Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2, F.Zuiko Pen-F 38mm f/1.8

The Galleria: Photo of the Day, 08/29/25

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2, F.Zuiko Pen-F 38mm f/1.8

-

The Galleria: Photo of the Day, 08/28/25

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2, F.Zuiko Pen-F 38mm f/1.8

The Galleria: Photo of the Day, 08/27/25

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2, F.Zuiko Pen-F 38mm f/1.8

The Galleria: Photo of the Day, 08/27/25

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2, F.Zuiko Pen-F 38mm f/1.8

Cameras and Lenses: Images with a vintage legacy Olympus F.Zuiko Pen-F38mm f/1.8, a compact, sharp, and high-resolution vintage half-frame lens, a 76mm full-frame short-tele equivalent on the mirrorless Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2.

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

The 'Compact Comeback,' which refers to a recent trend of increased interest and resurgence in smaller and more portable digital cameras, or digicams, is strong with young enthusiasts looking for a nostalgic appeal in retro looks and simple point-and-shoot cameras.

Others, on the other hand, could very well look at 'Half-Frames,' another resurging trend that started out with the recent launches and interest in the reincarnation of the 35mm half-frame film cameras.

The half-frame format, though, is not strictly film only, as many digital cameras are also available with image frame settings that could be adjusted in-camera to the ratio.

An interesting vintage setup that can be used with the in-camera frame setting for half-frames is the mirrorless Olympus Pen E-PM2, the smallest and lightest compact system camera on the market when it was launched in 2012, seen here coupled with a legacy manual focus Olympus Pen-F F.Zuiko 38mm 1:1.8, a 35mm half-frame film camera lens from the 1960s.

Though focused on being small, minimalist, and easy to use, with a body dimension of approximately 109.8 x 64.2 x 33.8mm and 223 grams in weight, the Pen E-PM2 is highly functional as it comes with flagship-camera features including a 16.1MP sensor and TruePic VI image processor (as seen on the E-PL5 and OM-D E-M5), a 3-inch touchscreen, two-axis image stabilization, and a customizable interface that allows the camera to be set up to users preferences.

The accompanying F.Zuiko Pen-F 38mm f/1.8, which should be well past 60 years old by now, is part of the Olympus Pen-F series of half-frame SLR system cameras, which were in production from 1963 to 1972. The solidly built lens features a classic double Gauss design with 6 elements in 5 groups, 5 aperture blades, measures approximately 50mm x 35mm in size, accepts 43mm filters, and weighs 138 grams.

The lens has a minimum focus distance of 0.35 meters and, at 38mm on the half-frame, is equivalent to a standard normal 50mm on a 35mm full-frame camera. Designed specifically for the Pen F system with a fast f/1.8 aperture, the lens is known for its good image quality, particularly when stopped down, with minimal distortion or chromatic aberration.

On the 2x crop sensor E-PM2, the F.Zuiko Pen-F 38mm f/1.8 is equivalent to a 76mm short telephoto lens on a 35mm full-frame. For good use, a 75mm short telephoto lens is an excellent choice for portrait photography, with a flattering perspective, good background separation, and compression. The focal length is also versatile enough for street photography (which I will try on another session), especially when you want to isolate subjects or create tighter compositions from a mid-to-long distance.

Olympus PEN Mini E-PM2, F.Zuiko Pen-F 38mm f/1.8

With its short telephoto mode, wide aperture, and close focusing distance, the lens is equally suitable for use in close-ups and macro shots. Though thoughtfully disadvantaged without the help of a 'peak focusing' feature, the E-PM2 can be fitted, optionally, with an external EVF (electronic viewfinder) to enhance focusing accuracy.

Olympus Pen-FT, A Night Take

Half-Frames: Film photography favorites, images with a vintage analog Olympus Pen-FT half-frame 35mm film SLR, from the only half-frame SLR camera system ever made, a night-out take.

