CameraDecision
  • CAMERAS
    • All Cameras
    • Cameras by Brand
      • Sony Cameras
      • Canon Cameras
      • Nikon Cameras
      • Pentax Cameras
      • Fujifilm Cameras
      • Olympus Cameras
      • Panasonic Cameras
      • Leica Cameras
      • Samsung Cameras
    • Cameras by Body Type
      • Mirrorless Cameras
      • DSLR Cameras
      • Compact Cameras
      • Bridge Cameras
      • Waterproof Cameras
  • LENSES
    • All Lenses
    • Lenses by Mount
      • Sony E Mount Lenses
      • Canon RF Mount Lenses
      • Nikon Z Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF M Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF S Mount Lenses
      • Nikon F Mount Lenses
      • Fujifilm X Mount Lenses
      • Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses
      • Leica L Mount Lenses
      • Pentax KAF Mount Lenses
      • Fujifilm G Mount Lenses
      • Sigma SA Mount Lenses
      • Sony Alpha Mount Lenses
    • Teleconverters
  • TOOLS
    • Cameras
      • Smart Find
      • 1-on-1 Comparison
    • Lenses
      • Smart Find
      • 1-on-1 Comparison
  • BLOG

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO Review

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO

Main Features

  • 12-40mm Focal Range
  • F2.8 Max Aperture
  • Weather Sealed
  • Filter Thread: 62mm
  • Max Format: FourThirds
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • Weight: 382g.
  • Diameter: 70mm
  • Length: 84mm
  • Min Focus Distance:0.2m
  • Max Magnification:0.3x
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Compare To

x
Add a Camera for comparison

Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO Overview

Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO is an Auto Focus (AF) Standard Zoom lens with FourThirds max sensor coverage and it is designed to be used with Micro Four Thirds mount cameras.

Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO was replaced with OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II. Follow the link to read our comparison of these lenses:
Compare Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO vs OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II


Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount with Same Focal and Aperture Range
Model Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II Lens OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II
Compare
FourThirds 382gr AF Amazon B&H Photo

Lens Mount

Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO is compatible with cameras that have Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Micro Four Thirds lenses are Panasonic GH6, OM System OM-1 and Panasonic GH5 II.

Focal Range

Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO has a focal range of 12-40mm and 3.3X zoom ratio which has a 35mm equivalent focal range of 24-80mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.


Weather Sealings

Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO is a weather sealed lens which provides an extra protection to prevent water and dust get inside the lens and camera body under light rain, snow and wind. In order to have an effective protection, you have to pair the Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO with a weather sealed camera body such as Panasonic GH6, OM System OM-1 and Panasonic GH5 II.

Optical Image Stabilization

Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO doesn't have an optical image stabilization system so the only option to stabilize the image taken with this lens is to mount on a camera body with IBIS (sensor based In-body image stabilization).

Alternatively, you can check the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS in Micro Four Thirds mount that have similar focal range but features Optical Image Stabilization.

Lenses Similar to Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO With Optical Image Stabilization
Model Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH OIS
Compare
FourThirds 165gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II ASPH Mega OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II ASPH Mega OIS
Compare
FourThirds 110gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH OIS
Compare
FourThirds 195gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G Vario HD 12-32mm F3.5-5.6 Mega OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G Vario HD 12-32mm F3.5-5.6 Mega OIS
Compare
FourThirds 70gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 ASPH Power OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 ASPH Power OIS
Compare
FourThirds 305gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH OIS
Compare
FourThirds 95gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 II ASPH Power OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 II ASPH Power OIS
Compare
FourThirds 305gr AF Amazon B&H Photo

Zoom Method

Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO features Rotary (extending) zoom method where the length of the lens changes as you zoom in or out. This makes it possible to design the lens with a smaller minimum length ( generally when it is zoomed out) compared to internal zoom lenses. The disadvantages of this design are being harder to seal against dust and moisture, weight balance shifting while zooming and zoom creep in certain lenses.

Maximum Magnification Ratio

Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO has a Max Magnification Ratio of 0.3x and has a minimum focusing distance of 0.2m. For a non-macro lens, the 0.3x is considered a high magnification and will come handy for close-up shots.

