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About this item Collapsible ultra portable electric zoom lens Close focusing down to 7.87 inches, Focal Length : 14 42 mm 3x zoom range covers everything from landscapes to portraits Remote control of zoom available with smart phone app Optional auto closing lens cap available
Ultra thin standard zoom lens, the perfect size for travel.
homey –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Works well
Nice and compact. I am using this with an E-PM2 and it is a perfect compliment to it’s small size. It accepts 37 mm filters.I am using this camera solely as a point and shoot, so I am perfectly happy with it’s compromises and image quality.I bought the companion auto lens cap.It is smaller than the equivalent Panny.
One person found this helpful
Margaret –
5.0 out of 5 stars
New Camera lens
My old camera lens began having problems focusing correctly… With the replacement, I am back out taking great pictures again.
Borderlight –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Better than expected.
Compact pancake zoom designed for outdoor photography. Excellent sharpness. Use f8 for bestsharpness.
One person found this helpful
John –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Easy to use
A compact lens, great for travel.
Kindle Customer –
1.0 out of 5 stars
Arrived Broken; Can’t return it because I didn’t realize it was broken right away. Thought the problem was my old camera.
This arrived broken, but I didn’t realize it. I had bought it as a gift for my daughter (I was giving her my old Olympus Pen). It didn’t work for her when she tried it, so I ordered a newer pen for me that came with the same type of lens (it came today), and I figured I’d change out the lenses and use this one on my newer camera. Well, it doesn’t work on my new camera either (I had thought it wasn’t working on the old camera because it was just too old a camera). It’s broken, and I can’t return it because 4 days ago is when the possibility of returning a broken or defective item ran out. So I’m out over $200. So, if you are buying an expensive gift for someone from Amazon, MAKE SURE IT WORKS BEFORE YOU GIVE IT TO THEM, because you will not be able to return it if it is broken.
3 people found this helpful
Dave in SF –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great little lens
Very nice lens and what Olympus should ship with their cameras (it’s way more compact than the standard 14-42 kit lens, which is huge). Quick to deploy, sharp images and surprisingly easy on the battery.
One person found this helpful
Ed Strickland –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
Picture Quality is Excellent. The small size makes it easy to carry in a compact case
Full time shopper –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun lens
It’s very cute and makes my PEN EPL7 look smaller. It’s also a must if you want to utilize the selfie flip screen. The quality is not as good as the primes, but for its size its a good addition. The zoom function is kind of fun to use too.
Dennis Welker –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quality zoom
Very much what I was looking for. Will buy additional Olympus lens
Amazon Customer –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pancake lens for travel use
Good pancake lens to go with my m10
Edwin Sua –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Facilidad de conectividad
La entrega fue rápida
Tom Robbins –
1.0 out of 5 stars
DON’T BOTHER WITH THIS ONE!!!
The first sample I got was terrible. I wasn’t pixel peeping, but just took a few test shots. They looked horrid; everything was VERY soft and out of focus. Totally unacceptable.The second sample (thank you Amazon!!!) is better. The right third of the frame looks soft, and it’s got the soft edges and random soft areas typical of this type of lens, along with pretty bad chromatic aberration on the edges of the frame. But it’s very small and light and makes a tidy package when used on one of the smaller E type cameras. Mine is on a E-PM2.I’ll update this review, and perhaps up the rating (hopefully) after I’ve got some mileage on it.Note that the supplied lens cap is VERY difficult to get on and off. I balked at paying $40 for the automatic model, and got the $20 non-Olympus option. It worked fine the first day, but now it jams when opening. I diddled the blades (just like those on a point-and-shoot) and it seems OK. But I don’t have high hopes that this is a cure. Will advise later.UPDATE 1/20/16 -Took it out as my only lens for a day of shooting. The good news: The lens cap blades worked fine. The bad: All the pics look lackluster – or worse. The (what ended up to be extreme) softness in the right third of the frame is very noticeable in everyday shooting. I got out my trusty 12-50 (24-100mm) for a reality check; it’s an excellent lens.I don’t know what’s up at Olympus, but this has shaken my faith!! (I have a 45mm that’s excellent, but the first sample didn’t focus properly.)I bit the $$ bullet and got a Panasonic 12-32mm lens. It’s $100 more, but based on a few test shots, well worth it. I like the extra wide coverage and particularly the fact that it’s a good old fashioned manual zoom, not electronic only. It’s virtually the same size and weight as the Oly. I shot the same test shots as with the Olympus and there’s a world of difference. It appears that this is a serious optic with no serious problems. After a full day of shooting, I’ll post a review under the proper heading.So ends the saga of the OlymFUSS 14-42. What a waste of time. Good riddance!!
