Finally I got the specs about the upcoming new Olympus Micro Four Thirds lens. It is a 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 macro lens! So it’s slower and has 10mm less at the end than the [shoplink 23681 ebay]Olympus Four Thirds 12-60mm f/2.8-4[/shoplink] zoom. But the new 12-50mm gains a macro feature, has super fast AF and has powerzoom. I have been told the optical quality is on very high level. The lens is quite big (two times the current 14-42mm collapsible kit lens).
The new lens is a nice walk-around camera for photographer and filmmakers. I wish it would have been a bit faster but as long as image quality is really high I can deal with that.
The lens will be announced tomorrow (Wednesday December 14) at around 6-7am London time. I don’t know if Olympus will also announce new accessories or a new lens roadmap tomorrow. As usual I will be here live to cover the announcement news and reviews. See you tomorrow morning!
P.S.: Don’t forget to join the Facebook 43rumors fanpage (Click here)!
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
165 Responses
Sigh.. dont Oly and panny read what we want.. yes.. its another kit lens that starts wide and has macro.. wow.. and it starts at F3.5 ! Gosh. With a smaller sensor than APS-C, you would think that they would at least start to release the faster lenses.. ok.. i’m not going to give up my 4/3 14-54 Mk II on my GH2. That works so much better.. and i’ll wait for the panny 12-35 instead!
Oly you just lost another customer..
well to summarize in one word
FAILURE!
God this must be joke. Next!
Let’s wait for all the details tomorrow, but on first look, f/3.5-6.3 is rather disappointing. What’s the gain over the kit lens, other than a bit wider range? I wouldn’t pay extra money to double up the kit…
Maybe it’s a video lens ?
“Maybe it’s a video lens ?”
Not without IS it isn’t.
Olympus again does not get it. What many need and expected, is a *fast* standard zoom lens, and not a lens with the announced specs. 6.3 at the long tele end? Give me a break! I would never consider a lens, which has an aperture less than 5.6 at the longest focal range (that’s why, I never considered the Olympus 75-300mm zoom and bought the Panasonic 100-300mm instead). Most people expected a m4/3 equivalent of the FT 12-60mm, but this announcement fall very short of it.
It seems that only Panasonic is the driving force of m4/3. They are brave enough to release fast zoom lenses. Olympus still drives a PEN only route with not much diverse bodies and fails mostly on lens offerings (except the two new primes). With that kind of product policy, Olympus really is in trouble.
For the billionth time: you cant have a fast standard zoom because those would be too big and too heavy for the small cameras Oly and Pana are producing!
You cant have that! m4/3 isn’t a panacea that makes every lens smaller. laws of physics still apply.
Just wait to see the new Panasonic lenses, they’re going to be somewhat fast, but won’t even compete with Olys 4/3 HG glass, much less SHG.
> laws of physics still apply.
Exactly: Human hand size sets minimum size for the body for it to have good ergonomy.
That’s another failure of m4/3 in offering diversity of choises.
Then why is it 2x the size of the current kit?
This is a flop because the lens is neither fast nor small.
’cause it’s 12mm, not 14mm, and it’s 12-50, not 14-42.
A 12-60 would have been even bigger.
If they made a 12-60 2.8-4.0, it would have been the same size as the 4/3 version.
Panasonic has shown faster. 12-35 X.
Panasonic has shown smaller. 14-42 X.
Either Olympus is going to show cheaper (and I mean 250€ tops) or it’s no game. The only thing this lens has got to offer for me is 12mm. Anything else I can get with cheap extension tubes and plenty of fast legacy.
And better and faster!
“laws of physics still apply.”
“If they made a 12-60 2.8-4.0, it would have been the same size as the 4/3 version.”
And yet, the 25mm f/1.4 (smaller than the 4/3 version) and the old 14-45/42mm kits (smaller than the 4/3 versions) exist, not to mention the collapsible zooms. Looks like Panasonic is well versed at breaking the laws of physics.
(Or maybe there’s something to be said for learning some basic optics/logic/observational skills before making inaccurate and unfounded claims while using empty statements like “laws of physics still apply” to hide these shortcomings.)
Twice the size of the collapsible 14-42 would not be much bigger than the Panasonic kit lens which is much smaller and lighter than the 12-60. I had the 14-54 for my FT SLR and it was a heavy piece of glass. I would not want anything that heavy on an m43 camera.
But I would definitely be interested in a zoom that starts at 12 and has noticeable better optical performance than the current kit zooms or 14-42X. If it is as large as the Panasonic kit lens it better have a regular zoom ring in addition to the power zoom. One thing that I really like about the 43 SLRs was the optical quality. The m43 zooms are not as good optically.
Hopefully those of you wanting a fast, large, heavy normal zoom will be able to buy the Panasonic 12-35 soon and those of us wanting a moderate size normal zoom with better optical quality can have the 12-50. That should make everyone a little less whiny if not exactly happy.