Aperture

Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO is a fixed aperture lens with a constant max aperture of f2.8 from 12mm all the way to the 40mm .

Optical Formula

Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO's optical formula consists of 14 elements in 9 groups . Following special elements are used in this design:

  • 1 aspherical element
  • 1 dual-sided aspherical element
  • 2 ED glass elements
  • 2 HR glass elements
  • 1 EDA glass element
  • 1 HD glass element

Lens Hood

Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO comes with a removable lens hood which is handy to reduce lens flare and glare in your photos. The model number of the hood is LH66.

Body Colour

Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO is available in Black color.

Popular Comparisons of Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO amongst Camera Decision readers.

Top Alternatives of Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO Lens
Model Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II Lens OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II
Compare
FourThirds 382gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 ASPH Power OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 ASPH Power OIS
Compare
FourThirds 305gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power OIS
Compare
FourThirds 210gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 II ASPH Power OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 II ASPH Power OIS
Compare
FourThirds 305gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH OIS
Compare
FourThirds 195gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS Lens Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS
Compare
FourThirds 320gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-45mm F4 Pro Lens Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-45mm F4 Pro
Compare
FourThirds 254gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ Lens Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ
Compare
FourThirds 91gr AF Amazon B&H Photo

Related Blog Posts

New Insta360 One RS 1-Inch 360-Degree Camera Shoots 6K Video and 21MP Stills
Sony FE 100-400 E vs Canon 100-500 RF vs Nikon Z 100-400 vs Canon RF 100-400 Lens Size Comparison
Tamron 17-70 F2.8 vs Fujifilm 16-55 F2.8 vs Fujifilm 16-80 F4 vs Fujifilm 18-55 F2.8-4 Lens Size and Specs Comparison
Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 Di III-A VC RXD Released for Fujifilm X Mount
Todays Deals: Samyang 12mm F2 for $399, Bolt Flashes for $49 and more
Panasonic GH6 Update Brings 4K 120 FPS RAW Recording
Cameras with Stacked Sensors and No Blackout Viewfinders in 2022
Todays Deals: Tripod, Microphone and more


**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Pros and Cons of Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO


PROs
Weather Sealed
Built-in Autofocus
Hood supplied
Full-time Manual Focusing
Fast and Bright at Wide end
Fast and Bright at Tele end
Constant f2.8 Aperture throughout the range

CONs
Lens Extents while focusing
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO Alternatives in Micro Four Thirds Mount
Model Coverage Weight Focusing Street Price
OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II Lens OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II
Compare
FourThirds 382gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II Lens Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II
Compare
FourThirds 112gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II R Lens Olympus M.Zuiko Digital 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II R
Compare
FourThirds 112gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 Lens Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6
Compare
FourThirds 150gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ Lens Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 EZ
Compare
FourThirds 91gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH OIS
Compare
FourThirds 165gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II ASPH Mega OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II ASPH Mega OIS
Compare
FourThirds 110gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH OIS
Compare
FourThirds 195gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G Vario HD 12-32mm F3.5-5.6 Mega OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G Vario HD 12-32mm F3.5-5.6 Mega OIS
Compare
FourThirds 70gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 ASPH Power OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 ASPH Power OIS
Compare
FourThirds 305gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH OIS
Compare
FourThirds 95gr AF Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 II ASPH Power OIS Lens Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 II ASPH Power OIS
Compare
FourThirds 305gr AF Amazon B&H Photo

Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO Detailed Specifications


General
Brand Olympus
Lens Type Zoom
Lens Type Standard Zoom
Lens Mount Micro Four Thirds
Max Format FourThirds
Focal Range 12-40mm
Image Stabilization No
Colour Black
Zoom Method Rotary (extending)
Power Zoom No
Zoom Lock No
Zoom Ratio 3.3X
APERTURE
Max Aperture F2.8
Min Aperture F22.0
Aperture Ring No
Diaphragm Blades 7
Optics
Optical Elements 14
Optical Groups 9
Special Elements 1 aspherical element, 1 dual-sided aspherical element, 2 ED glass elements, 2 HR glass elements, 1 EDA glass element, 1 HD glass element

