Olympus 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens Review

Imagine having a lens that effortlessly captures the intricacies of every moment, whether up close or far away. Look no further than the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens. Designed for all MFT cameras, this sleek black lens is compatible with Olympus OM-D and PEN models, as well as Panasonic G-series cameras. With its outstanding image quality, superior zoom range, and built-in image stabilization, this lens is a game-changer for photography enthusiasts, ensuring that every shot you take is nothing short of extraordinary.

Why Consider This Product?

If you are a passionate photographer looking to elevate your skills and capture stunning images, then the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens is a product you should strongly consider. With its remarkable features and benefits, this lens will undoubtedly enhance the quality of your photography.

Firstly, this lens offers a versatile focal length range of 12-100mm, making it suitable for various types of photography. Whether you are capturing landscapes, portraits, or close-ups, this lens allows you to have the perfect focal length at your disposal. Additionally, the lens’s F4 aperture ensures exceptional image quality, allowing for sharp and vibrant images even in low-light conditions.

One of the standout features of the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens is its built-in image stabilization (IS) system. This feature compensates for camera shake, enabling you to capture blur-free and sharp images, even when shooting handheld. The IS system is especially crucial when utilizing the longer focal lengths of the lens, ensuring stability and accuracy.

Furthermore, this lens offers superb optical performance, thanks to its advanced optical design. It incorporates sophisticated lens elements, including aspherical, low dispersion, and high refractive index elements, which effectively minimize various aberrations and distortions. As a result, your images will exhibit exceptional clarity, sharpness, and contrast across the entire focal range.

Another compelling benefit of the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens is its weather-sealed construction. This lens is built to withstand challenging shooting conditions, such as rain and dust. With its robust build quality, you can confidently take your photography adventures to the great outdoors without worrying about damage to your lens.

The Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens has received numerous accolades and endorsements, further solidifying its credibility. It has been recognized for its exceptional performance by industry professionals and photographers alike. With its impressive features and benefits, this lens offers a compelling choice for both professional photographers and enthusiasts seeking versatility and stunning image quality.

Features and Benefits

Impressive Focal Length Range

With a focal length range of 12-100mm, the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens is incredibly versatile. It is capable of capturing expansive landscapes, intimate portraits, and even telephoto shots with ease. Whether you’re photographing vast open spaces or zooming in on distant details, this lens offers the perfect focal length to cater to your creative vision.

Exceptional Image Stabilization

The built-in image stabilization (IS) system of the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens ensures sharp and blur-free images, even when shooting handheld or in challenging lighting conditions. By compensating for camera shake, this feature allows you to capture clear and crisp shots with ease, eliminating the need for a tripod in many situations.

Outstanding Optical Performance

This lens incorporates advanced optical elements, including aspherical, low dispersion, and high refractive index elements. These elements work together to minimize various optical aberrations, such as chromatic aberration and distortion, resulting in images with exceptional clarity, sharpness, and contrast. The superior optics of this lens deliver professional-grade image quality.

Robust Weather-Sealed Construction

The Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens features a weather-sealed construction, making it highly durable and reliable in various shooting conditions. Whether you’re shooting in the rain, snow, or dusty environments, this lens can withstand the elements, allowing you to confidently pursue your photography adventures without compromising image quality.

Silent and Fast Auto-Focus

With its high-speed, silent auto-focus mechanism, this lens ensures quick and accurate focusing, enabling you to capture decisive moments with precision. Whether you’re photographing fast-moving subjects or conducting video recordings, the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens provides reliable and efficient focusing performance.

Lightweight and Compact Design

Despite its impressive focal length range and advanced features, the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens maintains a lightweight and compact design. This makes it a portable and convenient option for photographers who value mobility and flexibility without compromising on image quality.

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Product Quality

The Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens exudes outstanding product quality, exemplifying Olympus’s commitment to excellence. Every component of this lens is meticulously crafted and engineered to deliver superior performance and durability.

From the moment you hold this lens, you can feel its exceptional build quality. The materials used are robust and long-lasting, ensuring that the lens can withstand the rigors of intensive use. The attention to detail in the design and construction is evident, providing a sense of reassurance and confidence in the product’s reliability.

Not only is the outer construction of the lens impressive, but the internal components are equally exceptional. The lens’s advanced optics showcase Olympus’s expertise in lens design, resulting in images of exceptional clarity, sharpness, and contrast. The optical elements, including aspherical, low dispersion, and high refractive index elements, work in harmony to deliver stunning visual results.

The weather-sealed construction of the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens further attests to its product quality. Each joint and opening is carefully sealed to protect the lens from adverse conditions such as dust, moisture, and temperature changes. This feature ensures that the lens can operate flawlessly even in challenging shooting environments, providing peace of mind and longevity to photographers.

Overall, the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens demonstrates an exceptionally high level of product quality. Olympus’s commitment to precision engineering, premium materials, and extensive testing is evident in every aspect of this lens. By investing in this product, you are assured of a reliable and top-performing lens that will elevate your photography to new heights.

