Olympus ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 9-18mm f/4.0-5.6

Specialty Lens Not Very Special I recently bought the new Olympus E-M1 digital camera along with the new Pro ED 12-40mm f2.8 lens. I've always wanted a super wide lens to replace one I had a long time ago, and the 9-18 seemed like a good choice. First, it's a well constructed lens, very light and small (compared to the 12-40 f2.8 zoom), however, after taking it out a few times it became obvious that the extreme wide angles were only going to be useful in rare situations, especially since my new 12-40 goes down to a 24mm equivalent focal length. The other thing is that while it has good contrast and color rendition, compared to the stunning sharpness of my new Pro lens, the 9-18 seems a bit soft. It's ok for casual shooting, but not for pixel peepers. The final issue is that it's not an inexpensive lens, and combined with it's less than stellar performance and limited usefulness in everyday shooting, I just couldn't justify keeping it, so it went back to the seller. So, bottom line.... if you really want a m4/3 super wide zoom, there aren't many options, and while this isn't a "bad" lens, I think it's important to look at how often you'll actually use this and then decide for yourself if it's worth the cost and space in your bag............. One final thought. I've seen many nice shots with the 9-18 zoom lens by other people, so if you really want a m4/3 wide angle zoom, then by all means go for it, it just might be the inspiration you're looking for, but go into it with realistic expectations.Read full review

My new favorite! I love my Zuiko 12-60, and I have been using it for years. Earlier this year I felt constrained by the 24mm equivalent wide angle limit of this lens while photographing the splendor of Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. I missed the range of my 17mm from the OM-2 days. This 9-18 covers the ultra wide range and the upper range is great for landscapes. It is significantly lighter than the 12-60, and it uses the same filter size. It could be faster, but that would make it less affordable, and these focal lengths are fairly easy to avoid shake anyway. I use this with an EM-1 and a 4/3 to micro 4/3 adabtor.

Try it by yourself and you will know why I say "YES"? This product is excellent in Zoom out the most, so you can gather the whole big picture into optimal size that you want. And later you can use photo edit or zoom in to see other details, and best of all, after you are zoom in (Magnified), you still can see very clear picture from this lens. Yes, of course it's not 100 % but at least you can tell what inside of that picture. And when you are using close-up function (from camera) will also help you to clarify all details. REMARKS: you must have knowledge of maximum magnify megabits also, and you will understand even more. NOT RECOMMEND: To use this lens with Adapter from 4/3rd to be Micro 4/3rd (MMF-3 or similar) as the quality of photo will not be as sharp as their own series.