FOCUSING
Min Focus Distance 0.2m
Max Magnification 0.3X
Autofocus Yes
AF Motor Type Stepper motor
Full Time Manual Yes
Focus Method Internal
Distance Scale Yes
DoF Scale No
PHYSICAL SPECS
Weight 382g
Diameter 70mm
Length 84mm
Weather Sealing Yes
Filter Thread 62mm
Filter Notes Does not rotate on focusing
Hood Supplied Yes
Hood Code LH66
Tripod Collar No
Report a Correction
Frequently Asked Questions about Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO
is the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO a Weather Sealed lens?
What is the Minimum Focusing Distance of Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO
is the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO an Autofocus (AF) lens?
What is the Filter Thread Size of Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO
Does Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO have Image Stabilization?
Does Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO have Aperture Ring?
What is the Maximum Magnification Ratio of Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO
FOLLOW US


Latest Micro Four Thirds Lenses
Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 9mm F1.7 ASPH
Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 9mm F1.7 ASPH
Micro Four Thirds | F1.7 Wideangle Prime
OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II
OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II
Micro Four Thirds | F2.8 Standard Zoom
OM System 40-150mm F4.0 PRO
OM System 40-150mm F4.0 PRO
Micro Four Thirds | F4 Telephoto Zoom
Samyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC
Samyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC
Micro Four Thirds | F2 Telephoto Prime
Samyang 100mm F2.8 Macro
Samyang 100mm F2.8 Macro
Micro Four Thirds | F2.8 Telephoto Macro
Samyang 21mm F1.4 ED AS UMC CS
Samyang 21mm F1.4 ED AS UMC CS
Micro Four Thirds | F1.4 Wideangle Prime
Samyang 50mm F1.2 AS UMC CS
Samyang 50mm F1.2 AS UMC CS
Micro Four Thirds | F1.2 Telephoto Prime
Venus Laowa 7.5mm F2 MFT
Venus Laowa 7.5mm F2 MFT
Micro Four Thirds | F2 Wideangle Prime
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 II ASPH Power OIS
Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 II ASPH Power OIS
Micro Four Thirds | F2.8 Standard Zoom
7artisans 25mm F1.8
7artisans 25mm F1.8
Micro Four Thirds | F1.8 Standard Prime
Most Popular Lenses
Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM
Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM
300-800mm | F5.6 Telephoto Zoom
Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
24-105mm | F4 Standard Zoom
Nikon AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6G
Nikon AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6G
70-300mm | F4.0 - F5.6 Telephoto Zoom
Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS
Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS
18-55mm | F2.8 - F4.0 Standard Zoom
Nikon AF Nikkor 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR
Nikon AF Nikkor 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR
80-400mm | F4.5 - F5.6 Telephoto Zoom
Canon EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM
Canon EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM
24-105mm | F4.0 Standard Zoom
Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS
Sony FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS
90mm | F2.8 Macro Prime
Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM
Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM
70-300mm | F4.0 - F5.6 Telephoto Zoom
OM System 40-150mm F4.0 PRO
OM System 40-150mm F4.0 PRO
40-150mm | F4 Telephoto Zoom
Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM
Sony FE 24-70mm F2.8 GM
24-70mm | F2.8 Standard Zoom
Latest Compatible Cameras
Panasonic GH6
Panasonic GH6
25 MP | Four Thirds CMOS | Micro Four Thirds Mount
OM System OM-1
OM System OM-1
20 MP | Four Thirds Stacked BSI Live MOS Sensor | Micro Four Thirds Mount
Panasonic GH5 II
Panasonic GH5 II
20 MP | Four Thirds CMOS | Micro Four Thirds Mount
Olympus E-P7
Olympus E-P7
20 MP | Four Thirds CMOS | Micro Four Thirds Mount
Olympus E-M10 IV
Olympus E-M10 IV
20 MP | Four Thirds CMOS | Micro Four Thirds Mount
Copyright © 2022 by CameraDecision
Privacy About Contact Us SpeakerDecision

Report a Correction