Whats Wrong? Olympus Zuiko 50mm 2.0 ED f.2 Macro Lens ??

Hi, As you all know I'm using the Olympus E-330 with a Ikelite housing.

I just purchased a macro lens , a Olympus Zuiko 50mm 2.0 ED f.2 Macro Lens for my uw set up.

I cannot focus this figging lens for nothing, above water, et alone under water!

I'm about to ebay the lens, I'm getting so frustrated so I'm asking for some help!

The lens will focus if I'm about 15" or more away, somtime's 2' away, but anything closer, and its a blur.

Also I tried manual, and P mode. I usalley shoot on P mode underwater, so I don't loose the TTL for the strobes, as I'm not good enough to shoot manual yet

It's really hard to gett his lens to focus. Here's a pic shot with my 14-54mm lens, BTW, I HIGHLEY recommend this lens , I love this baby!!

Now see the shot with the 14-54mm lens, through a 8" dome port.

All though it's not macro shot with the 50mm lens, It's sufficent i think for a good close up.

I'm wondering if I should just stay with the 14-54mm, and get more pratice with that lens for now?

Also I'm using a flat port for the 50mm lens, part # 5502.41 Ikelite

Any suggestions?

Try shutting off autofocus, put the camera on a yardstick on a tabletop, turn the focus ring to minimum distance, and then using a soda can, move it in & out until it is in focus... Then read off the yardstick how far away it is.

Somewhere a long time ago, IIRC in a panorama forum, someone mentioned that sometimes focus scales are calibrated to the film plane (and tripod socket), not the front of the lens... This COULD be the case on your camera, too.

Hi, As you all know I'm using the Olympus E-330 with a Ikelite housing.

 

I just purchased a macro lens , a Olympus Zuiko 50mm 2.0 ED f.2 Macro Lens for my uw set up.

 

I cannot focus this figging lens for nothing, above water, et alone under water!

 

I'm about to ebay the lens, I'm getting so frustrated so I'm asking for some help!

 

The lens will focus if I'm about 15" or more away, somtime's 2' away, but anything closer, and its a blur.

 

Also I tried manual, and P mode. I usalley shoot on P mode underwater, so I don't loose the TTL for the strobes, as I'm not good enough to shoot manual yet

 

It's really hard to gett his lens to focus.

 

(cut)

Any suggestions?

Try shutting off autofocus, put the camera on a yardstick on a tabletop, turn the focus ring to minimum distance, and then using a soda can, move it in & out until it is in focus... Then read off the yardstick how far away it is.

 

Somewhere a long time ago, IIRC in a panorama forum, someone mentioned that sometimes focus scales are calibrated to the film plane (and tripod socket), not the front of the lens... This COULD be the case on your camera, too.

Ok, I'll try that now, be back in 20 min, thanks

FL,

I have been using this lens for over three years now in three diffrent housings with three diffrent Olympus DSLRs (including the E-330) and I can assure you that this is an outstanding macro lens that will Auto focus down to 1:2 (life size in 35 mm) without a problem. Like any AF macro lens you may need a focus assist light on your housing in low light to get to life size.

Macro does require more skill in focusing than the 14 to 54 in low light.

Last if you are trying to get close focus while using "live view" I would try using the view finder and see if that makes a diffrence.

Phil Rudin

I was waiting for your reply Phil, Thank you

I havn't tried it yet UW, but on land, I can't even get it to focus up close.

I have been using the live mode, I'll try the view finder now.

I have to hold the lens about a foot plus away, to get it to focus.

I thought with macro lens, i can hold the lens very close, say withen 6" or less, and focus?

Also, maybe because I'm using P mode on the dial?

I'll experiment, and brb

The specs on this lens on the Olympus website say the minimum focus distance is 9.45"

so it will not focus to 6". Usually focusing distances are measured to the film plane. The level of the film plane is indicated on the top plate of the camera as a little circle with a line through it. Are you using autofocus on S mode or C mode? C-mode (if it's the same as Nikon will allow you to shoot if it is not in focus, S mode will not

Ok, i just shot some photos inside my house at night. Under normal lighting from a light fixture hanging from a ceiling, the lens could not focus. It was a blur.

I took out my flood lights, which is a pair of 100 watt hologens, and turned only one side one.

