Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f4 Pro reviews roundup: is it worth the price?
Released in 2016, the Olympus 12-100mm f/4 Pro is an ultra-versatile zoom with constant aperture designed for Micro 4/3 cameras.
It’s suitable for photographs who need a lens for traveling that can do a bit of everything, from landscape to portraits and even close-up photos.
Specs:
- Mount: Micro 4/3
- Full frame eq.: 24-200 mm
- Optical stabilization: Yes
- Weather sealed: Yes
- Weight: 561 grams
- Min. aperture: f/4
- Max. aperture: f/22
- Minimum focus distance: 0.15 m (5.91″)
- Filter size: 72mm
- Extensive zoom range of 24 to 200 millimeter (35 millimeter equivalent)
- 17 elements in 11 groups for outstanding resolution
- In lens image stabilization for 5 Axis Sync IS (with applicable cameras)
What do the critics think of the Olympus 12-100mm f/4 Pro?
Overall, most reviews on the web say that the Olympus 12-100mm f/4 Pro is a very good lens for a wide array of shooting situations. Its 24-200mm equivalent focal length range and constant f/4 aperture make it well-suited for landscapes, portraits and much more.
In low light conditions, it’s not that great, but the general performances and optical quality of this Olympus 12-100mm lens makes it a must-have for micro 4/3 owners who need an all-around camera.
Most reviews like…
- Great zoom range equivalent to 24-200 mm
- Optical stabilization
- Pro build quality
- Sharpness and overall optical quality
- Reasonably good macro capabilities
Most reviews don’t like…
- Some barrel distortion at 12mm
- Bokeh effects are quite limited
- A bit heavy for a Micro 4/3 lens
- Maximum f/4 aperture
For more infos about the positive and negatives sides of the Olympus 12-100mm f/4 Pro, check out the selection of reviews below:
Websites Reviews
Photographyblog.com – ★★★★½ Highly recommended (‘The Olympus M.ZUIKO Digital ED 12-100mm f/4.0 IS Pro is a great choice for those users who want an all-in-one solution to their everyday photography and videography needs, covering a very versatile focal range whilst featuring both a fast f/4 aperture and an amazing image stabilisation system.’)
Thephoblographer.com – 4/5 – (‘There honestly isn’t a single fault or problem I can really talk about with the Olympus 12-100mm f4 Pro that can’t be fixed in post-production. It’s a great walkaround and photojournalism lens. To that end, I recommend it to a lot of photographers.’)
Pcmag.com – 4/5 (‘The Olympus M.Zuiko ED 12-100mm F4.0 IS PRO delivers top-notch optical performance at all but its widest angle, making it one of the best long zoom lenses we’ve tested.’)
Photoreview.com.au – 9/10 (‘As a travellers’ lens, the 12-100mm f/4.0 IS PRO is hard to beat and its constant f/4 maximum aperture works well for photographers who want a ‘go anywhere’ lens for general photography. It’s fast enough to be used for street shots in most light levels yes wide enough to provide nice bokeh at longer focal lengths.’)
Digitaltrends.com – 8/10 – (‘While it is versatile, there are certainly brighter options than an f/4 for photographers working with low light or trying to really get that background separation.’)
Amazon users reviews
- Extensive zoom range of 24 to 200 millimeter (35 millimeter equivalent)
- 17 elements in 11 groups for outstanding resolution
- In lens image stabilization for 5 Axis Sync IS (with applicable cameras)