Zuiko OM 2/50mm AUTO-Macro

The 50mm f/2 Macro Zuiko is a member of the second series of OM lenses, which were designed with an emphasis on large maximum aperture and high performance, without the concern for small size that characterised the first series, including the 50mm f/3.5 Macro Zuiko. The lens was designed for optimum performance at a magnification of ×0.1, and the floating elements minimise the aberrations that would normally be expected at higher and lower magnifications. Olympus promoted this as the fastest macro lens on the market, and its f/2 maximum aperture does help to keep the viewfinder bright even at full extension. However, there was a faster macro lens, the Kern-Macro-Switar 50mm f/1.9 for the Alpa system, which was still being made in small numbers in the 1980’s.