What It’s Used For

The Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens is a versatile tool that can be used in various photography scenarios. Let’s explore a few real-life examples of how this lens can be utilized effectively.

Landscape Photography

If you’re captivated by the beauty of natural landscapes and aspire to capture their grandeur, the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens is an ideal companion. With its wide focal length range, you can effortlessly capture stunning vistas, majestic mountain ranges, and serene seascapes. The lens’s high-quality optics ensure exceptional clarity and detail, allowing you to convey the awe-inspiring beauty of natural landscapes in your photographs.

Portraiture

For those interested in portrait photography, the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens provides excellent capabilities. With its versatile focal length range, you can achieve various compositions and perspectives, whether you’re capturing headshots, environmental portraits, or intimate close-ups. The lens’s wide aperture and exceptional optical performance enable you to create soft, creamy backgrounds, emphasizing the subject and adding a professional touch to your portraits.

Travel Photography

Travel photography often demands adaptability and versatility in equipment. The Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens is a perfect choice for travel enthusiasts seeking to document their adventures in stunning detail. Its compact and lightweight design makes it easy to carry, ensuring that you won’t be burdened by heavy gear. The lens’s broad focal length range covers a wide array of scenarios, from capturing architecture in bustling cities to capturing wildlife in distant landscapes. The built-in image stabilization system also proves invaluable during handheld shooting, compensating for camera shake and providing sharp results on the go.

Documentary Photography

For photographers engaged in documentary or street photography, the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens offers significant benefits. Its versatile focal length range enables you to quickly adapt to changing situations and capture diverse subjects without needing to switch lenses. The lens’s weather-sealed construction also ensures that you can fully immerse yourself in shooting, even in challenging weather conditions. Whether you’re documenting social issues or capturing daily life, this lens allows you to focus on capturing the decisive moment while delivering exceptional image quality.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

The Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens is also a suitable choice for wildlife and sports photography. Its telephoto capabilities allow you to capture distant subjects with remarkable detail, making it ideal for photographing animals in their natural habitat or capturing fast-paced sporting events. The lens’s precise and fast autofocus provides reliability in fast-moving scenarios, ensuring that you can track and capture your subjects accurately. With the combined advantage of image stabilization, you can achieve sharp images even when shooting handheld during wildlife encounters or capturing dynamic sports moments.

These examples demonstrate the versatility and flexibility of the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens. Whatever photography genre excites you, this lens is designed to excel in various shooting scenarios, whether it’s landscapes, portraits, travel, documentary, wildlife, or sports. With this lens in your arsenal, you can confidently explore different genres and capture stunning images that truly reflect your creative vision.

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Product Specifications

Specifications	Details
Focal Length	12-100mm
35mm Equivalent Focal Length	24-200mm
Maximum Aperture	F4
Minimum Aperture	F22
Lens Construction	17 elements in 11 groups
Angle of View	84-12 degrees
Minimum Focusing Distance	0.15m (at wide end), 0.45m (at tele end)
Maximum Image Magnification	0.3x (wide), 0.21x (tele)
Filter Size	72mm
Dimensions	Ø3.1 x 4.6 inches (78.9 x 116.5mm)
Weight	1.23 lbs (561g)
Mount Compatibility	Micro Four Thirds

Who Needs This

The Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens is an essential tool for both professional photographers and photography enthusiasts. Here are a few examples of individuals who could benefit from this exceptional lens:

1. Professional Photographers: For professionals working in various genres, such as landscape, portrait, travel, documentary, wildlife, or sports photography, this lens offers the versatility and outstanding optical performance they require. Its wide focal length range, combined with exceptional image quality and rugged build, makes it a reliable choice for professional photographers seeking to capture stunning and impactful images.

2. Enthusiasts and Hobbyists: Whether you’re a photography enthusiast looking to take your skills to the next level or a passionate hobbyist seeking to explore different genres, the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens provides an excellent opportunity to expand your creative possibilities. Its user-friendly design, exceptional quality, and versatile focal length range make it a valuable addition to any photography kit.

3. Travel and Adventure Photographers: If you’re an avid traveler or adventurer who loves to document your experiences, this lens is an invaluable tool. Its lightweight and compact design allow for easy portability, ensuring that you won’t be burdened by heavy equipment during your journeys. The lens’s broad focal length range and robust weather-sealed construction make it a suitable choice for capturing diverse landscapes, cultures, and wildlife in any location.

4. Content Creators: For content creators involved in videography, vlogging, or creating online content, the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens offers excellent performance. Its silent and fast autofocus, combined with the built-in image stabilization, ensures smooth and stable footage. Whether you’re capturing interviews, product reviews, or any other video content, this lens provides exceptional image quality and flexibility.

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Pros and Cons

Pros:

1. Versatile focal length range suitable for various genres of photography.
2. Built-in image stabilization for sharp and blur-free images.
3. Outstanding optical performance resulting in exceptional image quality.
4. Weather-sealed construction for shooting in challenging conditions.
5. Lightweight and compact design for easy portability.
6. Reliable and fast autofocus for capturing decisive moments.
7. Compatible with a wide range of Micro Four Thirds cameras.

