OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm
Score: 84/100
Tamron 17-70mm
Score: 82/100Rankings
The Olympus 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO is a professional-grade, weather-sealed zoom offering razor-sharp optics and industry-leading 7-stop image stabilization. Its trade-offs are a slower constant f/4 aperture, some distortion at extremes, and a heavier package. It excels for hybrid shooters and travelers needing a versatile, rugged all-in-one lens.
The Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD is a versatile, constant-aperture zoom with built-in vibration compensation and weather-sealed construction, delivering sharp images across a useful focal range. Minor vignetting and by-wire focus quirks are its main trade-offs. It excels for APS-C mirrorless shooters needing a fast, all-round travel lens.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
4best | 2.8 | |
| ↓ lower better | 0.15 mbest | 0.19 m |
| ↓ lower better | 561 g | 525 gbest |
8.3best | 4.1 | |
7 | 9best | |
0.3best | 0.2 | |
17best | 16 | |
11 | 12best |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Compatibility(1) | ||
Lens Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony E |
Features(2) | ||
Autofocus Type | MSC | RXD |
Focus Type | autofocus | Autofocus |
Optics(8) | ||
Focal Length (mm) | 12-100 mm | 17-70 mm |
Maximum Aperture (f‑stop) | 4.0 | 2.8 |
Minimum Focus Distance (m) | 0.15 m | 0.19 m |
Zoom Ratio | 8.33 | 4.1 |
Macro Ratio | 0.32 | 0.21 |
Number of Optical Elements | 17 | 16 |
Number of Optical Groups | 11 | 12 |
Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 9 |
Build & Design(4) | ||
Filter Thread Size (mm) | 72 mm | 67 mm |
Weight (g) | 561 g | 525 g |
Length (mm) | 116.8 mm | 119.3 mm |
Maximum Diameter (mm) | 77.5 mm | 74.6 mm |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers praise the OM System 12-100mm f/4 IS PRO for its razor-sharp optics, industry-leading up to 7-stop Sync IS, and rugged IP53-sealed construction. They commend its fast, quiet MSC autofocus and the versatile 24-200mm equivalent range, calling it a class-defining all-in-one solution, while noting the constant f/4 aperture and occasional distortion as the main trade-offs.
Everyday users celebrate the lens as a travel-friendly "do-it-all" tool that delivers sharp images, reliable weather sealing, and game-changing stabilization for handheld video. Common criticisms focus on the f/4 aperture being too slow for indoor events, occasional corner softness at 100mm, and the lens's size and weight on smaller bodies.
“do-it-all convenience for travel (one lens replaces multiple)”
“sharp images wide open”
“reliable weather sealing in rain/dust”
Professional reviewers commend the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 for its travel-friendly size, constant fast aperture, and the added benefit of VC, which together deliver high-resolution, homogenous images and quiet, responsive autofocus. The lens is praised as a well-balanced, versatile option that feels solid in hand, though critics point out its noticeable vignetting, slight edge softness at 70 mm, and the quirks of its by-wire focus system.
Everyday users love the lens's portability, sharpness and the ability to shoot handheld in low light thanks to the f/2.8 aperture and VC. They frequently cite its "do-it-all" range as a major value, while repeatedly noting the need to correct vignetting and occasional autofocus oddities as the main pain points.