Of course this all assumes the 12-50 will have the optical quality of the old mid or high grade 43 SLR lenses. Without that level of performance the lens will just be bigger, heavier and much more expensive.
@M- Surely the 12-35 f2.8 (maybe less) lens that is not much larger than the Panny kit zooms proves a fast standard lens is possible? This Oly is neither fast nor small, the Panny is both.
For the billionth time: you can have a fast standard zoom like the 12-60 and the mft can be smaller then the ft! and a 2,8-3,5/12-42 can be smaller again……
no, you can’t have that.
> For the billionth time: you cant have a fast standard zoom because those would be too big and too heavy for the small cameras Oly and Pana are producing!
For the billionth + 1 time: nothing prevents O&P from introducing a decently sized bodies with decent ergonomics. For people who prefer to hold the camera in a hand – rather than in fingers.
Otherwise, I want a true 12-60 m43 replacement and I would have gladly accepted that it is a large lens. Being large is rather a small price to pay for having one lens covering all the most popular lengths.
In hand rather than in fingers ? Are you aware that you’re on a m43 website ?
Yes, we are aware. Why shouldn’t there be a body larger than the GH2, but with even better ergonomics? m4/3 is not only about body size.
Check your history. It’s a 43rds site that includes m43rds cameras. Many on here were following 43rumors before m43rds existed, and so the micro in 43rds doesn’t/shouldn’t always mean smaller and slower and cheaper and lower quality. The “m” also means mirrorless, and that’s the most important thing about m43rds to many. Look at the 35-100 43rd zoom. It’s huge, fast, and many people want it. But for those who do not want the size, there are many smaller 43rds options to choose from in that same zoom range, although they a slower. I’d like to see the same kind of choices for m43rd. It’s time for 2 or 3 fast zooms, at least 1 larger Pro body, and a few fast zooms that are not compromised in design to obtain miniaturization status.
Mister M, you are right, there is no way to get fast zooms with high image quality that satisfy the M4/3 camera size. Olympus spent more than 3 years developing the 14-35mm f2 for the 4/3 format and is really a monster, and just 14-35. The quality is just incredible, comparable to any of my last generation Leica M primes. I attached it to my E-P2 with the 4/3 to M4/3 adapter and it looks like a matchbox sticked to the back of a lens. I don´t know how people think they can get a zoom with the 12-60mm characteristics half or less than half its size. The priced 45 f1.8 is about the size of the Leica summicron 50mm f2, so no mistery here. I will buy right away the 12-50 if it has the rumored image quality.
Apparently Panasonic can do it. And who said that m4/3 lenses need to be small? They need to be smaller than their DSLR counterparts, nothing more. Instead a lens with this spec, they could have designed one with f/5.6 ore better constant f/4.0, but no, it has to be cheap and small. Where is the strategy to continue with what has been shown with the 2.0/12mm lens?
It seems that Olympus has lost lot of its appeal.
@mahler
Need fast glass for your E-PL1? Get an adapter and buy the regular 4/3 12-60 for your E-PL1, or, even better, the 14-54 Mk II. There, problem solved, both lenses work just fine on Olympus micro cameras, though focusing isn’t all that speedy.
As for me, I just can’t wait to see the price tag on this new wonder lens from Olympus…I’m guessing $1500 USD.
– Olympius
Slow AF.
Adapter will make them even bigger.
I would rather wait for the upcoming Panasonic X 12-35mm zoom.
Looks like I was very wrong about the price….if the admin’s newest rumor is true, this wonder lens is going to cost….$400 USD?????
That’s the same price that the 45mm f/1.8 is currently selling for….or, you can get a new-in-the-box E-PL1, 14-42 and 40-150 lenses for $400 at Costco here in the USA. (A deal so good, even I am thinking seriously about snatching one of those kits, for use as an advanced point & shoot….)
Which means that this 12-50mm is going to be just a premium kit lens. Not a bad thing, as Olympus makes some of the best kit lenses in the business. But still, I don’t think this is the lens many people were expecting, to put it mildly.
Oh well, we wait on Panasonic to bring us something truly useful, as always.
– Olympius
OMG – Macro is nice. 12mm is nice. Big OR slow is not – big AND slow is completly wrong.
Dissapointing zoom range and largest aperture. This may have positive consequenses on price and weight. But 24 -120 mm (FF) is (to me) the ideal zoom range for “walk the dog photography”. The Pana 12-35 seems a different animal suited for more ambitious photo.
Another slow zoom. The wide end is nice but what a dissapointing speed…
what did I tell you several days ago? Slow lens, new kit zoom.
My sources said it was 3.5-5.6, but it’s even worse.
LOL.
But keep buyin those PEN’s! Im sure that by the time E-P8 comes out, it will be at least marginally different than the E-P1 and maybe even feature that EVF!
