(Extracted from the February 1991 issue of the UK photo magazine "Practical
Photography"; this was a group test of 6 Zuiko lenses.)
At last -- a Zuiko lens you can actually get your hands around. Unlike the
diminutive wide-angles and standard optic, this medium telephoto actually
packs a few millimetres under its belt -- 128 to be exact. Nearly half of
this length consists of the integral lens hood, which pulls out to protect
the front element and combat flare.
This telephoto's well-balanced handling is primarily due to the broad
expanse of focusing grip, which rotates smoothly in a 200 degree arc from
infinity to closest focus. The aperture ring, placed mid way along the
lens, has firm full click-stop settings. Cosmetically the 200mm could
hardly be clearer, with a simple depth of field scale inscribed for f8, f16,
and f32.
This particular OM tele isn't a high flier in optical terms, alas. Central
definition, though consistent, peaks at a relatively modest figure by f11.
Other apertures are capable of giving perfectly decent images, but the
centre doesn't soar like other Zuikos.
Nor is edge definition anything to shout about from the rooftops. From full
aperture to f16 an adequate performance is demonstrated, but f22 and f32
look decidedly dodgy if well-resolved detail is what you seek at the edges.
Lens number: not available
MTF % values for centre and edge (edge in parenthesis)
(the spatial frequency measured was not specified):
f4: 46% (41%)
f5.6: 48% (40%)
f8: 49% (40%)
f11: 55% (41%)
f16: 52% (48%)
f22: 41% (32%)
f32: 26% (25%)
Concluding Summary:
Of the lenses tested, the 200mm is the greatest disappointment. Though this
telephoto is compact, fast enough at f4, and handles well, its optical
performance (particularly at the edges) never climbs above adequate.
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