Additional Information on Olympus Zuiko lenses
Zuiko ultra-wideangle lense - 18mm f/3.5

 
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<< -- Credit: Image of this OM4Ti w/18mm was specially taken by Mr BOB Gries® <gries@nothingrhymeswithorange.com> for this Zuiko project. Image Copyright © 2003. All rights reserved.
With the exception of fisheye lense type, this 18mm ultra-wideangle Zuiko lense has the widest picture angle (Diagonal: 100°) among all MF Zuiko wideangle lenses. With an extremely exaggerated perspective is advantageous in creating dramatic effects but it has never been easy for any new comer to this lense type but if you have mastered their optical characteristic and unique behavior in such an ultra-wideangle lenses, it can be quite fun and addictive. Considering its spectacular angle of view and overall performance, this compact Zuiko lense is a perfect entry lense for super wideangle photography.

Although most people like to associate this lense type for shooting sweeping scenic views, but depending on individual preference and subject matter to shoot, in the hands of a creative photographer, it can also be used in a wide variety of photographic applications, such as in journalism, architecture, scenic, location fashion or even for portraiture photography.

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Rider from Team Marlboro Yamaha test ride the new Sepang F-1 Circuit at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, venue for the yearly FIM World 125, 250 & 500.C.C Motorcycle and Formula One Championship.

Credit: Always work in closely with your subject of interest, the effective working distance between the rider and the photographer in this picture could well be within 2-3 feet away. Image Copyright © 1999. All rights reserved, Vincent Thian ® An AP (Associated Press Photographer). A contributing effort to the development effort in Photography in Malaysia website.

Unlike many other manufacturers, Canon, Nikon in particular and even many third party lens manufacturers, which have been actively introducing a wide range of ultra-wideangle zoom lenses, Olympus still stays relatively conservative in their approach relating to wideangle zoom lenses. While the widest wideangle zoom in the Zuiko lens group is still confined to a Zuiko 28-48mm f/4.0 zoom lense, it was indeed a little disappointing seeing Olympus's approach adopted all these years. Many exotic high performance zoom lenses in the range of 16-35mm are started to emerge lately, for any OM users who wishes to have a hand on experience with these zoom lenses, the only possible option is to look at third party lense manufacturers. Well, not all photographers are favoured with use of ultrawides zoom lenses in photography especially when it relates to huge size, weight and the ridiculously price tag it comes along with (Admittedly, I am one of them..). Basically, a prime ultrawide such as the Zuiko lense here does presents its own advantage to a photographer, I would rate the "weight" factor on top of the list, this highly portable Zuiko lense weighs only 8.8 oz (it is even lighter than a standard 50mm f/1.2 lense while a comparing 17-35mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S Zoom-Nikkor, for an instance, weighs almost 26.3 oz ! Next, when you have gained more familiar with ultra-wideangle and used them often, you may even able to visualize how a visual effect will be liked without even has to mount an lense onto camera.

Well, although I don't think Olympus would spring some surprises by introduced an equivalent wideangle-zoom lense type in the future, but if you can live with what Olympus can offer right now, for focal length wider than 21mm, your only option within the Zuiko family is only with this ultrawide 18mm lense. With a field of view of almost 2.20X that of a 50mm lense, the main technical highlight its rectilinear distortion-free image despite its extremely wide coverage.

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<<< --- Credit: Two beautifully taken images of this Zuiko 18mm f/3.5 lense courtesy of "Jone Quinn" <yahuhai@yahoo.com> who also runs a popular Ebay Store where you can take a visit to scout for OM used items. Image copyright © 2002 All rights reserved. Please respect the visual property of the contributing photographer.

Another remarkable feature is relating to its optical design, despite its size - this Zuiko ultrawide employs a close range optical correction mechanism to to prevent degradation of lens performance at close focusing distances. Combining its spectacular ultrawides vision, this can be put to good use in many potentially creative photographic applications. For a unique visual impact, ultrawides is capable of delivering images taken at very close distances. With a minimum focusing distance of 25cm (9.8 inches), its comprehensive perspective combined with maximum depth of field will produce unusual images taken up close. Although to a new user, ultra wide-angle lenses can be quite tricky to master at first, photograph taken with a lense type will project a sense of spaciousness and because the nature of ultra wideangle lense can encompass so much that, there is a need to careful compose and place various interesting picture elements within the composition selectively. But the real fun begins once you have got familiar with their unique optical behavior.

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Olympus Zuiko 18mm f/3.5

Technical Highlights: Fully corrected for aberrations, so straight lines are always reproduced straight, this lense has a super wide 100° viewing angle. Extra close focusing with automatic correction of aberrations makes it very useful for special effects. Another optical characteristic of ultrawides is its rectilinear lense design it will reproduce straight lines as straight lines without distortion. It is, therefore, a perfect choice for photographing in tight interiors with a confined camera-to-subject distance.

