Review on Olympus M ZUIKO DIGITAL 12 50Mm F3 5 6 3 by Jerry Anderson

This lens is equivalent to a 24mm to 100mm zoom on a full frame 35mm camera and covers a particularly useful range of very wide view to the ideal short telephoto lens for portrait photography. F/3.5 is fast enough to be used in relatively low light conditions. The results are commendably clear, especially when you consider all the trade-offs required to increase range, speed, and price. This range can come in handy when walking through a city, state park, or at an event where the images you need range from long and medium landscape views to close-ups of people, from ambient portraits to detailed close-ups . . All this and you don't have to risk changing lenses at the wrong time and maybe less than in a clean and dry environment. The Zuiko 12-50 has a comfortable weight but is a bit long for my taste. However, this is a question from my drummers, not a deal breaker. Such length and a maximum aperture of f/3.5 can be problematic when shooting in available light for those whose hands aren't the sturdiest. This is especially true if your camera doesn't have built-in image stabilization (IBIS) and an electronic viewfinder (or EVF). panache. It's simply a well designed and manufactured moderately priced workhorse that will stand you in good stead if you take the time to learn about it, its strengths, limitations and great versatility.