OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ

This OM System zoom is a standard zoom for Micro Four Thirds cameras. Its 14–42mm range runs from a wide view to a short telephoto, covering varied scenes with one lens. That span suits a full day of shooting on holiday or around town.

The lens first appeared in 2014 and production has ended, so it is an older model. Micro Four Thirds is a compact mirrorless system, and this lens keeps the whole camera small. It appeals to photographers who put portability first. The trade-off is light gathering: the f/3.5–5.6 aperture favours daytime and well-lit places.

The EZ is a very slim zoom. It measures 0.89 in (22.5 mm) long, 2.39 in (60.6 mm) wide and weighs 3.3 oz (93 g). It barely changes the size of a small Micro Four Thirds body. A screw-in filter must match the 37mm thread. Our physical score is 64.

At 14mm the lens takes in narrow streets, café interiors and wide landscapes without stepping back. Zoom to 42mm and you can frame a portrait, a plate of food or a market stall from the same spot. That span keeps framing choices open when you cannot move around your subject.

The maximum aperture runs from f/3.5 at 14mm to f/5.6 at 42mm. Daylight and bright interiors are comfortable territory. In evening light you will lean on higher ISO or a slower shutter speed instead. Background separation at 42mm is gentle rather than strong, so portraits keep more of their setting in focus.

Close focusing reaches 0.7 ft (20 cm), so you can fill the frame with a dish, a flower or a small find at a market. Maximum magnification is 0.23x. That figure suits small still subjects placed close to the camera, and it gives the travel zoom a second use at the table.

Our optics score is 52.

Zooming is electric and rotary. You turn the ring and a motor moves the focal length for you. The motion stays even, which helps when you reframe during video, where a sharp manual twist could jar the camera.

The lens has no image stabilization of its own. Camera shake becomes the risk at 42mm in dim light, where handheld shutter speeds run slow. A tripod or other support steadies the camera for still scenes; it does not freeze a moving subject such as a dancer.

The lens is not sealed against weather. Keep it tucked away in rain, spray or blowing dust. There is also no fluorine coating, so give the front element the usual gentle care when cleaning.

Inside its 8 elements in 7 groups sit three aspherical elements. Their specially shaped surfaces help correct distortion, the fault that can curve straight edges in architecture shots. One low-dispersion element helps reduce chromatic aberration, the effect that draws colour fringes along high-contrast edges. Our construction score is 31.