Olympus m zuiko 14 42mm f 3 5 5 6 ez vs om system 12 40mm f 2 8?

The 12-40mm f/2.8 PRO II is the brighter, more consistent lens. Its aperture stays at f/2.8 across the whole zoom, so exposure doesn't change as you zoom. The Olympus M.Zuiko 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ gets darker as you zoom in. At 40mm it's f/5.6, about two stops slower than the 12-40 at the same focal length. That matters for low light and for background blur. On Micro Four Thirds, the 12-40 covers roughly 24-80mm in full-frame terms, against about 28-84mm for the EZ.

If you shoot in dim rooms, want more background blur, or care about image quality at the long end, the 12-40 is the better pick. If you mostly shoot in good daylight and want a simple zoom, the EZ does the job. Its OM System 14-42mm III sibling is also worth a look. For how aperture affects light and blur, see the lenses guide.

Written by Claude from this site's pages.