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Olympus Zuiko Digital 12-60mm 1:2.8-4 Gordon Laing, September 2008

More Results : Outdoor / Resolution / Corner sharpness / Fringe and macro / Geometry / Vignetting


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Olympus ZD 12-60mm wide-angle geometry comparison

 

To measure and compare the Olympus 12-60mm's geometric distortion we photographed a test chart consisting of a grid pattern, using it and a number of rival lenses.

Here are the results for each lens at their shortest focal lengths. The images were analysed with Imatest using 5th Order line calculation and the full areas presented here at a reduced resolution.

12-60mm at 12mm f8
Distortion: 2.31% barrel

 
The image above was taken with the Olympus 12-60mm lens zoomed-out to 12mm. Barrel distortion was measured at 2.31% which is superior to the other lenses tested here, although not by a large margin.

Olympus ZD ED 14-42mm
Olympus ZD 14-45mm
Leica D 14-50mm
Olympus ZD ED 14-42mm wide-angle geometry
Olympus ZD 14-45mm wide-angle geometry
14-42mm at 14mm f8
Distortion: 2.97% barrel
  14-45mm at 14mm f8
Distortion: 3.28% barrel
  14-50mm at 14mm f8
Distortion: 2.80% barrel



Olympus ZD 12-60mm telephoto geometry comparison

 

To measure and compare the Olympus 12-60mm's geometric distortion we photographed a test chart consisting of a grid pattern, using it and a number of rival lenses.

Here are the results for each lens at their longest focal lengths. The images were analysed with Imatest using 5th Order line calculation and the full areas presented here at a reduced resolution.

12-60mm at 60mm f8
Distortion: 0.45% pincushion
 

The image above was taken with the Olympus 12-60mm lens zoomed-into 60mm. Here pincushion distortion was measured at 0.45% which is roughly equivalent to the older 14-45mm kit lens when it was also zoomed-in. The result is not as good as the latest kit zoom, or the Leica 14-50mm, the latter exhibiting virtually no geometric distortion.

So while the 12-60mm isn't a runaway leader when it comes to geometric distortion, it's still lower than many equivalent lenses from rival manufacturers in this regard - see our lens reviews. And now to our final set of formal results with light fall-off.


Olympus ZD ED 14-42mm
Olympus ZD 14-45mm
Leica D 14-50mm
Olympus ZD ED 14-42mm telephoto geometry
Olympus ZD 14-45mm telephoto geometry
14-42mm at 42mm f8
Distortion: 0.21% barrel
  14-45mm at 45mm f8
Distortion: 0.48% pincushion
  14-50mm at 50mm f8
Distortion: 0.14% barrel

Olympus ZD 12-60mm results continued...

Outdoor / Resolution / Corner sharpness / Fringe and macro / Geometry / Vignetting

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