13 people found this helpful
JB –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pretty good, a little noisy
Seems pretty good. Using it on a DJI Inspire 1 v2 Pro with the Zenmuse X5. It seems pretty noisy and isn’t a very smooth zoom. It seems to jump a little from one zoom to the next zoom level.Images seem pretty clear, but not as sharp as any of the primes (25mm or 45mm M.Zuiko).I was hoping that it would save me from having to land and switch lenses for various shots, but I guess not…it’s a nice lens and good enough to use and have fun with. Don’t know that it’s good enough for professional jobs.For hobbyist and people having fun i think it’s a good lens ..like usual, you get what you pay for (and it isn’t a very expensive lens). Worth the money it costs? Definitely ..I’m just trying to be honest for other Inspire pilots that are considering getting one. Hopefully this helps anyone who’s on the fence about the purchase.
18 people found this helpful
Casey –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great kit lens in a tiny package.
I had a chance to use the lens on a family outing to a park/aquarium/museum, and it did perfectly well for what I wanted. A good walk around lens that is extremely small when collapsed. In sunlight, of course, shots were quick to focus and came out great. I was very happy with the shots I took in the aquarium as well, considering the low light.Image quality seemed right on par with other kit lenses I’ve used from Canon/Nikon DSLRs.I was worried about the power zoom, since I never used one in the past, but with the Olympus E-M10 I was able to change the zoom speed to fast when in still picture modes, and after a few minutes it felt very natural. I also liked that I could keep the zoom speed on slow when in movie mode to give a nice smooth zoom in/out.This paired with the E-M10 is such an unobtrusive system. I did not miss my DSLR system with comparably giant lenses at all. It was a fun outing with the family and for once I didn’t feel like my camera was in the way.
28 people found this helpful
Hot Sweet DonutsHot Sweet Donuts –
5.0 out of 5 stars
For what its intended, it is a great lens.
I own many olympus lenses and they all serve different purposes. To maintain the omd and pen series as a pocket camera, this is a must have lens. Sure, not great in low light. isn’t made for action. But for a day with the family. a day in the city. or to make sure you always have your camera with you this is a must have lens that is very versatile. got it on sale for 200 and its a no brainer. Should have bought the auto close lens cap, I’ll order it soon. Picture that is added has no post production. just threw it on on my OMD EM10 and this was one of the first shots I took at my kitchen table. Glad I bought this lens. The zoom process is slower than doing it by hand with the kit lens, but whatever. I’m fine with it.
7 people found this helpful
BoJo –
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Pleasant Surprise!
Optically on my OMD-EM-5 this lens is sharp. At least as sharp if not sharper than the original 14-42mm Olympus made for its pen line and which I owned on the EP-2. Where it excels dramatically is its size and convenience as well as its appearance when mounted on the small Olympus pen and OMD bodies. The zoom is smooth and quiet which facilitates video. Coupled this with the self-opening and closing lens cap available as an optional accessory and I think this should be the standard kit lens for the Pen and OMD E line of cameras. Go for it. It represents good value. I also own the 17mm Oly prime and the 14-150mm Oly zoom. I believe this lens competes well in image quality with both of these lenses. With the JPEG processor in the EM-5, I get some really beautiful images and prints. And that’s the bottom line.
44 people found this helpful
C. Pinchon –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Cute, compact, and overall handy
I got this to go with my Olympus OMD EM10 body and with the accessory lens cap that ran $40. Together, they make a super compact zoom lens with a good focal length range (equivalent to 28mm – 84mm). I use this to film video and for those moments when I may need a zoom, and in good light. Definitely notice how much “slower” it is in autofocusing compared to the 25mm 1.8 prime from Olympus that I constantly use. Slower, but not bad still. For low light, I will switch to the 25mm prime. Images come out clear and sharp, but not ask tack sharp as the prime. Glad to have this cute handy pancake zoom, but its significantly more expensive than the regular kit lens that comes with the Olympus OMD models. For me, the compact factor was worth the extra money.
