Olympus PRO Lenses - The Focal Trinity

There is no shortage of lenses to attach to your Olympus Mirrorless Camera System. I counted around 30 on our website alone and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. That number more than doubles when you add in all the micro four third lenses and the older Olympus four thirds lenses that can be used with the Olympus adapter.

With so many lenses available for the micro four thirds mount Olympus offers an impressive range of lenses. We’re going to look at some of the lenses that you might want to focus on, but first why does it matter?

The glass you put in front of your cameras image sensor may be one of the most important elements (*pun intended) of your photography that can have a huge impact on the type of shots you’re able to capture.

For example, a fixed lens without a zoom may limit your framing options, a lens with a slow aperture might force you to shoot with a higher, grainier ISO setting, and a lens with no weather sealing could make you nervous if the weather starts to turn sour while shooting.

The Olympus 40-150mm telephoto lens mounted on an E-M1 Mark II experiencing a spot of wet weather.

So, what is the perfect lens for your Olympus camera? The one that perfectly complements your shooting style, but at the same time pushes you to explore new creative opportunities?

I would recommend considering a collection of lenses Olympus released named the M Zuiko PRO series. To be more specific, I would recommend three in particular. The 7-14mm F2.8, the 12-40mm F2.8, and the 40-150mm F2.8.

This “trinity” of lenses allow shooters to cover the most commonly used focal lengths to produce a range of shots from wide-angle landscapes and astro-photography to sports, nature photography and everything in between with cutting edge sharpness, and lightning fast autofocus speed.

1.             M.Zuiko Digital ED 7-14mm f/2.8 PRO Focal length: 14-28mm (35mm equivalent)

2.             M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO Focal length: 24-80mm (35mm equivalent)

3.             M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO Focal length: 80-300mm (35mm equivalent)

Let’s look at some of the features these lenses shared and find out why they are important.

Image Quality:
All three PRO lenses are razor sharp, using a combination of ED, EDA, Super ED, Aspherical, DSA, HD and HR elements which is a very complicated way of saying they employ the best lens optics available to produce crisp, super-detailed results. The lenses also use a ZERO (Zuiko Extra-Low Reflection Optical) Coating to reduce ghosting and flaring for clear shots even in back-lit conditions like when you’re shooting golden hour sunset portraits.

Constant F/2.8 Aperture:
The lenses also share a fast f/2.8 constant aperture. This allows you to zoom in and re-frame your shot without any loss of light for both video and stills. The fast f/2.8 aperture also means in low-light you can shoot with faster shutter speeds, without having to increase your ISO. It also lets you creatively blur the background of your shot with a shallow depth of field for a creative separation of subjects within your frame.

Comprehensive Weather Sealing:
Finally, the PRO series features a reliable and robust construction that makes use of a special hermetic weather sealing design to prevent dust and water from entering the camera body. The construction of the PRO lenses also provides freeze-proof protection down to -10°C so you can keep shooting when everyone else puts their gear away.

Olympus M.Zuiko ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO Lens

The 7-14mm f/2.8 PRO lens is a fantastic wide-angle lens for low-light shooting and event photography that allows you to capture more of the scene. The combination of a bright f/2.8 aperture with an impressive zoom range allows you to shoot in dark conditions like wedding receptions or live gigs while still providing you with the flexibility to re-frame your shots.

A gigantic street sign seemingly stating the obvious.

7mm, 1/3 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320, Olympus E-M5 Mark II w/ 7-14mm f/2.8 PRO Lens

Olympus M.Zuiko 12-40mm F2.8 PRO Lens

The 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO lens is an absolute workhorse, with a 35mm equivalent focal range of 24-80mm it’s a new and improved version of the classic 24-70 with a little more reach at the telephoto end. The 12-40mm is a great go-to lens that will excel in almost every shooting situation making it a fantastic lens to have with you at all times.

12mm, 1/250 sec, f/6.3, ISO 100, Olympus E-M5 Mark II w/ 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO Lens
Photographer: Ronald Koster

Olympus M.Zuiko ED 40-150mm F2.8 PRO Lens

The 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO lens is comparable to a 70-200mm full frame lens except it’s 35mm equivalent is 80-300mm, offering an extra 100mm to help you fill the frame with your subjects even from far away. The lens is significantly smaller than DSLR lenses making it easier to carry and much more comfortable to use over long periods. It can also be purchased as a kit with the Olympus 1.4x teleconverter which extends the range to a jaw-dropping 112-420mm.

A puffin somehow manages to look a little sad even with a mouthful of food

150mm, 1/2000, f/4.0, ISO 200, Olympus E-M1 w/ 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO Lens

But wait! There’s more! Olympus’s PRO lens line-up doesn’t stop at the three “Trinity” lenses. There are a range of PRO glass available including. The 12-100mm f/4.0 PRO Lens, 8mm PRO Fisheye f/1.8, 25mm PRO f/1.2, and the 300mm PRO f/4.

The current Olympus M Zuiko PRO Lens Line-up offers high-end performance; they also happen to look quite attractive when placed together on a shiny black surface.

