Going all the way back to the (still) legendary 50mm f1.8 that came with my OM-10 in 1979, the 'kit' lenses from Olympus have always been FAR better than any comparable lenses from any other brand. Build quality is better than expected in this class of lens, and image quality rivals mid-range and even high-end lenses from competitors.

Decent image quality for the price but build quality isn't that good.

I've had this lens a little over a year and I really liked its concept and portability. It's very light and economical and the IQ was good for this price point in a lens like this. Obviously the F3.5-5.6 is a big tradeoff with a more expensive lens, but for this price, it filled my focal length needs very well. BUT - after a year I had the same problem that other reviewers have had, the poor circuitry in the focusing system makes the lens unusable - period. My investment is now worth zero. I would NOT recommend this lens. If you need this focal length in your bag, go upscale just a bit and get one of the other lenses like 12-45mm f4. I think with a 4.5 star rating that would be a great investment. I love M.Zuiko lenses in general, but this one isn't a good one to have in their lineup.

Very decent kit lens with very useful range. Among the best kit lenses of all brands

Its a decent lens, but with an bad design, the flexible pcb that powers the aperture will brake after a couple of years, mine is lasted 3 years. and who knows how many pics. but still

I have owned and used this lens for more than 5 years. Mechanically it is,even after much use, still very precise and mechanically sound. There is no looseness in the barrel and it still focuses quickly and reliably. The image quality is excellent, especially for a kit lens. It has exceeded my expectations in all aspects. I know this is not an expensive pro lens but it definitely holds it's own in the image quality department.