NEW Kit Zoom v. OLD Kit Zoom - Which Is Best?

Kit zooms are common, but are new ones better than old ones? Today a modern Sony lens goes up against an old Olympus kit zoom - and the results are very surprising!
What's good about an old lens that a new lens can't do? And what's good about a new lens that an old lens can't do? And which should you buy?
Check out the video to find out!
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Thanks for watching!

[@jimgraves4197]

Modern lenses have had a lot of the character polished and coated out of them. They are designed purely for digital cameras. Fair enough, vintage lenses were designed for film cameras, but the sharper digital format really does boost the character of vintage lenses.

[@Renegade1127]

Another thing to consider with the Sony lens - in body corrections. The Sony body will recognise the kit lens and apply corrections. It won't do that with the Olympus lens.

[@justlikeswimming5988]

The heavy green of the new kit zoom was simply overwhelming, while the old zuiko zoom presented a more muted, but more realistic (and interesting), color palette (imo). I suspect the zuiko rendition of colors was closer to what you saw (though I could be wrong). If you had stopped down to 5.6 with the zuiko would the chromatic aberration clear up? I bet it would sharpen the image, and perhaps increase the contrast. Not sure about the bokeh, though. Thanks for a great video!

[@craigdoran6811]

The sony lens is effectively a minolta lens, it is in all but name. Minoltas as you probably know were renowned for their warm colours. Olympus allways had very contrasty but cool renditions. The looks from both companies is shown quite well in this video, both looks serve different purposes i rekon

[@alan-sk7ky]

Agreed, a 35-70 f4 (af) or the 'handshake' 😉 would warm nicely 🙂

[@craigdoran6811]

@@alan-sk7ky the 35-70 plastic fantastic was a surprisingly good little lens aswell. Very sharp for a cheapo kit lens

[@rodolphenavarro4253]

Bonjour Mr Zenography I love my 35-70 and 28-48 zuiko zooms ,Hight quality construction , very nice colors ,good contrast .thé 35-70 is my choice for landscape with my 24 mm F2.8 tokina and 135 mm F3,5 zuiko when you have to leave quickly with a bag that is not too heavy and bulky.Ecuse the spelling mistake. Merci pour cette superbe revue. Bonne journée.

[@delta_sine]

I love your videos. Just wanted to say your insight is really inspiring. Thanks for all your contributions.

[@f3liscatus]

Exactly the way I feel! My girlfriend recently bought a modern mirrorless camera that came with a very similar kit zoom. It isn't a bad lens, quite the opposite. It might be a bit slow on the long end, but it always produces good photos with lots of contrast and very saturated colours. One could say it always takes perfect images. Always. Every time. ...and that's boring! Many of these new lenses with their fancy coatings and digitally enhanced magic are simply too perfect and get rid of the personality, the flaws, the imperfections that older lenses had. These new lenses are perfect for social media where everything has to conform the the modern, perfect look, but it comes at the price of looking a bit soulless.

[@arcanics1971]

Glad to see this. I was worried yesterday by the lack of video. A lot my favourite pics were taken with the standard kit zoom that came with my Canon 1000D and then with the kit zoom that came with my Sony A7ii (essentially the same one as show here, but with some extra features). Both gave me some good bokeh too, despite not being nearly as wide open as many of the primes I have. But also, I have bought some vintage zooms that have given pretty good results. Not at the level of sharpness and detail as the modern equivalents, but certainly very good none the less.

[@zenography7923]

Sorry this one was a little late - connection problems I'm afraid

[@johnjon1823]

Excellent video. It might be useful for you to comment on lens condition for the older lenses, like is there internal dust or scratches and such. I noticed on the one lens where you attacked the scratches on the front element, that in the end the problem appeared to be most likely on the back element, and in the end you had a great improvement in contrast, if I recall correctly. It was that wide lens I am talking about. Best wishes, thanks for the great video. God bless you and yours! Nice work.

[@TCizauskas]

Excellent video, as always, Nigel. But what's up with the audio?