15 people found this helpful
Jim Webster –
3.0 out of 5 stars
It’s Ok, but not great.
I bought this as a walking around lens for use with an Olympus Pen camera. My regular camera is a bigger Nikon, but I like to carry the Olympus to have a compact but good quality camera when I’m out but not primarily taking pictures. I figured this compact 14-42 would make for a pocket-friendly camera. The good news is this lens does make a good compact package. The less-good news is the optical quality is no match for the longer Olympus 14-42. The focus is soft — though I lucked into a few good shots where the soft focus became an unexpected plus. I found the electronic zoom mechanism slow and awkward compared to the normal mechanical zoom on the standard 14-42 and all my other lenses. Ultimately I sold this lens and went back to its less-compact, but optically superior cousin. I would recommend this lens for someone who wants a small, always available camera. But for me the optical trade-off and awkward zoom mechanism wasn’t acceptable. That said, I’m still a big fan of Olympus cameras combined with carefully chosen Olympus or Sony lenses.
14 people found this helpful
DZRhino –
5.0 out of 5 stars
The quality of this lens blew me away . . . .
This lens blew me away. Quality images, makes my E-M5II almost a pocket camera, and the zoom plus the manual focusing ring is perfect. I bought this for my wife and she has yet to see it on her E-M5II. Wish I had it on my last photo shoot in Cuba, this is a street photography killer. Note that I own several of the Olympus Pro lenses, the 14-150 and the 9-18 zoom so I have fairly high expectations. Olympus hit a home run here. Make sure you get the optional lens cap for it, the auto lens cap feature makes this a perfect combo to carry all the time on your Olympus camera.
9 people found this helpful
David M. –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Slim city lens
An essential lens for those who want to take a camera into the city and take photos with no extra equipment. It takes up no space on your body, and unlike the other lenses its size, it allows you to zoom to a portrait telephoto. Not very bright, and not the most clear at the edges, but gets the job done. The convenience of the size is a massive appeal to me.
JimmyJimmy –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Small, easy to work with, so light weight!
Small lightweight — perfect companion for my Olympus E-PL9 or E-M10ii bodies. Easy to carry all day. Great range for cityscapes and on-the-go pics. Extremely high quality results — leaves smart phone pics in the dust.
Dima Landa –
1.0 out of 5 stars
bad quality
bad quality
JournoJourno –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great lens for the money
Great lens . I used it on my Panasonic GX850. Value for the money great pics point and shoot and manual mode.
3 people found this helpful
Jack –
2.0 out of 5 stars
Ridiculous that the new automatic lens cap is not included
I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that the lens cap is not included with this lens. It’s part of the package of a low profile kit lens to have such a cap built-in. Now, since I have to think about ordering another $40 accessory, I will also be taking a closer look at the Panasonic 12-32mm instead.The build of the lens is good. The zooming is a little slow. I’m not sure if I can change the speed in my E-M10. The little lens cap that comes with it is a little tricky to get off because the front of the lens is flat when it’s retracted. The speed from off-to-on for it to extend is reasonable and doesn’t seem like it will slow things down when in a rush. However, the lens cap will.
12 people found this helpful
bobngso –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent All-Around µ4/3 Lens
Excellent lens, perfect for walking around work and general photography on my Olympus E-P5. I do wish that Oly included the auto lens cap with it, but aside from the expense, this is a super all-around lens for general purpose photography. I can use my old OM primes for when I need a little more light. Good performance and excellent Olympus color!
2 people found this helpful
thatman55 –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enhances the Usability
The Olympus Air is definitely a niche product, but this mini-zoom lens makes this lens camera more useful.
Dooreo –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great size for walking around (street) photography
So small for a zoom lens. Great for daytime walk arounds. It’s sometimes slow on focusing.
sandsmith –
2.0 out of 5 stars
Not good enough
Agreed this is a compact and neat lens (which actually seems to make my D-M1 body look unbalanced!) but the quality of the images is not acceptable to me, and it is going back. Indeed I tested with two copies of the lens in case one was a lemon but both were disappointing. The resolution was soft and the coloring erratic. I don’t want to have to worry about this when I’m out and about, so I am going back to my faithful 14-150 zoom which is quite satisfactory for walkabout, even if I cannot slip it in my pocket. The resolution of this long lens at 14 mm was slightly better then the subject lens, but the coloring was fine and reliable and the added focal length is worth the weight.
