If you hadn’t heard, Olympus is now called OM System, but one thing that has changed is the excellent prime lenses that have helped develop the Micro Four-Thirds system and now the latest impressive optic to launch is the M.Zuiko Digital ED 20mm F1.4 PRO.
Thanks to the 2x crop factor found on Micro Four-Thirds camera such the the OM System E-M1 Mark III or Panasonic’s MFT bodies like the GH5, the effective focal length of this lens is actually 40mm, which makes it extremely versatile and suitable for a wide range of photo genres, including landscape and street photography, along with wedding work and portraiture.
Featuring an ‘11 elements in 10 groups’ design, the M.Zuiko Digital ED 20mm F1.4 PRO puts image quality front and centre thanks to Super ED, ED, Super HR and aspherical lenses to deliver sharp detail from the centre to the edges of the frame. OM System’s ZERO coating on the front element is present to suppress flare and this makes the lens suitable for using with the E-M1 Mark IIII’s High Res shot mode, which can generate huge files suitable for printing at large sizes.
Despite all the fast glass, as you’d expect from a product from OM System, the 20mm F1.4 PRO is still lightweight, tipping the scales at just 247g, which makes it suitable for photographers looking to travel light. In fact, when paired with the OM-D E-M5 Mark III, the combo weighs in at just 661 grams – that’s lighter than most 50mm optic by themselves let alone paired with a camera body.
Taking its place in the brand’s PRO series of lenses, the 20mm F1.4 features a dustproof, and splashproof construction – in fact, the lens is also freezeproof and can be used in temperature down to -10°C. With IPX1 equivalent sealing throughout the construction, the lens also benefits from Fluorine coating that allows for water droplets to roll off and for dirt to be cleaned off easily.
The fast maximum aperture of f/1.4 means that not only will it be able to capture shallow depths of field and create pleasing bokeh, but it will also be easier to keep shutter speeds fast, reducing the risk of camera shake in low light conditions. This risk is further reduced when using the lens with a camera like the E-M2 Mark III that offers IBIS (In Body Image Stabilisation).
Other features include a close minimum focusing distance of just 25cm, enabling users to get up close to smaller subjects and the fast, quiet autofocus system will also make this lens a great choice to use when capturing video footage, too. The M.Zuiko Digital ED 20mm F1.4 PRO lens is expected to be available from the end of November with a price-tag of £649/$799.