Nobody is buying PENs, at least in Europe and North America they are really unpopular. I have actually seen a EPL-2 in store for 600 € last week.
About the lens: this is just extremely disappointing. What do I need a pro build (whatever that means) and a macro function, when the aperture is horrible and it is not stabilized? I can live with the latter if the lens is fast, but not in this case.
I bought a PL1 one year ago. Now I´ve bought a PL3. And I know many people also using PENs as only or complementing cameras.
In the Netherlands PEN’s fly out the door. Maybe North America they are not popular but in Europe they ARE.
LOL +1
In one of my previous comment, I was thinking that the worth case would be 12-60/3.5-5.6 in order to get a correct compactness. It is event worth…
I will stay with my E-620 + 12-60 for a long time.
Wrong design again…. Just like the mzd75-300mm. Unless this lens in very cheap, Oly can’t sell many of this.
50/6.3? WoW
Woodford is probably behind it! He likes big numbers.
This lens was under work long before Woodford was called to Japan.
You don’t make lens in couple months, it probably takes that much to just get production line ready to start mass production after all time consuming design, prototyping and testing has been done.
Lupo forgot to add a smiley at the end. It was a joke (about Woodford). 😉
+10 Goota add those smiley faces or the humorless literalists will think you’re serious and reach for their flamethrowers. 😉 🙂 😉 🙂
(gee, I hope I used enough)
Well… that’s quite a lot of disappointment. I got kit already, don’t want another one. The thing my kit lacks is fast optics, not resolution – that’s already better than I need for my personal use.
I don’t want to be a negative nancy, but this lens is not for me. It’s good to have some extra wideness in the short end, but I don’t need macro in a zoom lens. It is probably not “true” 1:1 macro anyway. I guess the macro feature adds some size and weight to the lens.
Without OIS, the lens is not very good for video anyway.
I don’t think the specs are that much of a surprise. After all, the premium Olympus tele zoom lens also has a poor aperture, f/4.8-6.3.
My goodness, f6.3…
How do the kids say? Epic fail!
I’m an old Oly fan boy, but it seems for high grade zoom lenses I have to rely on Panasonic.
If it’s twice big as collapsible kit then it’s not that big, especially for macro lens.
Anyway, without OIS it won’t replace kit lens for Panasonic users, but may be tempting for landscapes if quality is really good, not like 12/2 which is only good.
Well, it all depend on price.
F6.3 and P&S buttonzoom?
I guess next year we’ll get some new F8-11 pinhole kit lenses so that they can advertise this as fast kit lens.
This definitely isn’t valid successor to 12-60.
Only way to get this make some sense would be with focal plane PDAF coming soon and expanding lens choises to actually high quality 4/3 lenses and new lenses being simply intended for expanding choises in light lenses.
steadicam > any IS for video
Anyway looks like Pany saves the day again, F3.5-6.3 seriously?!
OMG, looks like I will have to keep my old FT 12-60…
I’m just about to push the button on a 14mm f2.5 and 45mm f1.8 to accompany my 20mm on G3/E-P1 but was waiting to know what Oly had up their sleeve. This makes doing that a whole lot easier!
What??? Come on Oly!!! 3.5 is not good but okay for me, but 6.3??? 5.6 is the worst aperture I could ever accept in any lens!!!
pana 14-42, pana 14-45, pana 14-42x, oly 14-42, oly 14-42II MSC, oly 14-42II R MSC and now another slow standart zoom. they have 7 of them. well done!!!
what a waste of r&d and production capability!!!!
12-50mm f3.5-6.3… i wish they didnt bother at all. seems Oly just want to jump in the powerzoom bandwagon
Without IOS wouldn’t this lens be almost completely useless on Panasönic bodies?
I know that Oly bodies have IBIS but this would make it hard to sell to Panasönic body users.
While I am disappointed as well, I think it is s reality we have to face that to have a bright zoom and compact size is still relatively difficult to make.
I was about to post a comment, but reading the above this sums up what was about to type. What a waste of time this lens is. If Olympus goes for the small form factor, why not concentrate on small lenses. The panasonic lineup is just so much better, and I am eagerly anticipating their 12-35 zoom.
To me it looks like a m43 product never will replace my good old 43 system. m43 is made for the consumer market where the big volums are….
After the great 12/2 and 45/1.8 this new lens is a bit surprising.
Well, looks like I’m sticking w/ my Olympus 4/3 Zuiko 14-54mm mkII f2.8-3.5 lens also for my GH2. I’ve been falling for that lens since I purchased it and boy am I glad I didn’t wait around for this disappointing new from Olympus.
It’s just as deflating as the anticipation of a Nikon mirrorless camera and only getting the Nikon 1 system w/ its smaller sensor.
It’s a great lens for m43, size wise, image quality wise! I just hope that the AF can be quicker though it’s fast enough for my shooting.