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

The COVID-19 constraint has really put a damper on external photographic activities you can get involved in and be motivated by. While some of you might get the jitters with interest wavering, that should not be the case for most of us.

As for the motivator to keep me going, I have two areas of interest that are currently keeping me occupied. First is digging up the archive for images still unpublished or having missed the cue, and second, trying out the post-processing app, which I have been deferring from looking through for so long.

Olympus Pen-FT, F.Zuiko Pen-F 38mm f/1.8

This batch is from a collection of images shot with the Olympus Pen-FT, with its accompanying F.Zuiko Auto-S 38mm F1.8, from about 5 years ago, that has remained unpublished despite my efforts to have all of them posted previously. At long last, they do have their chance now of being published and to be looked at, applauded, and appreciated if they so deserve it.

Olympus E.Zuiko Pen-F 150mm f/4, Handheld

Cameras and Lenses: Light painting in reverse, with a legacy E.Zuiko PenF 150mm 1:4 lens, a vintage, telephoto prime lens built for the Olympus Pen F half-frame SLR system, at 210mm full-frame equivalent on the Olympus PEN E-P5.

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

A fun post featuring images shot with the Zuiko FT 150mm 1:4 lens, also known officially as the E.Zuiko Auto-T 150mm 1:4. I had the lens mounted on the Olympus E-P5, and instead of using a tripod, I decided to capture a bright light point handheld, which is actually a stationary satellite reflecting the light from the still-hidden sun as the morning drew nearer.

The wavering light was made by the movement of the camera, as the shutter speed for these shots was between 2.5 and 6 seconds. You might be able to guess, from the third shot, that the sky above my location was also the airspace and flight path for airplanes arriving and departing from a nearby airport.

Olympus PEN E-P5, E.Zuiko PenF 150mm f/4

The fourth frame shot is not actually of the satellite or a plane passing, but of a safety beacon on a power pylon across the horizon.

Olympus E.Zuiko Pen-F 100mm f/3.5, A Lightweight Compact

Cameras and Lenses: Impressive handheld tele shots with a legacy E.Zuiko Pen-F 100mm f/3.5, a vintage, medium-telephoto prime lens built for the Olympus Pen F half-frame SLR system, mounted on a mirrorless Olympus PEN E-P5.

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

The Zuiko FT 100mm 1:3.5, or officially the E.Zuiko Auto-T 100mm 1:3.5, another lens from the series produced for the Olympus Pen F/FT half-frame Camera Systems of the 1960s, is an outstanding lens as portrayed on a series of web pages, including an image series by kuuan on Flickr, a discussion of MFlenses, a showcase thread on Mu-43.com, and a discussion thread on Fuji-X forum.

My well-used and slightly battered copy of the E.Zuiko Auto-T 100mm 1:3.5 is, however, far from perfect. It has a thin layer of fungal infection across one of its inner elements, and although the aperture ring is soft and smooth, the focusing ring is rather stiff.

Olympus PEN E-P5, E.Zuiko Pen-F 100mm 1:3.5

At a 100mm focal length, the lens will be equivalent to a 200mm lens on the 2x crop-sensor Olympus PEN E-P5, placing it in the medium telephoto category, making it suitable for close sports or action shots. Bright ambient light should give you the shutter speed you need, recommended at 1/200 second minimum, to shoot with the lens handheld.

Olympus PEN E-P5, E.Zuiko Pen-F 100mm f/3.5

An advantage you have with these cute and compact Olympus Pen-F/FT lenses is the need for a lens adapter that is very shallow. On the E-P5, the whole extension, including the lens hood, is only 115mm long.

Olympus F.Zuiko Pen-F 38mm f/1.8, A Clear Choice

--

Cameras and Lenses: Images with a vintage legacy Olympus F.Zuiko PenF 38mm f/1.8, a highly sharp standard normal prime lens built for the Olympus PEN F half-frame SLR camera system, at 76mm full-frame equivalent on the Olympus PEN E-P5.

