If I get the 42.5mm Nocticron...

[willsterstyle]

Hey guys,

Quick poll for you guys. I'm considering getting the 42.5mm Nocticron. If I do, what are your thoughts about keeping (or selling) the Oly 75mm?

Cheers and thanks in advance!

 

[wildwildwes]

What are YOUR thoughts?!? You're the one who will be shooting... (!!!)

That said, both are outstanding optically and probably the "sharpest" lenses currently available. If the 75mm is a focal length you enjoy shooting with, i'd keep them both!

 

[willsterstyle]

Don't have it in my hands yet so just curious is all!

My thought is that there'd be a little bit of duplication in as far as both being portrait lenses and almost equivalently "sharp". In my experience with my 75mm, I did find it a bit long but of course all my photos I've taken with it have been stunning.

 

[wildwildwes]

I don't think you'd feel the same way if you had the opportunity to handle & shoot with both lenses. Focal length wise, they're miles apart. The 75 definitely has no competition, however in conducting a quick test comparison between the Oly 45 and the Pany Nocticron, while I found the Noct to be "sharper" than the Oly, the difference between the two was VERY close. $1600 is a lot of coin given that the Oly can be had for typically less than $300. All of that said, I still LUST for the Nocticron... Perhaps I'll figure out a way to rationalize buying one!

 

[pdk42]

Seems to me from reading a number of reviews and looking at sample images that the differences beteeen the Oly 45 and the Nocticron aren't huge. I would think there are few who really NEED the Noc, let alone run it with the 75 as well. Having said that, I'm sure the Noc is a real beauty.

 

[MrKal_El]

I LOVE the Nocticron. I had the 75mm which I also loved, but got rid of it due the limiting (for me) focal length. The rendering and bokehness of the pics from the Nocti are simply jaw dropping.

(That being said, my 12-40mm still sees much more time overall due to it's adaptability.)

....if you can get it. Get it.

 

[LowriderS10]

Without telling us what you like to shoot and your style of shooting, these kinds of questions are pretty much impossible to answer.

For me, no 42.5mm will ever replace the 75, simply because I love the working distance the 150mm equiv allows me (the same way that when I was shooting full frame Canon, the 85/100 never quite did it for me, but I loved the 135L).

Besides, for the price of a Nocticron, you can get the O25, O45 and O75...given that the Nocticron matches the O75's IQ and barely beats the O45's, that's certainly the way I would go.

 

[EarthQuake]

I really love an 85mm-equiv-ish lens. I find this the ideal portrait lens, while still being short enough to be generally useful. I had both the 42.5, 45, and 75 all at the same time and the only one left is the Nocticron. I didn't use the 75 much, as I didn't find it a useful focal length for my shooting style. Fantastic lens though. I've since picked up the 35-100/2.8 which I really like, and find to be much more versatile than the 75. To me the 42.5 and 35-100 is the perfect combo.

Its true that the 42.5 isn't hugely better than the 45 at say, f2 or f2.8 or so. However, it is exponentially better at 1.2.

I find the 42.5 and 75 basically on par optically, so I would say go with the working distance you like better.

 

[willsterstyle]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! Will definitely be doing some testing once I get the 42.5 but I have a feeling I may be letting go of the 75mm as I do find it a bit too long.

 

[meltedspoonphotography]

I agree with the above comment from EarthQuake. I've had all three. I still have the 75mm lens but looking to get rid of it. I purchased it for it's wonderful depth of field, and sharpness, but as a children and family portrait photographer I was too far away to interact with my clients and that made shooting more difficult. I picked up both the 45 and the 42.5 and did test shots of almost like for like images of the same subject. I blew them up on my computer and the 42.5 was a no brainer for me. It was sharper, and more vibrant in my opinion. If I could afford to keep the 75mm lens for those few times a longer focal length would be good, I would, but the 42.5 is the one that sits on my EM1 now virtually with all my sessions. I used to have a four thirds 35-100mm lens, but it was way to heavy for me to carry around for an afternoon. I agree in the fact that the 42.5mm and the 35-100 would be an excellent combo! Play with the 42.5mm lens and you'll see how much you'll love it!

 

[darrellc]

I have the 45/1.8, 42.5/1.2 and 75/1.8. I got the 75/1.8 primarily as a portrait lens to approximate background blur I get with my FF kit as that's a scenario where I want to blow out backgrounds. For me, 85-100 equiv focal length works better for me as a portrait lens than 135-180. So I expect to sell my 75 now.

I find the Nocticron much better than the 45/1.8. The 45/1.8 is sharp, but the colors are a bit too cool for me. I love the rich color from the Nocticron, and with the 15/1.7 and 25/1.4, I get pretty consistent color across all three lenses. I really like the 45/1.8, but the Nocticron just consistently blows me away when reviewing images (as does the 75/1.8, but the Nocticron provides a much more useful focal length for me). But the 45/1.8 stays in the kit to pair with the GM1.

 

[LowriderS10]

All of you guys are completely right...the MAIN issue here is WHAT you shoot. The discussion between 42.5mm and 75mm should never really come down to IQ...it's down to which one you actually need.

I usually shoot street candids and stuff like that, for that I love the working distance the 75mm affords me. For portraits and other similar work, the 75 is simply too long. I remember taking it along with me when I was shooting promo stuff for a play, and the 75 was put on, and promptly taken off the camera...too much distance between me and my subjects...ended up doing 95% of the shoot with the 45, the rest with wider lenses (group shots, dramatic wide angle shots, etc). If that sort of stuff is your bread and butter, the 75 isn't the lens for you.

 

[zlatko-photo]

Without telling us what you like to shoot and your style of shooting, these kinds of questions are pretty much impossible to answer.

I'd like to put that quote on some kind of hot key because it would be my standard reply to dozens of questions in photography gear forums. People are always asking about what gear to buy/sell without mentioning their style or subject matter, making it impossible to give a reasoned answer.