Product Listing

First Looks: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12mm f/2.0 Lens

By Alvin Soon - 6 Sep 2011
Launch SRP: S$1248

Image Performance

Image Performance

The 24mm wide-angle view (in 35mm equivalent) of the 12mm f/2 lens makes it an ideal lens for landscapes and interior shots, where you need to see more around you. While a wide-angle lens can be used to shoot portraits, you'll need to watch out for the distortion in perspective that it creates.

When shooting with the 12mm, we see vignetting around the edges from f/2 to around f/4. We hardly saw any ghosting or flaring artifacts. It also exhibited good sharpness from the center to the edges of the frame. There is slight barrel distortion for which you'll have to correct during post-production, but all things considered, this is a very likeable, if pricey, lens.

The maximum field of view you can get with the standard 14-40mm lens at its widest (28mm in 35mm equivalent).

The field of view you get with the 12mm (24mm in 35mm equivalent). You capture more within the frame with the wider lens, but there's also more perspective distortion.

Wide open at f/2, the lens gives you a beautifully blurred background, which helps to isolate and highlight the subject.

f/2 at 24mm (35mm equivalent), 1/500 sec, ISO200. Click for full-resolution image.

f/4 at 24mm (35mm equivalent), 1/100 sec, ISO200. Click for full-resolution image.

f/5.6 at 24mm (35mm equivalent), 1/50 sec, ISO200. Click for full-resolution image.

f/8 at 24mm (35mm equivalent), 1/25 sec, ISO200. Click for full-resolution image.

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