Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R : Specifications and Opinions

Reviews

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The following opinions have been automatically translated with Google Translate.

Eliapr

sent on 19 Marzo 2025

Pros: compactness, lightness, AF

Cons: Everything else

Opinion: I have been using this lens on my Olympus om-d E-m10II for as long as I can remember. In addition to having had problems already reported by other users (it freezes over 24mm reporting error) the lens is really poor and does not allow you to take advantage of the camera, which I love. If you shoot a landscape for example, the leaves of the trees are never sharp and sometimes a total "confusion" comes out, even when you close the aperture. The photo it returns has nothing "natural", starting from the sharpness that seems almost artificial, up to the colors. I have a small adapter for m-42 lenses and with an old cheap Takumar in my opinion the image quality is superior. It's a good lens to start with, but it seems to me an exaggerated brake on the camera's potential

Dank97

sent on 24 Maggio 2023

Pros: weight, price (used), dimensions, photo quality (compared to price)

Cons: none considering it's a kit lens

Opinion: Great lens to start with or for those who know what they are buying and want a very light lens. From its maximum closing to f7 or f8 Clearly it is not perfect in terms of image quality in difficult conditions, but it is surprisingly good compared to its conception. Beware, however, that if you are looking for an optics capable of creating bokeh this is the wrong lens. Remember that the bokeh of this lens corresponds to f 7 (to f3.5 then to full aperture) and to f 11 (to f5.6 as soon as you zoom in). Lens suitable for photographic genres or photographic tastes where you do not look for bokeh.

Carlo Alfonso

sent on 17 Ottobre 2022

Pros: Lightweight, relatively compact, economical (species used), good general yield at intermediate diaphragms.

Cons: Unstabilized, relatively dark, hood to be purchased separately, AC and flare backlit

Opinion: All-rounder optics of higher quality than expectations for a kit lens, especially when used between f. 8 and f. 11. Light and space-saving, it has the defect of not being stabilized and not having the hood supplied and this involves, in certain light conditions, chromatic aberration and flare. I replaced it with 14-150 f.4-5.6, which, with the same yield, brightness and operation, has the advantage of covering a greater range of long focal lengths. Honest goal, ultimately, with regard to the quality / price ratio, but that did not excite me as Paolowsky84, who reviewed before me. He even claims to have "printed professional-level photos with great satisfaction of customers who did not believe in a similar result seeing me photographed with a small small camera" but he has not published any photos taken with this lens, indeed, at the time of writing, he has not published any on this site.

Paolowsky84

sent on 17 Ottobre 2022

Pros: Compact, lightweight (looks empty), surprising optical rendering considering that it is a kit lens and cheap

Cons: I honestly found no noteworthy flaws based on my use. I can say that it is a bit dark as a lens but it is normal given the compactness.

Opinion: Like any kit lens I had in mind to get rid of it as soon as I found an offer for a better lens. Instead he accompanied me for a year together with the Olympus Em10 MkII giving me unexpectedly good results. Very compact (not like the pancake) and very light allowed me to use the Olympus as if it were a pocket compact. If you only have this lens, squeeze it well before moving on to something else, it is absolutely not a simple Kit lens like the famous 18-55 of the big brands that are quite painful. I printed professional-level photos with great satisfaction of customers who did not believe in such a result seeing me photographed with a small camera hahahaha

Adriano G

sent on 13 Giugno 2021

Pros: Value for money

Cons: Not tropicalized

Opinion: Light, comfortable, well built and of amazing quality that you don't expect from a lens of this price range. The only lens I used with manual focus, which allowed me to shoot in hyperfocal at a speed almost equal to the shot in autofocus, this thanks to the lightness and size. Sharpness more than enough, almost pro (it is not the kit model of 129 euros), indeed I would say that it is a pro series, at a very low price because of the materials, which although economical, are of excellent quality. A good all do 28-84mm equivalent, which loves to make street. Equipped with a silent motor, therefore excellent lens also for shooting video, but that give the maximum to autofocus disabled. About 300 euros well spent, which make you regret the pro series only for materials, but in its favor it has the prerogative to be light as a feather, and even if it is not tropicalized, it is not afraid of light rain.

