Exclusive look at Olympus Micro Four Thirds 9-18mm super wide zoom lens

[Four Thirds User editorial team]

We've had a close look at a pre-production sample of the Olympus m.Zuiko 9-18mm f/4-5.6 ultra wide zoom for Micro Four Thirds. Check out our exclusive pictures comparing the m.Zuiko 9-18 with its Four Thirds sibling.

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[Ians Tata]

While I'm not in the market for anything Micro- FourThirds, I find this impressive.
Jeff

[bilzmale]

It will be on my wish list. Ordered a Panny 45-200 for my MFT kit last night.

[AdrianF]

It will be interesting to see how this performs against the regular 9-18mm. As it is the E-pL1, with the low cost water housing, is looking to be a very good compact adventure travel package. With just a few tiny lenses, it could cover a pretty wide range of use and yet take up very little room.

[Joergen]

Can't help wonder how fragile such lenses get, in the efford to build small and with collapsing design? Sure, it's nothing like a rugged 43 HG/SHG lens, but does it feel more vulnerable than normal 43 standard grade lenses?

We have head a lot about smaller lenses on M43, due to shorter sensor/flange distance. But has anybody (OLY/PANA) ever mentioned a sizefactor from regular 43 to M43? Of course with everything like aperture and buildquality being equal.

[John Perriment]

It really makes the standard 9-18mm, itself a remarkably compact lens, look huge! It'll be interesting to see how the optical quality compares.

Thanks, Ian, for another very informative report and pictures. I'll be interested to hear what you thought of the E-PL1.

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Joergen

Can't help wonder how fragile such lenses get, in the efford to build small and with collapsing design? Sure, it's nothing like a rugged 43 HG/SHG lens, but does it feel more vulnerable than normal 43 standard grade lenses?

We have head a lot about smaller lenses on M43, due to shorter sensor/flange distance. But has anybody (OLY/PANA) ever mentioned a sizefactor from regular 43 to M43? Of course with everything like aperture and buildquality being equal.

The new 9-18 feels, if anything, more solid than the 14-42. It's a smaller volume when collapsed, but feels slightly weightier. I didn't notice any looseness in the mechanism. It's impressive so far.

Ian

[Idle_Bull]

Originally Posted by Joergen

Can't help wonder how fragile such lenses get, in the efford to build small and with collapsing design? Sure, it's nothing like a rugged 43 HG/SHG lens, but does it feel more vulnerable than normal 43 standard grade lenses?

We have head a lot about smaller lenses on M43, due to shorter sensor/flange distance. But has anybody (OLY/PANA) ever mentioned a sizefactor from regular 43 to M43? Of course with everything like aperture and buildquality being equal.

Not sure about m4/3rds lenses, but I think even the cheapest Oly 4/3rds kit lenses are well built.

I dropped my E-420 with 14-42mm from eye level (I'm 6'4") onto a wooden coffee table (about 20 inches high), it landed on the front on the lens, (leaving a deep gouge in the table), bounced a couple of times and landed on the floor. Both Lens and Camera were unmarked!

If I'd dropped my EOS300v with the Canon 28-90mm kit lens I'd suspect I'd still be finding bits of in now! That things was so flimsy I was worried to use the zoom!

This lens is a compelling reason to buy into m4/3rds. I have the 'full sized' 9-18mm but it hardly finds it's way onto the E-3 (the 12-60mm is too good), I use it on the E-420, but that could be replace with a m4/3rds set up.

[hschnee]

A very nice-looking little lens! Too bad I can't find a need for myself for an MFT camera and ultrawide . . . I do think Olympus should include the lens hood, however. Even though many users won't use it, it's a very nice thing to do for the users who will, and it can't cost all that much to include it in the box.

Out of curiosity, once the lens is extended for use, does it extend further when zooming and focusing, or are one or both of these done internally?

- Hal -

[Ian]

Originally Posted by hschnee

A very nice-looking little lens! Too bad I can't find a need for myself for an MFT camera and ultrawide . . . I do think Olympus should include the lens hood, however. Even though many users won't use it, it's a very nice thing to do for the users who will, and it can't cost all that much to include it in the box.

Out of curiosity, once the lens is extended for use, does it extend further when zooming and focusing, or are one or both of these done internally?

- Hal -

Focusing is internal, but there is a small degree of additional extension through the zoom range. The front of the lens does not rotate and there is a bayonet for a petal type lens hood, though I'm hearing that the hood will not be standard. The filter thread is a more standard 52mm.

Ian