Aiming the light at the flowers on my table, the lens focused beautifully.

I just took some amazing macro shots, and when I veiwed them on my computer screen, I couldn not belive the detail !!

Now, here's my trouble's. If I'm going to use this lens, as Phil stated for UW, I think If I remember your using a strobe ring on your Olympus housing Phil? I have a Ikelite housing, so lighting for me shooting macro I think may be a problem.

The focusing light you mentioned, may be enough, I'm not sure, but what will i do for strobes for UW photos, do i use my DS-125's for macro?

Also, I noticed, it's very hard to focus this type of lens, you really have to adjust the lenght, or feild of view, and I'm afraid that will be very hard under water ?

lastley, I had read, that macro lens , when getting ready to set up for a shot, you have to move the housing in and out, until you hit the spot where the lens can focus, is this true?

this is alot harder then I thought, i couldnt imagine shooting UW, but I've seen some really impresive results with this lens, so I'm not ready to give up yet

The specs on this lens on the Olympus website say the minimum focus distance is 9.45"

so it will not focus to 6". Usually focusing distances are measured to the film plane. The level of the film plane is indicated on the top plate of the camera as a little circle with a line through it.

where did you read that? If thats the truth, then i know I need to set up for a shot about 10"-12" away from the subject, then it makes sense.

I thought a macro lens had to be held VERY close, to get the macro affect, maybe I'm wrong?

Lens specs are here

http://www.olympusamerica.com/e1/sys_lens_50mm20.asp

This lens will go to 1:2 magnification not really true macro according to some who consider 1:1 as true macro. So at 9.45" you should get 1:2 (1:1 35mm equivalent)

I use this lens and in my opionion it is a beauty but you have to be careful with all macro lenses about using the AF function.

When you are close up on a subject, especially in low to intermediate light situations, you may find the AF cannot focus on anything. It will usually go to infinity which is a real pisser if you have just composed the shot etc etc...

To overcome this you can try using a focusing light which illuminates your subject and helps the AF find the sweet spot or you can set the camera to one of the AF + MF functions. I don't have a focusing light so I reset the AF to include MF then when the lens has trouble (which is not that often) I refocus it manually to the approx sweet spot and then restart the process again.

Don't sell the lens unless you are really sure it is not for you, the shots that I have from mine have knocked my socks off.

I hope this helps.

Martin

Great lens. Get a focus light - call Ryan.

One reason the 50mm is a great lens is that the minimal focus distance is 9.45 (about 6" in front of the housing). This allows you to take wonderful macro shots from a distance - lots of room for lighting and not so close you scare the critters.

First of all, focus distance is or should be measured from the film/sensor plain where you want the sharp focus to occur.

At 1:2 Appox. (1:1 in 35 mm) the lens is fully extended about four inches, (10 CM) plus the camera body. Behind a flat port angle of view is reduced even further.

Simple test, tape a 35 mm slide mount over a bill. Extend the lens in manual as far as it will go, to max close focus. Move the camera until it is in close focus and take a photo. repeat for an idea of diffrent sizes at full extension.

First image below bill taped to a window for back lighting.

Photo number two, Olympus 50 mm macro at full extension, 1:2. You will see a small white line at the top and bottom, that is the slide mount. Since 35 mm is 3:2 and Olympus sensors are 4:3 the image is 1.5 mm taller on the short side which is why the slide mount is showing.

Number three is the Olympus 35 mm macro at 1:1 life size for this 4:3 format and about equal to 35 mm at 2:1. This is true life size for the Olympus 4:3 system.

Remember that while the Olympus 50 mm macro has the same angle of view as a 100 mm macro on 35 mm it still retains the depth of field of a 50 mm macro on 35 mm.

Also out of the water at 1:2 the Olympus 50 mm macro is about 4 to 5 inches from the subject.

Phil Rudin

Third image.

Phil, that is a clever trick to use an empty 35mm slide mount for calibration!

First of all, focus distance is or should be measured from the film/sensor plain where you want the sharp focus to occur.

 

Simple test, tape a 35 mm slide mount over a bill. Extend the lens in manual as far as it will go, to max close focus. Move the camera until it is in close focus and take a photo. repeat for an idea of diffrent sizes at full extension.