PBase

I've pretty much decided to get a used Olympus OM-2 unless anyone suggests anything better, but where I'm stuck at is what lens to buy. I've tried doing to my research over the internet but I still get confused by the 50mm/1.4 or 50mm f/1.4 or 25-300.

What lens should I buy? I think, based on the research I did, that a 50mm/1.4 should be a good balance for a newbie like me but then what brand should I stick with?

My budget is modest, do not want to spend more than $500 on both my camera and lens, plus if possible, other accessories.

My favourite OM lenses are the Zuiko 50 1.8 and the Zuiko 100 2.8, both of which can usually be found at reasonable prices. Zuiko is the Olympus brand name for their lenses. I would recommend you buy those 2, unless you feel a desire to go wider.

I have both the 50 1.4 and various 50 1.8s. there were a number of versions of the 50 1.8; the latter ones are better, but the original is fine, and I can't help you in terms of serial numbers to watch for. You shouldn't pay more than $50 for the 50mm.

I don't know much about their zoom lenses, other than the Zuiko 75-150 mm which I once used a lot. They probably produced better zooms later on, but the 75-150 isn't bad, and can also be bought cheap.

If you are in North America, KEH is a very reliable used lens dealer.

I would stick with the Zuiko lenses. I appreciate the OM-2 is renowned for its exposure, and the OM system as a whole for its compact size, but its really the Olympus lenses which made it as excellent a system as it was.

I agree...the Olympus system is a great place to start. I would go for the camera plus the 50mm lens and do some shooting first. You're new to photography so you have to develop a style and only than will you know which lenses are most suitable for your needs. The 50mm is a nice all around lens...it is said that the great HCB shot most of his stuff with a 50. I would stay away from zooms when you're thinking about old time manual film cameras...a selection of primes would be the way to go (I would pick up something in terms of 28mm / 50mm / 135mm).

Cheers!

Back when I shot film I had a few OM1s and an OM4. Very good cameras. And I had the 50/1.8 which was a very nice lens.

I'm just wondering here....

Oly quit the SLR business some time ago. That means that lens development also ceased. Is it not possible that the available zooms (and maybe even primes) aren't as good as what might be available for a camera that's still being manufactured?

Lens technology improves slowly, but it improves.

On top of being a newbie, I would also very much like to have the capability of developing my own pictures. How hard is this process and what advice would you guys give?

P.S. Thanks for the advice on the lens, much more settled now.

You won't be disappointed with an OM. I have a couple of bodies and a bunch of lenses and love using them. My 24 f2.8 is by far my favourite lens. The 50 1.4 is great, but unless you get a good deal (I got mine for about 45 bucks), you're more than okay with a 50 f1.8 (about 10-15 bucks on ebay). I have some extra lenses kicking about that I don't use. Send me a private message if you're interested.