50mm f/1.8 for Evolt 500 ?

[spystyle]

Hello from Maine,

I just bought an Olympus Evolt 500 that comes with a 14 - 45, f/3.5 - f/5.6, it'll be in the mail tomorrow.

I was searching fleaBay for a 50mm f/1.8 lens to go on it, am I goofy? I didn't see one. Is there one for this camera or is this company not into fixed lenses?

Also, can this camera use Nikon AF lenses with adapters or something? I happen to have some of those but I 'spose I'll be selling them for Zuiko Digital lenses.

Thanks,
Craig

[spystyle]

OK, I have been doing some research and I think I can answer my own questions :

Originally Posted by spystyle

Hello from Maine,

Hey, I also live in Maine

Originally Posted by spystyle

I just bought an Olympus Evolt 500 that comes with a 14 - 45, f/3.5 - f/5.6, it'll be in the mail tomorrow.

Sweet, it's from 2005 which is a nice upgrade from your year 2000 rig, hopefully .... Unfortunately it doesn't have the Olympus cool gadgets like "Live View" and "Image Stabilization"...

Originally Posted by spystyle

I was searching fleaBay for a 50mm f/1.8 lens to go on it, am I goofy? I didn't see one. Is there one for this camera or is this company not into fixed lenses?

The camera can use any of these lenses without an adapter :

Four Thirds | Products | Lenses

There are also adapters so it can use older lenses (in manual mode, of course). However, be advised that it's been said the viewfinder is small and not well suited to manually focusing a lens, you might want to get the viewfinder magnifier if using manual focus lenses (about $40) ME-1 olympus, Camera Accessories, Cameras Photo items on eBay.com

T-Mount Adapter for about $32

T-Mount Adapter olympus, Cameras Photo, wii items on eBay.com

OM adapter for about $20

adapter om olympus -canon -nikon - t-mount -eos -t2, Lenses Filters, Film Cameras items on eBay.com

Leica R Lens Adapter for about $20

Leica Adapter olympus, Lenses Filters, Camera Accessories items on eBay.com

Minolta MD MC lens adapter for about $40

Minolta Adapter olympus, Cameras Photo, Olympus items on eBay.com

AF Confirm Contax Yashica lens adapter for about $50

Contax Yashica Adapter olympus, Lenses Filters, Cameras Photo items on eBay.com

Nikon AI Lens Adapter AF Confirm for about $50

Nikon Adapter olympus, Lenses Filters, Healthcare, Lab Life Science items on eBay.com

M42 Adapter Ring AF Confirm for about $45

M42 Adapter olympus, Lenses Filters, Camera Accessories items on eBay.com

"AF Confirm" adapters allegedly work like this :

This AF confirm lens adapter is useful for manual focusing. Simply half-press the shutter when pointing your lens to the object. Adjust the AF ring of your lens until you hear a beep sound, and you will obtain an accurate focus. The view finder will indicate the focused area with a spot as well.

Apparently some other lenses can be converted, like "Hexanon", see this link compliments of "albert_bri" (search the page for this term "Converting a Hexanon lens to 4/3rds mount")

Snaar Lens tests

Also many other conversions here :

Fourthirdsphoto Member’s Articles » Do it Your Self Modifications

Have fun!
Craig

[spystyle]

Would you 4/3 guys care to recommend some good cheap lenses for a fella that has an Evolt 500 with only a Zuiko Digital 14-45 lens ?

Thanks,
Craig

[Mr. Pickles]

You have to define cheap, and what type of lens you are looking for...

The Olympus 35mm macro is a good little bargain.
The Olympus 70-300 is too.

If you want to play, you can look for an Oly adapter and search out some old manual focus lenses, or get a different adapter and use Nikon lenses...or others (not Canon)...

[R. House]

I have a "Super Multicoated Takumar" Screw mount 55mm f1.8, used but nice glass. Email me if you want it with an address and it's yours. Congrats on the new camera. Ray

[spystyle]

Originally Posted by R. House

I have a "Super Multicoated Takumar" Screw mount 55mm f1.8, used but nice glass. Email me if you want it with an address and it's yours. Congrats on the new camera. Ray

Thank you Ray ! Such kindness ... I'm inspired !

I'm assuming all I need to do is order a "Pentax to 4/3 adapter" and I'm in business? I'll order right away as they ship from China and it can take a while.

Originally Posted by Mr. Pickles

You have to define cheap, and what type of lens you are looking for...

I guess "cheap" is much too subjective of a word, I'll try "using my words", here goes :

What lenses do you guys feel have the best value? "Value" being defined as "a lot of performance for a comparatively small amount of cash"

You see, I was on the fence between the Olympus 330 and the Canon XT, then I saw the Olympus 500 and jumped on it - assuming it had all the features of the 330 and then some - by the time I realized that the 500 is not the successor to the 330 the camera had already shipped and it was a done deal.

This is how Olympus counts :

330 > 510

300 > 500

That is different counting than I learned in school and I find it confusing. This is what I assumed was the order :

300 > 330 > 500 > 510 and each one has the features of the one before it, only better refined and some improvements.

But that is that, I have a brand new Evolt 500 en route and I bet it's a great upgrade to my 8 year old camera and it's decade old lenses.

Besides incorrectly assuming the 500 has all the features of the 330, I also assumed Olympus would have the same line of lenses as Nikon and Canon - Wrong again! Apparently Olympus is so "future proof" it has ditched prime lenses all together, except for one expensive macro. Their "standard" is a zoom.

They don't have a 50mm f/1.8 - hersey!!!!!!!

But I believe it - the younger generation would have no interest in a lens that doesn't zoom and find it terribly inconvenient, but I am into a sharp lens with a giant aperture - like 50mm f/1.4, I would like it if Olympus made that next.

But we'll see how it performs when it arrives - will Olympus and their "standard zoom" lenses rock louder than my old FinePix with old Nikon AF lenses ? We'll see. If not I could always sell the 500 and get the Canon XT... But maybe the "new standard" is better?

Originally Posted by Mr. Pickles

The Olympus 35mm macro is a good little bargain.
The Olympus 70-300 is too.

If you want to play, you can look for an Oly adapter and search out some old manual focus lenses, or get a different adapter and use Nikon lenses...or others (not Canon)...

Thanks for the advice

Originally Posted by Mr. Pickles

...not Canon...

Apparently the Russians have figured out how to mount Canon lenses to 4/3 :

http://oly43club.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=311



Cheers,
Craig

[Mr. Pickles]

I'd be very skeptical of that Canon lens on a E-3 image. Not positive it is doctored, or just glued on the body, but I'd need to see some images from the combination because last I knew the back lens to sensor distance was a huge issue....

[spystyle]

Did you read the link? And Google up a review of the product? I didn't really read it since I am satisfied with the "Nikon to 4/3 with AF confirmation" adapter that I ordered from China today.

So my plan is to have both standard zoom lenses that ship with the Evolt 500 (one I have, the other I have to buy) and also use my Nikon AF lens with it via the adapter. The "AF confirmation adapter" sounds nice, if it actually works as advertised, you just depress the shutter button half way, twist the lens to focus, and it will beep audibly when it's in focus... I wonder if that will really work

We'll see how the 2005 Olympus / Zuiko stacks up against the 2000 Fuji / Nikon ... we'll see....

Cheers,
Craig