I just got a price indication about the new upcoming Olympus 12-50mm lens. It came from an asian source so I have to convert the price it in dollars 🙂 That’s why you can’t expect this to be the exact price. Using the current conversion the new lens will cost around $400. But it will also be sold as kit lens along the E-PL3 and E-P3 and should be even cheaper in that case.
And here are the (FT5!) full specs of the 12-50mm EZ ED lens:
Focal length: 12-50mm
Aperture: f/3.5-6.3
Close focusing: 0.35 meter (0.98 ft)
Macro: 0.2 to 0.5 meter (0.66-1.6 ft)
Filter size: 52
Ring: Focus and Aperture ring
Zoom: Powerzoom button on the left side of the lens
AF: Super fast AF and silent focusing
Announcement tomorrow (December 14) at 6-7 am. Stay tuned on 43rumors!
Reminder -> Rumors classification explained (FT= FourThirds):
FT1=1-20% chance the rumor is correct
FT2=21-40% chance the rumor is correct
FT3=41-60% chance the rumor is correct
FT4=61-80% chance the rumor is correct
FT5=81-99% chance the rumor is correct
111 Responses
Yup it’s just an improved kit lens.
+1
Improved? No. It’s just “another” kit lens. 3.5-6.3 is right smack in the middle of the low-end range. Nothing to see here. You get you pay for. I want a quality zoom, not a bigger kit lens.
Oh, at least the price is cheap
Brightness could be better but otherwise not bad at all (especially considering the price and the expected quality).
This is not the lens we all want, but it is a new cheap lens that is maybe better then the kit lenses before and we can still hope, that there will be the “right”/”real” fast lens in future! 🙂
After the excellent 12 and 45 we were hoping for much more than yet another kit zoom. Well, onto Panasonic…
Why would they bring out a zoom competitor to the 12 & 45 the same year? Another 12 months for that one;)
Zooms and primes have different applications, even covering the same focal lengths and roughly similar apertures. Sometimes only a fast zoom with quick focusing will do.
Agreed, but most of us would not buy both a set of primes and a fast zoom in the same range at the same time. Too expensive. So we have too wait for the faat zoom, or its initial sales won’t be very strong.
they didnt mention if this lens is weatherseal lol
I don’t understand the difference between close focusing and macro focusing specs. Does this mean “macro” will be a special mode like some of the older push/pull Nikon macro zooms?
If image quality is sharp, I might be okay with how dark the long end is, but boy is the long end dark. 🙁
I agree, there is not much light at the end of the tunnel…
I expected more !
There might be a macro switch that decreases the minimum focusing distance. It’s like the Sigma 70-300 where it has a macro switch for between the focal lengths of 200-300. However, this doesn’t state what macro ratio the lens is (1:1? 2:1?). Not getting the lens anyway, just curious, heh.
Perhaps Olympus finally realized that /not/ putting a focus limiter switch on a macro lens (cf Zuiko 50/2 Macro) is very annoying for daily use?
Very few zoom lenses do 1:1 macro. Even the aforementioned 50/2 only does 1:2, and most of the (cheap) sigma/tamron/tokina zooms for APS-C don’t get anywhere near that. I don’t expect the new zoom to do much better.
It’s weird that Panasonic is using power zoom to make their zooms smaller, but Oly seems to be doing the opposite (lens is losing physical zoom ring *and* getting bigger). What gives?
Admin:
Ring: Aperture and Focus.
If this is correct it could be a first for a m4/3rds lens thus far!
It is interesting because of that!
I agree. I had zero interest in this lens when I first saw f/6.3 (and I still have very little interest due to that), but when I read “aperture ring” that sparked a bit of interest. I wonder what their plan is. On small camera bodies they should have included aperture rings from day 1 (just like Fuji is about to do). Small bodies don’t have enough space for twin dials like DSLR’s do, but with aperture rings you only need one dial on the body.
However, it seems like the 12mm f/2 would have been the first lens with an aperture ring, not a slow zoom.
I think an aperture ring is definitely nice to have on any lens. Better yet, I like the idea of a multi-function ring, such as Samsung’s iFunction system. I haven’t tried it for myself, but it sounds like a great idea.
