Olympus 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System
The Olympus 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens is an ultra-slim "pancake-style" standard focal length lens that only weighs and astonishing 3.35 oz (95g). This compactness is accomplished by incorporating a special double-sided aspherical lens element. It is compatible with any digital SLR camera that uses the Four Thirds System (e.g. Olympus, Panasonic), but is designed to perfectly complement the E-410 and E-420 camera bodies in size and weight. Combined with these models, a coat-pocketable SLR camera is now a reality.
This lens provides a focal length equivalent to 50mm in 35mm format. This view is ideal because of the natural-looking "human-eye" perspective, and can be used for a wide range of portraiture, landscape, reportage, street photography and candid snapshot applications.
- Multi-coating ensures that flare and ghosting are kept well controlled.
- 7-bladed aperture diaphragm ensures pleasing rendition of out-of-focus highlights.
Go To
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Focal Length |
25 mm Comparable Four Thirds and Micro 4/3 Focal Length: 50 mm |
| Aperture |
Maximum: f/2.8 Minimum: f/22 |
| Camera Mount Type | Four Thirds |
| Format Compatibility | Four Thirds |
| Angle of View | 47° |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 7.87" (20 cm) |
| Magnification | 0.19x |
| Maximum Reproduction Ratio | 1:5.26 |
| Groups/Elements | 4/5 |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 |
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Image Stabilization | No |
| Autofocus | Yes |
| Tripod Collar | No |
| Physical | |
|---|---|
| Filter Thread | 43 mm |
| Dimensions (DxL) | Approx. 0.93 x 2.52" (2.36 x 6.40 cm) |
| Weight | 3.35 oz (95 g) |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 39 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
92%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Lightweight (32)
- Fast / accurate auto-focus (23)
- Consistent output (19)
- Easily interchangeable (17)
- Durable (12)
Cons
- Lens cap (3)
- Poor in low light (3)
- Tough to attach (3)
Best Uses
- General purpose (12)
- Landscape/scenery (11)
- Portraits (7)
- Low light (6)
- Macro photography (5)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Photo enthusiast (11), Casual photographer (8), Enthusiast (8), Semi-pro photographer (6), Semi-professional (5)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (19)
Most Liked Positive Review
Light and portable
Complaining about the lens cap will be common to all reviews. It is a metal screw-on disc, that is hard to work unless the camera is facing up. Order a 43mm pinch lens caps...Read complete review
Complaining about the lens cap will be common to all reviews. It is a metal screw-on disc, that is hard to work unless the camera is facing up. Order a 43mm pinch lens caps when you order, along with a protective haze filter. Don't plan on a thick filter, such as a polarizing filter or a stack of filters, because you will cut off the corners of the image. Even though this is a standard quality Zuiko (expensive but not REALLY expensive) it has a metal (not plastic) connector linking it to the camera body. If you have lived your entire photographic life with a zoom lens, you may not like a prime. You do your framing by zooming your feet back and forth from the subject--or move the subject. Be careful at the rim of the Grand Canyon.
This lens is thin and light. It won't zoom, of course, but if you have 8 or 10 megapixels, you can crop and still leave respectable resolution. It's great for when your evolt series Olympus DSLR has to serve tourist duty or for holidays with the family. Auto focusing in low light is accurate and, although this is not really a macro, my rose pictures are quite presentable as are those of people.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Small Size Is The Key Feature
The small size and light weight of this lens are the only reasons to consider buying this lens. Optically, it's not the excellent lens that previous reviews would lead you to believe. Quite the...Read complete review
The small size and light weight of this lens are the only reasons to consider buying this lens. Optically, it's not the excellent lens that previous reviews would lead you to believe. Quite the contrary. Chromatic aberration (CA) is the biggest problem you'll find. Not only will you see CA at the edges of the frame but even towards the edges of the inner third of the frame. Sharpness and contrast are characteristically so-so, typical for lenses in this price bracket.
As others have already noted, the screw-on lens cap is really an unnecessary annoyance.
But if you really need a "pancake" style lens for your Oly this is about the only choice.
Reviewed by 39 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-20
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Pros
- Durable
- Lightweight
Cons
- Slow Focus
- Tough To Attach
Best Uses
- Portrait
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
I like the compact design of this lens. It's not the best in low light but certainly not the worse. One thing I'm not a fan of is the screw on front lens cover. But overall its a decent lens. I'm not excited about it but definitely not unhappy about it.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
Great addition to my Olympus camera. Great price, and fast shipping as well!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Landscape/Scenery
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
I'm most thrilled that with this lens on the camera, that I don't draw too much attention to myself and the camera, as I did with my 14-54 plus lens hood on. I find using a normal focal length lens very versatile and now have this as my walkaround lens. Of course, it would have been nice if Olympus made a f2.0, but hey, you get what you pay for, and I think this lens is overall a great value.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Weddings/Events
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
I got this for my e420, i was ready to get rid of this camera prior to owning this great lens, im glad i got it, takes great pictures, sharp, small and fast!
