Invariably it’s the sensor size and the Four Thirds format that dominates any discussions about Olympus’s E-series cameras, but what many may not realise is the depth and strength of the lens line-up behind it.

It’s true that the professional lenses are pretty pricey, but that’s not to say you can’t get decent quality from some of the less expensive lenses in the range. And this is one of them. It’s a modest-sounding 35mm macro lens that has actually been in the Olympus range for a little while, but doesn’t necessarily get the recognition it deserves. Perhaps the main point is that this lens typically sells for around £170, where you’d usually expect to pay at least £250 and a lot more for most macro lenses, even from third-party makers.

It’s important to understand the difference between a real macro lens like this one and zooms that offer ‘macro’ capability. A true macro lens can reproduce subjects on the sensor at their real-life size. This lens, for example, could fill the frame with a bumble bee. So-called ‘macro’ zooms can’t do this. Some lens makers have a habit of using the word ‘macro’ to mean close-ups, or the ability to focus closer than usual, but that’s not the same at all.

There are two main ways in which a macro lens differs from an ordinary one. First, it has to be able to focus much closer than usual. This means a much longer focus travel. Second, it must be optically optimised for these extremely short focus distances.

Needless to say, this Zuiko Digital 35mm f3.5 meets both requirements. The autofocus becomes a more bit hesitant the closer you get to your subjects, but this isn’t a big surprise because of the much greater focusing travel at close range. Besides, for macro photography it’s better (and quicker) to focus manually so that you can focus on the right part of the subject and maximise the depth of field available.

It’s in Manual focus mode that this lens really shines. The manual focus ring drives the focus mechanism indirectly and the gearing used offers extremely precise control over the focus. At close range big movements of the focus ring make only tiny adjustments and, what’s more, it’s easy to see your subject ‘snap’ in and out of focus in the viewfinder.

We’ve mentioned depth of field, and this is always an issue in true macro photography. The smaller sensor size of the Four Thirds system helps (depth of field is directly related to sensor size), but you still need to stop down to try to maximise sharpness. This is not always a good idea with smaller-format cameras because the diffraction effects of small lens apertures tend to take effect rather sooner. In fact, with this lens it’s best not to stop down below f11, and although it stops all the way down to f22, by this point the drop in sharpness is obvious.

At normal apertures, though, this lens is extremely good. It’s just as sharp at the edges of the frame as it is at the centre, even when used wide open. There’s almost no chromatic aberration at all, and although there is just a trace of barrel distortion, it’s hardly going to be visible with typical macro subjects.

The Zuiko Digital 35mm f3.5 Macro doesn’t cost much and has a fairly restricted maximum aperture, and these two facts alone may tempt you into assuming this is a cut- price lens of modest performance. In fact, it’s a little gem. If you have an Olympus DSLR and you’re at all interested in macro photography, it’s a must-have.

Final Verdict It’s not very expensive and it’s not classed as one of Olympus’s ‘pro’ lenses, but this little 35mm macro is an excellent performer and terrific to use OVERALL

Our lens reviewer, and technical expert, Rod is a veritable photographic encyclopaedia. His illustrious CV has seen him write for many mags, websites and journals.