Olympus Zuiko ED 14 42mm F3 5 5 6 Review | 54 Data compared

The DPReview evaluation of the Olympus Zuiko Digital 14-42mm 1:3.5-5.6 ED highlights the lens as an exceptionally compact, lightweight standard zoom offering high resolution across all focal lengths. It features a non-rotating front element, a manual focus ring, and is considered a talented, budget-friendly all-rounder for Four Thirds DSLRs. While achieving an 81% score, the lens faces limitations including visible chromatic aberration at the telephoto end and slow, variable aperture, according to the review. Additionally, autofocus may struggle in low-light conditions.

The Olympus Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 ED is a compact, lightweight (150g) standard zoom for Micro Four Thirds cameras, offering a 28-84mm equivalent focal length. Evaluated by Photo Review Australia, the lens provides good center sharpness across its range, accurate color reproduction, and a convenient 25cm close-focusing distance. However, the lens is constructed primarily of plastic, including the lens mount, and shows pronounced barrel distortion at 14mm. Other drawbacks include noticeable edge softness when shooting wide open at the telephoto end.

The Olympus 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 ED Zuiko Digital is a lightweight, 190-gram standard kit lens designed for Four Thirds system cameras like the E-410 and E-510, delivering a 35mm equivalent focal length of 28-84mm. A major benefit of this lens is its fast, quiet autofocusing motor, paired with a non-rotating front filter ring and an internal focusing system that keeps the lens from extending during use. Optically, it offers a practical close-focus macro capability of just over 2 inches from the front element and demonstrates well-controlled barrel distortion that caps at 1% at the 14mm wide-angle setting before becoming negligible by 35mm. However, the lens has several notable drawbacks, particularly its extensive use of plastic and a variable maximum aperture that drops from f/3.5 to a restrictive f/5.6 at the telephoto end. This slower aperture causes the autofocus to struggle and hunt continuously in low-light environments. Optically, users will experience half a stop of light loss from corner vignetting at 14mm wide open, alongside visible chromatic aberration in the corners, which becomes most prominent when zoomed to 42mm at f/5.6. While...

The Olympus Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 ED is a budget-friendly standard kit zoom lens designed for Four-Thirds system cameras. Retailing individually for around €200/US$, it provides a 35mm full-frame equivalent focal range of 28-84mm. This ultra-compact, lightweight lens weighs just 190 grams and features an optical construction of 10 elements in 8 groups, which includes two aspherical elements and one ED element. The reviewer notes that while its small size makes it look somewhat "dwarfish" and lacking in heavy substance, the overall build quality remains decent with smooth zoom mechanics and zero wobbling in the inner lens tube. A notable drawback highlighted in the review is the all-plastic body construction, which extends all the way down to the lens mount. Additionally, the focus-by-wire system relies on a conventional micro motor rather than an ultrasonic drive, which makes focusing slightly less effective in contrast AF mode compared to phase detection. On the positive side, the lens benefits from an inner focusing system that prevents the front 58mm filter thread from rotating. It also features a superior, highly usable focus ring compared...

Review Overview The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ is a compact Micro Four Thirds (MFT) pancake zoom lens that serves as an excellent, budget-friendly "walk-about" lens for everyday use. The reviewer notes that this electronic power zoom variant offers a significant upgrade over the standard manual-unlocking kit lens by providing a much smaller profile and a more robust build featuring a metal lens mount. It is highly praised for its mobility, easily slipping into pockets when the camera is powered down, and its fast, silent, and accurate autofocus performance even when paired with older MFT camera bodies. Pros and Cons Cons: A highly modest maximum variable aperture range of f/3.5-5.6; limited background bokeh due to the smaller MFT sensor size unless you get physically very close to your subject; and the practical reality that a separate prime lens is still required to truly maximize the image quality potential of the MFT system.