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A lens is arguably the most important part of your camera system. You cannot get good image results while using a bad camera lens, and nobody wants that. For many purposes, a micro four-thirds lens is impeccable. Olympus is perhaps one of the best brands to consider for this type of lens.
If you are expanding your lens kit or simply are interested in a great quality lens, such lenses would do you a great service. Thus, we have a detailed buyer’s guide on how to find the best Olympus lenses. This involves all the tad bits of information you need to embark on the endeavor of finding the perfect lens for you, along with some incredible options to consider.
Contents
- Review of the Best Olympus Lenses
- Best Overall: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm F4.0 PRO Lens
- Runner-up: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 PRO Lens
- Best for the Money: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F4.0-5.6 R Zoom Lens
- Best Olympus Prime Lens: Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f1.8 Lens
- Best Olympus Wide Angle Lens: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO Lens
- Best Olympus Lens for Travel: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm F1.8 Lens
- Comparison of the Best Olympus Lenses
- Perks of Olympus Lenses
- Why Did These Lenses Make Our List?
- Cautious Considerations to Keep in Mind
- People Also Ask
- Conclusion
Review of the Best Olympus Lenses
There are fortunately a ton of options for one to choose from. This enables incredible variety; however, it makes the process of finding the perfect lens for you a little daunting. Not all products are fit for your needs.
Therefore, to help you out, we have some of the best options to consider, which are highly reliable and have high performance. Let’s take a look at them:
Best Overall: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm F4.0 PRO Lens
PROS
- It features a slash-proof, freezeproof and dustproof designFeatures body image stabilization for excellent hand-held performance
- Has a manual clutch and Lfn button that enables to switch styles instantly
- Small and compact design allows it to fit into luggage easily and be traveled with
- It has 1 extra-high refractive index and 3-high refractive index lenses to provide excellent resolution
CONS
- The unit is slightly on the higher end of the price spectrum
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers are very fond of OLYMPUS M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm F4.0 unit because of its top-quality construction and stunning technology. There is less to complain about the product as it is simply one of the best ones out there. It is slightly on the higher end of the spectrum, as some buyers say, but the unit’s performance is well worth the investment.
Why it Stands Out to Us
It has a ton of different features that captured our attention. Firstly, the overall construction is just stunning, as it looks very stylish yet feels sturdy. The product isn’t inconvenient to handle or difficult to travel with due to its lightweight and portable construction. Furthermore, it provides high-quality resolution pictures.
Who Will Use This Most
The product is great for those of you who like to hike or go on other frequent outdoor adventures. The sturdy and well-built construction makes the product splash-proof, freezeproof, and dustproof. Furthermore, its portable design and small size make it a delight to pack and travel with.
Bottom Line
This unit is a great product all in all. It carries a spectacular design that is highly reliable and incredibly durable. This enables the product to be long-lasting as well. The innovative technology it carries makes the resulting pictures of high resolution and great quality in general. This makes the product a great investment.
- World's most powerful 6 steps of compensation synchronized in lens and in body Image Stabilization
- Closest focus of 1.4 meters gives a 0.48X (35mm equivalent) telemacro photography, Focal Length :...
- Splash, Dust, and Freeze proof design
Runner-up: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 PRO Lens
PROS
- Zuiko extra-low reflective optical coatings eliminate ghosts and flares
- One-year world-wide warranty that makes it highly reliable and durable
- This unit is drip-proof, splash proof, dustproof and freeze proof thus highly reliable
- It carries in-body image stabilization which enables it to capture crisp, blur-free shots
- Features a wide-angle focal length that enables it to capture architecture, landscapes, etc.
CONS
- Some buyers claim that the zoom ring is a little hard to turn
What Recent Buyers Report
OLYMPUS M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm F2.8 product seemed to be a hit amongst consumers for a wide range of reasons. People seemed to be particularly impressed with how versatile and consistent this product is.
It gives phenomenal results under different conditions. The quality construction, paired with a stunning and innovative design makes the unit a buyer favorite product.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This product captured our attention with its impeccable design and high functionality. It works well under all weather conditions that enable it to be highly reliable in different conditions. Furthermore, the product has an in-body image stabilization, which provides incredible hand-held performance. Plus, the construction is sturdy and solid as well.
