In its day, the Olympus OM system offered several high quality macro lenses which, in conjunction with the rest of the macrophotography group, combine to form what is considered by many as the finest macro system ever created.
No doubt every user of Olympus OM gear owns, or has used one of these. Small, sharp and inexpensive, the 1.8 'standard' lens was my sole Zuiko for many years, which I used when I felt my third party optics may not deliver the desired result. For a decade it remained the underdog of my collection.
A superbly sharp and contrasty 'standard' lens, particularly useful in low light conditions due to its large 1.2 maximum aperture. Beautiful images are possible as it demonstrates wonderful soft 'bokeh' when used at larger apertures.
This is one of the high magnification lenses made by Olympus. It can be mounted directly onto a camera body, but requires some form of extension to be of any benefit. Two main units were provided by Olympus for this purpose; the 65-116 telescopic tube and a set of very well made auto bellows. I use the former, as I have found it to be fairly robust and very portable. Other extension tubes can be used, such as combinations of the 7, 14 and 25mm variants. However, magnification is more limited.
A late addition to my OM Zuiko collection, coming as something of a surprise to me. I had no real intention of getting hold of this lens but, in October 2005, was offered one brand new in the box (old stock), at a price I could not refuse.
For many years this was my favourite lens. Prior to this, my widest lens had been 28mm and, while it was useful, I found it was a bit limiting. There were times when it was not wide enough, and other's when it was too wide. It simply did not fit my way of seeing.
Every once in a while something comes along that leaves a lasting impression and a realisation that good things do indeed come in small packages. Sometimes a piece of gear is designed just right and its performance is every bit as incredulous. I’m talking here about the Zuiko 21mm F2 Super Wide Angle lens – a real grandfather of a lens, but one that still gives modern counterparts a run for their money.