The Olympus ZUIKO Digital ED 50-200mm F2.8-3.5 SWD is a high performance

This 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 SWD lens from Olympus covers a range equivalent to 100-400mm on a 35mm camera and costs around ￡1000. Besides having a relatively bright maximum aperture, it also has a silent SWD focusing motor.

Gary Wolstenholme tests the Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 50-200mm lens which features a relatively bright maximum aperture and also has a silent SWD focusing motor.

Very good to excellent resolution; Negligible levels of chromatic aberration; Fast focusing; Excellent weather resistant build; Close focusing; Low distortion

A petal shaped hood may give better protection against flare

The Olympus Zuiko Digital 50-200mm f/2.8-3.5 ED SWD is an excellent telephoto zoom lens for the Four Thirds system. At first sight, it may look bulky and heavy, but when you remind yourself that it covers an angle-of-view range similar to that of a 100-400mm lens on a 35mm camera, you immediately...

This lens is a gem and I use it quite often for sporting events, nature, wildlife, macros, and portraits. The 50-200mm is a perfect match with the 12-60mm and together they cover 95% of the shooting that I do.

Super sharp resolution and tack sharp focusing; Excellent DOF with wide open appetures; Extremely fast and quiet focusing; Water and dust resistant

A little heavy and the lens hood is enormous; but using a monopod seems to help take the load off

This is my second 50-200mm. The first didn't fare too well with a 130+ foot drop off a rock face ( I said more than oops). I had to have another. The old 50-200mm had become my go-to lens and usually stayed right on the body of my E-3. (Get one and see if you don't do the same.

Left the Olympus camp for Nikon - do however loved this lens and the 12-60. Got it for a cheap price. Tried the SWD version. Preferred this one based on the price. Technically it's even a bit faster on some of the focal lengths (due to the SWD engine in the newer version they had to give in a small...

Monster that takes tack sharp pictures

It's a bit heavy

This lens is amazing. Very clear photos and with it having a F stop of 2.8 I can take photos with no flash at dusk and you get a perfect picture! I do need to say it is somewhat heavy so I use my Tripod. I don't get any shakiness with it.

this is an excellent lens. i use it on an olympus e-510 and am very happy with the results. i got my e-510 with the 2 kit lenses and was satisfied with the results these lenses provided me.

fast focus - accurate color reproduction

it can get a bit heavy after shooting for awhile

I owned an Olympus 18-180mm f3.5 Zuiko Digital Ultra Zoom Lens and was not happy with it because of the slow focus along with the non-sharpness in the picture. After I upgraded to this 50-200mm SWD lens, it was like night and day.

Consistent Output; Durable; Easily Interchangeable; Quick Focus; Sharp Focus; Strong Construction

Heavy