Who Will Use This Most
This works incredibly well for wide-angle as well as telephoto photography. The wide-angle focal length allows it to capture stunning architecture, landscapes, or nature scenes. Furthermore, it can focus as close as 2.75 inches at the telephoto end of the focal range, adding to its versatility of use.
Bottom Line
Overall, this unit features a stunning design that is incredibly innovative in terms of the technology used. It is able to perform well under a ton of different circumstances that make the product highly versatile, which is rare. Furthermore, it is durable as well as reliable and well-constructed.
- Constant f2.8 maximum aperture
- Focal length: 12 to 40 millimeter, minimum focus distance 7.87 inches (20 centimeter )
- Drip proof; Dust proof, splash proof, and freeze proof construction. Lens construction: 14 elements...
Best for the Money: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F4.0-5.6 R Zoom Lens
PROS
- It has image stabilization that provides impeccable hand-held performance
- Features very silent and fast autofocus due to the linear drive motor found
- Move and still compatible (MSC) focusing mechanism makes operation precise and accurate
- The design featured is incredibly lightweight and portable which makes it easy to travel with
- Unit has a high-power zoom which enables it to capture portraits as well as long-distance scenes beautifully
CONS
- The assembly is plastic
- It doesn’t perform very well under low-lighting conditions
What Recent Buyers Report
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F4.0-5.6 unit simply impressed the buyers with its highly functional nature and incredible features. Some buyers did find the assembly to be all-plastic, therefore not very sturdy or expensive. Nevertheless, the results of the lens were able to achieve are truly phenomenal. At the end of the day, it is a consumer favorite unit.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The unit is meticulously designed with even the slightest details kept in mind, which makes it a unique model. It features a move and still compatible focusing mechanism, which enables the operation to be precise and accurate. The image stabilization features enable easy and accurate hand-held performance.
Who Will Use This Most
This unit is deemed to be amazing for sports photography and portraits; thus, it is a great option if you’ve been looking for a lens for those purposes. The autofocus is primarily responsible for the expertise the lens has in those areas of photography. Furthermore, it is very lightweight and easy to handle and travel with.
Bottom Line
All in all, this unit is hard to beat. It doesn’t break the bank and is frankly comparable to much higher-end models. The durability, construction, and reliability of the product are simply phenomenal. The unit s easy to handle and operate and features a very innovative design capable of achieving a lot.
- 3.75x zoom lens
- Macro focus range: 90 centimeter, focal length: 40 to 150 millimeter
- Lightweight, portable design, 80 to 300 millimeter equivalent field of view
Best Olympus Prime Lens: Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f1.8 Lens
PROS
- Incredibly high-powered and can capture beautiful bokeh with vivid colors
- Body is compact and small, making it easy to travel with and easy to handle
- Enables one to shoot high-quality films due to the fast aperture and fast focusing
- MSC mechanism which makes both video and still pictures, smooth, quiet and fast
- Features two extra-high refractive index elements which aid in controlling distortion and spherical aberration
CONS
- It doesn’t come with a lens hood
- Some buyers complain that the product is hard to disconnect
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers seem to be very impressed with Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f1.8 product for the very reasons we love it. This unit is incredibly reliable and durable. The construction is stylish as well due to the all-black gorgeous body. Furthermore, you can achieve so much with such a tiny and compact lens, which makes it highly convenient.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This product has move and still compatible autofocus mechanism, which is what enables it to shoot stunning video and still pictures in a quiet, smooth, and efficient manner. Furthermore, it carries two extra-high refractive index elements that aid in controlling the distortion and spherical aberration for sharper images and more vivid colors.
Who Will Use This Most
If you have been in search of a quality portrait camera or are fond of beautifully blurred backgrounds and vivid colors, this unit is where your search ends. It features a fast aperture and fast focusing that enables it to shoot high-quality films. Furthermore, it carries high refractive index elements that aid in controlling distortion and spherical aberration.