8 people found this helpful
Abhik Sengupta –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great vale for money. Yet to take photagraphs
Got it at a great price of USD 99. Yet to test it.
JazzyCT –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing quality that I was not expecting in such a …
Amazing quality that I was not expecting in such a small package. I take this when I want a very light kit and not use my big 14-40 2.0 pro lens. GET IT!
Marley –
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Little Lens
I don’t usually buy “kit” lenses, but I liked the idea of a lens as small as this one gets when it is closed on the camera. I can stick my O-EM10 Mark III with this lens on in my pocket like a P&S. I have also been really impressed with the quality of the photos. They are surprisingly sharp for a lens at this price range.
12 people found this helpful
John D. Vance –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Olympus 14 -42 EZ lens
This lens is very compact, as expected. It is also pretty sharp, if it is stopped down to anything less than wide open. I’m really pleased, especially with the optional “automatic” lens cap accessory. It’s certainly expensive compared to the kit lens, but worth it for the compact-camera size and feel. I also bought the 40 – 150, which offers excellent performance at an amazing price if you are willing to accept a plastic lens mount. But the 14 – 42 will definitely be my default lens for this camera (an M10).
2 people found this helpful
BRIAN GUZZETTI –
3.0 out of 5 stars
As expected, but…
My rating system: 1. arrived broken or shortly after 2. terrible quality, but works 3. works, but a few things I’d like different 4. Great! Meets expectations for price 5. Exceeds expectations, with surprise features or similarNice that it’s so thin, but I knew that when I bought it. Love the pancake concept for pocketing my camera, and maybe the physics of zoom lenses prevents this, but would love it if the lens was a little faster with larger glass at the same or similar depth. Also, I think Pany and Oly still overprice their lenses as if they’re competing with the high-end DSLR market. But since switching to Oly from Nikon, my full equipment has dropped from about 30lbs to 15lbs, so I really can’t complain.
2 people found this helpful
B. Thoms –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful for Travel
I just got this today, so I haven’t had a chance to test out sharpeness, etc. but I love the way it works–so great for travel! With it on, my Olympus E-M10 now fits in my very small Crumpler bag with room enough for another lens. It also will make it easier to carry the camera around without a bag. I ordered the auto lens cap that’s made for it from Amazon as well, but that won’t arrive until tomorrow.
Priscilla C. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great lens!
I’m using Olympus Pen E-PL7. Unfortunately, the lens is broken. It doesn’t focus. I didn’t want to buy a new lens. Luckily, there’s an option on Amazon for buying used stuff. I bought it from this seller. The lens works great with my camera. I’m so happy!
Sean –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good Pancake Lens
Good lens field of view is good made good. The zoom could use a toggle slow to fast its just one speed but overall quite happy with it. Would have been cool if it had image stabilization.
One person found this helpful
FoxwellT –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great piece of Glass
Very nice and much better that the kit lens. Great street lens and nice closeups too.Nice all purpose lens. Olympus make some of the finest lenses on the market. My first Olympus was and OM-D 35 mm with a 50 mm 1.4 lens. I purchased that in the 1970’s. I still use this lens today with my Olympus OM-D E-M 5II. At 100 mm shoots nice portraits.
One person found this helpful
Juan Carlos Peralta –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent portability and value for money option!
While picture quality is slightly below to the not EZ version, this is my preferred option for smaller and lighter gear kit.
Charles C –
5.0 out of 5 stars
I was really glad I got it after all
I debated getting this lens to replace my kit lens for a long time. I wasn’t sure if the cost justifies the only upgrade this lens offers over my kit lens, portability. I was really glad I got it after all. I am using it with a Olympus E-PM2. Paired with the auto lens cap, it’s barely larger than my old point and shoot, except with much better picture quality. If you value portability, this is a no brainer.
