes (50/1.8).

Fisheye

Name	Focal Length	Aperture Max Min	Minimum Focus (m)	Optical Elements Groups	Size L,D (mm) Weight (g)	Filter (mm)	MC [1]	Blades [2]	Currently Available	Price New [3] Used[4]
Zuiko Fisheye	8mm[6]	f/2.8 22	0.2	11E 7G	82, 102 640	[7]	S	6	N	N/A $1090
Zuiko MC Fisheye	16mm[8]	f/3.5 22	0.2	11E 8G	31, 59 180	[9]	S	6	Y	$1180 $525- 700
1. Multi-coating. N=never, S=sometimes, A=always. Some lenses listed as S or A are marked MC, and are multi-coated, but some multi-coated examples are not marked MC. If the reflection of a light source in a lens shows blue or green images, if is probably MC. 2. Number of diaphragm blades. Reputed to influence the bokeh or smoothness of out-of-focus images -- more being better. 3. Olympus has announced its discontinuation of the OM product line, with the last bodies and lenses produced in Mar 2002. Many lenses are still available new from dealers. The only real dealer in the US is (and for years has been) B&H Photo in New York, though other dealers can order from Olympus, which still stocks some lenses. B&H is, I can attest from experience, a reputable and honorable organization, unlike many of the other dealers who advertise in the back pages of photo magazines. 4. For excellent-mint condition. From recent Shutterbug News, Web pages, etc. And don't call me to ask where I saw the price. These are ASKING prices by reputable dealers, not individual owners, or some disreputable dealers who bait & switch. Note that prices asked can be extremely variable, and may not reflect the actual selling price, especially on the high end of the range of an item, since lenses at those prices can sit around at dealers forever. Local markets can be highly irregular, with an occasional real "steal," whereas the national advertisers probably watch each other's prices carefully. Some of the widely-circulated "blue books" which dealers sometimes use are badly out of date or synchronization with the existing market, or have inaccurate descriptions, or may list a fictious item. If you're a seller, don't expect to get anywhere near these amounts as an offer from a dealer. (50-60% of low end, maybe.) If you're selling to another individual, you might get 80% of something on the low end of the range. If you offer the service, guarantees, good reputation, shipping speed, and credit card acceptance options that a dealer does, then you may get dealer selling prices. If you want to shop for these lenses, here are some dealer pages. Here are some more. Read this before you try to buy by phone or mailorder. Also read this. * denotes an absurdly high asking price which is unlikely to result in a sale. There are also some absurdly low proces, but they result in quick sales. 6. Circular fisheye. 23mm circle. The lens projects a full hemisphere onto a circle that just fits on a 35mm film frame. Uses an equal-area projection: equal solid angles in the field of view project onto equal areas of film. 7. Internal wheel w/ L39, Y48, O56, R60. 8. Full-frame fisheye. A hemisphere is projected onto a circle which is just large enough to fit a 24*36mm 35mm film frame into. 9. Internal wheel w/ ND, Y48, O56. One owner reports an example with an L39 UV filter instead of the ND.

Wide-Angle

Name	Focal Length	Aperture Max Min	Minimum Focus (m)	Optical Elements Groups	Size L,D (mm) Weight (g)	Filter (mm)	MC	Blades	Currently Available	Price New Used
Zuiko MC	18mm	f/3.5 16	0.25	11E 9G[1][2]	42, 62 250	72[3]	S	6	N	N/A $600-790
Zuiko MC	21mm	f/2 16	0.2	11E 9G[2]	43.5, 60 250	55	A	6	N	N/A $565-645
Zuiko	21mm	f/3.5 16	0.2	7E 7G	31, 59 180	49	S		N	N/A $350-380
Zuiko MC	24mm	f/2 16	0.25	10E 8G[2]	48, 60 280	55	A	8	N	N/A $295-400
Zuiko MC	24mm	f/2.8 16	0.25	8E 7G[4]	31, 59 180	49	S	6	N	N/A $170-280
Zuiko MC[5]	28mm	f/2 16	0.3	9E 8G[6]	43, 60 250	49	A	8	N	N/A $250-480
Zuiko MC	28mm	f/2.8 22	0.3	6E 6G	32, 60 170	49	A	6	Y	$270 $100-140
Zuiko	28mm	f/3.5 16	0.3	7E 7G	31, 59 180	49	N	6	N	N/A $53-59
Zuiko MC	35mm	f/2 16	0.3	8E 7G	42, 60 240	55	S?[7]	6	N	N/A $165-225
Zuiko MC	35mm	f/2.8 16	0.3	7E 6G	33, 59 180	49	S	6	N N	N/A $80-105
1. Some literature says 12E, 10G. There may be 2 versions. 2. Floating element close-distance correction mechanism. 3. Using a 49-72 stepup adapter. 4. There may be a 9 element version. 5. There may be 3 versions of this lens. See [6]. 6. Floating element close-distance correction mechanism. Reportedly, not in earliest version. 7. Non-MC version was listed in early literature. There is some doubt as to whether any were made, since low serial # examples are marked MC.

