>
> Ken, I am curious as to how you chose your list of Zuikos that
> apparently isolate subjects from the background well? Does it not simply
> have to do with large-ish aperture, and personal experience?
>
Well, someone on this list is probably chomping at his lip refraining from
stating the obvious, so I'll just say it--I pulled those numbers out of my
rump.
I do agree with you that as a general rule ALL of the Zuiko F2 lenses have
the characteristic, but not just wide-open. Take the 50/2 which I stupidly
forgot to mention, this lens has the 3Dness stopped way down. The 50/3.5
has a much more pleasing bokeh than the 1.8 at any matching aperture.
Speaking of the 1.8, I'm not really a fan of this lens. It's OK and
everything, but not really a lens which I choose to grab. In fact my "body
cap" donation lens (I think it came from Tom when I cleaned him out of his
stock of Silvernosed lenses), is passed on to another photographer where he
uses it for portrait work. It works for him, but the bokeh is just a little
ragged for me and doesn't have that certain indescribable look that I think
is a signature look.
Olympus did something rather remarkable with the entire line of Classic
Zuikos. Just as is being repeated today, there were three tiers of lenses.
The 28/3.5, 50/1.8, 135/3.5 and 200/5 being the lowest tier (along with a
zoom or two), the various F2.8 lenses with the 50/1.4 being the middle tier
and the F2 lenses (and the 35-80) being the top tier. I believe that all of
the lenses with rare exception can be fully interchangeable at the
mid-aperture range, but the better lenses also provided a "look" which
indicates that the lenses literally draw the scene differently.
The top-tier lenses, possibly through the use of larger diameter optics)
tend to have some way of wrapping around the edge of a 3D object. When you
compare the images of a person photographed at a normal distance, (2-3
meters) it's as though you are seeing just a bit farther around the edge of
the person--not unlike our own binocular vision.
Specifically, the lenses that I know have this characteristic in spades is
the 35/2, 50/2 and the 35-80. The 85/2 is definitely in this category (along
with the 100/2.8), but as you get into the longer focal lengths you are
generally shooting at greater distances which ends up flattening up the
subject even while they provide greater isolation from the background.
As a case in point, you did not mention the 24/2, but when
> photographing subjects closer than 2 meters I feel it has phenomenally
> beautiful, and subtle, subject isolation.
>
I don't doubt that. My problem is that I've had little exposure to the
images from the 24/2 to really know. Not that I wouldn't mind personally
experiencing it, but replacing the 24/2.8 with a 24/2 isn't high on my
priority list. Up close and personal, I also find the 24/2.8 to be very
remarkable in the bokeh department.
> Also, you curiously omit the 50/1.8 "underdog" which, though I am not
> a user of, others claim it has splendid out-of-focus image rendition, and
> surely a 50/1.8 will isolate any subject better than a 28/2?
>
No, not necessarily. The optical design is very different. With the 28/2,
the DoF is that of a 28mm lens, but the bokeh is allowed to freely expand
both front and rear from the plane of focus. The 50/1.8 is somewhat
restricted in its expansion. The 40/2 is also a lens that freely expands AND
happens to be a symmetrical design.
I have repeatedly praised the lowly 35/2.8 and I will do so again. The lens
does not have that specific 3D-ness of what I've been talking about, but
what it does have is a slightly more feathered bokeh than the 35/2 variant
and is much smaller and lighter. It is a lens with no bad habits and is a
near-perfect zone-focuser. It just works and is about my favorite focal
length. But there are many, many times when I could use that extra stop. I
tried out Joel's 28/2. All I'll say is "wow!" I had to quickly return it to
him after a couple of test shots. My resistance is weak and Karen already
thinks that Joel is a bad influence on me. ;)
AG
--
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