Bottom Line
Overall, this product is a smashing hit. It features all you need to take incredible portraits and pictures, which is difficult for any camera lens at this price point to achieve. It is incredibly consistent and convenient. It truly is baffling how incredible and affordable this unit is. It’s defiantly worth checking out and investing in.
- Ideally suited for: Travel, sports, nature, low-light, landscape, architecture, all-round and...
- The high luminous intensity of F1.8 allows a harmonious bokeh and is therefore ideal for portraits
- Superb image quality for brilliant photos, thanks to optical technology and performance for stunning...
Best Olympus Wide Angle Lens: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO Lens
PROS
- Zuiko extra-low reflective optical coating for the elimination of ghosts and flares
- Unit is lightweight and compact that enables it to be easy to travel with and handle
- Carries an easy to operate design with manual focus clutch mechanism and fan button
- Product combines close-up shooting ability and an ultra-wide field of view for great versatility
- Features 3 super extra dimension lens elements which diminish aberrations and provide sharper images
CONS
- Adjusting the zoom is a bit of pain according to some buyers
What Recent Buyers Report
OLYMPUS M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm F2.8 unit has seemed to make a place for itself amongst the consumer with its stunning design, incredible features, and high functionality. Overall, it is a highly reliable and very durable product. Some buyers did find zooming to be a bit troublesome, but it can be easily overlooked, given the amazing results it provides.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This unit stands out to us for a number of reasons. Firstly, the product is lightweight and compact; therefore can be easily traveled with and taken when on the go. Furthermore, it has three super ED lens elements which practically diminish aberrations for a superb quality picture.
Who Will Use This Most
This product is great for those of you planning on getting a telephoto lens. It also works very well for wide-angle photography. It has a wonderful design with a ton of different features that work in harmony and mesh very well together. They make the unit worthy of investment.
Bottom Line
Overall, the product is phenomenal. It features durable and sturdy construction that works incredibly well under multiple different conditions, which is why this product is so versatile. Furthermore, it has a ton of different features that make the images captures beautiful and high-quality.
- 7 14 millimeter(14 28 millimeter 35 millimeter equivalent) lens with splash and dustproof...
- Closest focusing distance at just under 7. 5 centimeter, maximum image magnification: 0. 12x, focal...
- Manual focus Clutch Mechanism and l fan button for assignable functions
Best Olympus Lens for Travel: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm F1.8 Lens
PROS
- Zuiko extra-low reflective coating eliminates ghosts and flares
- Features image stabilization for incredible hand-held performance
- It has dual aspherical lens elements which diminish aberration and distortion
- Bright f1.8 aperture makes it perform well under low-lighting conditions as well
- Movie-still compatible autofocus mechanism provides silent and fats autofocusing
CONS
- Some buyers find the product to be a bit noisy
- During wide-angle shots one can notice the soft corners well
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers are truly in love with the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 17mm F1.8 unit. It captures multiple features that bring out its truest potential and are capable of capturing stunning pictures. That being said, some buyers have noticed soft corners at wide angles, which is not a deal-breaker as it can be fixed. This is a consumer favorite product.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This product caught our attention with its compact and lightweight design, which makes it easy to travel with. Furthermore, it has a ton of different features that help enhance the quality of the image captured and present you with the truest and high-quality shot. Plus, the bright aperture makes it well under low-lighting conditions too.
Who Will Use This Most
If you have been looking for a micro four-thirds lens that performs exceptionally well under low-lighting conditions as well, this unit is for you. It captures stunning wide-angle pictures as well. The best part about it is that it doesn’t break the bank and is one of the more affordable options available to the market.
Bottom Line
Last but certainly not least, this unit is a gem. This product is highly reliable and works incredibly well under a multitude of conditions, which make it highly convenient and consistent. Furthermore, it is well-built and is travel-friendly too. All of this, in combination, make the product worthy of investment and allows it to be worth checking out.
- Ultra compact wide angle lens
- Macro focus range: 0.25 meter, focal Length: 17 millimeter
- 34 millimeter equivalent field of view captures large groups or landscapes
Comparison of the Best Olympus Lenses
Perks of Olympus Lenses
Olympus lenses use a unique digital sensor size and are capable of providing optimum quality images with their construction. Let’s take a look at some of their core features:
Zuiko Extra-Low Reflective Optical Coating
The Zuiko extra-low reflective optical coating, which is also called as ZERO coatings that effectively eliminates ghosts and flares for better quality pictures.
