Latest Olympus PEN trio unveiled

Olympus m zuiko 12mm f/2.0

Also announced are 2 new fixed-length lenses to add to the existing line-up of M.ZUIKO digital lenses for the PEN range.

First up, the 12mm f/2.0 (equivalent to 24mm) wide-angle lens is billed a 'street photography' lens and comes with an all-metal casing.

Built-in depth-of-field and distance indicators show the distance of which objects are in focus, allowing photographers to focus instantly without having to look at the display while in manual mode, which is activated by pulling back the snap focus ring.

In bright light, enhanced multi-layer lens coating promises to halve the effect of ghosting and flaring compared with conventional coatings.

The second new lens, a 45mm f/1.8 (equivalent 90mm) portrait lens is designed to match the look of the 3 new PEN cameras announced. A more affordable lens, the 45mm is made from plastic with a metal-like finish.

Olympus m.zuiko digital ed 45mm f/1.8

Both lenses benefit from advanced image stabilisation built into the PEN bodies, while the wide apertures of both are ideally suited for low-light shooting.

Availability

The Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12mm f/2.0 wide-angle lens will be available in early July for an RRP of £700. The Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 45mm f/1.8 portrait lens will be available from September, priced at under £300.

Meanwhile, the standard kit lenses in the range have been refreshed and seen some cosmetic tweaks. The standard 14-42mm (28-84mm equivalent) zoom lens and 40-150mm (80-300mm equivalent) telephoto lens are now available with snap-on silver bayonet rings to match silver-lenses. The lenses provide the same image quality as the existing standard kit lenses, so those already owning them won't need to upgrade.

Amy Davies

Amy has been writing about cameras, photography and associated tech since 2009. Amy was once part of the photography testing team for Future Publishing working across TechRadar, Digital Camera, PhotoPlus, N Photo and Photography Week. For her photography, she has won awards and has been exhibited. She often partakes in unusual projects - including one intense year where she used a different camera every single day. Amy is currently the Features Editor at Amateur Photographer magazine, and in her increasingly little spare time works across a number of high-profile publications including Wired, Stuff, Digital Camera World, Expert Reviews, and just a little off-tangent, PetsRadar.