<<< -- Credit: Image of this 18mm Zuiko Ultrawide was specially taken by Mr BOB Gries® <gries@nothingrhymeswithorange.com> for this Zuiko project. Bob has a website on his own as well as a few extra images of this lense at HERE. Image Copyright © 2003. All rights reserved. Please respect the visual property of the contributing photographer.

Although the lense only has its minimum aperture scale at f/16, but the immensely deep depth of field inherent in this lense should be adequate for most photographic situation and it is also helpful to render scenes that may uses slow shutter speed in low light situation while gaining extra depth of field. For instance, by just setting the lense distance scale at 6-10 feet, everything from a few feet near to infinity will falls within the zone of sharpness. This means that precise focusing is not always imperative, so this lense is particularly helpful when there's little time to focus, such as when photographing fast action or covering news and for reportage photography. The lense has an slightly larger filter attachment size of 62mm and may posts some compatibility problems with other OM lense accessories such as filters. Although I would like to see a 15mm and/or 16mm ultrawide added in the Zuiko lens family as it would be nice to have a few more alternatives of ultrawide picture angles from 84° (24mm), 92° (21mm) ,100° (18mm) be extended to a possible 110° (15mm) but such wish has never been realized all these years. Anyway, the Zuiko 18mm f/3.5 was used to be ranked among the fastest manual focus ultrawides you can get from the market. Competing brands such as Nikon only started to offer a Nikkor18mm f/3.5s lense almost 6 years behind the OM Zuiko lense while Canon has a slower FDn 17mm f/4.0. Well, this proved OM Zuiko lense has always been on the forefront in 35mm lense development program during those days. In a 1976's OM-2 Instruction manual, it stated the lense was still under development which could mean this Zuiko ultrawide was probably introduced between 1977-1978.

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This Zuiko ultrawide used to retail new lense at a street price between USD890.00 - 1010.00* (used: mint condition USD450.00 - 500.00) Source: * Macbroom's Camera Blue Book by Amherst Media, Inc.

<<< --- Credit: Images courtesy of Alan House <alan_house123@hotmail.com>, who also runs a popular Ebay Store where you can take a visit to scout for OM used items. Image copyright © 2002 All rights reserved.

Specification:

Older Version: K-Zuiko AUTO-W 18mm f/3.5
Current Version:
Zuiko 18mm f/3.5
Focal length
: 18mm
Aperture ratio: 1:3.5
Lense construction: 9 groups, 11 elements

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Angles of view##: Diagonal: 100°
Distance scale: (m) 0.25 to infinity (
oo)
Focusing: Helicoid
lense Hood: 72mm use Adapter Ring 49->72
Aperture Range: f/3.5-f/16

Diaphragm: Automatic
Filter attachment size:
72mm Screw-in (w.Adapter Ring 49->72)
Maximum diameter: 75mm
Minimum photographic range: 30xm x 20cm

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Length: 42mm (newer lense measures at 43mm)
Weight: 250g (8.8 oz)
Recommended Focusing Screens: 1:1*, 1:2**, 1:3*, 1:4*, 1:5#, 1:10*, 1:13*, 1:14*  * Compatible. Focusing and exposure accuracy remains. ** Compatible, Focusing and exposure accuracy remains intact but microprism, corners of the screen and split image may darken. # Compatible with OM-1(n) and Om-2(n), may be used on OM-3(ti) and OM-4(ti) or equivalent, they provide accurate focusing but exposure error may occur in manual mode.## More info on "Picture Angle" or make use of the Glossary section in PIM site.Next, the first Zuiko 18mm f/3.5 lense that beared "MC" in its lens data was believed to have been introduced in 1978.

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<< --- Credit: Image courtesy of "Jone Quinn" <yahuhai@yahoo.com>. Image copyright © 2002 All rights reserved.

