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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Smallest 3x zoom with 14-42mm focal length (especially 42mm end is important for landscape and portraiture) For instance, I bought an Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark II as a kit with the 14-42mm II R and it was a screaming deal! Especially considering the respectable optical performance that can be coaxed out of this lens. If you are already considering buying an Olympus body that offers a kit with this lens, I think it’s a no-brainer to grab it! What I Dislike! Retail Pricing Let me just say that I would never buy this lens for its outright for its retail price. The real draw of this lens, in my opinion, is getting it essentially as a throw-in with an Olympus camera body. Olympus' second iteration of the kit lens was a marginal improvement: it felt more solid, and offered much better sharpness than previously. It's still not as sharp as the current lens, but it's on the same level for its other optical properties. Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 MkII: Cons Barrel distortion at 14mm (although this is automatically corrected in camera in JPEG images)

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III review | Digital Camera World Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III review | Digital Camera World

A notable improvement on the mark II version of the lens is that the front element does not rotate during focusing operations. Our sample didn't ship with a lens hood, and it's not clear whether one is available or not. It is very nice and sharp lens. Sure it isn't 12-40mm PRO but it is not bad at all. Nothing from that many like to say that kit lenses are terrible or unsharp or soft from the corners etc. This lens isn't a ''constant'' lens, in that as you increase the focal length, the widest aperture is restricted (showing a higher f-number). The following table reflects the changes: Focal length Above ƒ/8, diffraction limiting begins to affect the image sharpness, but only marginally - it's only by ƒ/11 - ƒ/16 that we note significant softening. The minimum aperture of ƒ/22 is best avoided, with very soft results at either wide angle (14mm) or telephoto (35-42mm). At 18mm or 25mm, image sharpness is surprisingly good for ƒ/22, though. In extreme low-light situations you may experience some focus hunting at the long end, as the f/5.6 maximum aperture does not always allow enough light to pass through to the sensor.

Regular camera settings are easy to get to as well. Pressing the small button next to the camera’s power switch displays a touch-sensitive info screen – you tap the setting you want to adjust and then turn the dials to change it. From Olympus lens literature) The Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 (35mm equivalent focal length: 28-84mm) provides full 3x zoom performance. It is specially designed for the extremely compact E-400, E-410 and E-510. It is a small, light and attractively-priced zoom lens with a range of use from medium wide angle to classical telephoto portrait. This lens comes as a part of the Olympus E-400, E-410 and E-510 kits. We've previously tested each lens individually using the ePHOTOzine test bench. you can see results here: Olympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 MkI and Olympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 MkII. Our results show that while both lenses are very good, the MKI has the better performance especially at the edges of the frame when shooting wide open. When you stop down the lenses equal out. So if low light shooting is important you'd be better looking out for the older lens.

Olympus Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 ED Lens - Photo Review Olympus Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 ED Lens - Photo Review

Watch for shutter shake as I found with my E-M10 ; after using the electronic shutter resolution improved. Here is couple test shots with CPL filter (and forgot to have high contrast values dialed in, making things uber strong) and denoised (all noise removed, >99% details preserved). The lens took about a second to go from infinity to close-focus: quite fast, and nearly silent. Focus was quite confident, something we've been scrutinizing with Olympus' contrast autofocus detection method.Olympus PEN E-PL7 + Olympus M.Zuiko 14‑42mm f/3.5‑5.6 EZ (1/160 sec, ISO200, f/8) (Image credit: James Artaius) Olympus M.Zuiko 14‑42mm f/3.5‑5.6 EZ: Build and handling