Normal

Name	Focal Length	Aperture Max Min	Minimum Focus (m)	Optical Elements Groups	Size L,D (mm) Weight (g)	Filter (mm)	MC	Blades	Currently Available	Price New Used
Zuiko	40mm	f/2 16	0.3	6E 6G	25, 60 140	49	A	6	N	N/A $400-920
Zuiko	50mm	f/1.2 16	0.45	7E 6G	43, 65 285	49	A	8	N	N/A $260
Zuiko MC	50mm[1]	f/1.4 16	0.45	7E 6G	39, 61 230	49	S	8	N	N/A $60-125
Zuiko MC	50mm[2]	f/1.8 16	0.45	6E 4G	32, 61 165	49	S	6	Y	$160 $20-40
Zuiko Macro	50mm	f/2 16	0.24	9E 7G[3]	55, 69 320	55	A	6	N	N/A $345-465
Zuiko MC Macro	50mm	f/3.5 22	0.23	5E 4G[3]	40, 60 200	49	S	6	Y	$500 $165-190
Zuiko	55mm[4]	f/1.2 16	0.45	7E 6G	47, 65 310	55	S(?)	8	N	N/A $230-255
1. There are multiple versions of this lens (probably 5, according to people with parts lists). Some early ones have a radioactive rare-earth glass element. I hear it's not dangerous, but it can yellow with age. The last version of this lens (not rare-earth), with serial #s over 1,100,000, is reputed to be the best. 2. There are at least 5 versions of this lens (at least 4 optical variations.) Some have 6E, 5G. The last version is reputed to be best. It has the marking, "made in Japan", on the front ring. (They are all made in Japan; other version just mark it differently.) 3. Floating element close-distance correction mechanism. 4. There are at least two versions of this lens. One has two radioactive rare-earth elements. (See #1 above.)