It’s nice to have – if all lenses have it. Else you have to change your behaviour depending on the lens you have mounted. Not very user friendly.
While perhaps not a great lens in specs, it does have a lot of features for a 400 dollar lens.
Aperture control from lens, is something I have never seen on digital lenses before. And powerzoom and macro are nice features.
Yeah, Samsung turned a small, simple one handed camera into a two hand handed small cluster@@@@ camera, I don’t see the point in that. The ifunction is a disfunction, in my mind. Why complicate a body by putting all sorts of controls on the plasticey lens too? I don’t mind an aperture ring, but anything else just makes it too much like something Ronco sells on TV. But wait….. call right now and we’ll double your order, for free.
> Aperture control from lens, is something I have never seen on digital lenses before.
What is the point of the aperture ring?
If I want to control aperture, then I’m shooting in ‘A’ mode and the aperture is set once manually and rarely changed.
If I do not want to control aperture, in ‘P’ or ‘S’ mode it is set automatically by the camera.
I honestly do not get the purpose of the ring.
The price is right, at least. Despite not being what people expected, this doesn’t seem totally unappealing (a fairly compact, well-built, high quality all-around lens). The 12mm wide end seems like the best thing about it.
Slow at the long end, but only 1/3 of a stop worse than an ordinary kit zoom. I would assume that at 42mm it probably can do F5.6, anyway — in that sense, not really any worse than the old kit lens.
There must be some mistake in these specs. There are focus and aperture rings, but no zoom ring. What’s the logic behind that? And I don’t understand why are they making a larger lens with power zoom when Panasonic made a smaller one. There must be something more we don’t know yet.
I think that’s a video feature. You want a smooth zoom with power zoom, but you want to be able to focus and change aperture manually. I will be interested to see if the aperture ring is “fly-by-wire” or mechanically connected.
I guess it (and the Panny 14-42X) injects a little more variety into kit lens options. Let’s see what the IQ is like.
Hm, 400 dollars means about 350 euros or about 290 euros in online shops or 200 euros combined as kit lens or 150 as a used kit lens after a while. If the aperture is about 5.6 at 40/45mm we could talk about it as a 14-42 alternative.
But it is definitely not what I´ve been longing for.
Prices don’t work like that. Europe has more taxes. $400 in US means at least 400 euro in Europe.
For this price it is a reasonable lens.
A nice allrounder except the slow aperture, but thats why you
should have primes in your pocket.
The people who are likely to buy this lens are not likely to buy a bunch of primes, I’m afraid. It’ll be this and the 45-150 or similar.
The 12-60 shrinked to mFT-format. Not exactly what I’d expect after the 12-60 rumors a couple of days ago.
That’s why a rumour has to be treated like a rumour until the product is released with specs & tests etc. before anybody can make a proper decision. It is laughable with some of the reactions I read here to obviously unconfirmed rumour specs on something, with all the dummy spitting etc. that goes on because they didn’t get the amazing, over the top, wonder wiz camera or lens. I can’t believe how some people think sometimes. These rumours are great to get, but let’s take the info with a grain of salt & look with interest, but don’t build your hopes up too much & you won’t be disappointed.
I was thinking hard about why Olympus would release such a lens — just fine for a macro but a curiosity on any current m43 body.
I imagine that Oly has worked out a deal for a new sensor, and that the lens has the new sensor in mind. (I have a strong suspicion that the answer is already embedded within this site).
Thank you but I stay with my Pany 14-140 which is very decent in the 14-50 mm area and has OIS + f5.6 at the long end. The only advantage of this lens is maybe macro and price but nothing that can make me replace my 14-140
I fully agree. Zooms are about flexibility, and in this regard nothing come even close to the 14-140HD.
Well, the Olympus 14-150 is better at the long end, goes to 150 mm and is significantly lighter, so, it does a lot more than “doesn’t come even close” to the Panny, for one. In fact, the Panny is too heavy and quite big for these m4/3 bodies, whereas the Oly is not. Of course, the Panny also has its advantages, but let’s stay objective…
Second, 12 mm and 14 mm make a huge difference.
Third, the Panny is double the price.
Etc. 🙂
Yeah, probably, but only for IBIS cameras (=limitation).
