Production
1975 – 2002
Country
Japan
Optical
-
Updated
Feb 15, 2026
Olympus Zuiko 85mm f/2
Olympus OM (L39 Leica thread)
Overview
The Olympus Zuiko 85mm f/2 is a compact portrait lens — smaller than nearly any competitor at this focal length. Despite its size, it delivers sharp, beautiful portraits with the Zuiko rendering.
Verdict: The compact portrait choice. Proves you don't need bulk for great 85mm shots.
Optical Character
Bokeh
Smooth Sonnar-style bokeh thanks to the 9 aperture blades.
Color
Warm, pleasant vintage rendering.
Sharpness wide open
Good sharpness for a vintage 50mm, with the center being sharp wide open.
Flare resistance
Quite good for a legacy lens, but not perfect. Veiling flare is reasonably well controlled but some ghosting can occur.
Contrast
Medium contrast with a good tonal range.
Vignetting
Moderate vignetting, measuring up to 3 stops at f/2 but improving to 1.5 stops by f/5.6.
Community Insights
Summary: The F.Zuiko 38mm f/1.8 lens is widely praised by vintage lens enthusiasts for its compact size, affordable price, and excellent image quality. Users highlight its suitability for street photography and the character it brings compared to modern lenses. Sentiment: Positive Top Praised: - Compact and lightweight design - Excellent image quality with a unique vintage character - Affordable price point - Versatile 38mm focal length Top Complaints: - Requires a lens adapter to use on modern mirrorless cameras - Manual focus operation may not suit all users Use Cases: - Street photography - General everyday photography - Low-light shooting due to f/1.8 aperture - Portraiture with the compact 38mm focal length Disagreements: None noted Confidence: 0.9
What people love
- Tiny for an 85mm
- Sharp
- Pleasant bokeh
- Excellent build
What people dislike
- Only f/2 (some want f/1.4)
- OM mount
Sample Photos
Sources (3)
phillip_reeve-
https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-olympus-om-zuiko-28mm-12/
phillip_reeve-
https://phillipreeve.net/blog/review-olympus-om-zuiko-28mm-12/
Lens Heritage 2nd JSONsecondary
The Olympus Zuiko 85mm f/2 is a compact portrait lens — smaller than nearly any competitor at this focal length. Despite its size, it delivers sharp, beautiful portraits with the Zuiko rendering.