Olympus announces launch of new M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm f/1.8 and M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO lenses
Olympus announces launch of new M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm f/1.8 and M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO lenses
Olympus ILC users will be excited to hear that they now have an 8mm f/1.8 fisheye option and a new professional grade ultra-wide angle zoom, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO, to complete a trinity of fast zooms with the focal lengths most demanded by photographers.
The M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm f1.8 PRO is the fastest production fisheye lens in the world, and captures a distinctive fisheye perspective with the viewing angle of a 16mm lens (35mm format equivalent). It has a minimum focusing distance of just 2.5cm, and has 17 high-performance lens elements in 15 groups. Much care has been placed on its optical design so as to ensure minimization of comatic and chromatic aberrations at large apertures.
This is especially critical in astro-imaging, which is one of the applications the lens is especially suited for thanks to its extreme wide angle of view. Special lens elements used include Olympus’ proprietary Super HR (Super High Refractive) and Super ED (Super Extra-Low Dispersion) glass, and these help to ensure extremely high clarity across the image field. Weighing just 315g, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 8mm f1.8 PRO is a perfect lightweight complement to an OM-D or PEN camera.
The M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO on the other hand, offers photographers an equivalent ultra-wide field of view of a 14-28mm lens (35mm format equivalent), and features only the highest performance optical materials. The lens has DSA (Dual Super Aspheric), EDA (Extra-low Dispersion Aspheric) and three Super ED elements for excellent imaging clarity, and distortion is minimal throughout the zoom range. This lens weighs in at just 534g and has a minimum focusing distance of just 7.5cm, making it an extremely versatile performer.
Both lenses are environmentally sealed, against dust, water and cold (to minus 10 degrees), and have Olympus’ ZERO multi-coating (Zuiko Extra-low Reflectance Optical) applied on all lens surfaces to help suppress ghosting and flare.
Pricing and availability has yet to be announced.