Epic fail. Another kit zoom. #7
If this comes out at f 6.3 I’m going to assume that Olympus does not get their enthusiast customer base. If Olympus was smart they would release a bunch of accessories to customize the look of their cameras at a decent price. For instance they could release a variety of skins and grips and cool lens caps which they kinda do but they are all hard to find and expensive.
Shame on you Olympus you’re so close to making something amazing with the M43 format and yet you continue to blow it. You have plenty of slow lenses. Enough already. When you have people importing items to customize the look of their cameras obviously there is a big demand for it.
It’s clear to me that Sony will become a major player in 2012 leaving everyone else to pick up scraps.
slow…slow…slow
What happened to the m4/3 version of the 4/3 12-60?
A far better kit lens than 14-42. Price similar to the 45/1.8. Next thing is weight, bulk and not least IQ….
Maybe a “walk the dog lens” after all.
(aperture ring ?? – like the 12mm??)
if it was jus a bit faster.. I’d love to pay more then!
Someone called it in the last thread — saying this would be good as a kit, and that seems to be what it is. An all-in-one. Not for me, but perhaps someone will like it. Kind of like Canon — you had the 18-55 or you could step up to the 15-85 (I think that’s what it was. Something like that).
Bummer! Was hoping for a faster aperture. Oh well, could be a good walkaround lens, but I won’t be going out of my way to purchase. Maybe I’ll pick one up as a kit lens when I buy my next camera.
Kit lens?, Kit lens are you serious, Another crappy kit lens? LOL Might as well buy a point ans shoot or a rebel with crappy lenses
Maybe it’s a kid’s lens 🙂
Seems like a great lens!
12-50 is a very good range, mostly because 12mm and what if it’s not that fast?
Everyone keeps looking at f6.3 at the long end, but it doesn’t matter at all.
This is the most interesting zoom on m43 thus far, since Panasonic allegedly “fast” zooms are vapourware at the moment, this is quite a good lens, especially considering it won’t cost much and you’ll be able to get it with a camera saving a lot of money.
With this lens, one only “needs” a decent fist prime like 20 1.7 and you’re set (or 45mm 1.8 if you like portraits and nicer bokeh).
And people comparing it with 14-140… are you insane? This is going to weigh ~150 grams while large 14-140 weighs 3x as much and doesn’t have nice wide angle or macro option… get a grip really!
14-140 has also ~3 times longer focal length and OIS, it’s sharp @14mm. Ok 12mm is better, I must confess…But as I have the 9-18 I don’t care, I keep my 14-140
I’d be much happier with this as a kit lens than the 14-42 Mark I on my E-PL1. Sure, it’s bigger, but 12mm on the wide end is significant, and it won’t be any slower at 42mm. Having macro is cool, and I’ll just need to use a tripod for wide low light shots.
All in all, this will be a much appreciated kit upgrade when I eventually upgrade my E-PL1.
Stop the whinging folks!
An f/3.5-6.3 lens for 400$? The guys at Oly are all crazy if they think products like this will save their ass. Who the hell needs this?
Oh, I think this lens will sell a lot of camera kits to P&S upgraders, and to people with lots of disposable cash but no serious interest in photography. That’s who I think are the real target market for Pens anyway. Not that you can’t use a Pen for serious photography, I just think the major market is those who value style and small size over capability.
They’ll be real happy with this as a kit lens, at least until they start wondering why all the pictures they take at the long end are so noisy.
Yep, the 14-140 is much heavier. And much, much more useful. Indoor pictures at f/6.3 are going to end up at ISO 3200 or higher, where the Oly’s suck. It’s another crummy kit lens, and for indoor use worse than the existing ones because of it’s slow speed. You’ll get better results using the 14-42 and cropping than using this lens at f/6.3 and higher ISO.
How about a bit more details, see if $400 really makes no sense at all : a 4X f/3.5-6.3 zoom starting at 12mm and having macro capabilities .
If the IQ is there, $400 looks like a real bargain to me. Even if by “macro” we are looking at something like 1:2 ratio and moving front element.
Well, I suppose Olympus see no point in releasing more high end lenses until they have a new sensor out.
