Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 9-18 mm F4.0-5.6 Lens, Wide Angle Zoom, Suitable for All MFT Cameras (Olympus OM-D & PEN Models, Panasonic G-Series), Black

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But on the other hand, it doesn't flare excessively, it's small and light, and it handles wonderfully. Other than that it would be hard to debate any of the merits between both lenses since all we know about the PL9 are the leaked specs.

Olympus 9-18, Good or bad? - Digital Photography Review Olympus 9-18, Good or bad? - Digital Photography Review

We've selected a group of cameras that are easy to keep with you, and that can adapt to take photos wherever and whenever something memorable happens. Thanks to in-camera JPEG correction, distortions are kept to a bare minimum, making it a great choice for architectural photographers. The resolution of the 9-18mm falls off a little more toward the extreme edges and corners, but even there it’s a very strong performer. This is one of the manufacturer's oldest Micro Four Thirds lenses, but still one of the most desirable. There are situations where an extreme angle-of-view such as this is beneficial, but in other situations, even the 18mm setting won’t get you close enough.At the 9mm end of the zoom range, the lens has a diagonal angle of view of 100°, equivalent to that of a 18mm lens in a 35mm system.

Olympus Zuiko 9-18mm f/4-5.6 ED Interchangeable Lens Review

As for those who already own the Olympus lens, I’d only recommend upgrading if you feel you can clearly benefit from one or more of the Leica’s extra features, such as the 2. On the one hand it is extremely versatile thanks to its 18-36mm equivalent focal length range, and its small size and low weight make it extremely portable. Getting a pleasant bokeh out of a wide angle zoom is anything but a walk in the park, especially when the lens in question lacks a fast constant aperture, but it is possible to achieve some interesting results by taking advantage of the closest focus distance and finding a nice background. Practical things like flare resistance or even weather sealing can be just as valuable as a little extra sharpness. The prime can obviously open up the opportunity for stuff like wide field astro, but the zoom is far more versatile when you're just out and about looking for an angle that might work at the wide end.The 9-18mm was one of the first lenses that Olympus equipped with their ‘Movie and Still Compatible’ (short: MSC) autofocus, which is designed to be fast, silent, and accurate. And the image quality of the pictures you’ll make with the Olympus 9-18 mm, beats many much more expensive lenses, including many lenses with fixed focal length. The key to keeping flare to a minimum is to avoid strong sources of light whenever possible and to use a lens hood if one is available. This compact, lightweight ultra-wideangle zoom is aimed at the more budget-conscious Four Thirds user, belonging as it does to the company's 'Standard' line of lenses.

Just posted! Olympus 9-18mm lens review Just posted! Olympus 9-18mm lens review

This lens is so new that we're still carrying out our lab tests, but right from the moment you pick it up you can feel the Olympus Pro lens quality in its design and operation – and we don't expect its optical quality to disappoint, either. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Compared to users of other mirrorless systems, Micro Four Thirds shooters are spoiled for choice when it comes to lenses.

Olympus 8–25 after the dust has settled: Micro Four Thirds Olympus 8–25 after the dust has settled: Micro Four Thirds

If you include the sun - or any other strong light source - in the frame, you will likely see a number of ghosts as well as a bit of veiling. I'm not a perfectionist, but the results from the 9-18 were unacceptable to me mainly due to the edge softness. The Olympus, on the other hand, remains the logical choice for beginners and enthusiasts who don’t necessarily require an extremely robust product or the very best optical quality for their photographic needs. Pro is a remarkable wide zoom lens with a minimum focal length of just 7mm, delivering an astonishing 114-degree viewing angle, similar to using a 14mm lens on full-frame cameras.

OM System reckons it has cracked it with this impressive 16x optic, covering everything in between a wide 12mm (24mm equivalent) perspective to a telephoto 200mm (400mm equivalent).