Same thoughts as you! My 14-54k ii is way superior than this slow kit zoom
Is this a joke? 🙂
Damn I’m happy I bought a Nikon D90…
i guess we will have to wait for 3rd party lenses from sigma,cosina… to make something decent because this is horrible.. even my panny 14-140mm starts at f4.0 and ends at f5.8! 140mm f5.8 oly! you´re 50mm f6.3 looks like you actually made your first zoom lens! macro is good thing.. but i don´t expect it will be 1:1 .. (if it will be 1:2 I will give you max 150€ for this micro 4/3 fail
AND even Oly already make a pretty respectable 14-150 which is very compact and light. Why would you bother with this new lens??? Something doesn’t seem right here.
Your D90 doesnt even compare to the m4/3 system. To get fast lenses you have to buy the FF glass. Heavy, expensive and large
Or Ben could buy the the AF-S DX 35 f/1.8, or the AF-S DX 40 f/2.8 macro, or the AF-S DX 85 f/3.5 macro, or the AF-S DX 17-55 f/2.8. None of those are FF, although the 17-55 f/2.8 is large and expensive as professional lenses should be. There are also 7 FF lenses under $700 MSRP and f/2.8 or better from 20mm to 85mm.
I’ll buy whoever has the best glass, and that is not m43 right now.
Heavy, big, expensive, but at least they exist! M43rds don’t even offer fast zooms. That’s what we are all complaining about. Too many small, slow zoom lenses with duplicate or overlapping focal ranges.
Then go buy 14-35 2.0 and 35-100 2.0 They are the fastest zooms ever built
I have the 35-100. It’s the best lens I’ve ever seen. Use it for portraits outdoors. It can’t be beat.
I just want to see Olympus continue developing the system to the degree at they stated in the past. What they have so far for m43 just don’t match the quality and performance of what they might replace (the 43rd line of cameras and Lenses).
if the macro feature is well implemented this is a great combo lens. A bit slow maybe but for underwater applications it would fit the bill. I hope they announce a port for their underwater case.
Andrea, that is the most sensible idea for this lens. The ability to do close up WA and macro without changing lens would be unique and very helpful for underwater where you normally have to choose one or the other. However, this is a very small niche – I can’t believe it will get many sales. I suppose Oly are unique in selling underwater cases too for sensible money – there definitely is a niche here.
OMG, FAIL!
MFT has just become a major camera system with all those nice fast primes and now – THIS!
12-50mm/F3.5-6.3? Shame on you, Olympus.
I spent nearly € 6.000,- on MFT gear within the last 2 years (incl. the 12/2.0, 20/1.7, 25/1.4, 45/1.8, an E-PL1 with 17/2.8 for my sister, an E-PM1 for my wife, an E-PL3 for my mother and my own upgrade from E-P2 to E-P3) and was sure to be right on this cool system. With the release of this grandpa-zoom, I’m not so sure anymore. I think they’ll see how bad this lens sells but unfortunately those millions of r&d are already wasted…
just saying, this not yet announced lens does not devalue your equipment or the photos you take with it. Sure, we all want that fast walk-around zoom, but if you got along well with your stuff until now, why wouldn’t that be the case in the future? and if you are spending happy, just wait for the Pana zooms (which will hopefully prove that small and fast (2.8 or better) is possible.
You’re absolutely right.
I AM happy with my gear and the results I get (and will get in the future) with it. That’s not the point.
I just care about the MFT-system itself because I hoped the next lenses would get even better – but the “12-50” seems to me like a step backward. I appreciate every step “forward” to more pro MFT-lenses and now I’m really looking forward for the 12-35mm/F2.0(please) from Panasonic.
Congratuations! You just won the “drama queen of the week” award! And there’s fierce competion on this site!
Even my grandpa wouldn’t touch this lens.
And queue the disappointment.
I have the Panasonic 14-42mm kit lens (got it so dirt cheap with the GH2, it would have been crazy to refuse), but I realized very fast that for serious video work I need a lens with a bit more wide angle and a better aperture. And it should be larger and heavier than the tiny kit lens. So I was really hoping for the rumored Olympus MFT 12-60/2.8-4 as it seemed to tick all boxes but what do we get instead? A 12-50/3.5-6.3? Wow, what an “improvement” over the 14-42/3.5-5.6 we are almost given for free now! I still hope, this info is a bad joke, but if it turns out to be true: Well, one more lens I can’t use and don’t want. Might not be a good idea to invest too much in MFT equipment at all if this is the direction the system is heading to.
if it would be 12-50 f2.8-f5.6 with good sharpness I wouldn´t say a bad word .. and I don´t believe it´s that hard to make it.. shame on you olympus.. another ugly kit lens
And remember that the 12-60 also have close-up capabilities (~60×40 mm).