Telephoto

Name	Focal Length	Aperture Max Min	Minimum Focus (m)	Optical Elements Groups	Size L,D (mm) Weight (g)	Filter (mm)	MC	Blades	Currently Available	Price New Used
Zuiko MC	85mm	f/2 16	0.85	5E 4G[1][2]	48, 60 260	49	S	8	N	N/A $225-300
Zuiko Macro	90mm	f/2 22	0.4	9E 9G[2]	71, 72 550	55	A	9	Y	$1040 $650-880
Zuiko MC	100mm	f/2 22	0.7	7E 6G[2]	72, 70 520	55	A	9	N	N/A $430
Zuiko MC	100mm	f/2.8 22	1.0	5E 5G	48, 60 230	49	S	6	N	N/A $120-175
Zuiko MC	135mm	f/2.8 22	1.5	5E 5G	80, 61 360	55	S	8	N	N/A $125-170
Zuiko	135mm	f/3.5 22	1.5	5E 4G	73, 60 290	49	S	8	N	N/A $60-105
Zuiko	180mm[3]	f/2 22	1.6	10E 8G	174, 113 1900	100	A	9	Y	$3995 $2700-3000
Zuiko MC	180mm	f/2.8 32	2.0	5E 5G	124, 80 700	72	A	8	N	N/A $420-695
Zuiko MC	200mm	f/4 32	2.5	5E 4G[4]	127, 67 510	55	S	8	N	N/A $150-175
Zuiko	200mm	f/5 32	2.5	6E 5G	105, 62 380	49	S	8	N	N/A $140
Zuiko	250mm[3]	f/2 22	2.2	12E 9G	246, 142 3900	46 slipin	A	9	Y	$5000 $3520
Zuiko MC	300mm	f/4.5 32	3.5	6E 4G	181, 80 1100	72	S	8	Y	$570 $300-365
Zuiko	350mm[3]	f/2.8 32	3	9E 7G	280, 142 3900	46 slipin	A	9	Y	$5000 $2880- 3600
Zuiko MC	400mm	f/6.3 32	5	5E 5G	255, 80 1300	72	S	8	Y	$2000 $645- $820
Zuiko Reflex	500mm	f/8 8	4	5E 2G	97, 81 590	72	A	N/A [5]	Y	$650 $365-450
Zuiko MC	600mm	f/6.5 32	11	6E 4G	377, 110 2800	100	A	8	Y	$2500 $1220
Zuiko MC	1000mm	f/11 45	30	5E 5G	662, 110 4000	100	S	8	N	N/A $1300- 1500
1. Some literature says 6E, 5G. There appear to be 2 versions. 2. Floating element close-distance correction mechanism. 3. Off-white enamel or regular Zuiko black finish. 4. There may be two optical versions of this lens. 5. Central obstruction gives donut-shaped out-of-focus highlights.

Zoom

Name	Focal Length	Aperture Max Min	Minimum Focus (m)	Optical Elements Groups	Size L,D (mm) Weight (g)	Filter (mm)	MC	Blades	Currently Available	Price New Used
S Zuiko Zoom	28-48mm [1]	f/4 22	0.65	8E 8G	54, 65 300	49	A	6	N	N/A ?
Zuiko Zoom	35-70mm [1]	f/3.5-4.5 22	0.3(?)	9E 8G	51, 62 190	49	A	6	N	N/A $145
S Zuiko MC Zoom	35-70mm	f/3.5-4.8 22-32	0.4	7E 7G	65, 63 185	52	A	6	Y	80 $140-205
Zuiko MC Zoom	35-70mm [1]	f/3.6 22	0.8	10E 8G	74, 67 400	55	A	8	N	N/A $245-395*
S Zuiko MC Zoom	35-70mm [1]	f/4 22	0.75	7E 7G	71, 68 380	55	A	6	N	N/A $75-90
Zuiko AF Zoom	35-70mm [1][2]	f/4 22	0.75	9E 8G	77, 70 550	55	A	6	N	N/A $100
Zuiko Zoom	35-80mm [1]	f/2.8 22	0.6	16E 14G	99, 69 650	62	A	8	N	N/A $920-960
Zuiko Zoom	35-105mm [3]	f/3.5-4.5 22	1.5[4]	16E 12G[7]	85, 64 470	55	A	6	N	N/A $200-300
Zuiko Zoom	50-250mm [3]	f/5 32	1.53[8]	13E 10G	140, 72 760	55	A	8	N	N/A $525-695*
Zuiko Zoom	65-200mm [3]	f/4 32	1.2[5]	14E 11G	147, 71 730[6]	55	A	8	N	N/A $180-285
Zuiko Zoom	70-210mm	f/4.5-5.6 22-28	1.14	10E 7G	102.5, 62.5 335	52	A	8	N	N/A $150-165
Zuiko Zoom	75-150mm [1]	f/4 22	1.6	15E 11G	115, 63 440	49	S	8	N	N/A $100-165
Zuiko MC Zoom	85-250mm [1]	f/5 32	2	15E 11G	196, 70 890 (905?)	55	A(?)	8	N	N/A $310-350
S Zuiko Zoom	100-200mm [3]	f/5 32	2.4	9E 6G	148, 63 570[6]	49	A	8	N	N/A $105
1. Separate zoom and focus rings. 2. Self-contained autofocus zoom works on manual OM cameras. 3. One-touch zoom-focus ring. 4. 0.31m close focus activated by separate ring. 5. 0.85m close focus at some focal lengths, including 200mm. 6. One user has reported a greater length. 7. There apparently are two optical versions of this lens, according to a user who has owned both. 8. Focuses closer at some focal lengths. A varifocal design (focus shifts when zoomed.

