OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-150mm f/4.0-5.6 II

This is the II version of the OM System 14–150mm superzoom. It attaches directly to Micro Four Thirds cameras. It launched in 2015 and remains in production today. The range spans wide views to long reach in one lens, which suits travel and everyday shooting where lens changes are a nuisance.

At the 14mm end it covers streetscapes, interiors and open landscapes. Zoom to 150mm and distant subjects draw near, from wildlife and outdoor sport to candid portraits. The trade-off is the modest f/4–5.6 maximum aperture, so the lens works best in good light. Daytime travellers get the most from it.

The lens weighs 10.1 oz (285 g) and measures 3.27 in (83 mm) long by 2.5 in (63.5 mm) wide. That weight makes it comfortable to carry all day on a Micro Four Thirds body.

The front accepts 58mm screw-in filters, so any filter you buy must match that 58mm thread. The physical specification scores 64/100 here.

The 14–150mm range is the reason to buy this lens. One turn of the rotary zoom ring takes you from a wide street scene to a tight frame on a distant subject. For framing, 14mm takes in whole rooms and wide streets, while 150mm isolates a single player on a far pitch. Wildlife watchers, sports parents and travel photographers can work a whole day without swapping lenses.

The maximum aperture runs from f/4 at 14mm to f/5.6 at 150mm. In daylight that costs you little. Inside dim buildings or at dusk you will raise ISO instead. At the long end f/5.6 also limits background blur, so portraits need careful placement of the subject away from the background.

Closest focus is 1.6 ft (50 cm), so you can step near to photograph flowers, food or market goods. Maximum magnification is 0.22x, which lets small subjects claim a useful share of the frame. The optics specification scores 54/100 here.

The lens contains no image stabilization. At the 150mm end you will want a firm grip, a faster shutter or support such as a monopod. Each stop of shutter speed must come from your settings or your stance. In bright conditions this rarely matters.

There is no weather sealing, so keep rain and spray away and protect the lens from dust. A zoom lock is absent, and the front element has no fluorine coating. None of this stops everyday use, but it marks a fair-weather travel lens rather than a rugged one.

Inside are 15 elements in 11 groups. Three aspherical elements help correct distortion, the fault that makes straight edges appear curved. That is useful at 14mm, where you often photograph buildings and interiors. Two low-dispersion elements help reduce chromatic aberration, which shows as coloured fringes along high-contrast edges at longer focal lengths.

Focusing is internal, so the lens keeps a constant length while it focuses.