This new one is just a kit lens.
Of course a 12-60 that would be smaller and brighter at the same time was a pipe-dream, but this is really too much as for the darkness, I mean brightness 😉
So do some of you still believe that the new Panasonic wide zoom will be f/2? Then get slowly prepared for another shock 🙂
Well everyone is disappointed …. me too. How can the company who gave us the 9-18 in such a diminuitive package offer up this turd.
If the aperature is right , this lens is not for me .
Come on , we need a pro lens or at least semi pro . F3.5 to F6.3 , too bad . This kind of aperature only perform on APS-CMOS based cameras not MFT . A disappointment after all .
If I had just one lens on the camera, this would be a preferable choice to the standard kit lens – and that’s about the only positive thing I can say about this lens. It’s an alternative standard zoom, but what a disappointment this will be to so many! I would suggest, though, that the disappointment is not just with the lens, but more with the way these rumors are “talked up” in advance leading to greater expectations, and then the inevitable crash.
pfffffffff…What am I supposed to do with a 50mm f6.3 without OIS on my GH1 ? is it sold with a free tripod ??
Oly, you lost all the Pany users…
All my hopes are now in the 12-35…
” is it sold with a free tripod ??” lol that made my day 😀
+1
Free tripod, but $200 lens hood! 😉
I’m a bit dissapointed like everyone else, but let’s think about it. Olympus already has a collapsible and small kit zoom, the 14-42. The result is a small overal package when they sell it along with E-PM1 and E-PL1/2/3. Since majority of the consumers don’t buy any other lens other than the kit zoom, the collapsible 14-42 achieves its goal.
Which brings us to this new lens. The focal length range is roughly that of a “mid-premium kit zoom” range. Both Canon and Nikon have zoom lenses in this range: Canon 15-85:f/3.5-5.6 ($799) and Nikon 16-85:f/3.5-5.6 ($699). In 4/3 we had the 12-60:f/2.8-4, which had the same exact range but faster aperture. Now in m4/3 we get (roughly) similar aperture range but slightly shorter focal length range (actually its focal length range is very similar to the Ful Frame Canon 24-105 f/4 lens).
For the mentioned Nikon and Canon lenses, the selling point is image quality, better build construction than the 18-55 kit zooms and the 24 mm starting wide angle. Those lenses are not designed as cheap kit bundle items, they are serious lenses for photographers who know that focal-range and apertures suits their specific needs, and demand excellent optical quality from it, and they are prepared to spend significant money for it. I’ve seen tests of those lenses where the image quality gets very close to prime lenses.
My guess is that this 12-50 zoom range is for those people. Perhaps, and as admin suggests, this lens is all about lack of CA, edge to edge sharpness, etc. and perhaps it even doesn’t rely on electronic correction.
I think the bigger news here is that usually photo journalists go after these premium zoom lenses. Perhaps this lens is a prelude to the much fabled PEN Pro finally coming out?
(To contradict myself, a photojournalist wouldn’t typically need macro…)
Well, actually it is a nice walk-around holiday lens when coupled with the 20mm/1.7 and 45mm/1.8.
The specs are disappointing due to the high expectations. This glass is not high-grade and it is for sure not fast, it is a kitlens with more flexibility regarding the wideangle and macro-function.
If Olympus is marketing it like this and sells it for less than 500 euro, than it might be ok.
I pesonally would not buy that lens for sure.
For sure, it would complement my 20/1.7 & 45/1.8 much better than my current kit lens. But so would the 12/2.0! I wouldn’t buy this zoom except as a kit.
At 500EUR they wont sell even a single one. It must be cheaper than 250EUR.
hmmm..f/6.3…I guess Oly will be offering this lens at a nice affordable price of say $65.00.
Guess I won’t be selling my Pany/Leica 45mm f/2.8 Leica now will I?
More lenses are better for all of us…but I do not see Olympus selling many of these.
Clever move Olympus!
This announcement will represent a major boost for the sales figures of the FT Zuiko 14-54 2.8-3.5 II – that arguably won’t be much bigger.
What a disappointment!
When I heard the rumours first I was rather annoyed to have swapped my 12-60 SWD against the 14-54 II to use it on both my E-5 and my E-PL3 and G1.
But now I’m happy to have made the right move.
Thank you very much.
6.3 is really disappointing if one expected a high end lens.
It might be ok as a studio only lens. Studio strobes provide enough light and great DOF is what you usually need.
For some people it might be ok as an upgrade to the standard kit zoom but I wonder how much more people are ready to pay.
I don’t see it as a brillant all-day-walk-around lens because it’s simply too slow. As many stated above, I too will not consider a lens that slow again. I had a Canon 17-85mm 4.0-5.6 and unless you can turn ISO to at least 800 it’s useless in dim light. I can’t turn up ISO to 800 because I own a GH1 and the maximum I can get without banding is 400 ISO.
