Olympus unleashes lens trio and flashgun

Olympus has added to its camera announcements today with a further expansion of its Micro Four Thirds line of optics.

The Japanese company has announced three new lenses alongside a powerful new flashgun.

The M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm f/4.0 IS Pro offers a focal range equivalent to 24-200mm on a Micro Four Thirds body, with the benefit of a constant f/4 aperture and a five-axis image-stabilisation system built in. With up to 6.5EV of correction possible when used with one of the company's five-axis IS bodies, Olympus claims this to be the world's most powerful system of its kind.

Its impressive optical construction sees 11 of its 17 elements designed with special optical properties, and as Pro series lens, its casing has been designed with dust and drip proofing to guard it against inclement weather and other testing conditions.

The M.Zuiko Digital ED 25mm f/1.2 meanwhile, provides an effective focal length of 50mm in 35mm terms, and a huge maximum aperture courtesy of a complex 14-element/19-group construction. This includes special high refractive (E-HR) and Super ED glass, as well as Z Coating Nano Technology.

The third lens is the M.Zuiko Digital ED 30mm f/3.5 Macro, which gives Olympus users a wider (if slightly slower) macro alternative to the existing M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro.

Finally, the FL900R flashgun offers a powerful guide number of 58m @ ISO100, with coverage between 12-100mm (24-200mm in 35mm terms) as standard to match the above lens, and the option to spread its illumination to 7mm (14mm) with the built-in wideangle panel.

All of the new lenses and the flashgun will be available in October.

• Read our Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark III review