Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens, suitable for all MFT cameras (Olympus OM-D & PEN models, Panasonic G-series), black

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Wydawc Experience of cameras and lenses teaches us some rules-of-thumb about image quality. Cameras with larger format sensors generally produce better than those with smaller ones, for example. That fixed focal-length prime lenses are sharper than zooms is another. Crucially, though, the 12-100mm is compatible with Olympus’s Sync IS, in which the lens’s optical stabilisation and the in-body sensor-shift stabilisation work together for increased overall effect. As a result, when used on the OM-D E-M1 Mark II, the system is rated to provide 6.5 stops of stabilisation, and when it’s mounted on the OM System OM-1 the stabilisation is boosted to up to 7.5EV. With older OM-D and PEN cameras, however, the stabilisation won’t be quite so marked. I've got all the Oly primes from 17mm to 75mm, so optical image quality isn't paramount. If time/weather permit me to stop for the perfect shot, I've got the kit – what I want is a weatherproof zoom that enables me to go from shooting my other half sat next to me in the car to getting a snap of that cool building I can see out of the window. Hence, across the board sharpness is great, but not paramount. The 12-100mm f/2.8 Pro features its own 2-Axis image stabilisation system. It also features Sync IS, which allows it to work with the excellent 5-axis system in any compatible camera body, like the OM-D E-M1 Mark II that we tested it with, where it offers an amazing 6.5 stops of compensation, surpassing any other camera that we've ever tested.

Olympus 12-100mm f/4 IS Pro M.Zuiko Digital ED Review

The resolution test of the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12–100 mm f/4 IS PRO was based on RAW files from the Olympus E-PL1. In the case of that body the best fixed focal length lenses can get as high as about 80 lpmm (the record of 83.8 lpmm belongs to the Sigma C 1.4/30 and the Voigtlander 0.95/25 and the Olympus 1.8/75 are not far behind). The decency level we set near 44-45 lpmm. There is only a minimum of light fall-off in the corners at f/4, which you will probably not even notice in your real-world photos, and distortion is commendably kept well under control too. The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4 IS Pro is an optically-stabilised 8.3x superzoom lens for Micro Four Thirds cameras and one of the best Micro Four Thirds lenses. There's a chance that I may do some video blogging. This makes the Sync-IS of the 12-100 very appealing, but I don't know if the Sync-IS is as super duper when pairing with the E-M5ii as it is the E-M1ii.The Olympus 12-100mm F4 PRO zoom (24-200mm equivalent focal length) has been a well-used and well-loved lens for me this past year. I see that it has even relegated my Panasonic 14-140, a favorite from the prior year, to my lens drawer. Though the 14-140 is a “sharp enough” lens, the 12-100 is “more than sharp enough” and importantly has a few additional features, albeit at a significantly higher (2x) price point.

Olympus 12-100mm f/4 PRO vs. 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO – The complete Olympus 12-100mm f/4 PRO vs. 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO – The complete

So, as an outdoor do-everything-under-every-condition lens, I'm inclined to think that the extra 50mm(/100mm) reach and reduced size/weight with the 14-150 will be far more useful than the additional sharpness and aperture of the 12-100. I guess I need convincing that the Sync-IS on the E-M5ii is made of awesome and that the extra length and weight really aren't an issue! Basically I'm looking for a weatherproof, one-lens-fits-all solution to pair with my E-M5ii for travelling. Something like Route 66 is actually a good forinstance; I want a weatherproof outdoor lens that I can glue on the body for the whole trip, so it can be used in any weather circumstance, providing maximum flexibility so I can be driving along the freeway, spot something cool, and just jump out and snap it.The MSC AF motor is pretty fast and silent. As usual manual focusing works "by wire" but you barely notice the difference compared to a mechanically-coupled system. In fact precise manual focusing is probably easier than on most conventional lenses because the focus path is longer. The performance at the shortest focal length deserves just one word: revelation. Not only the maximum MTFs are reached already at the maximum relative aperture but also the result in that place is really close to the record value, exceeding slightly 82 lpmm. Though there are times I’d prefer the option for a shallower depth of field for people photography, I nevertheless enjoy the no-brainer ease of just shooting wide open at F4. For me that is usually candid family photography. @ 57mm @ 100mm (All images at ISO 200-800 except this one at 3200) Not sure whether this is best asked here on in Native Lenses, so forgive me if it's in the wrong place!] The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II used for this test is a great match for the lens, offering good balance, fast auto-focus, and full environmental seals. The M.ZUIKO Digital 12-100mm f/2.8 Pro lens itself is very well built, fully living up to the PRO designation that Olympus have given it.