repleo Loc: Boston

I have accumulated 6 or 7 legacy FF Olympus OM lenses (manual). Some are left overs from my OM-10 days. Some were acquired as a low cost first step for my Sony A6000. These are now redundant as I have replaced them with better Sony / Zeiss lenses. Rather than go through the hassel of selling the OM lenses on line or to KEH, I am considering getting an OM-D M4/3 camera and a cheap OM adapter (eg Kipon @ $44). I know there are a lot of OM-D fans here. Does anybody have experience with using FF OM lenses on the OM-D’? What would be the best ‘value’ option in new or used OM-D’s. I am already heavily invested in Sony. I don’t want to spend a lot on a starting a new system, but wouldn’t mind spending a couple of hundred for a body that could utilize the OM lenses I have. Would I just be throwing good money after bad?

How do the OM-Ds compare to the A6000 in terms of ease of use with manual lenses / adaptors. How would an OM-D with my OM 24/ 2.8 and adapter compare with the A6000 with Sony E 35mm F1.8 in terms of bulk, weight and IQ?

I really only do landscapes / travel type photography. Informed, objective advice appreciated.

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

Take a look at the OM-D E-M10 or the E-M10 Mk II

m43rebel

Hi. Good legacy lenses take clear, rich, and detailed photos. I am an OMD user and occasionally shoot with my old Pentax 50 and 135 lenses. The results are great. Your Olympus lenses should be similar.

The Olympus m4/3 cameras are easy to use with legacy lenses. One button shifts you to manual focus and a magnified view ... up to 14 x.
Since you are used to a view finder on your A6000, you definitely want an OMD camera. I recommend the E-M10 because a used body in good shape is often available on ebay for under $250. That is what I use. It is smaller like your A6000 and very easy to use. Be sure to use the Super Control Panel which makes everything easy. Best of all, you have stabilization for all the legacy lenses. Best wishes.

kangurw Loc: Newark, NJ

I suggest you buy a Olympus omD to Sony e-mount, than you will be able to use all your legacy lenses with a great results. Sony a6000 have the focus pic, that works very well and the sensor is aps-c with the crop factor 1:1.5.

Oly Guy

I had a Sony a600 loved it esp. when using an adaptor and other lenses Canon etc. also have a OMD 5 and love it-anyway Sony with adaptor had a great manual focus mode called Prebe or some thing named close to to it-you just go into Menu and turn on other lenses and the color choice and when in focus manually it lights the subject up-super easy! The best at this mode of any Cameras-I'm sure the older Olympus lenses would be fine with an adaptor. Cost maybe 25.00 for the adaptor on Amazon. It's really easy to do! I think it's under tools in Menu.Call a camera store for more inf. Nikon Lenses are super also and older lenses are very inexpensive.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

To use an Olympus full frame lense on one of the new Olympus digitals will require an MF-1 adapter. You will only be able to shoot in manual and aperture modes. Since the full frame Olympus lenses were not designed for the resolution required for the smaller sensors, almost all of their cheaper full frame lenses have very limited use. But there are some of their better lenses that work fantastic. I use my 90mm macro (180mm, f2, lifesize equivalent) and love using it. To get a better idea of what would work and how well it will work, go to the Olympusamerica.com, cameras, accessories, lense accessories, and click on the MF-1. At the bottom there are six info bullets. On the last bullet, click on the "Click HERE". This will provide you information on using the full frame lenses on a 4/3rds digital.

repleo Loc: Boston

Thanks wdross. Great information. Per Olympus recommendations, the F stop range for my lenses would be quite limited which is a bit disappointing. I wonder if the same limitations apply to using them on my A6000. Haven't noticed ay issues before, but I'll experiment for the hell of it.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

The bigger the sensor, the less the imaging problems. A 4/3rds lense can resolve 20 megapixels on a quarter of a full frame sensor. If that lense had an image circle that could cover a full frame sensor, it could resolve an 80 megapixel image! That is why most full frame lenses do poorly on small sensors like 4/3rds; a full frame lense cannot resolve the image sufficiently over the aperture range - even the Canon "L" series. This is why all but the best full frame Olympus lenses have one or two apertures at one or two focal points. Even the best full frame zooms show limitations above f16 and usually at both ends of the zoom. The primes suffer the least because of their simpler designs and therefore have wider aperture ranges. On your A6000 the lenses will do a little better than on a 4/3rds camera.

repleo Loc: Boston

Thanks again, wdross.
As I read your reply above I think I follow what you are saying. However, what you are saying would seem to go against the advice I often see here to buy FF lenses for crop cameras. The logic being that if/when you graduate to FF sensor you won't have to replace your lenses. Based on what you are saying, this would be bad advice in terms of the crop camera usability. Have I interpreted you correctly?

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

Not necessarily bad advise as much as just being aware of the upsides and downsides of such a move. Having a lense that can resolve 36mp on a full frame means it should be able to resolve an image for an APS-C of 24mp. The better Canon and Nikon lenses can resolve a 36mp image on a full frame and will be able to also resolve the 24mp for the APS-C. This just means if one wants to start with APS-C with full frame lenses and work up to a full frame, they must start out with the very best full frame lenses for proper resolution at the APS-C level.

repleo Loc: Boston

Thanks. I always thought that using a FF lens lens on a crop sensor would sort of 'trim the crust off' a lesser lens and leave the 'sweet spot' making the premium for a superior lens unnecesary. I stand corrected.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

You are right that the kit and medium quality FF lenses will sort of "trim the crust off". Except for the center area of those lenses, the image quality will drop off faster than with the high quality FF lenses. With the kit and medium quality FF lenses, one might need a chart similar to the Olympus chart showing which apertures and focal lenghts will work for an APS-C. Most of those FF lenses can not resolve at 36mp for a full frame sensor. That is why if one fully intends to upgrade to FF from APS-C, they need to spend the money on the lense now and on the FF body later.