Will Olympus finally release a Pro Pen with EVF and fully articulated high res screen? A company who can make a lens as brillant as the 9-18mm (I love it) should be able to deliver a professional body as well.
It will be a very useful landscape and bright light lens. But not for me, happy with my primes. Wonder if there will be a new big body to go with it? Cos it sounds awfully like a kit zoom for a more serious body.
F 6.3 on “a kit zoom for a more serious body”? Good joke!
Help! I sold my 14-54I because the Af is not good with MFT. Is the 14-54II much better? I lost my hope to get a new MFT Lens like these.
Yep, 14-54 II is focusing not as fast as my Lumix 14 2.5, Summilux 25 1.4 or Zuiko 45 1.8 but I’m more than happy with the AF speed on my E-PL3.
thx!
Great! I thought the decision to switch to Panasonic was wrong when I heard the rumors about a 12-60mm/2.8-4.0. But now I know it was right :-). Can’t await the Pana 12-35mm!
f/3.5-6.3? Another slow zoom. No point, IMO. At least Panny zoom has OIS, I don´t think Oly will include that in lens.
I am disappoint
Err – wouldn’t it be reasonable to wait and see what is actually comming tomorrow, before pouring acid on a few performance numbers scratched from blogosphere somewere, which might even be wrong ?
All comments refer to the rumor. nobody demonizing what is really better when it is.
Is it true that no one can make a high grade lens that starts at f3.5? There seems to be a perception that a lens has to start at f2.8 to be any good. But I agree that I won’t go near the m43 (or any mirrorless) until I get equal or better than 14-54 + 50-200, this many years down the road technology should have improved in lenses and I should get even better optical quality than those two for a similar price. Fuji mirrorless I’m looking to you.
Don’t want to sound too negative…but this is not really an m43 version of the legendary 43 12-60. What a bummer. And 6.3 on the long end??? Yawn…
I heard it would be “similar”. In fact it is, but th differences are now perceived as bigger than they are. Probably the fact that it starts with f/3.5 instead of f/2.8 makes the difference 🙁
f/6.3 and macro. Olympus either think that their potential buyers are morons or their minds have drawn a complete blank.
Even at infinity, even with Olympus’ own 12mp cams, f/6.3 is at the diffraction limits. Macro- if one goes to life-size, the effective aperture is f/13 at the far end.
Two thumbs down!
This would have to be a dedicated macro lens. 6.3 is a good aperture for that. But for everyday photography? Failure! !
No, Vivek, it’s unlikely this lens is a “true” macro that focuses close simply by extending the lens. It is almost certainly using internal focus to get close, which doesn’t impact effective aperture the same was a true macro does.
I couldn’t give two hoots about starting at f3.5, but ending at f6.3 really is a bit much! I was hoping for a super sharp lens for walkaround and landscape. Depending on the sharpness at 12mm and the price, this might still be in with a chance, but clearly it also needs to be accompanied by a 45mm f1.8 for almost anything other than tripod-based shooting.
It would be so easy to just redesign the existing 14-54 mkII: give it a native m43 mount, use lighter materials, finetune the focusing technology to achieve at least something like the earlier kit lens. With a very small investment, it would be a better option for many.
With a bit more work, and using the same optical design as a basis, Olympus could achieve much better AF, more compact design, and stellar IQ.
Same goes for 12-60, although that lens is a bit bigger than the 14-54. I know that similar lenses (24-120, with slowing aperture) exist in the Canon and Nikon line up. But still, I’m not putting this one on my wish list…
Like the first poster said, I too will stick with my GH2 and 14-54II. I don’t worry about IS and the GH2 knows enough to try to keep it at 1/125th before bumping ISO… I am happy with that in Pmode and A-mode.
If I want 24mm wide, I’ll either do a 2shot pano and stitch in CS5…. or pull my LX5 out of my pocket.
Peter F.
Does the 14-54ll auto focus on the gh2?
Yes. 14-54 AF sub 1 sec on gh2. Perfectly ok for normal use.
None of my 4/3 lenses focus on my gh1 but they do on my ep3
I so hate that power-zoom is becoming the new thing for m43.
yes…and you do see that power zoom becoming so prevalent on pro full-frame systems as well. LOL!
What is up with this trend….it is a bad idea for enthusiast photographers. Kind of embarrassing.
Perhaps it sounds like a good idea for the point-and-shoot crowd..but…?
“Nice walk-around lens for filmmakers”
Hell no. Aperture ramps way too much towards the long end!
Another useless lens for mft. Still waiting for those Panny offerings.
This lens seems to be designed for video more than it is for stills. Looking at it from that perspective, a slow 12-50 with macro capabilities makes some sense. A very versatile lens.
On a side note, Olympus probably still hopes to integrate 4/3 and m4/3 in a way that will enable fast focusing of its 4/3 zooms on m4/3 bodies. This is why it refrains from investing resources in fast m4/3 zooms.
