Rated at IP53, these new camera lenses from OM System have the best weather sealing in the business
(Image credit: OM Digital Solutions)
OM Digital Solutions has announced the two most weatherproof camera lenses in the industry: the OM System M.Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro II and OM System M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4 Pro, both rated at IP53.
The previous industry gold star was a rating of IPX1, so the monstrous weather sealing of the OM System M.Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro II (review) and OM System M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4 Pro is quite remarkable. Of course, both lenses need to be paired with a camera body that also features an IP53 rating – and that comes in the form of the Olympus OM-1, which has also just been announced by the company.
The 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro II is, except for the improved rating, identical to the original Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro trinity lens. Possessing a 35mm equivalent 24-80mm field of view, it features 14 elements in 9 groups (with 4 aspherical elements), 9 aperture blades, a 62mm filter thread, minimum focusing distance of 0.2m and an ultra compact 69.9 x 84mm body that's smaller than a soda can.
The OM System M.Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro II (left) and OM System M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4 Pro (right)(Image credit: OM Digital Solutions)
OM System M.Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro II(Image credit: OM Digital Solutions)
The OM System M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4 Pro (left) next to the comparatively huge Olympus M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro (right)(Image credit: OM Digital Solutions)
The new lenses join the OM System M.Zuiko 20mm f/1.4 Pro as OM Digital's first post-Olympus optics(Image credit: OM Digital Solutions)
Where the standard zoom is mostly a known quantity, by virtue of its identical optical formula, the OM System M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4 Pro is an entirely new proposition.
Featuring "the same fundamental structure" as the Olympus M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro lens, this new f/4 version shrinks the 160mm and 760g bulk of its big brother into a hilariously small 99.4mm (124mm when in use, un-retracted) and 382g frame – you can see the old and new lens side-by-side in the gallery above. That means an 80-300mm equivalent lens that you can stuff in a pocket!
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It features 15 elements in 9 groups (2 of which are aspherical), an inner zoom system (once the lens has been deployed) that suppresses center-of-gravity fluctuations while zooming, a close focus distance of 0.7m across the range, and a maximum magnification of 0.41x at the long end.
Both lenses will be available at the beginning of March, with the OM System M.Zuiko 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro II carrying a price tag of $999.99 / £899.99 (approximately AU$1,402.28) and the OM System M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4 Pro retailing for $899.99 / £799.99 (AU$1,262.05).
James has 22 years experience as a journalist, serving as editor of Digital Camera World for 6 of them. He started working in the photography industry in 2014, product testing and shooting ad campaigns for Olympus, as well as clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal. An Olympus / OM System, Canon and Hasselblad shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and he loves instant cameras, too.
