Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-40mm F/2.8

Specifications01

MountMICRO 4/3

Focal length12-40mm

Max aperturef/2.8

TypeCinema · Zoom

Weight382 g

Filter size62 mm

Physical length84 mm

Min focus distance0.2 m

Aperture blades7

Optical elements14

Groups9

Lens hoodYes

Additional Info02

Category["Micro-Four-Thirds"]

Keywords["Micro-Four-Thirds","Olympus","Standard","Zoom"]

Review AuthorKlaus

Review Rating7.5

Equiv Aperturef/5.6 (full format equivalent, in terms of depth-of-field)

Other FeaturesAF-Lock button, manual focus clutch mechanism

Review VerdictUpon first contact you will immediately fall in love with the Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-40mm f/2.8 as the mechanical implementation is exemplary and meets the expectations of a pro lens. Features like the manual focus clutch mechanism or the L-FN button will make photographers likewise movie enthusiasts happy and both will appreciate the fast and silent operation of the autofocus. The optical quality of this standard zoom is impressive, with an extremely sharp centre zone whereas the border and corner resolution is very good. This perception is once more leveraged by the low amount of lateral CAs. Furthermore the distortion level is fine from a user perspective, but technically it relies on a drastic amount of auto-correction by the system or a RAW-converter - especially at 12mm wide-open. The quality of the bokeh is not overly impressive but still acceptable for a zoom lens. Nevertheless, the vignetting results are pretty disappointing and a visible annoyance at 12mm and only slightly better beyond this focal length. Although Olympus first pro zoom may not be perfect there's much to like about this beautiful lens and while the pricing is a little too steep in our opinion it’s still in line with its direct competitor from Panasonic.

Review Criteria{"Build Quality":9,"Optical Quality":7.5,"Price / Performance":6}

Review Published2014-01-06T22:12:00+00:00

Equiv Focal Length24-80 mm (full format equivalent)

Optical Construction14 Elements in 9 Groups (Aspherical ED lens, 2 Aspherical lenses, DSA lens, 2 ED lenses, HD lens, 2 HR lense)

Summary02

Micro Four Thirds zoom lens with a 12–40mm focal range and constant f/2.8 maximum aperture, intended for general-purpose use including low-light and video (by spec).

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Specifications from opticallimits

Where can this lens be adapted?

The Micro Four Thirds mount has a flange distance of 19.25 mm. A plain adapter fits a camera whose flange distance is at least 1.46 mm shorter. How lens adapters work

Native lenses set the aperture, and often the focus, electronically. On a plain adapter they do not work. Use an electronic adapter made for this pair; for many pairs nobody makes one. Fully manual lenses are the exception.

Nikon ZAdapter · 3.25 mm
Covers Four Thirds: it can vignette on a full-frame sensor.
Fujifilm XAdapter · 1.55 mm
Covers Four Thirds: it can vignette on a APS-C sensor.
Micro Four ThirdsNative

No plain adapter reaches infinity focus on: Sony E, Canon RF, L-Mount, Fujifilm G (GFX), Canon EF-M, Canon EF, Nikon F.