“On a side note, Olympus probably still hopes to integrate 4/3 and m4/3 in a way that will enable fast focusing of its 4/3 zooms on m4/3 bodies. This is why it refrains from investing resources in fast m4/3 zooms.”
That actually sounds like something Oly would do, but it’s been what, 4 years? They haven’t even hinted that they’re close, and in the meantime the Nikon Ones have hybrid CDAF and PDAF.
If it works and they finally come out with the unifying body that can use SHG and m43 lenses equally well, it will be gang busters. But that’s a huge bet.
12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 ? That’s not a fast standard lens, that’s a new kit zoom. The main question is what camera it is for. Being twice the size of current kit lens, it can’t be the kit zoom for E-PM1. What’s more interesting is that Panasonic made a power zoom lens two times smaller than its kit lens, while Olympus makes two times larger. Something’s wrong here…
stillbirth
Fast Zoom already exists I have 14-54 II on EPL3 and autofocus is not a problem , missing grip is a problem but not big one i used it on EP1 and it is much better here i guess it will handle better on GH2 or G3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfFQ6hreu1M&feature=related
THAT’S A TYPO ! or a good joke!
It’s a 12-50 f/3.5~3.6 Ahahahahah !
Who need macro with such a zoom range ?? A 50mm Macro Prime is more than welcome even opening at f/2.5. (see the 50mm 2.5 Macro Module for Ricoh GxR, and it covers APS-C, and is still compact).
It could be a good deal if this 12-50 is very cheap and very sharp corner to corner wide open through the range. If not, it will the hugest failure from Olympus!
I am not sure what to think of it. On the one hand, this lens seems to be pretty disappointing, on the other hand, a HG- or SHG-lens would have been a strong hint that Oly has given up on merging FT and mFT in the future. As an user of E-3 with excellent FT-lenses, I hope that either FT will be continued even after E-5 or that there will be a professional body for my glass.
Don’t sign me up for that one.
When, or should I say “if”? Oly ever comes out with an upper tier body that can replace 4/3 DSLR bodies, something that has been promised, I hope that by that time there will be several fast primes (in addition to the 12 and 45 mm) and at least one fast wide-to-tele zoom available. Otherwise, I see no reason to even consider Oly any longer.
Right now I’m fine with my two E-620 bodies and my 12-60 and 40-150 lenses. Eventually, those bodies will need to be replaced. If Oly doesn’t have what I need and want, they are sadly off my table at that point. Within a year I will move on.
If true, this is a fail.
For a “do-everything” walk around lens I think I’d choose the Panny 14-140 over this any day of the week. Optical performance would have to be truly stellar for me to even look twice at it.
And all the Oly fanboys are so quick to yell…”Panny doesn’t get it”
Oh, one more thing: “Told you so.”
While everyone else was falling all over themselves over the totally unsubstantiated idea that this was going to be a ‘fast’ lens, I think I was the only one who actually pointed out that all the source said was 12 to something focal length range, and variable aperture. The source said nothing about it being ‘fast’. That the moderator of this site *assumed* it would be fast, and virtually everyone else believed that, is laughable.
There’s a difference between rumor and wishful thinking, and this site is more about the latter than the former.
what a disappoinment, Oly has left it´s “valued” customer behind …
I agree. A huge, massive let-down. Here’s hoping that the upcoming X-Series lenses are decent.
Finally ! this is the kit zoom 12-50HS(Heavy and Slow) from Olympus ! Nice one .
Hmm, not for me.
yet another reason I am switching to NEX 7. I have a Panny G1 and was waiting for this lens to pair with the new GX1 I was sure would have a built in viewfinder. This lens is not fast enough. What a joke. All those folks who claim “the law of physics” are full of crap. This lens could have been made faster without increasing its external size. Panny and Oly have completely lost touch with everyone other than point and shooters.
While I am not a fan of the popular phrase “the law of physics” ( I really do not know if many who use it even can properly spell Physics instead of copy/paste), I would ask you why would you switch to the NEX-7 if you think f/6.3 isn’t fast enough for the G1 or any 12mp m4/3rds cam?
You may want to look up how fast a lens has to be for the NEX-7.
f/3,5-6,3? Waste of money!
Geeze, M43 still does not have a good walk-around lens; Pany and Oly keep slightly missing the mark.
I’d be all over this lens if it was brighter and I’d be happier with a larger size. We have quite a few small/cheap/mediocre image quality zoom choices now. It’s time for a better (and bigger) option.
+1
To me, the Panasonic 14-140mm is a perfect walk around lens. Thus the 12-50mm with its specs is superfluous. This lens would only have made sense, if it were constant f/4.0 or a f/2.8-5.6.
12-50mm f3.5-6.3?
