Olympus lens review M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f / 4-5.6

I do not stop talking to their friends novice photographers that the second Olympus lens review in their collection optics must be telephoto. Let it be inexpensive, not too powerful, with a low aperture lens … But this will give the photographer importantly – new stories. And teach thoughtfully and carefully build the frame, cutting off all unnecessary. Today in our test studio is such a lens. This is the most affordable telephoto system Micro 4/3 – Olympus lens review M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f / 4-5.6.

Olympus lens review M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f / 4-5.6

Many fans of expensive optics, accustomed “meet on clothes” can accuse M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm being too “plastic” design. Indeed, the lens barrel is made mostly of plastic parts. Even non-metallic bayonet. But looking ahead, I want to say that the work of the lens body material has no effect. Build quality is impressive: parts fit tightly, no backlash and squeaks, the zoom ring to the best tight. But the weight! Where else have you seen telephoto with a mass of 190 grams?

Olympus lens review construction is simple and concise. No selectors and switches on the case only two rings – zoom and focus. Electronic focus ring without mechanical connection to the lenses. If you talk about Zuma, then there is another interesting feature. At the maximum zooming lens dimensions are more twice – it extends “trunk” with front linzoblokom. But here, nothing to complain about. Any serious backlash, no, under its own weight lens is not too decomposed. Indisputable advantages of the design is necessary to note a non-rotating front lens that allows you to use polarizing filters and gradient. Diameter of the thread for them – a modest 58 mm.

Well, go to the shooting? Focal range of the Olympus lens review is not very wide, zoom ratio is less than 4. But if you think that the zoom ratio determines how the lens “closer” objects, then you are mistaken. Olympus lens review M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm easily allows you to capture distant objects, buildings, animals and birds. It is an indispensable assistant to the photographer in a situation where it is impossible to come closer.

Due to the narrow angle lens disciplines photographer, forcing focus on the details. Around us hundreds and thousands of interesting stories that we pass by every day.

I liked to shoot on Olympus lens review M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm various urban sketches. Like any other tele, he knows how to “compress space”, bringing distant objects and making them comparable in scale to the objects or even middle of the foreground. Of the frame as if squeezed capacity: building begin to cuddle each other, the prospect of going away …

Of course, Olympus lens review M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f / 4-5.6 can not boast high luminosity. Nevertheless, if you shoot an object at a close distance to the maximum zoom and thus open up the aperture limit, you can expect a significant background blur.

Minimum focusing distance is 90 cm. This is enough, for example, to photograph medium-sized flowers. Character blurring is not as perfect as that of high-luminosity fixed-lens: reflections are quite strict and contrasting edge. But “the effect of scale” in the background is almost never formed. Bokeh is more like a watercolor painting with poorly read individual strokes.

You can use Olympus lens review M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f / 4-5.6 and for portraits. But remember that to achieve a blurred background you will have to move away from the model of a dozen steps.

At our test was the first version of this Olympus lens review, without the letter R in the title. Newer, restyled version boasts a slightly higher rate of focus. Speed ​​AF Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f / 4-5.6 left very pleasant experience. To put things into focus, the lens need some kind of a second. Difficulties arise even when shooting animals. Focus is fast, silent and accurate.

Well, what about the optical quality? At telephoto, which in the case of telephoto is the most frequently used, Olympus lens review M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm ensures a sufficiently high for a 16-megapixel detail in the aperture. But in the pictures there is a light soft effect – notably while maximizing halos around contrasting objects. Get rid of them is very simple: it is enough to cover the aperture to f / 8. Thus sharpness increases significantly. Further closure of the diaphragm to the sharpening does not lead – is beginning to affect the diffraction.

Exactly the same situation with short-throw zoom position. On aperture detail is high, but at the edges of contrasting objects present halos – soft effect. When aperturing one step to f / 5,6, the situation has improved, increasing sharpness. Best in the field result can be obtained at f / 8.

Good Olympus lens review keeps the backlight does not catch the highlights, does not lose contrast. With strong aperturing around the single light source in the frame can be formed small rays that can be used as an artistic effect. Pleasantly pleased with the low level of chromatic aberrations, which are almost invisible even in the corners of the frame.

CONCLUSIONS – Olympus lens review

Olympus lens review M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f / 4-5.6 – affordable, but high quality telephoto lens. Being a little softish on aperture, it becomes very sharp at aperturing on stage. In this case, it is almost devoid of one of the major drawbacks telephoto Olympus lens review – chromatic aberrations. AF speed at altitude. A compact size and very light weight can really surprise. They can be forgiven for this model, all including a plastic lens mount.

Pros Olympus lens review:

• small size and weight;


• fast autofocus;


• High sharpness of aperturing on stage;


• the absence of chromatic aberrations.

Cons Olympus lens review:

• all-plastic body;


• light soft effect on the aperture.

Olympus lens review M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f / 4-5.6