OLYMPUS M. ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 25 MM 1:1.2 PRO.

OLYMPUS PHOTOGRAPHIC GEAR REVIEW – PART 8.

April 13, 2018.
First sample images and technical specifications of the lens you can find in ►seventh part. In this part we will introduce some more sample photographies and summarize the findings.

A metallic table on a grey wall. Photograph created with the Olympus M. Zuiko digital ED 25 mm 1:1.2 Pro.

Corner of the table close-up. Photograph created with the Olympus M. Zuiko digital ED 25 mm 1:1.2 Pro.

↑ HEIGHT ABOVE SEA LEVEL. Focal length: 25 (50) mm, exposure time 1/13 second, aperture f/4, ISO 500.
Second photograph is crop from 100% size at 150 dpi.

A wooden bench. Photograph created with the Olympus M. Zuiko digital ED 25 mm 1:1.2 Pro.

The wooden bench close up. Photograph created with the Olympus M. Zuiko digital ED 25 mm 1:1.2 Pro.

↑ A BENCH. Focal length: 25 (50) mm, exposure time 1/3 second, aperture f/4, ISO 500.
Second photograph is crop from 100% size at 150 dpi.

View into a railway station waiting room through a glass, glare and reflections. Photograph created with the Olympus M. Zuiko digital ED 25 mm 1:1.2 Pro.

↑ IT IS CLOSED ALREADY. Focal length: 25 (50) mm, exposure time 1/2 second, aperture f/4, ISO 500.
Second photograph is crop from 100% size at 150 dpi.
Half second exposure time already and still sharp photographies. Optical sensor stabilization seems to be as effective as that in the lenses.

Platform at the railway station in Zdice, moving train. Photograph created with the Olympus M. Zuiko digital ED 25 mm 1:1.2 Pro.

Roof and illuminated sign at the railway station in Zdice. Photograph created with the Olympus M. Zuiko digital ED 25 mm 1:1.2 Pro.

↑ THE PLATFORM. Focal length: 25 (50) mm, exposure time 1/4 second, aperture f/4, ISO 500.
Second photograph is crop from 100% size at 150 dpi.
Excellent drawing of mesh under the roof. Deeper depth of field allows larger apertures.

A pillar on a railway platform. Photograph created with the Olympus M. Zuiko digital ED 25 mm 1:1.2 Pro.

Close up of a pillar on a railway platform, blurred fluorescent lights. Photograph created with the Olympus M. Zuiko digital ED 25 mm 1:1.2 Pro.

↑ BY A PILLAR. Focal length: 25 (50) mm, exposure time 1/160 second, aperture f/1.2, ISO 500.
Second photograph is crop from 100% size at 150 dpi.
If we focus really close, background blur is very good.

An subway under the rail yard. Photograph created with the Olympus M. Zuiko digital ED 25 mm 1:1.2 Pro.

The end of the subway under the rail yard. Photograph created with the Olympus M. Zuiko digital ED 25 mm 1:1.2 Pro.

↑ A SUBWAY. Focal length: 25 (50) mm, exposure time 1/50 second, aperture f/2, ISO 500.
Second photograph is crop from 100% size at 150 dpi.
Night reportage has its magic.

Freight train at a railway station at night. Photograph created with the Olympus M. Zuiko digital ED 25 mm 1:1.2 Pro.

Spotlights illuminate a night railway station. Photograph created with the Olympus M. Zuiko digital ED 25 mm 1:1.2 Pro.

Reflections in a grass. Photograph created with the Olympus M. Zuiko digital ED 25 mm 1:1.2 Pro.

A colored circle around the shining spotlights. Photograph created with the Olympus M. Zuiko digital ED 25 mm 1:1.2 Pro.

↑ NIGHT AND ZDICE. Focal length: 25 (50) mm, exposure time 1/2 second, aperture f/2.2, ISO 500.
Second photograph is crop from 100% size at 150 dpi.
The outline of the aperture around the light source is quite aesthetically pleasing, but the customer would probably ask for retouch it, which would not be easy. Just so two color reflections at the bottom right (in the crop are marked with arrows), blue and orange.

A shining lamp on railway platform, falling snow. Photograph created with the Olympus M. Zuiko digital ED 25 mm 1:1.2 Pro.

↑ BELOW THE LAMP I. Focal length: 25 (50) mm, exposure time 1/125 second, aperture f/1.2, ISO 1000.

↑ BELOW THE LAMP II. Focal length: 25 (50) mm, exposure time 1/5 second, aperture f/5.6, ISO 1000.

A shining lamp on railway platform, falling snow, very strong reflections. Photograph created with the Olympus M. Zuiko digital ED 25 mm 1:1.2 Pro.

↑ BELOW THE LAMP III. Focal length: 25 (50) mm, exposure time 0.6 second, aperture f/14, ISO 2000.
With a fully opened aperture everything is fine, with its closing starts to be visible distracting reflections and veils, up to a totally unusable photograph with f/14. The problem is apparently with the blades of the diaphragm, which do not have a suitable antireflection coating and it will not be everything right even inside the tube. And the unnecessarily complex optical design all makes things worse. Flying snowflakes are visible on the photographies; of course, I suddenly thought, that some had sit on to the front lens, but it was completely clean, I checked it several times. No filter has been mounted too. I photographed this serie for sure three times, because I just could not believe what I see. This is the last one, third. The previous ones were the same ...

Finally, disappointment. The 1300 EUR lens responds to relatively spot backlight as if it did not even have antireflective coatings. What is then for a beautiful metal construction, excellent sharpness and even noticeable microcontrast. If the manufacturer approached much more modest price, I would probably (if I wanted to buy Olympus gear, which I does not) both eyes narrowed and just accept it as a property of a very sharp and high quality optics. However, for a lens that the manufacturer refers to as a professional (ie for a work, job) and sells it at a relatively high price, such extensive optical defects are unacceptable.

After this conclusion is probably not necessary to emphasize, that this entire series of articles is in no way promoted or influenced by Olympus. It only lent me the gear for three weeks without any other claims or obligations.

And that's all for today. In the ►ninth part, the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera is waiting.

© Martin Mojzis, 2018.
Photographies: © Martin Mojzis, 2018.

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