Finally you can preorder the super new Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 X lens at Amazon (Click here)!!! Be the first to get it. No other website reported it yet…Psss 🙂 I haven’t found other preorders in other countries yet. Comment this post if you got something! Thanks!
UPDATE: SLRgear posted a new 12-35mm X lens review: “The pre-production version of the Panasonic 12-35mm ƒ/2.8 that we tested showed excellent performance across the board. In addition, it boasts image stabilization and a splash- / dust-proof design: there is a lot to like here, making it an attractive upgrade for GX-1 users.”
One more thing: Amazon notified that they will ship the Silver E-M5 body and kits (Click here) you preordered in February!
123 Responses
Better hurry!
$1300 USD… I was kind of hoping for the Euro = USD “conversion” 😉
+1
Price is way too high… $1000 is ok, but $1,300 and I’m out.
I guess we’ll have to wait till it falls to more sane levels. I was also expecting $1000, but this is 30% more.
+1
Call it a ‘Early-adopters fee’. A surcharge of buying something while it’s HOT off the presses.
It’s too high, I agree. $1099 or less would work. Also, why does the SLRGear review state the the lens is an internal zoom then feature pics of it with the zoom lens barrel extended. Stupid.
They wrote internal focus. Not internal zoom.
I don’t think Amazon will get my preorder after the EM-5 debacle.
Not sure it’s Amazon. In the US I can’t find the E-M5 anywhere. Personally, I’m blaming Oly’s distribution system.
Amazon handled my D800 preorder with no fuss. My annual m4/3 splurge had been postponed until December, though these supply issues make me want to go ahead and preorder now, especially considering Panasonic’s rather poor track record.
It could also be the Olympus *production* system — that they cannot produce it fast enough. This is a more likely answer, as I haven’t seen any rumours that there are a large number of lenses in stock somewhere.
Modern manufacturing requires as few parts and products in stock as possible in order to lower cost. This implies a flexible manufacturing system (to the degree this is possible), and as good prognosis as possible of the demand. Prognosis is built from orders, marked research, experience, etc.
Clearly, with modern consumer practice of ordering a product from multiple stores in a strategy to buy it from the one which delivers the goods first, as well as the strategy of ordering it, and then canceling the goods if reviews are bad –increases the uncertainty of the sales prognosis, and makes it mandatory for a producer to slow down the production.
I usually purchase from B&H. Their service and speed is usually
second to none. The big guys are like that for current lenses, bodies, accessories and supplies.
But, as i’ve learned, not hot new items.
When it comes to highly anticipated product
preorders a much better bet is the small camera
shop. I originally preordered both an OM-D and a D800E from
B&H and I have little doubt I would still be waiting (at least for the Nikon) had I not decided to
call some local shops. I’ve had my Olympus for a month now and my D800E
for 2 weeks. Cut your losses with amazon, cancel the preorder and put your money into the local economy
and get your awesome E-M5 sooner rather than later. The camera is absolutely everything I had hoped… Extremely compact, excellent build, good ergonomics, amazingly capable and fun camera. A jewel!
I usually purchase from B&H. Their service and speed is usually
second to none. The big guys are like that for current lenses, bodies, accessories and supplies.
But, as i’ve learned, not hot new items.
When it comes to highly anticipated product
preorders a much better bet is the small camera
shop. I originally preordered both an OM-D and a D800E from
B&H and I have little doubt I would still be waiting (at least for the Nikon) had I not decided to
call some local shops. I’ve had my Olympus for a month now and my D800E
for 2 weeks. I suggest, cut your losses with amazon, cancel the preorder and put your money into the local economy
and get your awesome E-M5 sooner rather than later. The camera is absolutely everything I had hoped it would be… Extremely compact, excellent build, good ergonomics, amazing performance and fun. A jewel!
They won’t get any more preorders from me either.
Their sitting on my gift card balance, so not only have I preordered, in essence I prepaid. I can’t get my money back and go to a local dealer who could fulfill the order much faster.
USD$1300!? I got my Nikon 24-70 for a similar price. Let’s hope the price will come down soon after it is actually out!
Your Nikon 24-70mm lens retails at $1899. Since it’s been out for a couple years, it’s easier to find good deals on it. $1300 seems like a great retail price for a new 24-70mm f2.8 equivalent lens. If you want it buy it lower, just register for panasonic’s facebook page, and you’ll get around 20% off their lens.
My concern is that Oly will see this price and if they miniaturize their 12-60, they will shoot for that price. We’ll see how much in demand the Panny is at this price.
While, I (and most people) were hoping for $1100, $1299 is still a steal of a price for a constant f2.8 fast zoom lens.