7 people found this helpful
M. R. Waltham –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent general lens
This is a fantastic lens to leave on the camera for general purpose shooting. The lens is so small that a M43 camera will fit into a small bag (or even a very large coat pocket), meaning that most people will be able to carry the camera with them all the time. The lens deploys quickly when the camera is turned on, and is fast enough and sharp enough for most shooting situations.
One person found this helpful
Jeff Egerton –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great accessory, great value
Nice addition to my Olympus md-40
L. SmithL. Smith –
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great lens for the money…
I love the low profile and the motorized zoom. Its a perfect addition to my OMD E-M1 II. The results I’m getting are wonderful. The 14-42 zoom give a lot of flexibility close ups to, street shots to landscapes. A perfect compliment to my 12-200 lens. Well made. I highly recommend a UV filter and lens hood. I just got back from a South Western hiking trip and I found this lens, my camera and my Peak Designs Clip to be versatile day hiking companions.
One person found this helpful
Ruben –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bang for your buck
Not the sharpest quality, but it’s a great bang for your buck. Also, it’s very confortable to carry around and it gives you a good range. Great for travel photography. Used with Panasonic GH5.
Cynthia –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm len
The picture quality is great. For the price, I wish it was a 50mm but it is a nice little lens.
Michael Nielsen –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gotta love a pancake zoom.
Here is a just-got-it, digging-it review. Time will tell if I edit this to address any issues.This is a great walk-around lens that gives me the range that I want without the bulk of the kit lens. I am using it on an Olympus OM-D E-M10 and the two together are an awesome combination. Focus is quick, Zoom is powered which is a bit different from every other M4/3 lens that I have in my kit. But I am slowly getting used to that. I do wish that Olympus would include the lens cap that automatically opens with this lens. I will probably spring for that at some point, hopefully before I lose the simple cap that came in the box.
11 people found this helpful
Mitch10Mitch10 –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Better than expected
I got this lens to go on a M10 for when I need to do some quick candid shots at some events. I wanted something lighter and more compact than the 12-50. I got it just before President’s Day weekend and had a chance to take it out to some locations for everyday photography. I found that it focused quickly and accurately in nearly every situation. The surprise was that the images were quite sharp even at the edges when stopped down to about 7.1. Colors are accurate and contrasty. Lens flair is generally well controlled which was good as I didn’t have a hood for it. I know there may be some variations out there, but the one that I got exceeds my expectations. It’s likely to be on the camera most of the time.
51 people found this helpful
Mr.J –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Electric zoom only, does not feel right.
I wanted to like this camera lens more, but for one thing – it’s electric ONLY. I know, I know, ‘read the description’. But now I have traded size for speed and precision. The image quality is basically the same, but this lens does not offer the same control as you would have with your ‘mini SLR’ (I’m running this on an Olympus Pen E-PL6). Add to that, the zoom feature works in the opposite direction as your standard manual lens – you have to turn the other direction to zoom in and out. All of these are minor quibbles, in the grand scheme, but they add up to a less pleasant experience than using the larger lense.It does have the advantage of size, and it makes my camera basically pocketable, so it may yet stay on the camera, but I just don’t care for how it slows the camera down.
7 people found this helpful
Daniel M. –
2.0 out of 5 stars
There is a better option… Sort of.
The two stars are for the ability of this lens to fit on the DJI X5. With a 35mm equivalent zoom of 28-84mm, this is a decent option for aerial work on smaller aerial system. Sadly, that ends the positive notes.The distortion is wild for such a modest zoom range. While the barrel at the wide end of the zoom isn’t too bad, the pincushion at 42mm is jarring. Not much of an issue if you aren’t shooting compositions with strong vertical or horizontal lines, but lethal for anything with a horizon. Correction in post for still photos isn’t impossible, but it’s not something I’d want to deal with in video.The CA is bad, but consistent. Predictable red to the left, and blue to the right. Nothing subtle about it.Softness? Sure, plenty. It’s by no means the worst out there, but it’s a steep price to pay for getting that zoom.If you are looking for this zoom range for your MFT body, consider another option: LUMIX G X VARIO PZ 14-42mm/F3.5-5.6 ASPH./ POWER O.I.S.It’s sharper, shows far less distortion and CA, and (because it doesn’t clear the gimbal for the X5) it’s just as affordable.There’s your better option… unless you are mounting this on the X5, in which case you have no alternative except multiple lenses.
