Olympus Zuiko Digital 12-60mm f/2.8-4
Review Date : Thu, 16 Oct 2008
Author : Jon Tarrant
Boasting a 5x zoom range and an f/2.8 maximum aperture the 12-60mm zoom looks impressive with its extra-low dispersion (ED) glass and responsive, fast-focusing Sonic-Wave Drive......
| Pros: | Lovely feel, useful 5x zoom range, great image quality |
|---|---|
| Cons: | Low CA does not always mean high resolution |
Boasting a 5x zoom range and an f/2.8 maximum aperture the 12-60mm zoom looks impressive with its extra-low dispersion (ED) glass and responsive, fast-focusing Sonic-Wave Drive (SWD) motor. Housed in a weatherproofed case the 12-60mm also feels well built, with rubberised grips covering the zoom (closest to the camera) and manual focus (front of the lens) rings. Lens movement is a simple push-pull effect, which results in the overall length extending from 98mm in wideangle mode to 145mm at the 60mm setting. At the same time the maximum aperture drops from f/2.8 to f/4.
Interestingly, the closest focusing range (marked as 0.25m) is the same when the lens is racked to either of its extreme focal lengths, giving a true macro viewfinder experience at the maximum focal length. In terms of resolution, the 12-60mm displays an inevitable compromise but is very impressive nonetheless. Wide-open use is not recommended regardless of the focal length: it’s not so much poor as simply inferior to what is achieved at other apertures. The 12-60mm’s f/2.8 maximum aperture is lost as soon as the zoom ring is moved away from the widest-angle setting.
It’s worth noting that the 12-60mm’s use of ED glass minimises chromatic aberrations, though this does not mean that resolution is increased: rather, it means only that the transition across a sharp edge has a small grey blurred region rather than coloured fringes.
Image Quality
Maximum aperture is not recommended at any focal length as the resolution produced, while not being bad in absolute terms, is significantly inferior to that which is recorded when the lens is stopped down.
Verdict
Overall, this lens is not quite as consistent as the 14-54mm zoom, but does offers more of an extended zoom range. The 14-54mm is probably the better lens but the 12-60mm is more versatile.
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Latest comments
December 15 21:06
Brian, Texas, USA
This review seems so at odds with every other review of this lens that i have to question the validity of your data, none of which is shared, or an issue with the sample tested.
February 12 16:47
Rob
I'd second that comment and add that it doesn't tally with my experience. You seem to have tried to damn the lens with faint praise where in fact it's stellar across the board. Sure it's even better stopped down but it's excellent wide open, which is how I almost always used mine.