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

Adapting legacy manual focus lenses to your interchangeable lens digital camera means that you are not only giving yourself the chance to select a lens from thousands of mainly low-priced options offered by different manufacturers, or picking one that is not available from your current camera brand range, but also giving yourself the choice of lenses that have been acknowledged to have outstanding optical qualities.

An example of a very good and compact lens for adaptation to mirrorless digital camera bodies is the Zuiko FT 38mm 1:1.8, or officially the F.Zuiko Auto-S 50mm 1:1.8. The lens is from the series produced for the Olympus Pen 1:FT, the half-frame SLR camera system that was designed with a body thickness and focal flange distance almost resembling current mirrorless digital cameras.

Olympus PEN E-P5, Olympus F.Zuiko Pen-F 38mm f/1.8

The 38mm 1:1.8 is 6 6-element, 5-group construction, comes with a 5-bladed diaphragm, and is lightweight at 135 grams. The minimum focus distance is a short 0.35 meters, and the filter threads are standard 43 mm. The lens is said to have a degree of softness, which seems to be the main trait of Olympus manual focus lenses, characteristic neutral mid-tone colors, and a pastel creaminess to the backgrounds that adds to the classic touch of the images.

Olympus Pen-FT, Nighthawk

Half-Frames: Film photography favorites, images with a vintage legacy F.Zuiko Pen-F 38mm f/1.8, on the Olympus Pen-FT film SLR, a half-frame 35mm SLR fil camera, on a night out.

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

This is my take on Edward Hopper's Nighthawks, interpreted on an Olympus Pen-FT with an F.Zuiko Auto-S 38mm F1.8 lens. The images here are nothing close to the painting, though; it was never meant to be.

The whole point here is the fact that using film and film cameras for night photography may have more advantages than doing so with digital.

All you need is a mechanical film camera with a cable release for B(bulb) exposure, and a stable surface or a tripod will do.

The choice of film type (color negatives, slide film) is yours to decide, and the ASA film speed will determine the graininess of the image.

Olympus Pen-FT, F.Zuiko 38mm f/1.8

The next best thing is to use a fast, prime lens, such as a 35mm F2, for night shots. These were taken with the F.Zuiko 38mm F1.8. It might be possible to use a 1:4 lens in brighter areas, but the idea of having a good depth of field control and expanded opportunities shooting at 1:2.8, 1:2, or even at 1:1.8 is the way to go.

Olympus Pen-FT, In the Garden

Half-Frames: Film photography favorites, images with a vintage analog Olympus Pen-FT, the only 35mm half-frame SLR film system ever built, catching the essence of the garden.

<< Click on image for enlarged Lightbox display >>

My first In The Garden session with the Olympus Pen-FT, fitted with an Olympus F.Zuiko 1:1.8 38mm lens. The camera works OK, except for the exposure meter, which was about 7 stops out of whack.

Exposures for the first roll were all by trial and error, based on the best of what I know of the Sunny-16 rule.

The Olympus Pen-F system (Pen-F, Pen-FT, Pen-FV series), introduced by Olympus in 1963, was the only half-frame SLR and the smallest full-system SLR ever produced. It was in a class of its own, a unique system with a smooth, sleek, minimalist design. The Pen-F does not have the characteristic SLR bump to house the pentaprism as it uses a system of mirrors, including a primary that moves vertically out of the light path when the shutter is released.

Olympus Pen-FT, F.Zuiko Pen-F 38mm f/1.8

The Pen-FT (1966) follows the introduction of the Pen F (1963) and comes with a single-stroke film advance, a built-in self-timer, and open aperture TTL (through the lens) exposure metering, among others. The TTL metering uses a semi-silvered mirror that splits a portion of the incoming light to the metering cell, resulting in a viewfinder that is dimmer than that of the original Pen F.