I am just getting to know the 50/2. I used a 50/3.5 for years, until I
pitted it against a 55/3.5 Micro-Nikkor and it came up disappointing short
(I am no longer the champion of the 50/3.5 that I thought I was).
I can't offer a comparison to the 90, but I second the notion that the
shorter focal length is more convenient (theortically) for hand-held work.
When you take into account that you give up approximately one full stop
when the lens is extended to 1:2, you very quickly appreciate the luxury of
that extra stop in shutter speed. I s'pose perspective ought to be the
foremost consideration here, although my own experience tells me that
whatever distortion might result from being that much closer to your
subject with the 50 is not generally bothersome.
Now we come to the two most salient aspects of this lens: it's bulk and
focus mechanics; and the deliciously sharp and contrasty image which it
forms on your focus screen.
It's bulky, alright. I still don't understand why it should have such
girth. I presume it's attributable to the extra-long helicoid, but even
that explanation does not readily stand to reason. The Contax Carl Zeiss
1:1 60/2.8 Macro is much bigger still. A true monster. There is a floating
element in the 50/2 which improves its performance at infinity, which I'm
sure you're all aware of. Moving that element about independently requires
additional mechanical linkage which results in a perceptible resistance. My
particular lens is, without question, the most challenging of any Zuiko
lens I've ever tried in terms of focusing resistance. In fact, it resists
the turning of the focus ring so much that the lens actually shifts in the
camera's mount!
About the image it creates in your viewfinder, I should back up just a
little and report that I place the utmost importance on viewfinder quality.
I have shot with numerous systems from Contax to Nikon to Canon to OM, and
despite all of the practical advantages to devoting myself to either Canon
or Nikon, I have remained faithful to OM principally because there is this
magically sharp and contrasty aspect to the image in the viewfinder on the
OM-4/4T. Ironically, the humble OM-1 has, to my eye, the most disappointing
viewfinder of any camera I've ever tried (no joke), but I won't eleborate
on that here. Hence, I would argue that the most intoxicatingly beautiful
viewfinding experience in 35mm SLR photography can be had by raising to
your eye an OM-4T with a 50/2 Macro mounted on it. Some will argue that the
50/2 is really not such a stand out wide open, and thus should not be so
impressive when focusing. Theory might well refute it, but my eyes have
seen the best of the best and I'm completely addicted. It takes my breath
away every time! I just wish I could focus the darn thing without spraining
my fingers!
DB
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