How To Use Olympus 60mm Macro Lens

Afterward a long wait, the Olympus 60mm macro lens is out. This is not bad news for micro-four thirds camera owners, because the existing macro lens, the Panasonic 45mm macro lens, is a little ho-hum to focus.

Olympus F2.eight 60mm macro lens features

13 lens elements, 10 groups of lenses
ane:1 reproduction ratio (photos will exist 17.5mm across at closest focusing distance)
Discontinuity range F2.8 - F22
3 settings for focus range (19 - 40 cm, >40cm, total range)
Weather-resistant (great for flood-prone underwater photographers!)
Equivalent to 120mm on a full frame photographic camera, 80mm on a Nikon D300 or D7000, 75mm on a Canon 7D
Quick and quiet focusing, corking for taking video
Minimum focus distance of 19cm (7.v inches). Read more about lens basics.
Hopefully faster focusing than the sluggish Panasonic 45mm macro
Works on all micro-four thirds cameras (Olympus PEN, Panasonic GF2, GX1, OM-D, etc.)
Dimensions 82mm x 56mm, weight 185 grams
Filter size 46mm
Price is $499.99, available now here

Olympus 60mm macro lens - our exam results

Image size at 1:one magnification - 17.8mm beyond
Distance from lens to subject at one:1 - iii.25 inches
Max distance when macro limiter switch is on - eighteen inches from end of lens, prototype size is 5.5 inches across
Aperture range at 1:1 - F2.eight - F22

Olympus 60mm macro lens, within the standard Olympus fourteen-42mm port. Fits nicely!

Olympus 60mm limiter switch

The lens can be set to focus at the following distances:

Less than 40cm (19cm - 40cm, useful for macro shooting)
Greater than 40cm (useful for telephoto shooting, birds, etc.)
Total range

Unless a port comes out that allows this switch to be moved, underwater photographers will exist using this switch on the macro setting, or on total range. The lens did focus a picayune faster when assault 19cm-40cm (the "hunt" altitude is less), only I wouldn't hesitate to use the switch on full range, the focus speed departure wasn't huge for me.

Exercise we recommend the Olympus 60mm macro lens?

A longer lens for underwater utilize is sorely needed in the micro-four thirds lineup. This lens will allow for nifty supermacro underwater, especially with a flip-diopter, and too allow you lot to shoot minor fish. Even without a diopter, you can accept a photo 17.5mm across - incredible! Its seven-bract circular aperture design volition produce some squeamish bokeh. This lens is already very popular, and is now a must-have for underwater photographers. You can guild the Olympus 60mm macro from our partner Bluewater Photograph.

Olympus 60mm macro lens test photos

Olympus 60mm macro underwater photos coming presently! Cheque dorsum in a few days. There are also some incredible topside photos taken with a flash in Ming Thein's review.

olympus 60mm macro lens review

Very small flower, F9, 1/250th, ISO 400, taken with the new Olympus E-PL5 + Olympus F2.8 60mm macro lens, handheld. Very close to 1:1 magnification

olympus zuiko 60mm macro lens

100% crop of to a higher place photograph

olympus 60mm macro lens photo

F2.viii, one/2500th, ISO 200, Olympus E-PL5, Olympus 60mm macro lens

Olympus 60mm macro lens review

Taken at F2.8, y'all can see the round bokeh in the background

Underwater Ports for the Olympus 60mm lens

The size of this lens is very shut to the size of the 14-42mm lens when fully extended. Then for the virtually part, the 60mm lens will fit into the aforementioned ports for Ikelite, Olympus, & Recsea housings (not for Nauticam) Only not always.

We take tested the following ports and so far:

Olympus standard port - information technology fits! (come across photograph in a higher place). This will work with the Olympus housing for the E-PL2, E-PM1, OM-D, and Due east-PL5, but not the E-PL1.
Olympus port with lights & threads - it does non fit. This lens will not fit in the PT-EP06L and E-PL3 housings, considering these ports have lights / threads that make the port slightly smaller than the version of the port with no lights.
Nauticam flat port 56 (Olympus 14-42mm) - does not fit; Nauticam has made a new port for the 60mm lens, and is besides making 20mm and 30mm extension rings for existing macro ports.
Nauticam flat port 72 (Panasonic 14-42mm / Sony 18-55mm) - information technology fits!
Nauticam 4" Wide Angle Port (nau.36137) - information technology fits!
Nauticam 12-50mm port - it fits nicely! Note that this port has 77mm threads

However, the focus range limiter switch will not exist functioning in the existing ports, which is not a deal breaker since almost people will be fine leaving the focus range on the full range.

Wet Diopters with the Olympus 60mm macro lens

Using a +5 or +seven SubSee or Dyron +7 macro lens should effect in some pretty amazing supermacro shots. Look for some examination shots coming soon!

Using the Dyron+7 or SubSee +10 lenses resulted in like size photo about 13mm across.

60mm macro lens examination, without a diopter

Olympus 60mm Macro lens, F11, 1/250, ISO 200

60mm macro lens with Dyron +7 macro lens

Olympus 60mm Macro lens with Dyron +vii diopter, F11, 1/250, ISO 200

Olympus 60mm macro Underwater Photos

The Olympus 60mm lens worked wonderfully underwater. Focus hunting was limited, and usually only occured when changing focus from something very close up to something farther abroad or when I moved the lens in past the minimum focus altitude when photographing super close upwards. I was really pleased with the functioning of this lens, and particularly the range of depth of field that is achievable when compared to using the kit lens with a diopter. Have a look at some of the examples below. All of these photos are uncropped unless noted.

Olympus 60mm Underwater photography Review

Kelp Bass that surprised me. The Olympus 60mm reacted perfectly locking focus speedily as he swam towards me. ISO 200, F22, 1/250. Taken with Olympus OM-D Eastward-M5 and dual YS-D1 Strobes at Catalina Island, Southern California.

olympus 60mm underwater photography review

Kelp Bass chilling in the sand, ISO 200, F18, 1/60

olympus 60mm macro lens underwater review

Portrait of a Moray Eel, ISO 200, F22, 1/100

olympus 60mm macro lens underwater photography review

Moray Eel with Shrimp, ISO 200, F18, one/100

Olympus 60mm macro bokeh

olympus 60mm macro lens underwater photography review

Close up of a Blue-banded Goby shot at a large aperature to create overnice bokeh in the background. ISO 200, F2.8, 1/160

Nice item at 100% ingather

olympus 60mm macro lens underwater photography review

100% crop of a Blue-Banded Goby. Shows the nice particular and focus in the 60mm lens. ISO 200, F11, 1/80

Olympus 60mm macro lens Depth of Field Tests:

The Olympus 60mm handled Depth of Field nicely. At 2.8 the focus aeroplane was very shallow, allow for very specific focus that helps the bailiwick actually pop. At F11 there is a nice like shooting fish in a barrel to piece of work with range of Depth of Field, and at F22 most of the image was in focus. Take a look at the test results below.

olympus 60mm underwater photography review