Olympus PEN E-P5, G-Zuiko OM 28mm f/3.5

The Galleria: Photo of the Day, 08/11/26

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Olympus PEN E-P5, G-Zuiko OM 28mm f/3.5

The Galleria: Photo of the Day, 08/11/26

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Olympus PEN E-P5, G-Zuiko OM 28mm f/3.5

The Galleria: Photo of the Day, 08/11/26

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Olympus PEN E-P5, G-Zuiko OM 28mm f/3.5

The Galleria: Photo of the Day, 08/11/26

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Olympus PEN E-P5, G-Zuiko OM 28mm f/3.5

Cameras and Lenses: Images with a legacy G-Zuiko OM 28mm f/3.5, praised for its ultra-compact size, impressive center sharpness, and minimal optical distortion, a standard normal 56mm full-frame equivalent on the Olympus PEN E-P5.

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

The Olympus G-Zuiko Auto-W 28mm f/3.5 (G.Zuiko OM 28mm f/3.5 for short), a legendary, ultra-compact wide-angle prime lens from the Olympus OM 35mm film SLR camera system, was introduced in 1972 alongside the original Olympus M-1 (later renamed the OM-1). The lens is held in high regard by vintage photo enthusiasts and mirrorless camera adapters alike for its compact size, excellent sharpness, and budget-friendliness.

The lens, which is almost pancake in design and, as indicated by the G (the seventh letter of the alphabet) in G.Zuiko, is a 7-element in 7 groups design, with 6 straight aperture blades, a minimum focusing distance of 0.3 meters, measures 59mm in diameter x 31mm in length, takes 49mm filters, and weighs approximately 180 grams.

The lens was updated to the Zuiko 28mm f/2.8, featuring a faster maximum aperture and improved multi-coatings for enhanced flare resistance, in 1980.

On the Olympus PEN E-P5, which features a 2x crop sensor, the G.Zuiko Auto-W 28mm f/3.5 is equivalent to a 56mm lens on a full-frame camera, a focal length that is just a tad longer than the standard normal lens category, which is specified as having focal lengths between 30 and 50mm.

The focal length replicates the natural, distortion-free perspective of the human eye, and comes with the versatility that makes it the perfect go-to for everyday shooting, candid street photography, environmental portraits, travel, and documentary work.

Though the setup is not as compact with the lens mounted via a lens adapter, the kit is still an awesome tool for handheld shots for crops and close-ups, for example, as the E-P5 features both a highly acclaimed 5-axis mechanical sensor-shift system and peak focusing, which makes manual focusing incredibly fast and accurate.

Image quality of this pairing, defined in the context of an economical, pocketable setup for street, travel, and documentary photography, can be said to have excellent center sharpness, great contrast, and an organic, vintage aesthetic.

Olympus PEN E-P5, G-Zuiko OM 28mm f/3.5

The Olympus PEN E‑P5, a rangefinder‑style Micro Four Thirds mirrorless digital camera, was released in 2013 as the flagship of Olympus’s compact PEN lineup. The model comes with a 16.1‑MP Four Thirds Live MOS sensor (same as the OM‑D E‑M5), TruePic VI image processor, ISO sensitivity from 200 to 25,600, and a 1.04-million-dot 3‑inch tilt‑type touchscreen LCD.

Olympus PEN E-P5, Kiron 28mm f2.8 MC

The Galleria: Photo of the Day, 02/20/26

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Olympus PEN E-P5, Kiron 28mm f2.8 MC

The Galleria: Photo of the Day, 02/19/26

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

"Ramadan Kareem, All!"

Olympus PEN E-P5, Kiron 28mm f2.8 MC

The Galleria: Photo of the Day, 02/18/26

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Olympus PEN E-P5, Kiron 28mm f2.8 MC

The Galleria: Photo of the Day, 02/17/26

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

"Happy CNY 2026, Everybody!"

Kiron 28mm f/2.8 MC, Crops And Close-Ups

Cameras and Lenses: Images with a vintage Kiron 28mm f/2.8 MC, an all-metal vintage prime known for its robust build quality, sharp stopped-down performance, and rich optical character, a standard normal 56mm full-frame equivalent on the Olympus PEN E-P5.

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Ramadan Kareem, All! Time for the annual break (by Wednesday or Thursday) from the hustle and bustle of city walks and street shoots, as daily routines change and time schedules are readjusted, and a chance to look back, refresh, and clear a month's worth of backlog.

An interesting recent GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) find is the Kiron 28mm f/2.8 MC, a character-rich manual-focus wide-angle legacy prime manufactured by Kino Precision in the 1980s.

The lens is a robustly built 7-element, 7-group design with 6 aperture blades. It has a minimum focusing distance of 0.30 meters, measures 64mm × 57mm, accepts 55mm filters, and weighs around 284 grams.

For the vintage enthusiast, the lens has the potential to do well as a sharp and bright low-cost alternative to the standard normals as normally seen on digital mirrorless cameras with 2x or APS-C crop sensors.