4 people found this helpful
Nate W –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great walk-around/bang-around lens, for the money
Handy. Small. Decent image quality, especially for the money. This lens, on something small like an E-M10, E-PL6 or E-P5, combined with a prime lens like the Olympus 45mm f1.8, and possibly the addition of an inexpensive telephoto lens like the Olympus 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 R, would make a fantastically capable travel package in a very small space, and for comparatively little money. There is one frustration, though. The zoom ring turns the opposite direction from Olympus’s Pro lenses (12-40mm f2.8, etc.) which surprises me every time, causing an occasional missed shot, when timing matters.
Ana Lechuga –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nosie
if you want to take photos in silent this is not the lens for you. The entire time it is operation there is a low hum.
HecAdHecAd –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Lens!
I start using this lens since arrived to my door. The and the samples posted in here shows bring to me the amount of possibilities I do have in front of me. It is a great lens for portrait. I have been using this item on my Panasonic G9 and it is working fantastically. It is light weight and small. Therefore, you can us it as low profile. All the automaticity from the lens match and work seemly with the G9 based on my experience. The only down side is you should us it in well lite conditions due the biggest aperture is 3.5. Overall conclusion, it is sharp, it is versatile, it is mechanically fast/ responsive, over all good.
W. H. Beebe Jr. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
It sits on the front of my E-M10 most of the time and is the perfect travel combination
It might not be the fastest or the sharpest, but it’s certainly the smallest zoom you’re going to find, especially when it’s powered off and in its physical stowed position. It sits on the front of my E-M10 most of the time and is the perfect travel combination. I got it while it was on sale, and thus consider it reasonably priced.Its focus is fast and silent, especially in regular light conditions.One feature I like is its metal bayonet mount. The original micro four thirds 14-42mm, released with the E-P1 and E-P2, also had a metal mount. The next two versions used plastic and I never cared for them at all. Of all the 14-42mm lenses I’ve used so far, this one’s overall build quality stands head and shoulders over all the others, including the original release.Image quality wise, it’s good enough, especially when you consider the convenience of its compact size, especially when off.One quirk about the lens to keep in mind, and that’s when you turn the camera off, the lens is reset to its widest (14mm) zoom setting. So if you expect to leave it at a different setting, it won’t be there the next time you turn it on. If you need to zoom in as soon as you power on the camera and lens, you’re going to have to have your hand on the zoom ring immediately to adjust.For all its compromises it’s a lens worth owning.
6 people found this helpful
Ross Hubbard –
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is the best lens I’ve bought in a while because of its …
This is the best lens I’ve bought in a while because of its convenience – I put it on an Olympus PEN E-P2 camera that wasn’t being used. Now I’ve turned my old camera into a good, go anywhere camera with no hassles. I just turn on the camera, the lens extends and I’m ready to go. I also bought the automatically opening / closing lens cap for the lens, no cap to remove and store, perfect. The zoom works very smooth and is silent – I haven’t tried it on my GH4 yet but I like the silent operation. Also like that you can sort of program the zoom between two objects.For me, its made an old camera new again as I keep it close ready to shoot with.THE GOOD – 35mm equivalent of 28mm – 84mm for my M 4/3 format camera is just right for what I’m using it for. Lens quality is good, pretty sharp, not that fast but for what I’m using it for its great. I’m using it for work and take 100-200 images a day of boat parts, on the ocean, parts and damage. Overall good lens for the money. 600 plus images so far, good.THE OK – Although I knew this before buying it, its not great for close work. If you need macro capabilities this isn’t your lens but does work well at 7-8 inches. With the good image quality of my old E-P2, shooting in RAW I can get get really good cropped images so I haven’t really ‘needed’ macro capabilities. Olympus sells a macro screw on adapter (don’t like adapters too much) and I may buy and try.THE BAD – For Me – Nothing.