Surely you have that the wrong way around… I agree Oly needs a new sensor, so surely that means they need better lenses so you can use lower ISO in the mean time.
But who will buy expensive lenses when there is no high end body to put them on?
To me it’s clear that Olympus goes for the lower end of the market at the moment. Probably because they don’t have the sensor needed for a higher end camera.
Get your grips people. This is Olympus’ kit answer to video aficionados.
Nothing more, nothing less.
I think it has two other roles too. 1) as an alternative to the 24mm equivalent P&S (eg LX5) and 2) as a general purpose underwater lens which does WA and macro (Oly make scuba cases for the PENs).
I always find it funny how some people on this site find new ways to apply lipstick to the pig. Another slow kit lens? Really Olympus? Coming off a huge scandal, this is the product you introduce? Shit or get off the pot.
… apply lipstick to the pig …
A new one-liner to remember! This lens is not on my wish list. Disappointing aperture range.
f6.3 at 50mm sounds pretty awful… and all for what? macro?
I thing you will get better macro and IQ from a advanced compact because of all that loss of light…
This should have been f2.8-4 macro.
Is this the real Macro 1:1 or faux Macro 1:2 like 4/3 50mm f2? What kind mounting material they use the cheapo plastic or metal like 45mm? Where’s the complete specification promised?
I’m just glad that I already have the Panny 14-45.
I realize it’s not quite as wide, but I just purchased the Olympus 4/3 Zuiko 14-54mk2 f2.8-f3.5. It’s focusing ability was made for Contrast Detect autofocus, meaning it works great with live view on the E-5 or with any m4/3 camera.
It’s a high grade, weather/dust proof lens. Couple that lens with either of the fast 12mm lenses and you’re pretty well covered.
Plus, the 14-54 mk2 is also a macro lens throughout the zoom range.
The quality and sharpness of the 14-54mk2 is quite nice, and is selling for screaming deals right now. If you want a fast, quality zoom lens for m4/3 right now, the Zuiko 4/3 14-54 is probably your best option. Especially if you’re working in both systems, like I am.
Maybe not a lens to get if you have a kit lens.
But deffinatly a killer kit lens!
I think it will still be F5.6 @ 42mm… so bar size its a win over any existing kit lens (on paper).
+1
I don’t care that’s it’s not an f2(or 2.8) since it would be very big and expensive.
This lens has a lot of things right: nice wide 12mm, decent range, macro and probably very good IQ and extremely quick focusing, plus it will sell as a kit lens meaning it won’t be expensive.
What’s not to like? Would you rather have f2.8 with 3-4x the size and price? I would much rather get 1 or 2 primes then which are 1.5-2 EV brighter anyway….
Assuming it’s a new kit lens and not a new lens to buy OK. But they should just come out with more fast lenses, primes…
So, what kind of magnification ratio does it give? Assuming the 0.66ft minimum focus distance is at 50mm, might we compare it to Oly’s 50/2 macro?
Oy 50/2: 9.45″ MFD. 0.5 mag.
Oly 12-50: 0.66ft MFD = 7.92″ MFD. 0.596 mag?
Of course that’s assuming the 0.66ft is at 50mm. At 12mm it would be considerably less.
If Oly could give us a zoom version of the 50/2, and the cost is an f/5.6 aperture, I might be interested. IF the image quality is comparable to the 45/2.8 and IF we get a 25mm tube so we can hit 1:1.
Oh, and is there perhaps also a new camera with this new kit lens???
I know it is a specialty use, but this lens will be ideal for underwater photography with its wide end at the zoom combined with macro focus. I will certainly be an eager purchaser.
It sounds like this could be a good lens for video with the Pen cameras. But obviously, this is not going to be attractive to a lot of prosumers. Are we guilty of being overly optimistic? Are there any examples of Camera companies that are able produce a complete line of lenses in a many of a few years?
I am disappointed, this lens is not the one I am waiting for.
I’m disappointed, 0,5m distance for macro at 50mm? I don’t think this is a good macro potential lens.
Aperture should have been 2.4 or 2.8 at 12mm.
Why do we as users put up with these increasingly slow lenses? I for one refuse to buy anything slower than f2.8 in anything but a 100 mm or longer lens. This lens should have been a f2.0 or faster.
