A heavy-duty chonk of a lens that gets the job done.
It's a heavy lens, and it's a little long after you add in the required 4/3 to M4T adapter, but the speed and heavy-duty construction make the size and weight acceptable. The only true competitor is the newer Olympus 12-40mm f:/2.8, which is only 2 oz lighter, 1 stop faster, and costs 3x as much.
My first thought after picking it up was that it's a chonk of a lens. When combined with the 4/3-M4T active adapter it weighs over a full pound, so those with noodle-arms should invest in a really nice, supportive camera strap. it might not sound like a lot, but after toting it around for five or six hours, it's noticeable. The little plastic 14-42mm kit lens feels like a feather, by comparison.
Performance when attached to a M4T camera is a mixed bag. As far as I know, the only M4T body that can run this lens as fast as a 4/3 body is the Olympus E-M1 and even then, focusing in dark situations is spotty. WIth a different body that's incapable of contrast-detect autofocus, the indoor perfomance might be frustrating.
On the positive side, the heavy-duty construction and weather sealing means I don't have to worry if I'm outside when the weather turns bad. I'm not prone to babying my gear, so this is a very good thing to me. The zoom range is ideal for day trips when you're not sure where you're going and just want to bring along one multi-purpose lens. 14mm will get most of a room in-frame, and 54mm is a good length for portraits on a M4T body. The Olympus 18-180mm will reach further, but I don't often need that sort of zoom and the 14-54's extra 4mm at the wide end is unexpectedly useful.
Optically, this lens is fine. Not quite as sharp or as fast as a prime lens but the difference, especially when stopped down by a stop or two, is small enough that 90% of the time, it's good enough.
In short, IF you don't mind the size and weight, and IF you don't mind focus-by-wire, this might be a good choice for you.
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Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