[@zenography7923]

Sorry, this one was done at short notice and I had to do my best!

[@caw25sha]

It might be interesting to invert this process and compare older and modern lenses on film if you feel like splashing out on a roll of Provia or something, or even just a cheap b&w film.

[@MichaelRusso]

On the Wide end, I much prefer my film zooms. 24-50mm,24-35mm, 35-70mm, 24-90mm ...as they are more compact and produce very nice results. On the long end, I prefer new zooms as they are amazingly good. 55-300mm, 150-450mm ....

[@blujack100]

Hi I’m enjoying your channel. I wonder if you ever checked out the Olympus 35-105 3.5f auto-zoom. Thanks

[@hermitmonk52]

Delighted with this! I bought the Olympus lens a few days ago and collect it tomorrow. I have a couple of OM primes from back then and a recently acquired 75-150 which never seems to get well reviewed but is a fantastic lens. After your last kit lens discussion I blew 30 quid on a Tamron 28-70 which I’ve been using on my XT2. Apart from a few horrors it’s been a joy, really like that range and wondering if a similar range modern lens with a wider start , AF and iOS at 20 times the cost might be a good idea ,so today’s demo and your thoughts are very timely indeed. Anyway, great stuff, thank you. Can’t remember if you’ve done anything on Tamron adaptall? Best wishes, Steve.

[@Mynterne]

Great video as always. I would be interested to hear your thoughts on vintage telephoto prime lenses. I've recently been really enjoying using a 200mm takumar f3.5 and a Tamron Adaptall 300mm 5.6 - both fantastic lenses that I picked up for very little.

[@jameswburke]

I do like the Olympus lenses on my Sony bodies. Olympus has always been high quality and innovative in their designs. The focus peaking on Sony bodies make using vintage lenses very easy (at least for the kind of shots I take). OM to Sony E mount adapters are cheap too. It's a great combination and very affordable.

[@theoldunsshot1005]

My Sony Alpha A3000 came with a Sony 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 zoom and I have to say it is great. I haven't tried an old zoom on digital, but the ones I use on my Minolta AF SLRs are also very good.

[@PhillipRivara]

I love Olympus optics and would chose the Oly's any day

[@mikesmith-po8nd]

Excellent work. You have expressed much of my own feelings about the matter, particularly around the 13:00 minute mark. The new digital cameras/lenses are technically accurate, but they have no character. Kind of like listening to Mozart played by a real person vs AI generated music.

[@Snikkelbek]

Bought some modern lenses over the last years, but I usually end up selling them. No satisfaction. Only the Voigtlander Color Skopar 21/3.5 I kept, which is lovely, the rest of my 50 lenses are vintage.

[@Renegade1127]

I have 2 vintage zooms. Hoya HMC zoom&macro 75-205mm f4 Rikenon P 35-70mm f3.4-4.5 Both Excellent, and a match for, sometimes better than, modern 'kit' zooms.

[@photomukund]

For the casual photographer who is comfortable with full manual operation, vintage lenses are always better for cost-control. If I add up the prices of all my M42s, I still cannot match the cost of a Sigma ART or Canon L lens.

[@f1remandg]

How about positioning yourself more to the right of set and having the whole white background and leaving your shelves for props and allowing your well deserved patrons to not impede on your boat! Well done!

[@freedda1]

I assume you are using a 'converter' allowing you to use a vintage Oly. lens on newer Sony mirrorless mount. Is that correct?

[@arcanics1971]

I can't speak for Nigel, but I have a wonderful NEX-OM adapter from K and M, that allows me to use my old Olympus lenses on my Sony E mount camera. It's simple and cheap, and it works a treat.

[@Rowan611]

Yes. He would be using an adapter. They make all kinds of adapters for vintage glass to be used with modern day bodies.

[@zenography7923]

Yes, a cheap om zuiko to e mount adaptor does the job fine!

