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Olympus 12mm f2.0 lens photos and image samples

We take a trip through the park with Olympus' first high-end Micro Four Thirds lens.

Lori Grunin
I've been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I'm currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I've also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats.
Lori Grunin
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1 of 7 Sarah Tew/CNET

The shiny

The Olympus 12mm f2.0 (24mm equivalent) lens is the company's first high-end Micro Four Thirds lens.
34843898_LENS2.JPG
2 of 7 Sarah Tew/CNET

Street savvy

The lens is designed with street shooting in mind; when you pull down the focus ring, you can set it to a distance-based fixed focus. It provides a handy depth-of-field reference as well.
34843848_SIC7_540-12mm_1.jpg
3 of 7 Lori Grunin/CNET

Aberration

There was a little more aberration than I expected.

(1/125 sec, f4, ISO 200, center-weighted metering, AWB, default JPEG settings, E-P3)
34843848_SIC6_540-12mm_1.jpg
4 of 7 Lori Grunin/CNET

Sharpness

The lens is sharp, though in this case somewhat exaggeratedly so because of the E-P3's sharpness settings.

(1/125 sec, f4, ISO 200, center-weighted metering, AWB, default JPEG settings, E-P3)
34843848_SIC2_540-12mm_1.jpg
5 of 7 Lori Grunin/CNET

Distortion

The lens exhibits surprisingly little distortion, though it's possible the E-P3 is performing in-camera distortion control (I don't think so).

(1/30 sec, f11, ISO 200, spot metering, AWB, default JPEG settings, E-P3)
34843848_SIC11_540-12mm.jpg
6 of 7 Lori Grunin/CNET

Just another sample

(1/50 sec, f2.2, ISO 250, ESP metering, AWB, default JPEG settings, E-P3)
34843848_SIC8_540_1.jpg
7 of 7 Lori Grunin/CNET

Bokeh

The seven-blade aperture in the lens produces very nice out-of-focus highlights.

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