Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12mm F 2 0 Review | 54 Data compared

in english language, be very specific, mention pros and cons inside You sent: 1 tab and said: 2 paragraphs summary of this review in english language, be very specific, mention pros and cons inside Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 12mm f/2.0 review: Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 12mm f/2.0 - CNET 2 paragraphs summary of this review in english language, be very specific, mention pros and cons inside

The Olympus M.Zuiko 12mm f/2 is a compact, metal-bodied wide-angle prime lens designed for the Micro Four Thirds system, offering a 24mm equivalent focal length. The reviewer notes that the lens delivers excellent sharpness even at its maximum f/2 aperture, with peak performance achieved between f/5.6 and f/8. It features an ingenious manual focus clutch mechanism where pulling back the focus ring automatically switches the camera from auto to manual focus, exposing distance markings in feet and meters. Furthermore, its high-speed Imager AF (MSC) motor provides quiet and efficient autofocus performance during both casual video recording and still photography. Despite the smaller sensor size of the Micro Four Thirds system, the lens produces a surprisingly pleasant bokeh when focusing closely on subjects. On the downside, the lens exhibits noticeable purple fringing, particularly when direct light hits the glass. This issue is compounded by the omission of a lens hood from the retail packaging, requiring users to purchase it separately for extra flare and physical drop protection. Additionally, sharpness begins to decline noticeably when stopped down to its minimum aperture of...

The Olympus 12mm f/2 lens (a 24mm equivalent in 35mm film terms) is a high-specification micro 4/3 prime lens featuring a premium construction of metal and glass. On the positive side, it is a very respectably sharp lens with good performance wide open, achieving highly impressive edge-to-edge sharpness when stopped down to f/4. It also features incredibly fast and quiet Movie/Still Compatible (MSC) autofocus, well-controlled barrel distortion (under one percent), and manageable vignetting that clears up completely by f/2.8. A standout design feature is its pull-back focus ring, which physically shifts to reveal coupled distance and depth-of-field markings for a tactile, old-fashioned manual focus experience. However, the lens suffers from noticeable drawbacks, most notably its vulnerability to flare and loss of contrast from side lighting. This issue is compounded by the fact that Olympus does not include a lens hood in the US$800 box, forcing users to buy a highly overpriced, separate official hood. Optically, there is visible color fringing (chromatic aberration) in the corners, alongside some softness and a larger blur circle at the edges when shooting wide open...

The LensTip review of the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 12 mm f/2.0 ED highlights it as a very solid wide-angle prime lens tailored perfectly for the Micro 4/3 mirrorless system due to its compact and lightweight design. The core pros identified in the evaluation include its robust, high-quality all-metal casing and an exceptional image resolution in the center of the frame, delivering a sharp 60 lpmm even at the maximum f/2.0 aperture. Additionally, it maintains decent corner sharpness, handles lateral chromatic aberrations exceptionally well, performs beautifully against bright light with minimal flare, and boasts a highly efficient, fast, and silent Movie and Still Compatible (MSC) autofocus system. Conversely, the main cons outlined in the final testing metrics involve several optical trade-offs and a lacking retail presentation. The lens exhibits a highly pronounced barrel distortion reaching up to -5.97% in uncorrected RAW files, forcing heavy reliance on camera software to straighten images down to a reasonable -1.17% in JPEGs. LensTip also marks down the unit for a rather high level of coma at the widest f/2.0 setting, noticeable corner vignetting that registers...

The PhotoZone review highlights the Olympus M.Zuiko 12mm f/2 ED as the manufacturer's first professional-grade lens for the Micro-Four-Thirds (MFT) system, bridging a gap in a market previously dominated by budget options. Mechanically, the lens is praised for its beautiful craftmanship, featuring a high-quality metal body, a metal mount, and a constant physical length during focusing operations. It debuts Olympus's innovative "ZERO" coating, which field tests confirm is highly resistant against flare by reducing internal reflections by 50%. Additionally, its Movie-Still-Compatible (MSC) autofocus motor delivers fast and silent AF performance, while the mechanical "snapshot focus" clutch mechanism offers an engaging and tactile manual focusing experience. However, the reviewer points out several notable drawbacks. On the physical side, the premium-priced lens lacks explicit weather sealing, and Olympus bizarrely leaves the square-shaped metal lens hood as a costly optional accessory rather than including it in the box. Optically, the fast f/2 maximum aperture behaves like an f/4 in terms of depth-of-field due to the MFT sensor crop, restricting shallow background blur unless shooting very close to a subject. Furthermore, the underlying engineering...