OM lenses on a L-1K or D3

[d_lague]

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Hi all. I have just gotten a Panny L-1K. I would like to us some of my OM lenses [now I am glad I did not sell them on eBay!] . I have the adapter. I want to know how to make the camera know what setting etc. I need to make the body work. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks D

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[jdlaing]

Well......

 

I use OM lenses on my D-3.

You must manually focus and usually have to drop a stop or two when using program modes. If you jump up the ISO in low light you can shoot without dropping f-stops.

 

I don't know about the L1 but rumor has it there is a focus indicator light to the right that will tell you when the camera thinks it is in focus but I havn't heard if it works with OM lenses.

[audidudi]

I don't know about the L1 but rumor has it there is a focus indicator light to the right that will tell you when the camera thinks it is in focus but I havn't heard if it works with OM lenses.

I checked this over the weekend and confirmed the green focus-confirmation LED in the viewfinder does indeed flicker at exactly the spot where the lens is in focus. However, this doesn't seem to work when you're composing/focusing on the LCD in "Live View" mode or if it does, I've somehow got my camera set in such a way that this feature has been disabled...

[d_lague]

I checked this over the weekend and confirmed the green focus-confirmation LED in the viewfinder does indeed flicker at exactly the spot where the lens is in focus. However, this doesn't seem to work when you're composing/focusing on the LCD in "Live View" mode or if it does, I've somehow got my camera set in such a way that this feature has been disabled...

 

Does your camera have the 2.0 firmware update? I think that is what you need for the focusing light to work. I have the update but have not done my camera just yet,

 

 

Also from the Panasonic site I found some compatibility information that tells me to set the configuration in the custom menur to NO RELEASE WITHOUT LENS to "OFF". This was what i was looking for.....now I can at least take shot. The OM lens aperture ring seems to work fine and the camera set the speed for proper exposure. Focusing in totally manual.

 

Dick

[owen_coors]

Which OM lenses are you going to use? My first slr was an Olympus Pen F, of which I had a few lenses for. I was given a Nikon slr shortly after and the difference in resolution between the full frame 35mm and the Olympus's half frame was huge, so I sold the Pen F and followed the Nikon path for years. I followed Herbert Keppler's writings, he was an OM user, and I've always felt like his images had some qualities that the Nikkor lenses didn't have.

Right now I'm fighting within myself as to whether I should get a Leica R-4/3 adapter, some R lenses and a Katzeye split screen or... get the 25mm Summilux, I only have enough money for one or the other. As others have stated, the focus lamp lights when you manual focus a lens but my own trial doing this, with the 14-50mm, left me wanting for a bit more. Sometimes the point of focus would be in front of the subject and sometimes behind and sometimes spot on. To be fair... I did not do my quick and dirty testing with a tripod, which doing so may have given perfectly focused images each and every time. I can't test again because I'm lensless, right now... just sold the 14-50mm.

If you have any images from the OM lenses with the L1 that you can share, that would be great!

 

Owen

[d_lague]

So far I have only tried the 90mm 2.0 auto macro. This is known to be an excellent lens. I have only mounted this a few hours ago so i have not taken any serious shots with it yet. I also have a 200 2.0, a 100 2.8, 24mm, 21mm, 35mm. I have not tried any of these at this point.

 

I will keep you posted on the results and will post some shots.

 

Has anyone done the 2.0 upgrade. Is it easy?

[owen_coors]

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Upgrading the firmware to ver 2.0 is easy and straight forward. Use the AC adapter, format the card in the camera, shut off the camera (if you have a card reader) and copy the .bin file to the card's root directory (not in any folder). Put the card in the camera, turn it on and at the prompt allow it to upgrade. Do not touch any button for the several minute update. When the camera is finished updating to ver 2.0, then reformat the card (to erase the .bin file). You're done!

 

Owen

[audidudi]

just sold the 14-50mm.

Out of curiousity, how much did you get for it? Was this the one on eBay recently? I ask because I really don't need mine, either, and if it will bring significant money, I might consider selling it...