Cons:

1. Maximum aperture of F4 may not be ideal for low-light photography.
2. Price may be higher compared to other lenses in the category.
3. 12mm wide end may not provide the widest field of view for some landscape photographers.
4. Zoom range limited compared to dedicated telephoto or wide-angle lenses.

FAQ’s

1. Is this lens compatible with all Micro Four Thirds cameras?

   • Yes, this lens is compatible with all Micro Four Thirds cameras. It is specifically designed for Olympus OM-D and PEN models, as well as Panasonic G-series cameras.

2. Can this lens be used for video recording?

   • Absolutely! The Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens is an excellent choice for video recording. Its silent and fast autofocus, combined with the built-in image stabilization, ensures stable and high-quality footage.

3. Can I use filters with this lens?

   • Yes, this lens has a filter thread size of 72mm, allowing you to attach various filters such as UV filters, polarizers, or neutral density filters.

4. Does this lens have manual focus override?

   • Yes, this lens features a manual focus clutch mechanism, allowing you to quickly switch between autofocus and manual focus modes.

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What Customers Are Saying

Customers who have purchased the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens have overwhelmingly praised its performance and versatility. Here are a few excerpts from their reviews:

• “The image quality of this lens is simply outstanding. It delivers consistently sharp and detailed images throughout the focal range. I’ve used it for landscapes, portraits, and wildlife shots, and it has exceeded my expectations every time.” – Sarah T.

• “The built-in image stabilization is a game-changer. I’m amazed at how sharp my handheld shots are, even at longer focal lengths. It has made my photography sessions much more enjoyable and effortless.” – John L.

• “This lens is my go-to for travel photography. Its focal length range covers all the essential scenarios, and the compact design makes it easy to carry around. The image quality is stunning, and the weather-sealed construction gives me peace of mind.” – Emily S.

• “I’ve been using this lens for my professional assignments, and it has never let me down. The autofocus is fast and accurate, and the image quality is exceptional. The lens feels solid and well-built, giving me confidence even in demanding shooting conditions.” – David H.

Overall, the feedback from customers highlights the exceptional image quality, versatility, and reliable performance of the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens. It has become a favorite choice for photographers seeking top-notch results in various scenarios.

Overall Value

The Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens offers exceptional value for photographers of all skill levels. Its outstanding image quality, versatile focal length range, and robust construction make it an excellent investment that will elevate your photography to new heights.

Consider the wide range of genres this lens can effectively capture, from landscapes and portraits to wildlife and sports photography. Its built-in image stabilization and exceptional optical performance ensure consistently sharp and vibrant images, even in challenging shooting conditions.

Though priced higher than some lenses in its category, the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens delivers exceptional quality, durability, and reliability. It is a tool that will accompany you on countless photography adventures, enabling you to capture stunning and impactful images with confidence.

Investing in the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens is a surefire way to enhance your photography skills and achieve professional-grade results. It is a versatile and exceptional lens that will meet your creative needs and exceed your expectations.

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Tips and Tricks For Best Results

To make the most of your Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens and achieve the best results, consider the following tips and tricks:

1. Experiment with Different Focal Lengths: The lens’s wide focal length range allows for endless creative possibilities. Don’t limit yourself to a single focal length; try different settings and perspectives to capture unique and compelling images.

2. Utilize the Image Stabilization: Take advantage of the built-in image stabilization feature to capture blur-free images, even when shooting handheld. This is particularly useful in low-light conditions or when photographing moving subjects.

3. Explore the Macro Capability: Although not specifically designed as a dedicated macro lens, the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens offers a close focusing distance. Experiment with macro photography by getting close to your subject and capturing intricate details.

4. Pay Attention to Composition: With the lens’s versatile focal length range, pay attention to the composition and framing of your shots. Experiment with different angles, perspectives, and arrangements to create visually engaging photographs.

5. Protect Your Lens: Invest in a high-quality lens filter to protect the front element from scratches, dust, and fingerprints. Additionally, always use the lens hood provided to minimize flare and maximize image contrast.

6. Update Firmware: Keep your camera and lens firmware up to date to ensure optimal performance and compatibility. Check the manufacturer’s website for any available updates.

By following these tips and tricks, you can fully unleash the potential of your Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens and capture captivating images that truly showcase your creativity.

Final Thoughts

Product Summary: The Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens is a top-tier lens designed for Micro Four Thirds cameras. With its versatile focal length range, outstanding image quality, and exceptional build quality, it ticks all the boxes for both professionals and photography enthusiasts. Whether you’re shooting landscapes, portraits, travel, wildlife, or sports, this lens delivers remarkable results and enhances your creative possibilities.

Final Recommendation: If you’re looking to invest in a lens that offers versatility, superb image quality, and exceptional performance, the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens is a highly recommended choice. Its impressive focal length range, advanced optical design, built-in image stabilization, and weather-sealed construction make it a valuable tool for any photography adventure. With the Olympus M. Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4 IS Pro Lens, you can take your photography skills to new heights and capture stunning images that truly reflect your artistic vision.

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