20 people found this helpful
RK –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Compact lens
I have been looking and researching a new camera for some time to replace an older Fuji X-100 as my primary camera and an Oly 620 SLR. However, I went back and forth about a Canon G5X and the Olympus OM-D M5 Mark II as I wasn’t sure if I really needed all the features of the Oly. I decided to buy the Oly and the 12-42 pro lens but didn’t know about this lens. My primary lens for the Oly will be the 12-42 Pro as it is a really outstanding lens. However, I saw this lens after I bought my Oly and thought I would buy it just to see how it works. Although it will never have the picture quality and low light capabilities of that pro lens, it essentially makes a pocket camera nearly identical to the Canon. It’s a quick way to make a pocket camera and still have the features of the other lens capability. I wanted the sealing of the body of the Oly as the Canon doesn’t have that. this lens isn’t sealed, but my pro is and that’s good enough. I wouldn’t recommend this as the primary lens for the M5 II, but I think it’s a must have for your kit. I have an Alaska cruise planned in June, and will really get to put this Oly kit to the test. In test pictures side by side in the last few days, with and without the flash, this little pancake lens does a terrific job. I like that my M5 II is now like two cameras. Just make sure you get that Oly lens cover with this lens. I wasn’t sure about that at first, but it’s a must have for this lens. You can’t use a filter, but that’s what my pro and my other lenses are for. If you are on the fence about this lens, I really recommend it for the M5 II.
15 people found this helpful
Spencer Johnson –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Solid buy but could be sharper
This is a great little lens. As a disclaimer, I am new to mirrorless camera photography but I have done extensive research over the last 4 months before finally settling on buying an Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II in black with this lens and the Olympus 40-150mm. I also bought the LC-37C lens cap which is really really nice for not having to take the lens cap on and off. In deciding to buy into the m4/3 system, one of the main things I valued was portability, and this lens fit that bill perfectly.Pros: – It is amazingly (repeat: amazingly!) small and compact. It doesn’t get much more compact than this (unless you go with one of the lens cap lenses like the Olympus 15mm f8.0) – Good sharpness (not great, see below) – Aperture typical of zoom lenses – Relatively inexpensive ($249 at the time of this writing)Cons: – Could be sharper. Comparing this to my Olympus 25mm f1.8 lens, which I purchased as my third lens, the 25mm f1.8 is noticeably sharper and obviously, a much faster lens that performs much better in low light situations.Overall, I took one star off for sharpness, but at this price and size, this lens is a really good buy and definitely a good option for a cheap, walk-around lens.
8 people found this helpful
Curtis A Cavalletto –
5.0 out of 5 stars
New to photography – love my pancake!
Still new to photography, and taking something other than iPhone photos. Bought this lens, liking the form factor (pancake?), thinking it would make traveling in the coat pocket easier than some of those monstrosities I see on other cameras. Mission accomplished! Photos came out great, and the lens was super easy to use. Thankfully the lens did all the work, and all I had to do was find the right thing to photograph!
Greg M –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Works fine with my Pen-F
I bought this lens to have a compact zoom that looks right on my Pen-F. There’s some trade-off in speed, etc. to get the size, but it’s a good compromise.
felipe parra –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great product!
Excellent product, this lens makes the difference with my Olympus EP-3. Thanks!
Edward Gent –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Be careful on handling
Purchased a replacement for one that failed on an Olympus Pen-F where the lens would not retract. Research showed that the failure was due to internal flex cables. This had not been abused and used internally only. The replacement initially did not work properly and would not hold an extended position and there was a blur on the lower part of the image. Cleaning the contacts on the camera body and the lens resolved the ‘auto retraction’. Cleaning the lens resolved the blurring problem. The Olympus Pen-F is a very versatile unit however it is no longer being made and the ‘replacements’ from Olympus have lower resolution sensors. I expect quality lenses to cost and this is a fair price. I did not expect the original to fail in spite of very careful handling. This replacement has all the symptoms of being a delicate piece of equipment needing very careful handling. I suggest careful research for other mirror less, 20Mpixel cameras before getting locked in to this eco system.
5 people found this helpful
Luis urias –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tiene una nitidez increíble
Antes usaba canon. Pero desde que me pase a Olympus todo ha sido satisfacciones y alegrías. La nitidez que da el lente y su prácticamente nulo sonido y lo portable que es me encanta. Canon, Nikon y Sony ofrecen lo mismo pero 10 veces más caro y con mucho más peso y tamaño. En encanta Olympus ahora OMD.