High Refractive Index Lens Elements
These practically eliminate aberrations and distortion and aid in providing bright and vivid images with bright colors.
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 300mm F4.0 PRO Lens
Image Stabilization
They carry built-in image stabilization. This provides the consumer with an incredible handheld experience, which results in high-quality images that aren’t just beautiful but also bright and focused.
Weatherproof
Olympus lenses are dustproof, freezeproof, splash-proof, and some are even drip-proof. This enables them to work in every season under all conditions.
Why Did These Lenses Make Our List?
You may be wondering what exactly makes the products we recommended worth it? You may be confused as to what to look for in a unit. Let’s take a look at the factors which make a product worthy of investment:
Weatherproof
When it comes to taking a unit outdoors and using it for a wide variety of photography types, it’s important to make sure that the product is able to handle it. Thus, one should look for a unit that is dustproof, freezeproof, splash-proof, etc.
Lightweight and Compact
If you plan to travel with the unit you invest in, then it’s important to make sure that it has a portable construction. This means that the product should be lightweight, easy to pack, and easy to handle so it can be convenient.
Hand-Held Performance
When it comes to using the product without a tripod, you’ll only be able to take good quality pictures when there is image stabilization in the unit. This ensures easy and fast focusing and, therefore, a better hand-held experience.
Cautious Considerations to Keep in Mind
Looking for the perfect lens for you revolves around multiple factors that need to be taken into consideration. These will decide the type of product you need and make the entire process of buying them easier for you. Let’s take a look at those factors, so you understand the entire phenomenon better:
Budget
It is important to establish a budget for yourself when you decide to invest in a lens. This will help you narrow down your options. Plus, due to the wide variety of products available, you can surely get one in any budget. It’s just supposed to be realistic, and you’ll be all set.
Usage
If you plan on buying a lens for low-lighting conditions, make sure you buy one with a brighter aperture. Similarly, portraits and bokeh are tricky to achieve, thus buy a lens that is capable of taking stunning portraits. It’s important to know the kind of effect you are looking for, and under the conditions, you’ll be working the lens in.
Compatibility
This is perhaps the most important factor, but people often tend to overlook it after being too excited by the features of a product. It’s important to first look at whether the lens will be able to mount on your camera by checking its compatibility with it and then only go forth and invest in it. Otherwise, it’ll be a useless investment.
People Also Ask
Lenses are perhaps one of the most important parts of your camera set up. Therefore, people often tend to have a lot of questions regarding the buying process and the lenses in general. To help, we took the liberty of answering your most frequently asked questions in hopes of making things a bit more transparent.
Are All Olympus Lenses Interchangeable?
Yes, they most certainly are interchangeable. E system lenses are actually compatible with E system cameras. This is incredibly convenient for people as this allows them to use any Olympus SLR with any of the Olympus Zuiki digital lenses.
What Does Ed Mean on Olympus Lenses?
ED stands for extra-low dispersion. It is now used in many high-end optical devices, and the major purpose behind it is to increase image quality. It aids in correcting chromatic aberrations, any color differences or defects, and provide overall clarity. They also aid in keeping the lens compact and lightweight.
Can I Use Panasonic Lens on Olympus?
Yes, one can use Panasonic lenses on Olympus and vice versa. The reason behind this is that both are created to be cross-compatible with each other’s camera.
Conclusion
There are a ton of variables and factors that need to be taken into consideration when it comes to buying the perfect lens for you. This is precisely the reason why people are discouraged by the process and find it exhausting. The technicalities of the job can be pretty confusing as well.
Hopefully, this post was able to summarize those well for you, along with providing you ample information on how to tackle the process of buying a lens. Do not forget to take into perspective the conditions you’ll be using your lens in and don’t get sucked into the idea that one product would work for all.
This isn’t the case. You may need something a little different from other people if you plan to use it differently than them.
