Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 25 mm f/1.2 PRO review - Build quality

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Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 25 mm f/1.2 PRO

10 January 2017

Arkadiusz Olech

3. Build quality

Traditionally we start this chapter with a comparison between the tested lens and its direct rivals, presented in the following chart. You see at once that in this segment independent producers can offer faster devices which, interestingly enough, are also optically simpler and physically smaller. When it comes to the weight only the Voigtlander, completely made of metal, is as heavy as the Olympus; the rest of lenses are physically lighter. The minimum distance of the Voigtlander also sticks out in a positive way but you should notice the fact that the construction of the Olympus 1.2/25 is dustproof, splashproof and freezeproof.

In the photo below the tested lens is positioned next to two PRO zoom lenses, the Olympus 12-40 mm f/2.8 and the 12-100 mm f/4.0.

Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 25 mm f/1.2 PRO - Build quality

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The M.Zuiko 25 mm f/1.2 PRO starts with a metal mount; it surrounds contacts and a rear element, 19 mm in diameter. The element seems to be immobile, with perfectly darkened edges and an area next to them. On the black part featuring contacts you find information that the lens was produced in Japan.

The proper body, completely made of metal, starts with a ring which doesn’t move. If has a red dot, making an alignment with a camera easier. Under the dot there is the name and the parameters of the model and on the other side of the lens, opposite to the dot, you get information concerning the waterproof properties (SPLASH PROOF) and the focusing range (0.30m/0.98ft –∞). Further on there is another black, immobile ring made of metal with the function L-Fn button.

Then you see a manual focus ring, as wide as 32 mm. Depending on its position it works in different modes. When you press the ring toward the front element you get a fly-by-wire focusing. When you move it toward the mount a distance scale is revealed and you engage the manual mode. Its performance is flawless – the ring moves smoothly and is well damped. Running through the whole range in the mechanical mode takes a turn through an angle of 100 degrees.

Next, you get a part of the casing which doesn’t move, with the depth of field scale and marks by f/5.6, f/8.0, f/11 and f/16, the name and parameters of the lens and two narrow rings, blue and gray.

The front element is 43 mm in diameter and it doesn’t rotate during focusing. Around it you find a non-rotating filter thread, 62 mm in diameter, and a hood mount.

When it comes to the optical construction you deal with optically the most complex fixed focus lens we’ve tested so far. It consists of as many as 19 elements positioned in 14 groups. The number of special elements is impressive as well – you get as many as three high refraction index (HR) elements, two made of low dispersion ED glass, one made of Super ED glass, one aspherical element and one with Extra High Refractive Index (E-HR). Inside you can also find an aperture with nine diaphragm blades which can be closed down to f/16.