A Brief overview on Zuiko Optics
Zuiko Fisheye Lenses
8mm f/2.8 Circular Fisheye | 16mm f/3.5 Full Frame Fisheye
Zuiko Ultra-Wideangle Lenses
18mm f/3.5 | 21mm f/2.0 | 21mm f/3.5 | 24mm f/2.0 | 24mm f/2.8
Zuiko Wideangle Lenses
28mm f/2.0 | 28mm f/2.8 | 28mm f/3.5 | 35mm f/2 | 35mm f/2.8 |
Zuiko Standard Lenses
40mm f/2.0 | 55mm f/1.2 | 50mm f/1.2 | 50mm f/1.4 | 50mm f/1.8 | Zuiko 50mm f/2.0 PF
Zuiko Medium-Telephoto Lenses
85mm f/2.0 | 100mm f/2.0 | 100mm f/2.8 | 135mm f/2.8 | 135mm f/3.5
Zuiko Telephoto Lenses
180mm f/2.0 EDIF | 180mm f/2.8 | 200mm f/4.0 | 200mm f/5.0 Auto-T (brief)
Zuiko Super-Telephoto Lenses
250mm f/2.0 EDIF | 300mm f/4.5 | 350mm f/2.8 EDIF | 400mm f/6.3 | 500mm | 600mm f/6.5 |1000mm f/11.0
Special application Zuiko optics:
24mm f/3.5 Shift | 35mm f/2.8 Shift | 500mm f/8 Reflex | AF Zoom 35-70mm f/4.0 | Zuiko 50mm f/2.0 PF

Tele-Converters: 1.4X-A / 2X-A

Zuiko Macro/Close focus lenses: Zuiko AUTO MACRO 20mm f/3.5 | Zuiko AUTO MACRO 20mm f/2.0 | Zuiko AUTO MACRO 38mm f/3.5 | Zuiko AUTO MACRO 38mm f/2.8 | Zuiko AUTO MACRO 50mm f/3.5 | Zuiko AUTO MACRO 50mm f/2.0 | Zuiko AUTO MACRO 1:1 80mm f/4.0 | Zuiko AUTO MACRO 90mm f/2.0 | Zuiko AUTO MACRO 135mm f/4.5

Zuiko AUTO-Zoom Lenses - Main Index page
| S-Zuiko AUTO Zoom 28-48mm f/4.0 | Zuiko AUTO Zoom 35-70mm f/3.6 | S-Zuiko AUTO Zoom 35-70mm f/4.0 | Zuiko AF AUTO Zoom 35-70mm f/4.0 | S-Zuiko AUTO Zoom 35-70mm f/3.5 ~ f/4.5 | S-Zuiko AUTO Zoom 35-70mm f/3.5 ~ f/4.8 | Zuiko AUTO Zoom 35-80mm f/2.8 ED | Zuiko AUTO Zoom 35-105mm f/3.5 ~ f/4.5 | Zuiko AUTO zoom 50-250mm f/5.0 | Zuiko AUTO zoom 65-200mm f/4.0 | S-Zuiko AUTO zoom 70-210mm f/4.5 ~ f/5.6 | Zuiko AUTO Zoom 75-150mm f/4.0 | Zuiko AUTO Zoom 85-200mm f/4.0 | Zuiko AUTO Zoom 85-250mm f/5.0 | S-Zuiko AUTO Zoom 100-200mm f/5.0 |

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About this photographic site.

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Copyright © 2000. leofoo ®. MIR Web Development Team.

Maintainers for OM Zuiko Site & Message Board: Rick Oleson (Email: rick_oleson@yahoo.com Website: http://rick_oleson.tripod.com), Bruce Hamm (bhamm@magma.ca), John Orrell (john@orrellj.freeserve.co.uk), Simon Evans, (http://www.mawddwy.freeserve.co.uk); Shaun (shaun@noemail.com), Andy Radcliffe (AndyJRadcliffe@manx.net)

Special thanks to: Gregory P. Logiodice, Bob Gries, Erwin Voogt, Joel Wilcox, Rick Oleson, Simon Evan and many others for granting permissions to use their images of either lenses, cameras and own pictures appeared in this Zuiko website.

Credit: My old time buddy, Ahmad Ikram, Dr of Rubber Research Institute (RRI), Malaysia who shares the same passion with me and also lending his OM-1n, OM-4 and the Motor Drive 1 to me for preparing some images in this site; Mark Dapoz <md@dementia.org>for reminding some broken links; Mr Poon of Foto Poon, Ipoh, Mr Richard, Ampang Park, Mr Lim and Miss Jenny of Foto Edar for their generosity for their OM1(n), OM2n camera and some Zuiko lenses. Mr Hans van Veluwen for mistakenly using some content earlier from his OM website; J Sorensen for providing some useful images to rectify some technical "flaws"; Mr Gen Holst for helping during the early stages of development of this OM site; Mr KKLow for some of his earlier images on the OM-1appeared in this website; Miss Wati and Mirza for helping me to convert this Operation Manual into a HTML format. Mr MCLau for rectifying some mistakes made on the earlier preview sites. A personal tribute to the creator of the OM system and also a site dedicated to all the fans of Olympuses and Zuiko Optics worldwide. Some of the content and images appeared in this site were scanned from OM official marketing leaflets, brochures and instruction manual(s) for educational purposes. Olympus is a registered trade name of Olympus Optical Inc., Japan. Site created 'unfortunately again with an IMac.