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
Cons
- Poor in Low Light
Best Uses
- Indoorsgood light
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
- Weddings/Events
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
A valuable lense to have in one's arsenal being a photography enthusiast. It is great for low to medium range shots, including portraits of objects and people where telefoto, wide-angles and zooms are not essential, saving their adjustments and time to change. It is also light and flat making the camera-lense unit a little more maneuverable. Some say it absorbs a little too much light.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
- Size
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
love the size it's really small and lightweight, nice construction, metal mount, good IQ better than kit lens. the only reason why i ranked it 1 star short is because in low light situations f2.8 comes a little short for me as i dont want to bump ISO more than 1600, but again for the price of 200+ this lens cant be beat.
best feature is the size of the lens, 25mm reach is practical everywhere any shooting type and 2.8 would give you nice enough bokeh and fast enough shutter speed in most situations.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Small
Cons
- Screw-in lens cap
Best Uses
- Point and shoot
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
I mount this lens on a Olympus E620 and a Leica Digilux-3 when I want to travel light. The lens weighs 114 grams compared to the Leica f1.4 Summilux's 526 grams, and is a mere 20 mm long compared to the Summilux's 73 mm. Of course it is only a quarter as fast, but when f2.8 is fast enough I will use this lens. With this little lens, the Digilux-3 will fit into a large pocket. While I haven't done a rigorous focus and distortion comparison, there are no noticeable differences from the Summilux's performance. The lack of an aperture ring is not a big bother since this lens is used mainly in automatic mode. The major negative is the screw-in lens cap - it's such an annoyance to use that I just trust a haze filter to protect the lens, and leave the cap at home.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
Cons
- Poor in Low Light
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
- Weddings/Events
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
I purchased this lens in preparation for our newborn, I wanted a lens that wouldn't require the use of a flash indoors. It did not deliver. I was able to take close up pics outside and blur the background, but keeping the lens wasn't worth this feature. It is a very slim lens, the metal cover is weird and could probably get easily lost. The pictures were clear and the camera didn't really hunt while focusing, but I wanted the f/2.8 to be bright enough for me. It wasn't. I guess the more expensive Sigma is my only bet, but its about double the cost.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easily Interchangeable
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
It's an excellent piece to have. Makes picking up the camera easy and friendly. Only thing is you should buy the little plastic clip lens cover because the screw on metal that comes with the lens is cumbersome.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Landscape/Scenery
- Macro Photography
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
Fabulous in every way. By design. By performance. And most of all, performance in optics, other than adjustments, fit and finish. "Great job Olympus!"
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Lightweight
Cons
- Tough To Attach
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
While the lens is certainly light and useful for toting around, it's hard to mount, not easy to uncover (lens cover screws on) and the bokeh effect wasn't nearly what I had hoped. It does take great pictures but I would recommend it only if you were using it on a second camera.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Lightweight
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
Excellent companion to E-4xx/5xx/6xx bodies. Very good quality for the price. Optically better then expected.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Night Photography
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
Very compact, surprised at how small it is. The lens is very quick for being a 2.8 and seems to focus quickly as well. It's a nice lens to just attach and go for a quick walk around and the image quality seems to be almost as good as the High Grade lenses.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Lightweight
Cons
- Tough To Attach
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Landscape/Scenery
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
This is one of the cheapest ZD lenses you can buy (probably tied with the 35mm macro, which is also an excellent value!) It's TINY, and feels very well built, and the image quality is very good.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Great value
- Lightweight
- Nice Bokeh
Cons
- A bit slow in low light
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Weddings/Events
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
For the money a bright and amazingly lightweight fixed lens with quite nice bokeh effect. Would not want to miss it. Makes the E-620 very compact and light. Comes with a screw-in type lens cap, which is a bit awkward but indestructible (a snap-in type is available from Olympus). I give "only" 4 stars because it is not a 2.0 lens (it's a 2.8) but I fully realize that that can't be had at this price.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Lightweight
Cons
- Lens cap
Best Uses
- General Purpose
- Portraits
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
I bought this lens to use on my E-620 in street shots and travels and I was surprised by the quality of portraits too. It turns my camera very lightweight and easy to carry in my daily bag.
I´m very happy with the overall performance.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Lightweight
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Indoors/Low Light
- Landscape/Scenery
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
What I love about this lens is that it is very small, well made, and the pictures are very sharp. At 25mm (50mm on 35mm standard), the lens seems to have a wide angle of view than a normal 50mm on a FF camera, to me it seems more like a 35mm-40mm lens than a 50mm lens, but in a way, this is good. I much rather have a f 2.0, but for the price, I shouldn't complain.
Over all great walk around lens.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
I bought this lens along with the appropriate adapter so I could have the equivalent of a 50mm lens on my Olympus E-P1. I'm a dedicated street shooter and in film days my favorite combination was a Leica M4 with 50mm Summicron. Successful street shooting depends a lot on equipment with which you're absolutely familiar. For a while I used my Nikon D3 with a 50mm on the street, but the E-P1/25mm Zuiko combination is a lot less conspicuous and threatening.
Neither the E-P1 nor the 25mm Zuiko auto-focusses very quickly, but a 25mm lens gives you enough depth of field at, say, f/8 to use zone-focus almost exclusively on the street.
In street photography sharpness isn't an end in itself, but this little lens is sharp enough. The lens shows more chromatic aberration than I'd like, but not enough to be a real problem.
Bottom line: though it's not a Summicron, this little lens is a very useful tool.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
Pros:
Small size.
Cons:
Lens cap is too tiny. Lens cap thread is too tight.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- General Purpose
Comments about 25mm f/2.8 ED Zuiko Lens for Olympus Digital & Four Thirds System:
I'm using this lens on an Olympus EP1 with a Panasonic 4/3 to micro 4/3 adapter. The combination works well and the lens seems to function as required. Optical performance has been good. I've been happy with the photos I've done with this lens but I honestly haven't had a chance to use it a whole lot. Based on my observations so far, it's a solid four-star assessment. The lens seems very well built, more solid than the EP1 17mm and 14-42mm lenses. The combination of the lens and adapter are heavy compared to both the other Olympus lenses I have but this improves the balance of the camera. So far, I'm liking it.
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What's in the Box
- 43mm Lens Cap LC-43B
- LR-1 Rear Lens Cap
- 1-Year Worldwide Warranty
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