Olympus Zuiko 14-35mm f/2.0 Digital ED SWD Lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras

by Olympus

Product Details

• Item Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000X1P5R4
• Item model number: 261011
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 16, 2007

Product Description

Manufacturer Description

The Zuiko Digital ED 14-35mm f2.0 SWD lens (equivalent to 28mm to 70mm) is the world’s first standard zoom lens to feature a large f2.0 aperture. Boasting industry-leading imaging performance, this lens is a worthy addition to the Olympus Super High Grade (SHG) series of lenses. Together with the ED 7-14mm f4.0, ED 35-100mm f2.0 and ED 90-250mm f2.8 lenses, this lens completes Olympus’ series of professional zoom lenses with fixed F-values.

The flagship of the Zuiko Digital series, this lens was developed to meet the requirements of the most demanding professionals. It includes reliable splash- and dust-proofing, Olympus’ exclusive SWD-driven ultra-fast AF system, a mechanically interlocked manual focusing mechanism and a large, flower-shaped hood with a polarization filter control window.

With its unique f2.0 aperture providing bright viewing with a sharp subject and a soft blurring of the background, this lens epitomizes the versatility, power and creative freedom made possible by the Four Thirds System and is ideal for almost any application -- from landscapes and portraits to indoor shooting and photojournalism.

About Supersonic Wave Drive Technology Olympus-proprietary SWD technology has enabled an ultra-fast, whisper-quiet, high-precision AF system. Two compact, high-powered Supersonic Wave Drive devices power autofocus at an ultra-high speed by exciting unique elliptical oscillations, while an ultra-compact 5.3mm x 4.3mm optical encoder detects and controls the lens drive position using direct rotation detection without reduction gear. This enables it to achieve a level of precision that’s accurate to 5 microns (5/1000 mm). When used in combination with the new E-3, which offers improved AF computation and lens-body communication rates, the SWD motors provide the fastest focusing speed of approximately 170 ms (0.17 seconds).

Product Description

This lens joins the existing Zuiko Digital 35-100mm f2.0 as the brightest fixed aperture lenses in their class. It covers a zoom range equivalent to 28mm to 70mm on a 35mm camera lens - and it's the world's first standard zoom lens to feature a large f2.0 aperture. The flagship of the Zuiko Digital series, this lens was developed to meet the requirements of the most demanding professionals. It includes reliable splash-proofing and dust-proofing, Olympus' exclusive SWD-driven ultra-fast AF system and a mechanically interlocked manual focusing mechanism. This lens is ideal for almost any application.

Designed to meet the needs of the professional photographer, Zuiko Digital lenses were born of an uncompromising commitment to performance. The lenses feature high resolving power, to get the most out of the imaging element. Zuiko Digital lenses allow light to strike the image sensor at a near-perpendicular angle, minimizing degradation and light loss. This large, award-winning family of lenses is perfectly matched to work exclusively with digital cameras so every pixel is properly exposed.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Everything, but...., August 10, 2008

By 

Derek Neufarth (Dayton, Ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Olympus Zuiko 14-35mm f/2.0 Digital ED SWD Lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

The Olympus flagship lens is everything you would expect it to be, but with one major flaw -- autofocus. This lens is scary sharp from corner to corner at all focal lengths, and even wide open. It has beautiful out of focus characteristics, and it has beautiful color transmission. You sometimes may hear people talk about the "magic" qualities of lenses from Leica, or Zeiss, or even some Canon L series prime lenses -- and they must now include this lens because it too, if used properly, will endow images with the same "Magic." And did I mention its flawless construction, and its maximum f2.0 throughout the zoom range, and its nearly silent operation? WOW!

Why four stars for such a stellar lens? Because, while it autofocuses lightning fast in good light, it performs abysmally in low light, and not at all in poor light. I make this judgement based on use with the E-3, and in comparison to the autofocus performance of the 12-60 lens, which is faster by far in all lighting conditions. Even the 14-54 lens outperforms the 14-35. And a second copy of the lens, and many calls to Olympus have not eliminated the problem. I should say that if you like to manual focus then the focus ring is buttery smooth with a precise feel and movement.

So if you rely on autofocus this is not the lens for you, but for everyone else this is a nearly perfect lens. This lens and the Olympus 7-14 f4 lens are both excellent reasons to sign up with Olympus Digital -- the E-3 is a sublime photographic tool with these lenses, and all of the Super High Grade lenses for that matter.

Olympus, if you will come up with a fix for the autofocus issue on the Zuiko Digital 14-35mm f2.0 SWD lens, then you will be the first to achieve perfection in a zoom lens.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Extraodinary Prime Zoom, June 16, 2008

By 

Stephen L Squires "SLSq" (Potomac, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Olympus Zuiko 14-35mm f/2.0 Digital ED SWD Lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

This lens is an extraodinary prime zoom on my Olympus E-3. I have used the 4/3rds system since the E-1 was first available along with its best lenses. I started using the E-3 with the new Olympus 12-60mm zoom when they both became available and that is a great system.

As I thought back to my experience with some great 35mm film systems, I recalled my collection of single focal lenses that were generally the best available. As zooms became better, I started using zooms.

Now with the new Olympus 14-35mm f/2.0 SWD, I have what can best be described as an extraodinary prime zoom. In existing light situations at f/2.0 the quality of the images is just extraodinary and even better with the E-3 Image Stabilization and its sensor at ASA 400 to 800 when needed.

For those that might ask about the LEICA D SUMMILUX 25mm f/1.4 ASPH Four Thirds Lens, while it is a stop faster and very high quality, there is something very special about the quality of the Olympus 14-35mm f/2.0 on an Olympus E-3 that sets it apart with Image Stabilization. And, as advertized, focus is really fast on an E-3 with a SWD lens!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Autofocus problem, October 9, 2008

By 

Paul Thomas - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Olympus Zuiko 14-35mm f/2.0 Digital ED SWD Lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras (Electronics)

I am the amateur but my wife is an established studio photographer and budding wedding photographer. We get great photos with the 50 mm F2 Macro and the 14 -54 mm F 2.8 - 3.5 but I recently bought a 14 -35 mm F2 to add to my excellent 35 -100 mm F2. Like the 35-100 the optics and picture quality of the former ARE SUPERB but we are having considerable problems with the autofocussing across the whole aperture range..

We have found it will not always focus properly for group shots. It very rapidly reaches a focus lock but then hunts back and forth then locks, frequently far too close. This makes the lens pretty useless for wedding groups, which is why we bought it.

We exchanged the original lens at the retailers but the problem remains despite returning the second, replacement, lens to Olympus under warranty who found it was in full working order.

Am I expecting too much but my experience of Olympus optics (particularly the 300mm F2.8 & 35 - 100mm F2 and 50 mm F2 MACRO) is far, far better than this. Were these two rogue lenses or is this something Olympus is now aware of and can be sorted with a firmware upgrade?

I do hope so!