Christopher J Osborne

E.Zuiko Auto-Macro 38mm f/3.5


Olympus Pen F E.Zuiko Auto-Macro 38mm f/3.5 mounted on an Olympus Pen FT

Olympus Pen F E.Zuiko Auto-Macro 38mm f/3.5 mounted on a Sony A7 MkII

Olympus Pen F E.Zuiko Auto-Macro 38mm f/3.5

Cropping needed? Yes
Average 35mm equivalent focal length after cropping: 45mm

Normal distance


38mm f/2.8 Macro image 1 - OOC+EC



38mm f/2.8 Macro image 1 - Cropped
Image size: 17.3
35mm equivalent focal length: 45mm

38mm f/2.8 Macro image 1 - Final
Image size: 17.3
35mm equivalent focal length: 45mm

38mm f/2.8 Macro image 2 - OOC+EC



38mm f/2.8 Macro image 2 - Cropped
Image size: 16.6
35mm equivalent focal length: 46mm

38mm f/2.8 Macro image 2 - Final
Image size: 16.7
35mm equivalent focal length: 46mm

38mm f/2.8 Macro image 3 - OOC+EC



38mm f/2.8 Macro image 3 - Cropped
Image size: 16.7
35mm equivalent focal length: 46mm

38mm f/2.8 Macro image 3 - Final
Image size: 16.4
35mm equivalent focal length: 47mm

Close up


38mm f/2.8 Macro image 4 - OOC+EC



38mm f/2.8 Macro image 4 - Cropped
Image size: 17.8mp
35mm equivalent focal length: 44mm

38mm f/2.8 Macro image 4 - Final
Image size: 17.8mp
35mm equivalent focal length: 44mm

38mm f/2.8 Macro image 5 - OOC+EC



38mm f/2.8 Macro image 5 - Cropped
Image size: 24mp
35mm equivalent focal length: 38mm

38mm f/2.8 Macro image 5 - Final
Image size: 24mp
35mm equivalent focal length: 38mm

38mm f/2.8 Macro image 6 - OOC+EC



38mm f/2.8 Macro image 6 - Cropped
Image size: 18.4
35mm equivalent focal length: 43mm

38mm f/2.8 Macro image 6 - Final
Image size: 18.4
35mm equivalent focal length: 43mm

By the standards of most modern macro lenses, even those designed for APS-C sensors, the Pen F 38mm f/3.5 macro lens is another amazingly tiny lens! And it's also capable of very fine results at both close up and more distast focus distances, and is a joy to use. It make for an ideal walk around lens on those occasions I am expecting to do both every-day snap-shot photography and casual close-up work. On the half-frame cameras it was designed for it has a 35mm equivalent focal length of 55mm.

The behaviour of the imaging circle is more complex that with the other lenses in the Pen F range. At normal distances the edge of the imaging circle can clearly be seen so cropping is definitely needed, though not that much. at normal focusing distances, once the images are cropped, the 35mm equiv. focal length is around 46mm. As you focus towards closer distances the imaging circle gets bugger until you reach a focus distance of around 23cm, when it basically disappears and this lens is capable of covering a full-frame sensor without difficulty. As you continue to focus towards the closed focussing distance of around 15 cm the imaging circle reappears and cropping once again become necessary. This is what you can see happening in the 3 close up images above. Image for is at a focusing distance of around 60cm and the imaging circle can clearly be seen. Image 5 is at a focussing distance of around 23cm and the imaging circle has disappeared, and image 6 is at a focusing distance of around 16cm and the imaging circle has reappeared.