Issue 1: to have a substantial upgrade and midlevel zoom kit compared to the kit lens a 60mm tele lenth would’ve been great.
Issue 2: brightness is an issue as long as the ISO performance of the sensor is lagging behind competition.
I think this is awesome!
Why?
Because it’s yet another non-serious lens for m4/3, which gives me hope that they’ll keep 4/3 alive 😀 They obviously cannot duplicate the optical quality of 4/3 lenses in m4/3 format, so maybe – just maybe – they’ve decided that m4/3 will be a toy line, and 4/3 could be an enthusiast line 😀 Now gimme that E-7 with an Aptina PDAF sensor, and I’ll get both the E-7, an E-720, and a couple of m4/3 lenses for the latter camera – whereas I’ll use my good lenses on the E-7.
Lol
+1.
I’m ready for E-630…
+1. 12-60 FT is still the bleeding edge.
Would be close to impossible to make a lens smaller for the same size sensor but with shorter MFT registration distance while retaining the quality and the speed.
If it were that easy, Canon and Nikon would already have something similar years ago.
Also, with the SWD motor in 12-60, I doubt the new lens would be faster to focus with CDAF in MFT body than the 12-60 in FT with PDAF.
That’s why Olympus really needs some kind of PDAF technology for their mirrorless cameras. Aptina is now a new sensor hotshot, so just go away from bloody Panasonic already.
I’ve tried the 12-60 on an E-P3 and I can’t say I was too pleased with how it works. In one instance, the lens took over three seconds to focus (repeated multiple times for a certain target under certain light), and usually it took about a second. Mounted on my E-3, it locked focus instantly.
> Because it’s yet another non-serious lens for m4/3, which gives me hope that they’ll keep 4/3 alive
I wish I could share your optimism.
As things stand IMO Oly might decide to abandon the m43 in couple of years:
– Panny keeps nurturing their line-up of both cameras and lenses;
– Sony promises more and smaller lenses for NEX next year;
– Samsung is doing many good decisions and has well rounded line-up (though JPEGs still suck).
All in all, I simply fail to see that Olympus has truly committed itself to the m43. From all what they have released to date, I can consider only the 12mm lens a seriously minded product. (Rest is readily and cheaply replaceable by the competition.) But does this single lens is a sign of deep commitment to the system? No, not to me.
P.S. 43 is dead. Get over it. Was fun while lasted. They could have as well called the E-5 “E-4” instead.
Thumbs down for this lens as rumored. Here’s hoping that it comes in as a f2.8-4.0 lens.
WTF……. I am so disappointed right now…. f3.5-6.3??? seriously???
Perhaps another sign that it’s too hard to make fast zooms that are small and 4x or more. Looks like a kit alternative for travel photographers. It will be interesting to see what the Panasonic fast zooms actually look like. I’ve got a used GH2 on the way so will finally join the m43 argue-fest. : )
John, please allow me to kick-off……
-100000000. For the zillionth time when will people learn that i am always right and surely you are wrong? I completely disagree……. Oh, and welcome to the forum!
Correct me if I’m wrong: Sounds like a good video lens, but not really anything like the 12-60mm from FT?
Maybe it’s a good lens for consumer videos on P&S level, but all in all it’s not really suited for a little bit more serious video work. Let’s face it: We hoped for and expected to get an almost pro lens, but obviously Olympus preferred to cater to a much lower standard. Better luck next time!
@Bernd, agreed.
I just don’t know enough about what goes into making these lenses, but they couldn’t make it a tiny bit faster on the long end? They really need to improve low light performance for me to even consider this lens.
I don’t understand why Oly and Pana are ignoring the importance of just ONE good fast standard zoom. No matter what the cost. Act like you care about the people who will sell your stuff to the people who don’t know these cameras even exist, the enthusiast!
+10000. Just one native fast std zoom is what is needed.
> I just don’t know enough about what goes into making these lenses, but they couldn’t make it a tiny bit faster on the long end?
Berneck, to do that they need to have a bigger objective lens.
As a comparison, the 12-60 2.8-4.0 objective lens diameter is 72 mm.
The new lens objective diameter is 52 mm.
