Olympus announced the ultimate compact, lightweight, high-resolution M.Zuiko Pro lens, a 12-45mm or 24-90 35mm equivalent which is a nice fit for the new Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III.

It’s, according to Olympus, the world’s most compact, lightweight medium range zoom PRO lens with a fixed aperture value covering a focal length from wide angle 24mm to telephoto 90mm (35mm equivalent). It’s not easy, these days, to create a category for a new “world’s first” or “world’s most”, but here it is, based, no doubt, on the numbers published by Olympus: the lens has a size of 63.4 mm./2.5 in. (max. diameter) x 70 mm/2.76 in. (overall length), and a weight of approximately 254 g/8.96 oz., which seem to give it the right to hold the title.

Built around nearly 190 precision machined components all mounted in a dense configuration, this small and lightweight lens delivers, says Olympus, high-speed, precise autofocus for capturing any subject. The M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-45mm F4.0 joins the M.Zuiko PRO category of lenses, possessing dustproof, splashproof and freezeproof (-10°C) performance that delivers excellent image quality and peace of mind even when shooting in the most severe environments.

Video, macro and focus stacking

This lens delivers, also according to Olympus, superb resolution to the edge of the frame across the entire zoom range, making the most of the appealing aspects of the Micro Four Thirds System standard. It features supreme macro capabilities with a maximum magnification of 0.5x (35mm equivalent) across the entire zoom range, making it an anytime, anywhere, all-around lens.

Effective placement of aspherical lenses and ZERO (Zuiko Extra-low Reflection Optical) Coating provide clear depictive performance, drastically reduce aberrations, ghosts, and flare for sharp, high-definition image quality. Suppressing loss of light at the edges of images makes it possible to obtain bright, clear depictive performance up to the very edges. Because the aperture value is fixed across the entire focal length, it is easy to control the exposure when zooming and when recording video.

Enjoy macro shooting with a maximum magnification of 0.5x (35mm equivalent) across the entire zoom range. The closest focusing distance is 12 cm at the wide-angle end, and 23 cm at the telephoto end, delivering a wide range of macro shooting effects, including wide-angle macro shots that emphasize a sense of perspective by capturing vast backgrounds, and telephoto macro shots for more significant background defocusing effects. Diverse macro effects are possible, such as Focus Stacking , which generates a single image on the camera with a large depth-of-field in focus from the foreground to the background.

A nice pair

Pair the new M.Zuiko 12-45mm F4.0 PRO lens with the recently announced Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III to create the ultimate travel combination. As Olympus’ smallest weathersealed combination to date, at just 670 g/23.6 oz., you are able to travel with ease and shoot on-the-go, no matter the environment. Enjoy a bright constant aperture of F4.0, along with a myriad of pro features brought to you in the OM-D E-M5 Mark III. Or you can pair it with the newly announced Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III.

The Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 12-45mm F4.0 PRO lens (black) comes bundled with the LH-61G lens hood, specifically designed to protect the lens and reduce unwanted light entering the lens in backlit situations. The lens will be available April 7, 2020. The lens will have a suggested retail price of $649.99 USD and $849.99 CAD.