Shift

Name	Focal Length	Aperture Max Min	Minimum Focus (m)	Optical Elements Groups	Size L,D (mm) Weight (g)	Filter (mm)	MC	Blades	Currently Available	Price New Used
Zuiko Shift	24mm [1]	f/3.5 22	0.35	12E 10G	75, 84 510	[2]	A	6	N	N/A $900- 1600
Zuiko Shift	35mm [3]	f/2.8 22	0.3	8E 7G	58, 68 310	49	S	6	?	$1000 $485-525
1. 57.2mm image circle. 10mm rise and fall. 8mm shift. Preset diaphragm. 2. Internal wheel w/ ND, Y48, O56, R60. 3. 62mm image circle. 12mm rise. 13mm fall. 10.4mm shift. Manual diaphragm.

Teleconverter

Name	Magnification	Light Loss	Optical Elements Groups	Size L,D (mm) Weight (g)	MC	Currently Available	Price New Used
1.4X-A [1]	1.4X	1 stop	5E 4G	23, 63 180	A	N	N/A $265-325
2X-A [2]	2X	2 stop	6E 6G	48, 62 215	A	N	N/A $70-170
1. Intended for use with both 180s, 250, 300, 350, 400. Forward projecting element prevents fit with many lenses. 2. Intended for use with 100/2.8, both 135s, 200/4, 100-200.

Bellows-Mount

Name	Focal Length	Aperture Max Min	Magnification Range [1]	Optical Elements Groups	Size L,D (mm) Weight (g)	Filter (mm)	MC	Blades	Currently Available	Price New Used
Zuiko Macro	20mm	f/2 16	4.2-16 [2]	6E 4G	46, 60 170	21 slideon	A	6	N	N/A $325-450
Zuiko MC Macro	20mm[3]	f/3.5 16	4-12 [4]	4E 3G	20, 32 70	21 slideon	S	8	N	N/A ?
Zuiko Macro	38mm	f/2.8 22	1.7-8 [2]	6E 4G	46, 60 176	32 slideon	A	6	N	N/A $325-365
Zuiko MC Macro	38mm [3]	f/3.5 16	1.8-6 [4]	5E 4G	28, 43 90	32 slideon	S	8	N	N/A ?
Zuiko MC 1:1 Macro	80mm	f/4 22	0.5-2 [4]	6E 4G	46, 59 200	49	S	6	N	N/A $165
Zuiko MC 1:1 Auto-Macro	80mm	f/4 32	0.5-2 [2]	6E 4G	33, 60 170	49	A	6	Y	$750 $300
Zuiko MC Macro	135mm	f/4.5 45	0-0.5 [2]	5E 4G	47, 67 320	55	A	8	Y	$770 $340-475
1. Optimal magnification range of lens design. Lenses will usually perform acceptably outside this range. Actual magnification range available will depend on the extension device used. 2. Auto diaphragm. Focusing helical allows convenient adjustment of focus on auto extension tubes. 3. Requires PM-MTob Mount. 4. Manual diaphragm. Lack of focus mechanism requires bellows for variable focus.

Lens Extensions

Name	Extension	Auto Diaphragm	Currently Available	Price New Used
Auto Bellows	36-198	Y [1]	Y	$280 $165-245
Auto Bellows-S (front standard tilt, may have never been sold)	?	Y [1]	N	? ?
Telescopic Auto Tube 65-116	65-116	Y	Y	$270 $140-190
Auto Tube 7	7	Y	Y	$65 $50
Auto Tube 14	14	Y	Y	$70 $50
Auto Tube 25	25	Y	Y	$75 $40-55
1. Auto diaphragm use requires double cable release, which closes down lens first, then releases shutter. There is also a series of 7, 14, and 25mm non-auto extension tubes. $25-30 used.

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Paul D. Farrar

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