These lenses are designed specifically for professional and aspiring photographers who demand the absolute best performance along with the flexibility to be able to capture a massive range of photographic styles. The Olympus PRO series lenses deliver just that, with a finely tuned balance of quality, portability, and ruggedness that can help take your photography to new heights.

Check out all the Olympus lenses here.

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30 Years of EOS: The Anniversary of an Icon

Often when we think of cameras, our minds unconsciously drift to Canon. For a lot of us, myself included, Canon represents our first experience in the world of photography, whether it was a point-and-shoot camera or your dad’s old camera, it feels like they’ve always been there.

After recently celebrating the 30^th anniversary of the EOS System, it’s no wonder the two thoughts are so closely linked for so many people.

The ultimate collection of Canon cameras and lenses over the years

March 1987 marked the debut of Canon’s legendary EOS system that would change the way we take photos forever. Short for ‘Electro-Optical System’, it describes the full electronic communication between camera and lens, creating autofocus. Eos is also the name of the Greek goddess of dawn which is some interesting and fitting trivia in its own right.

The EOS 650, a 35mm film camera, was the first to sport the EOS branding, redesigned from the ground up to support autofocus EF mount lenses.

It was packed with state of the art technology, like Canon’s high-precision BASIS sensor and a microprocessor. The EF lenses it used supported electronic focusing and aperture control and came equipped with built in AF motors to form an unrivalled focusing system. With the EOS 650 camera at the helm, it was the dawn of a new era.

Canon EOS would continue to evolve and make headway in photography for the next several years. In 1991, the EOS 100 featured a motorised drive belt to wind and rewind film for nearly silent operation. In 1995, Canon released their first Digital SLR; the EOS DCS 3, a 1.3 megapixel giant that makes today’s DSLRs look tiny. 1998 saw the EOS 3 give us the world’s first 45 point AF system which is impressive even still.

A side by side throwback comparison, from past to present.

The real breakthrough came a few years later though, in September 2003 when Canon introduced the EOS 300D, the first of Canon’s cameras to bring digital sensors to the consumer range. The impressive (at the time) 6.3 megapixel 300D was also the first Canon camera to support EF-S lenses, boasting amazing image clarity. 

Featuring a compact body, professional features with user-friendly controls, and a very attractive price point, the 300D earned well-deserved attention worldwide.
Ultimately, it would prove to be an important step not only for the Canon, but for photography in general, finally putting affordable high-quality image capture into the hands of many.

Over the years to come, Canon would continue to push boundaries and raise the bar of what we’ve come to expect from digital SLR cameras. They’ve been around for a long time and a good browsing session through the Canon Camera Museum, my latest addiction, proves that without a doubt.

Well-loved and fondly remembered, the EOS 5D Mark II redefined video making

In 2008, the game changing EOS 5D Mark II came along, ushering in a new standard for professional imaging and video making, even becoming the first digital camera to take an official presidential portrait. With a newly developed 21.1 megapixel sensor, it was also the first full-frame DSLR with a Full HD video recording option. I’m sure we all remember the episode of House that was filmed using the 5D Mark II which, at the time, sounded unbelievable, but went on to reveal yet another side to the Canon we thought we knew.   

Later in 2012, the Cinema EOS System would be introduced in Hollywood, proving once more how versatile DSLRs had become. The Cinema System is now made up of 24 different cameras with an impressive range of 97 EF lenses to choose from, providing a solution for all kinds of media producers.

All of this is only a part of what makes us truly appreciate the things Canon and the EOS system have brought to the photographers and enthusiasts of today.

The 2017 released Canon EOS 77D is the perfect entry level powerhouse.

A great example is the recently released EOS 77D; a perfect gateway to DSLR photography for those who want more than a compact camera, but might be reluctant to take that next step.
This little 24.2 megapixel camera fits nicely in hand and, with its 3 inch flip-out multi-angle touch screen, provides an intuitive experience. The new menu uses visual guides and icons that are easy to understand and navigate, providing a real ‘learn as you go’ vibe. It’s a true blend of the professional quality and features we expect from Canon all wrapped up in a user-friendly package that makes taking photos fun.

Finally, the big gun, with a top of the line 30.4 megapixel sensor, the much anticipated EOS 5D Mark IV has shown once again what Canon has to offer, producing beautifully sharp detail with lighting fast focus and tracking.  The most exciting feature was perhaps the addition of true DCI 4K video recording, expanding on the previous models popularity for video applications. The ability to create ultra-high resolution footage is accompanied by a range of incredible post-production features never before seen in a DSLR camera, making the 5D Mark IV stand out even further.

EOS Cameras through the years.

Looking back over 30 years of EOS, it’s amazing to see the leaps and bounds in technological advancements that have brought Canon into 2017 still going strong. They’re easily one of the most recognisable brands out there, constantly striving to bring us bigger and better things. They remind us that photography is not only fun, but a journey to be shared and remembered.

Since March 1987, EOS has pushed photography forward and brought us all along for the ride.

Resources

http://global.canon/en/c-museum/index.html
http://global.canon/en/news/2017/20170105.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS

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