[owen_coors]

Yes... I got $799 for it. Here in the US B&H is selling the 14-50 new for $949.95. I listed it for $900 but it wasn't moving and since I was willing to trade the 14-50 for a 25mm Summilux I relisted for $799, the price of a new Summilux 25mm At B&H (out of stock), and it sold. Now that I have the money I'm wondering if I should just go ahead and set up the L1 to use manual focus lenses... so that I can somewhat emulate the M8 experience. I'll never be able to afford an M8 and lenses! Then again I've read that no other f1.4 lens ever made is as sharp as the 25mm Summilux, wide open.

 

Owen

[audidudi]

Yes... I got $799 for it.

Not bad! If I knew for certain I could get $800 for mine (albeit slightly used at this point), I think I'd sell it as well. With my luck, though, I'd end up letting it go for $250 as I rarely put reserves on the items I auction...

 

On a related matter, has anyone else noticed the dirt-cheap Panasonic L1s on eBay these days? There are several new-in-box ones being sold by (apparently) reputable sellers for less than $1100 ... at these prices, I'm tempted to buy another one to keep around as a spare but in the back of my mind, I wonder if these parices aren't too good to be true. Has anybody purchased one through this channel recently? (And if they are real, then good luck to Leica selling D3s for ~$2500! Who needs a longer warranty when you can buy a complete second camera as a spare and still pocket several hundred dollars of savings?)

[d_lague]

I paid $1199.00 from J&R last week. They had a 3 day sale. B&H has them for 1299 and J&R is at 1299 as well. These are reliable sellers with fresh stock. This is a lot of camera for that money as far as I am concerned. I paid $1100 for my LC-1 a year and a half ago.

 

Dick

[d_lague]

I am really enjoying the l1. Took a series of photos on Mother's Day and one of the grandkids birthdays. i was very impressed with what the camera will do. I love my LC-1, but the L1 is pretty amazing so far.

 

Have not had much time to test out the OM lenses, but will do so next weekend perhaps.

 

Yes I love the LC1, but a funny thing happened the day after I got the L1....the sensor on the LC1 died! Amazing! i noticed a strange pink to white areas that would not react to white balance adjustment......then the image just got pure funky....Sent it in for a repair.

 

What timing. I would be devastated to not have one of these great cameras around.

 

Dick

[Riley]

if you are going out to buy OM lenses

you might like to examine these tests first

 

BIOFOS &tm; for Olympus collectors

[designdog]

Before getting OM lenses, you might want to check out the ratings at photodo.com. The Contax lenses are great, and readily available at ebay or camera shops.

 

I have the 28mm f2.8, 50mm f1.4, 85mm f1.4, and 135mm f2.8 and they all work fine, with focus confirmation, on the L1.

 

-ddog

[d_lague]

Thanks, but I already have a bunch of OM lenses. I will start testing them this week. I have tried the 90 2.0 macro and it is really good. Also have 100 2.8 and 200 4, and a 35, 21 50s .

 

I have to set aside some time to start testing them all.

[Riley]

primes will be better than zooms

any of them wide open will probably be a bit soft

you can make baffles sometimes to improve contrast

[smg_doug]

Can someone help me to understand the distaste for the 14-50mm lens? I rather felt that was 4/5th's the reason to get the L1 was the glass. I really got this camera for this glass, and at 1150 delivered, obviously I am not putting a lot on the camera with glass selling for 800. but I have no plans to sell it, or likely to remove it, unless I get the 25mm down the line, or something else luring comes out. Yes, I know primes are typically better than zooms, but good grief, the zoom quality on the V-Lux1 itself is amazing me, especially on the wide end. Performance in that area, and I'll be quite satisfied with this camera as a all around performer. I still have Nikon for some things.

 

Oh, another question, what does the K stand for, and is there a L-1 and an L-1K or are they both referring to same camera?

 

Doug

[Riley]

Oh, another question, what does the K stand for, and is there a L-1 and an L-1K or are they both referring to same camera?

 

Doug

 

the 'k' just means black, not that it is available in any other colour

in Panasonic parlance with other models there is silver and black, k stands for black

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[d_lague]

I agree with you Doug. The 14-50 is an awesome piece of glass.

 

For me the interest in the OM primes is that:

1. I already own them.

2. 90 mm gives me a 180 in 35mm parlance. 200 will give me a 400mm lens.

 

Truth is I have owned the L1 for 2 weeks and I am so enamored by the "kit" lens that I have not done anything with the OM lenses I have. I have taken a couple of shots with the 90 macro and that is it.

 

Dick