Zuiko lens 1136552 tested; 50mm F/1.4

OLYMPUS ZUIKO 50mm f/1.4. Tested May 1984.

Lens number 1136552

PERFORMANCE

Our Standard	As Tested
Focal length: + - 5% (47.50 - 52.50mm)	50.94mm
Aperture: + - 5% (f/1.33 - 1.47)	f/ 1.44
Distortion: ( + - 1.5%)	1.35% (barrel)
Light falloff; at f/ 5.6 +1 stop from theoretical limit (0 - 1.5 stops)	1.0 stops

RESOLUTION

OLYMPUS ZUIKO 50mm f/1.4 at 1:49
f/	Center (f/mm)		Corner (f/mm)
1.4	Good	49	Excellent	44
2	Good	55	Excellent	46
2.8	Good	62	Good	49
4	Good	62	V. Good	55
5.6	Good	62	Excellent	62
8	Good	62	Excellent	62
11	Good	55	Excellent	55
16	Good	56	V. Good	49

CONTRAST

OLYMPUS ZUIKO 50mm f/1.4 at 30 lines / mm
f/	Center ( % )		Corner ( % )
1.4	Low	32	Medium	30
2	Low	36	Medium	31
2.8	Low	43	Medium	36
4	Medium	46	Medium	42
5.6	Medium	55	High	45
8	High	60	High	50
11	High	51	High	46
16	Medium	48	High	41

The 50mm f/1.4 Zuiko Auto-S lens with its seven elements in six groups is essentially the same optic that has been available for many years save for improvements in lens coating and the blackening of the front ring (which minimised the danger of flare from that quarter).

The satin chrome-finished, well-made optic has full f/stops to f/16, focusses from closest point to infnity in a 180º clockwise turn of the smooth-operating studded, rubberised focussing grip ring. Feet are in bright orange and meters in white.

Field test slides: Some softness was apparent at f/1.4 which was greatly reduced by f/2 and further improved by f/2.8. From there on we found no additional improvement. Sharpness was very even to the slide corners. Flare was well controlled. There was some light fall-off visible in the extreme corners at large apertures which became barely detectable by f/2.8.

Optical bench analysis (for optical experts only): On axis, slight red flare was seen with slight over-correction. Image was excellent by f/4. Off-axis, there was slight skew-ray flare which was gone by f/4.

Modern's Photo Buying Guide '85

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