I’m using a Fuji XT3 and currently on the hunt for a macro lens. I shoot with the OM1 and have a heap of OM Zuiko lenses but no macro glass. I’ve heard the Zuiko macro lenses are good quality and wondered if anyone here has used them for scanning 35/120 film? If so, what lens/version are you using? I’d love to know more before I buy. Any info would be hugely appreciated!
Thanks! 
Hey there, did you figure out a good lens setup for your XT3? I’m looking for a macro lens for my Xpro-2.
Thanks!
Unfortunately, I haven’t. I ended up continuing to use my Epson V550 scanner. I should revisit the macro scanning setup.
Fuji and Olympus OM user here !
I wasn’t very happy with the XF 35mm 1.4 and macro extension tube: the results were not good enough (blurry borders).
I don’t have any OM macro lens, so I tried with the 50mm1.8 and 12+20 tubes for 35mm films, and it’s far better. Much more homogeneous (I stopped down at f/11).
Maybe it could be better with the 50mm macro, but for the moment I’m pretty satisfied and I will stick with this setup.
Macro lenses have 2 important features, being able to focus closely, and having a flat focus plane. With extension tubes, you can solve the 1st problem so you can focus closely. However you can never have a flat focus plane (blurry borders, edges etc) with any method as the lens, itself, needs to be designed that way. Also stopping down to f/11 will make you loose resolution and it is very close to diffraction. Usually optimum resolution are revealed once the lens has bene stopped down 1 to 2 stops.
That’s why my 35mm wasn’t great for this job, and why the Zuiko 50mm is better: he can cover 24x36, and my camera is APSC. I tested different stop and the results are better at f/8 and f/11. I’m looking for an old macro lens (Fuji’s modern macro lenses are way to expensive for me), but for the moment i’m digitizing old family diapo so I don’t need tremendous quality.
I have the Zuiko 50mm F3.5, 90mm F2.0 and the 80mm F4.0 bellows lens.
The 50mm F3.5 is good (and not expensive), the 50mm F2 is better (but more costly) and the 90mm F2 is brilliant (but costs around £600 used).
For film scanning the best of all is the 80mm F4 bellows lens simply because it’s optimised for edge to edge sharpness at 1:1 and has an exceptionally flat field. You will need a bellows and slide copy adapter (eBay) for the very best results. Alternatively Olympus made some telescopic extension tubes for this lens which can also be found on ebay. This lens will not fit directly on any camera as the rear element protrudes too far back and will hit the mirror/sensor.
I have the Zuiko 30mm F3.5 Macro on an Olympus OM-D E-M1ii which I’m pretty happy with. It sits about 5cm above a 35mm negative to get it to fill the frame. I have no comparisons though as I’m pretty new to this.
I use the smartphone app to focus and trigger the shutter and have tended to shoot at F5.6.
