Olympus optical designers share how M.ZUIKO Pro F 1.2 fixed-focus lens pursues perfect cream shooting.

After strengthening the OM-D professional product line, Olympus has successively introduced a variety of professional lenses of M.ZUIKO Pro, among which three fixed-focus lenses of F 1.2 have realized the ideal boken of Olympus designers. In photography, the word boken was put forward by Japan, and boken refers to the background out of focus and blur caused by optical characteristics. Generally speaking, the panorama consists of two parts: size and shape, which can be regarded as an area close to the focus and an area far from the focus. The mission given by Olympus to M.ZUKIO Pro F 1.2 fixed-focus lens is to achieve high-quality panoramic view in the area close to the focus.

What is the quality of the scattered scenery pursued by Olympus? This should start with the characteristics of scattered scenery. Typical scattering scenes can be divided into three States, one is bilinear scattering scene caused by optical defects, and the other is fuzzy feeling caused by optical optimization. However, the visual effect of this scattered scene is not good, and the effect presented by the photos is not good either. Olympus pursues the third kind of hazy and beautiful scattered scenery, which is to blur the scattered scenery with the mirror cream used by early portrait photographers.

In the scattering scene, Olympus found that although the scattering scene in the area far from the focus can not be controlled by physics, the scattering scene in the micro, shallow to medium distance can actually be controlled by optical design. As long as we can master the reflection path of light in the lens group, control the spherical aberration, and make the upper part of the spherical surface tilt to the mirror surface, the imaging outside the focal length can be softened and blurred, and all parts except the far-focus scattering scene can be ideal under full aperture.

In the past film era, cream scenes were the result of coincidence of optical designers, and they were not the focus of optical designers' attention. In modern times, which can be scientifically quantified, Olympus has built the experience of optical instruments into ultra-precision error measuring instruments and software. From a scientific point of view, it was widely praised by photographers in the past. The classical lenses such as Olympus G Zuiko 55mm f 1.2 and various brands of cream lenses are quantitatively measured, and then a modern high-resolution lens which can produce cream lenses on the M43 system is designed by using the floating lens mechanism through optical simulation.

With the double efforts of making the past serve the present and the blessing of modern science and technology, three top-level fixed-focus lenses, M. Zukio Pro17 mm f1.2, 25mm F 1.2 and 45mm F 1.2, are designed, which have beautiful cream shots at the maximum aperture, respectively corresponding to the traditional ones. Although the optical designs of the three lenses are different, Olympus deliberately presents the three lenses with almost the same lens barrel size and the same aperture filter, which makes the three lenses highly consistent in appearance recognition.

As for the emphasis on F 1.2 full aperture, there is a beautiful cream blur, while F 1.8 will become a sharp high-quality lens. What if there is an aperture in the middle? The answer is that there will still be cream blur effect, but as the aperture approaches F 1.8, the effect will gradually become less obvious; Secondly, can zoom lens cooperate with floating lens group to realize cream blur in the same optical simulation way? The answer is no, because the zoom lens has dual variables in lens groups with different focal lengths and optical reflection paths with different focal lengths, and it is more difficult to show cream blur under the full aperture of full focal length. At present, this effect can only be guaranteed in a fixed focus lens.

Unlike many modern large-aperture fixed-focus lenses, which blindly emphasize the resolution at full aperture and pursue rationalization, the lens engineers at Olympus don't want to go with the flow, but focus on modern mirrors that pay equal attention to quality and softness, because professional and amateur photographers who mainly shoot portraits can blur the soft background while shooting high-quality portraits, so as not to steal the charm of the protagonist, but at the same time, as long as the aperture is reduced, the sharpness of the subject will be greatly improved.