Perhaps if they can double the speed of light inside the lens, maybe. But that will make Einstein roll in his grave. 😉
It wouldn’t help with a doubling inside the lens, you’d need a doubling outside too to get an improvement.
Probably won’t get this as a standalone purchase, but I will get it as a kit lens with camera as soon as Olympus updates their sensor …
Yes the FourThirds zooms that start with 2.8 are pretty big, but they could be made just a little smaller and then would be fine as MFT lenses. It’s definitely doable.
I agree and it looks like Panny are about to do it (at a price…..)
f/3,5-6,3 + 400 USD…it looks like new kit lens 🙁
sorry
Disappolympus keep screwing your fanbase
What a massive disappointment.
Yet another slow kit zoom? How many does the world need? There seems to have been about 150 of them from Panny and Oly so far 🙁
What another incredible (bad?) move if it does !
Let’s just summarize what is oly-pan kit lenses :
14-42mm f/3.5-5.6
14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II
14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 II R
14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS
14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS
14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 X OIS
and now another one, a 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3?
It sound already like a “we don’t trust in that” but now it is like “we need something usefull for mass usage”
Yes ?
Then give us a collapsible 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 that’s all !!!
All the way the body is sold to mass with kit…
Honestly why so many investment to do 6 and now 7 standard kits !?!
Is it where brands are making the most of money ?
Incredible no ?!?
My though is than Panasonic should never have release body without built-in stabilization and work all together with Olympus to create great panel of lenses with a lot less overlapping in m43 ! Yes the market was (is steal?) totally virgin for great hybrid lens system…
One should have done an entry-mid level the other a high grade lens and vice-versa for other ranges or prime.
Now Oly will maybe not survive, so sad 🙁
Damned, healthy competition inside m43 alliance should have been the way to go against CANON-NIKON monsters… No ?!?
Well let see futur…
I am still desperatly waiting for a small handy mid-high body with builtin viewfinder from olympus and too bad I will put the pana 12-35mm on it or wait! Of cource oly should release something… the same but without OIS 🙁
this high grade m43 12-60mm would have excited me…
Waiting is boring me more and more…
3 years ago my dream was :
– SONY body engeenering
– OLYMPUS body stabilization
– PANASONIC look and feel…
– builtin viewfinder
– compact lenses
Still waiting for all that working in same machine
Not what I was hoping for but an improvement on the existing kit lens for sure!
But I do think that sometimes folks here take things for granted too easily and even at times imagine too much. Every lens they want must be at least F2.0. Size has to be small and guess what the price has to be low. Given the price of the SHG lenses, wouldn’t these thinkings to be too unrealistic?!
Other than maybe the 7-14mm MFT lens, non of the zooms are high quality, so far, the best MFT lens are all primes, or legacy FT lens…
people on this forum are completely irrational babies. they would have been happier if no lens was released at all. they spend way too much time worrying about cameras and lenses and too little time living life.
I was expecting more with this Len I hope they would released a 14-54 f2.8 – 3.5 this is better rather a 3.5 to 6.3 lol
i have four m43 lens ,two m43 body and waiting for new sony lenses. if sony can make nice lenses ,i will sell all my m43 gear and buy a nex5n..
We are waiting for a fast standart zoom lens for 3 years.. And in 3 year ,they made 7 slow standart zoom lens..
I’m underwhelmed if the rumors are accurate. It’s definitely not the high grade lens that was originally rumored. Give me a high grade zoom for the pen. I’m not particularly concerned with the size, weight or price; you can only make a lens like that so small. I want wide aperture, quick focus zoom that’s sharp throughout like the four thirds 14-54 or 12-60. In the mean time I’ll play with the primes and legacy glass.
Yeah, Olympus make 2 great lens like 12mm F2 and 45mm 1.8, 1/2 year later they make a zoom that cover a different range with macro and they are suddenly dead with all these doomsday comments, get real people
I’d much rather have seen another 14-42 or 14-45, but 2.8-3.5.
The focal length is nice, but a slow lens like that is for daytime outdoor or flash use only.
Guess there both just adding power zooms to basically the same old and at $400 really! it is a moderate improvement on the base kit lens IMO. Where’s the fast glass Olympus show us what you can do one more time before you fall into obscurity.