Augustocampo

sent on 22 Aprile 2018

Pros: Very good quality, lightweight

Cons: None

Opinion: Used in the Xianoyi YI M1 (Sony sensor), compared the Lumix 14-45 mm and Xianoyi 12-40, it is in my opinion the winner while not underestimating the other two goals. The only drawback, if you can say, the lock key. Excellent quality and very light. In conjunction with the 40-150 is the ideal Kit. Bought second hand in about â‚¬100.

Enzo Piccione

sent on 19 Gennaio 2018

Pros: Quite small and optically good for its category

Cons: Bad engineering! After a short time, the flat focus cables and the diaphragm opening are damaged.

Opinion: I have two and in both I have encountered the same problem. Extending the focal length over 24 mm signals an error. The machine must be switched off to reuse it only from 14 to 24 mm. The repair would cost a drain. Why does not the Olympus recall all the objectives for a free revision, since the drawback is evident, that is the bad quality of the internal flat cables?

Simone O.

sent on 20 Ottobre 2017

Pros: Small, lightweight, lightning-fast AF, very sharp (but only in favorable light conditions!)

Cons: Poor image quality (especially in challenging light scenes). It is uncomfortable that it is "retractable" (it must be extended with the same zoom movement as it is possible to shoot): if it is left unattended, it will risk losing the moment!

Opinion: A goal of absolutely basic level, as soon as you gain more confidence with photography and the quality of an image, my advice is: libertevene.rnrnIn "standard" light conditions (open on sunny and sunny day, in the interior) it defends itself as image quality, but as it snaps into a bit more difficult (backlight, light, fog) it clearly shows that it is a entry-level goal. The main defects that I have encountered (during an evening out and a foggy evening in Milan) are the apparent presence of the diffraction effects already at f5.6 and / or an astigmatism that makes little or even double contours; the overall result is that the image is covered by a strange "patina" that significantly diminishes its clarity and beauty. rnrn I will only recommend it to those who have little budget and if you absolutely do not want to give up zooming.rn same price, much better for example the Sigma 19mm f2.8 Art (which I have also reviewed): it is worth sacrifice the focal length and AF speed (19mm has good but not lightning) to the benefit of better image quality and better of greater brightness (1 stop more at 19mm than 14-42). Fixed focal length also forces you to train the direction of the frame and perspective, so imagine before shooting, and recognizing interesting scenes. With 150 € or little more it will be coupled with the excellent M.Zuiko 45mm f1.8 (which lies abyss over the other two). If you have more budget turn to 12-40mm PRO which is exceptional (see my review).

Antonio Ibraimovic

sent on 27 Maggio 2017

Pros: Picccolo, great solution, fine optics very fine edges like the center.

Cons: It is so delicious that I can not find it

Opinion: Taken recently for 80 € with the OM D EM5, by NOCT, and I'm happy with the choice, they go with the Nikon, and I completely abandon the Fuji system, too digital monster for me, here the format is smaller than the Apsc , But I find more picture quality, beautiful and balanced colors, every shot I find beautiful and eye-catching, then the Olympus optics are small and surgical, of an exhilarating beauty, and above all at the right price and not exotic, unlike Fuji, optics with prices down to their level of quality, which I always found to be low average (they worked better on vintage optics) ... sorry we wasted money. Olympus 14-42 excellent and balanced, I joined him 40-150 and 45 1.8.

Luizzo95

sent on 07 Febbraio 2017

Pros: Manual zoom and not electric like pancakes brother, relatively small size, optical quality

Cons: mainly in plastic frames, lens hood is not really worthy of the name

Opinion: Obviously, it's a lens kit, the one with which it starts to get the first pictures ... But, despite this, was able to make it a lot and it was (so far) my most used optical. The fact that the focal length is controlled manually and not electrically (such as pancakes) is an advantage, since the mechanism should be RELATIVELY less delicate. Obviously the size is larger than the EZ, but not if they miss ... shame about the lack of a good lens hood. What there is it does not protect very light and does not offer protection against bumps on the lens. For the rest, worth the price. very high optical quality.

Carcat

sent on 19 Aprile 2015

Pros: risolvenza and optical quality

Cons: plasticky and bulkier brother pancakes

Opinion: To be a kit lens, I must say that solves very well and, in my opinion, better than the brother EZ pancakes (which I compared the field). Apparently is a bit 'plasticky. The optical quality is very high, not being an objective pro. Being a collapsible lens, once opened is quite long (from 5 to 7 cm.) But in practical terms does not bother much.