The lens, available with various mounts including M42, Pentax K, Minolta MD, Canon FD, Nikon F, Olympus OM, and Yashica C/Y, is also reportedly sold as the Vivitar MC Wide Angle 28mm F2.8.

Where mentioned, however, references to the lens could very well be to its other sibling, the Kiron 28mm f/2, rather than to the f/2.8 itself, which is rather obscure and is missing its due attention.

Despite its age (as it was manufactured in the 1980s) and, in part, a testament to its build quality, the all-metal and glass lens I acquired is still in pristine condition, spick and span, with a clean and tidy barrel full of sheen. It looks well cared for and functions flawlessly.

The well-damped focus ring is incredibly smooth, just like the clicked aperture ring, while the elements are visually clean and clear, with only minimal dust visible under LED light.

On mirrorless cameras with 2x crop sensors, like the Olympus PEN E-P5 the lens was tested on, the lens is equivalent to a 56mm lens on a 35mm full-frame camera, a focal length considered to be on the border between standard and short telephoto, ideal for general photography like street scenes, portraits, and everyday use for sharp and flattering images with natural perspective as the eye sees.

On APS-C digital SLR cameras with 1.5x crop sensors, the lens is equivalent to a 40mm lens on a 35mm full-frame camera, the 'sweet spot' focal length for photography, a very versatile focal length that mimics human vision with minimal distortion, making it ideal for capturing realistic scenes without feeling too wide or too tight. The focal length is excellent for travel, street, and documentary photography, as well as for close-up details, architecture, and casual portraits.

Images, as processed, are uniquely warm and vintage, sharp when stopped down, and, on the crop sensor, do not show much vignetting, flaring, or chromatic aberration. While the lens may not be razor-sharp wide-open, the nuances of artistic qualities that vintage lenses have over modern sharpness and clarity are the advantage that vintage enthusiasts are looking for over modern glass.

Olympus PEN E-P5, Kiron 28mm f/2.8 MC

The Olympus PEN E-P5, a top-of-the-line Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera introduced by Olympus in 2013, is fitted with an advanced 16MP Live MOS sensor, TruePic VI Image Processor, a top shutter speed of 1/8000 second, an ISO Range from 100–25600 (native 200–25600, extended 100), and a tilting 3.0-inch 1.04 million-dot touchscreen.

Konica Hexanon AR 28mm f/3.5, Worth The Keep

Cameras and Lenses: Images with a legacy Konica Hexanon AR 28mm f/3.5, a vintage wide-angle lens praised for its sharp optics, robust metal build, and true-to-life color rendition, a standard normal 56mm full-frame equivalent on the Olympus PEN E-P5.

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Another vintage manual focus prime is worth keeping in the collection. The Konica Hexanon AR 28mm f/3.5, in all its variations, is consistently acknowledged as pin-sharp, with excellent color rendition and high shadow detail. The variations, with a focusing distance of 0.31 meters, were produced circa 1965 to 1980. Konica made five versions of this lens.

The first version, the Konica Hexanon 28mm F3.5, was a preset lens. The 2nd version, the Konica Hexanon AR 28mm F3.5, from then on,  had auto aperture and was labeled EE. The third version was labeled AE, had auto aperture up to F16, and was still large and all metal with updated coatings. The fourth version, this one, is labeled AE, has auto aperture up to F22, and is smaller and lighter at 175 grams. The fifth version was plasticky (typical 80s) and could have performed better compared to its counterparts. The lens was marketed as a Hexar.

Olympus PEN E-P5, Konica Hexanon AR 28mm f/3.5

The optical design of the variations has also been altered several times, from the original 7 elements in 6 groups on the preset lens, to 7 elements in 7 groups, and finally to 5 elements in 5 groups for the final version. The filter thread for the preset was 58 mm, with the rest at 55 mm.

Olympus G.Zuiko OM 28mm f/3.5, In the Still and Quiet

Cameras and Lenses: Images with a vintage legacy Olympus G.Zuiko OM 28mm f/3.5, known for its minimal distortion, rich contrast, and an exceptionally tiny, pocketable all-metal build; a 56mm standard normal equivalent on the Olympus PEN E-P5.

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

My first few shots with the G.Zuiko Auto-W 28mm f/3.5, with images of the children's play area of the small community park right across the road, literally meters away from where we live. It is sad to see the area looking forlorn and dejected, as the pandemic constraints are still with us, while locals stay away from utilizing the facility.

The G.Zuiko Auto-W 28mm f/3.5 is a very affordable, compact, and excellent wide-angle lens first introduced for the Olympus OM system. The lens was among the original batch of lenses introduced. Still, unlike most other lenses within the range, the 28mm f/3.5 remained un-updated until discontinued and replaced with the Zuiko 28mm F2.8.

Olympus PEN E-P5, G.Zuiko OM 28mm f/3.5

The lens is a 7-element in 7-group construction, weighs 180 grams, and comes with a minimum focusing distance of 0.3 meters. Mounted on the E-P5 (2x crop-sensor) I was using, the lens is equivalent to a 56mm lens on the full-frame, almost that of a standard prime, with sharpness and contrast that are legendary for a Zuiko lens.