Eh.. so its equiv. of 24-100mm f7-f11 (DOF).
Very usefull, lol. 😀
All m4/3s has problem with high ISO, every one of them is noisy even at base ISO and they make slow lenses? Sounds really thought through..
This lens is too slow in my opinion. I hope to see faster lens such as 12-60mm, unfortunately it isn’t.
Hopefully, Panasonic 12-35mm will have faster aperture, but I’m a bit pessimistic. Seems they have problem in designing fast zoom for MFT.
Wow. That is horrible. Time to sell.
Yet another product nobody really wants this time the lens….I have to go outdoor in really bright light in order to shoot the object because I hate using flash to shoot indoor….I was hoping this lens would be at least f2 think I’ll wait new till new PEN announce to bought it.
Now the only hope for me to stay with m4/3 is Panasonic and their upcoming f/2.8 zooms. Olympus is dead for all I care.
Yet another slow lens. And it’s twice the size of the current (also slow) kit zoom.
Why do they even bother?
its bigger then their current kit lens? and its slower too?
ha?
and its pricier?
what?
is it for real?
Great, another slow boring zoom lens from Olympus. Panasonic should make zooms and olympus should make fast primes.
I would tend to agree, except that Panasonic makes great fast primes too (20mm, 25mm..). Olympus used to make the best zooms. What happened? lost the recipe? I love the 45mm f1.8 and the 4/3 macro 35mm f3.5, but I’m starting to wonder if all my future m4/3 lens purchases will have to be Panasonic… let’s see what tomorrow really brings.
Nice kit lens. Nothing more. Very disappointed since 12-50 is very useful focal range, but 3.5-6.3 is nothing to trade in the kit lens for.
Hope Panasonic 12-35 will jump in to fill the gap Oly was not able to fill.
I don’t get it either. Bigger I can accept but only if it’s substantially faster. m4/3 has enough slow zooms; slow needs to be small, or I don’t see the point.
Perfect lens for me! I walk around in sunny weather in the city. 14mm isn’t wide enough. 12mm is better for me. Having it zoom out to 50mm is great. I’d prefer a 7mm-140mm, but hey… this is better than nothing.
Ohh, poo.
I WAS excited until the 3.5-6.3
This makes it high quality kit lens, but not a pro quality lens.
I really hope the upcoming Panasonic is f2.8 and not f4!!!!
Not sure how admin can be excited about this. But let’s wait for the real announcement and see what it is. If it’s what you mention admin, sorry but I think it’s a fail.
I am not “excited”. Where did you read that? it’s an ok lens which makes sense for amateur or for those guys that want a walkaround kit lens which has a high quality and macro. A 12-60mm f/2.0 lens would be awesome but also cost $2000 more 🙂
The exclam in the topic header implies excitement.
nothing different there. With no interest in micro anything, Raist3d is looking for someone who he can say is wrong.
Very disappointment with the slow aperture, no OIS and try to attach on penny body ,.. And we’ll see what happen
Disappolympus!!!
Wow. Bad news!
Unfortunately, it really seems par for the course as far as Olympus is concerned. I’m not a big zoom fan, but a fast 12-60mm f2.8-3.5 would have been a great travel lens. I use the 14-140mm for that now, but not much on the long end. Shorter and brighter would have hit several sweet spots.
It looks like the 12mm f2 and 45mm f1.8 were aberrations. Mediocrity, as far as lenses go, seems to be the norm at Olympus. 🙁
Sadly, these days companies are for the most part doing their best to be competitive by offering the same as everyone else. What’s up with all those damn kit lenses with similar or identical focal length ranges? Those incremental “improvements” are preposterous.
Faced with similar options among the offered products, the consumer is then left with a lot of choice of the same. Olympus should dare to differentiate themselves from their competition. Dare to have more than two (relatively) fast primes. Dare to have a dual focal length lens (12/50 mm) for street and travel shooters. And for the love of the Olympian gods, give us an upper tier body that can be held with more than fingertips and that can accept and utilize 4/3 lenses.
Not sure why I bother. It’s hopeless, I think.
Yes it is hopeless. As was mentioned earlier, mediocrity is the norm.
I’m not sure how this is any better than the kit zoom. A little wider…yes. But 50mm at f/6.3?? How is this any more premium than 42mm at f/5.6? I was hoping for a mFT version of the 14-54mm with the FT aperture of f/2.8-3.5. I’m unwilling to accept anything slower than f/4.0. I think the inclusion of an aperture ring and power zoom marks this lens as targeting video instead of photo. I’m STILL waiting for a good travel PHOTO lens!
So what happened to Olympus? Did all of the real photographers in Olympus leave? All that seems to be left are people that care nothing about real enthusiasts. It’s so sad it’s painful. I am glad I sold my kit. I keep looking for reasons to get back in but Olympus just keeps giving me reasons to stay away. 🙁