Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 R Review
The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 R ($199.99 direct)($199.00 at Amazon) is one of the less expensive lenses you can attach to your Micro Four Thirds camera. It's designed to complement the entry-level M.Zuiko 14-42mm zoom that ships with Olympus PEN bodies like the E-PL5($199.00 at Amazon). It gives you the telephoto reach that the standard kit zoom can't manage, covering an 80-300mm field of view in terms of traditional 35mm photography. It doesn't have an ambitious aperture, and it's not as sharp from edge to edge as more expensive lenses, but it performs well in good light, bringing distant objects into clear view.
The lens is light and compact when you consider its focal range. It measures 3.3 by 2.5 inches (HD), weighs just 6.7 ounces, and supports 58mm filters. The front element doesn't rotate when zooming or focusing, so using a polarizing filter is not an issue, but the lens does double in height when zoomed to the 150mm position. The barrel is plastic, wit...
The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 R is a solid budget option for Micro Four Thirds shooters looking for an affordable telephoto zoom lens.
Inexpensive; Good telephoto zoom range; Sharp through most of its zoom range
Plastic lens mount; Performance suffers at the edges of the frame; Not optically stabilized; Modest aperture