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Olympus Announces Its M.Zuiko Digital ED 75mm f1.8 High-Grade Portrait Lens

By Joy Hou - on 25 May 2012, 1:45pm

Olympus Announces Its M.Zuiko Digital ED 75mm f1.8 High-Grade Portrait Lens

Olympus announces the M.Zuiko Digital ED 75mm f1.8 High-Grade Portrait Lens.

Image source: Olympus

Conforming to the Micro Four Thirds System standard, the single focal length telephoto lens equivalent to a 150mm lens for 35mm cameras is optimized for studio, stage, and indoor sports photography. With a fully open large aperture of f1.8, it delivers clear imaging performance. With a metallic finish and compact body with an overall length of 6.9cm, it utilizes the MSC mechanism, so autofocusing is done fast with minimal noise.

The M.Zuiko Digital ED 75mm f1.8 is set to launch in July 2012.

Read on for the full press release.


Olympus Imaging Corporation is pleased to announce the upcoming release of the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75mm f1.8 High-Grade Portrait Lens, an interchangeable lens that conforms to the Micro Four Thirds System standard. The launch of the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75mm f1.8 is scheduled for July 2012.

Main Features

1. Top class image quality among all M.ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses with sharp, clear imaging performance with aperture fully open at f1.8

2. High-quality design with metallic finish and compact body with an overall length of 6.9 cm

3. Fast, quiet autofocusing using the MSC mechanism

The M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75mm f1.8 is a single focal length telephoto lens equivalent to a 150mm lens for 35mm cameras, optimised for studio, stage and indoor sports photography as well as portrait shooting. It delivers sharp, clear imaging performance with a fully open large aperture of f1.8 and features an advanced optical design that incorporates 9 groups of 10 lens elements that make extensive use of special glass materials including three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements to optimally correct aberrations. The result is a superb lens that offers the top class image quality among the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses.

With a total length of just 6.9 cm, this lens is surprisingly compact. A textured metallic outer finish exudes quality and sophistication, while the large-diameter glass front lens conveys a sense of power and performance.

The autofocusing mechanism employs Olympus' proven MSC (Movie & Still Compatible) mechanism, which uses an inner focus system to drive a single focusing lens, enabling fast and quiet focusing. A precision-touch metallic focus ring is also provided for easy manual focusing.

Main Feature Details

1. Top class image quality among all M.ZUIKO DIGITAL lenses with sharp, clear imaging performance with aperture fully open at f1.8

1-1. High-grade portrait lens with focal length of approximately 150mm (35mm equivalent) and large f1.8 aperture

The M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75mm f1.8 is a single focal length telephoto lens with a bright f1.8 aperture that delivers sharp, clear imaging performance ideal for studio, stage and indoor sports photography, as well as portrait shooting.

To correct the axial chromatic aberration that may be produced by telescopic lenses, this lens incorporates three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements in the front section. To correct the spherical aberration that tends to be produced with large-aperture lenses, two HR (High Refractivity) elements are incorporated in the rear section.

Each lens element is polished to an ultra-high level of working precision only possible with the advanced techniques developed by Olympus' master craftsmen and carefully assembled to ensure maximum accuracy and reliability. Superbly crafted and brilliantly designed, this lens boasts the top class image quality of any of our M.ZUIKO DIGITAL series lenses.

1-2. True circular defocusing with minimal vignetting

In order to achieve a nice, clean circular defocusing effect, vignetting has to be kept to a minimum and circular aperture diaphragm has to be used. When vignetting occurs, the defocusing on the periphery of the image is not a proper circle; instead, it is elliptical (like a rugby ball) or cornered due to the fact that light coming through the peripheral portion of the lens near the aperture is restricted because it is incident obliquely to the optical axis.

This lens minimises vignetting by passing all the light that enters the lens – even that on the periphery – directly through to the image sensor. Featuring 9 groups of 10 lens elements that make extensive use of special glass materials, the lens is able to accurately pass through all incoming light. In addition, the optical design of this lens also helps prevent double-line defocusing or edge colouration due to chromatic aberration.

1-3. ZERO (Zuiko Extra-low Reflection Optical) coating

To ensure clear imaging performance even under unfavourable conditions such as when shooting against the light, the lens surfaces are coated with Olympus's special ZERO (Zuiko Extra-low Reflection Optical) coating, which features high transmittance and the ability to completely eliminate previously hard-to-prevent artifacts such as ghosts and flares. The ZERO coating is an application of the thin film control technology Olympus developed, thanks to its experience in multi-layer film deposition technology. Advantages include scratch resistance and durability thanks to the high film strength made possible by vacuum deposition, as well as clear imaging performance with high transmittance.

2. High-quality design with metallic finish and compact body with an overall length of 6.9 cm

With its bright f1.8 aperture and bigger-than-life imaging performance, you would expect this lens to be much bigger than it is. Thanks to the extraordinary precision of our finishing process, we have been able to pack our best ever performer into a compact body with an overall length of just 6.9 cm. To add the touch of class you would expect from a high-end product, we have finished this lens in a subtly textured metallic finish that reflects the high-quality design highly acclaimed with the PEN series and the OM-D. Together, the high-quality texture of the metallic finish and the large precision-polished glass lens element at the front with a diameter of roughly 50 mm convey a unique sense of power and sophistication that is sure to boost the user's pride of ownership.

A dedicated metallic lens hood and lens cap, which match the high-quality design of this lens, are also available as optional accessories. Proper coordination of these accessories will be sure to enhance the attractiveness of this lens.

3. Fast, quiet autofocusing using the MSC mechanism

The fruit of advanced optical design technology, the MSC (Movie and Still Compatible) mechanism incorporated in this lens was developed to enable fast, quiet autofocusing with a reduced number of lightweight lens elements. By driving the focusing lens directly using a metallic shaft and feed screw finished with precision in the sub-micrometric order, rather than using a gear, which is the cause of operating noise, the MSC ensures ultra-quiet focusing and shooting.

The inner focusing system that incorporates the MSC mechanism adjusts focusing by displacing only one small, lightweight lens element. This enables smooth autofocusing with high speed and low noise. The smooth autofocusing facilitates comfortable, stress-free movie shooting, as well as still image photography.

Optional Accessories

The LH-61F Lens Hood and the LC-61 Lens Cap are metal-made lens accessories prepared exclusively for the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75mm f1.8. Combining them with the lens will further enhance the high-quality texture of the lens. The LH-61F is packaged together with the LC-58C Lens Cap with the inner knob system, which makes it possible to attach or remove the lens cap even when the lens hood is left attached to the lens.

Availability

The OLYMPUS M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75mm f1.8 will be available at Olympus authorised retailers from July 2012 onwards.

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