[@nyax4361]

resolution matters. I didn't like the Sony kit lens 28-70mm f3.5-5.6 back when using the original A7. however, when I upgraded, or rather downgraded from 24MP to 12MP with A7S II, it became actually ok now, because there are only 12 MP to play with, not many detail in there anyway. the only downside of the kit lens on a 12MP A7 S series body is its variable aperture. I'm fine with 70mm f/5.6, but when recording video, need to remember to set on AUTO ISO when zooming.

[@northstar1950]

I think I prefer the older lens, bokeh it much superior. Have you considered putting your Summitar on your Sony?

[@nevillewatkins4997]

I find mid range zooms are fine on a digital camera with peaking. But it's very difficult to get on with them on an SLR. They just aren't bright enough for me to focus properly.

[@GeorgeK356]

I think that the newer Sony lens is edgier, more clinical, whereas the Olympus has a more organic image. The Oly is like the old rose with a beautiful perfume but a short flowering period which breeders turn into the Sony with a longer flowering period but lose the scent along the way. Zoom lenses are difficult to construct, lens technicians have learned a lot along the way from lenses like the Olympus and we have to be thankful for this; without the Olympus there would be no Sony. I must say that I prefer the images from the Olympus, others may prefer the more impersonal look of the Sony, it's good that modern cameras give us the choice and opportunity to shoot both. George

[@alexanderpowerman7825]

Старинный объектив Olympus даёт более красивое, воздушное изображение. Современный объектив Sony показывает технически качественное, но очень скучное изображение. Мне больше нравится старый объектив.

[@arcanics1971]

Translating so English speakers can appreciate the above comment: " The vintage Olympus lens produces a more beautiful, airy image. A modern Sony lens shows a technically high-quality, but very boring image. I like the old lens better."

[@mikesmith-po8nd]

@alexanderpowerman7825 well said! @arcanics1971 thanks, my Russian is a little iffy.

[@alexanderpowerman7825]

@@arcanics1971 Thank you, my friend!

[@sputumtube]

It's also worth remembering that (with similar use) the Olympus lens will probably outlive the Sony by decades.!

[@zenography7923]

Time will tell I guess!

[@ice9phil]

it is the difference between listening to vinyl vs. a cd.

[@ulfjonsson2122]

Great Vs review

[@toasty-toast]

I've tried some old zooms and they are washed out, the old primes work fine especially when they are 50mm or higher.

[@mikehurdiss226]

The vintage lense simply produces a more interesting and engaging image. The Sony image just feels dull to me. By the way, you've cost me a small vintage fortune of late. But Im happy.😊

[@f1remandg]

I hope you take this as a constructive criticism watched you for years now really enjoyable, varied contents of lenses different uses different environments and also the genuine aspects of your long experience with cameras. I found the zooming out on the pictures distracting. I think it would be better to have either done the comparisons side by side, or on-screen for the same length of time, but the movement, niggling as it detracts as the scene is moving, unusual because , I quite enjoy your way of presenting things, it’s very natural. However that being said I also found that the last part of your exercise the Sony was very false colours. Where as the The OLYMPUS was, I found very very very pleasing to the eye, far more natural, far more in tune with what was actually there, I think we’ve all fallen foul of this, yeah that’s not how it really looks is it, so I hope you take this as constructive criticism and not not just picking holes It’s not my intention to pick holes. Also like the set and perhaps the props on shelf could follow a theme, maybe the next vlog, say a camera and lens that is going to be the subject or the present ones in discussion, this way they are relevant, on set and saves you having to hold them.

[@zenography7923]

Ah, but who knows what's actually there?

[@tomislavmiletic_]

The good news is, for years I'm seeing that exact model of OM lens for about €50. And now the price for it will explode 🤣

[@zenography7923]

I hope not!

[@nirodaniroda1870]

The olympus is single coated. That makes the biggest difference. Rather than age.

[@f1remandg]

I comment as I progress through the vlog and you pick up on the Sony being far more false, I believe that the Olympus was far better and more representative of the eye, with a more wild flower image that you would return to, rather than just gloss over.

[@gsum1000]

Blue in the shadows and CA - Noooooo