Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 14-42 mm F3.5-5.6 EZ Lens, Standard Zoom, Suitable for All MFT Cameras (Olympus OM-D & PEN Models, Panasonic G-Series), Black

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It's slightly softer at its telephoto end, but when closed down a stop or so, all apertures are quite sharp. The minimum aperture of ƒ/22 is best avoided, with very soft results at either wide angle (14mm) or telephoto (35-42mm).

Olympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 ED M.Zuiko Digital Review Olympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 ED M.Zuiko Digital Review

Olympus has taken it a step further, by turning this into an automatic power function: now the lens extends just by turning on the camera. There's the cheaper PEN E-PL7 and E-PL8 models which don't have viewfinders but do have flip-up selfie screens and will appeal to bloggers and fashionistas, and then there's the OM-D series, which have DSLR styling and an electronic viewfinder on the top – the E-M10 III is the beginner model in this OM-D range, though it's actually a lot more sophisticated than most beginner cameras.The mode dial now has an AP (Advanced Photo) mode which displays the camera’s Live Composite mode, Live Time exposures, multiple exposures, HDR mode, silent mode, panorama and bracketing modes. Of course, it is a collapsible lens, so when in use it does grow in size as the barrel expands out slightly from the body. As appropriate, we shoot these with both full-frame and sub-frame bodies, at a range of focal lengths, and at both maximum aperture and ƒ/8.

Olympus 14-42mm lens review Just posted! Olympus 14-42mm lens review

EZ has a powered mechanism, meaning that you don't have to manually telescope the optic to deploy it. The icing on the cake is an internal focusing system with a proper manual focus ring and a non-rotating front element, always a positive point for those photographers who like to use filters. Nothing from that many like to say that kit lenses are terrible or unsharp or soft from the corners etc. Color accuracy is critical for modern creative work, but many creatives have no idea what a colorimeter is actually doing when you put it on your display.This is the kind of lens that's only possible on Micro Four Thirds, making it an absolute travel and everyday essential for Olympus / OM System and Panasonic shooters. Manually extendable zooms can in theory be deployed a lot quicker, should you need to shoot quickly.