Wrong. Both Tamron and Sigma have very good lenses (for aps-c) that are fast f2.8 in the same zoom range for much, much cheaper. $1300 for a lens for a sensor smaller than aps-c is absurd, I’m sorry. It just is. Sure, it’s weather sealed, great, but come on. Of course it’s cheaper than a full frame lens, and well it should be. But the price is still in silly land. I love m43, and I’m super glad to see this lens announced, but I certainly won’t be paying $1300 for it. I’m sure a lot of people will, and more power to them. To me, it’s too much.
> But the price is still in silly land.
And it will remain in the “silly land” for as long as the lens remains the only 2.8/24-70 analog for m43.
Why this argument that it should be cheaper because it is smaller? E.g in computer manufacturing, small laptops of high quality are often more expensive than larger laptops of similar quality: the Sony Z series and the Lenovo X1 are among the smaller laptops but also among the more expensive ones. The price doesn’t necessary reduce with the mass.
At any rate, weighing at one third os some competitors is worth something, too.
“Why this argument that it should be cheaper because it is smaller?”
Because amount of labor which goes into polishing smaller lenses, as well as amount of the ED glass which goes into smaller lenses is smaller.
“$1300 for a lens for a sensor smaller than aps-c is absurd, I’m sorry”
Unthink this. If you need help, just go browse some good shots made with the Zuiko Digital Super High Grade lenses.
> Both Tamron and Sigma have very good lenses (for aps-c) that are fast f2.8 in the same zoom range
And both have sharpness problems outside center at full aperture…
Meaning less accurate correction of aberrations which is good way to make lens cheaper and smaller.
Weather sealed, so far the only thing that has been confirmed in a revue is that it has an ‘O’ring around the mount, nothing about the lens itself being sealed.
Panasonic’s press release talks about the lens being resistant to dust and splash in the 3rd paragraph. If it’s just the O’ring, then the lens is not resistant to these elements.
No!
$1300?! Bwahahahahahahahaaa.
For this price it has really to be a super lens 😉
E-M5 is shipping? Wow, I hope I will get mine this or next week 3 months after my order while in other countries people got one without any preorder 🙁
Would be great but a tad pricey for me… Maybe after I win the lottery :p
I bet this means they will have this lens with a GH3 in a kit for $2000……Still too rich for my blood…I was hoping to get a GH3/12-35mm kit when it is released, but I guess I’ll have to just wait and see what they price the GH3 at as body only when they release it…..Bummer!
1000 flat yo. or im just gonna import from some asian company
Good luck yo
I think I need to wait for more reliable and trusted review to convince me for purchase this zoom,.is a bit more expensive. And also my priority now is on the Oly 75 F 1.8
hmmmm. at that price i’d probably rather get one of the super fast .95 lenses than get this….
I know everyone loves these lenses and they seem very good… but all in all its only about a stop faster than the kit lens & for the price OMD!
I know all the dissadvantages but I do with they could have made it an F2.3 or so…. Then it would be a big step up from the kit lens… as it stands, with regards to low light, the diffrence from an EP3 to an OMD is grater than the diffrence from the kit lens to this one!
“its only about a stop faster than the kit lens”…
Jim, you are a buzzkill!
Quite a lot… Better be super good and impressive throught!:-/
$1,300 for f5.6 depth of field. Nice.
🙂 I keed, I keed
D600 for $1,500 and new Tamron full frame 24-70 image stabilized f2.8 is a better deal for me- but I realize others feel differently.
> D600 for $1,500
D600 was already released/is already retailing???
Or you were just dreaming? 🙂
Just dreaming unfortunately. 🙁
Not for long, hopefully 😉
There’s no better deal for treating those brief episodes of acute DOF obsession than $340 for the MZD 45/1.8 lens. And for as low as additional $200 it can be treated forever with a PL25.
$1300 can buy quite a few excellent native m43 lenses already and 75mm/1.8 is comming…
I really wanted those lens, but I wanted them 1+ year ago. August release means that I’ll get them late fall 2012 and really need them in spring of 2013, so I will play wait game.
Amen. D600 will be a beautiful full frame camera. since i already have nikon lenses, that will be perfect. I also got a e-m5 with 12-50 but is not impressed with the lens. I’ll wait for tamron or sigma to come out with a f/2.8 for e-m5 around $600-$700. At twice the price $1300? what is Olympus thinking??!!!???!!
Amen. D600 will be a beautiful full frame camera. since i already have nikon lenses, that will be perfect. I also got a e-m5 with 12-50 but is not impressed with the lens. I’ll wait for tamron or sigma to come out with a f/2.8 for e-m5 around $600-$700. At twice the price $1300? what is Olympus thinking??!!!???!!
Hmmm, it’s not an Olympus lens dumbo.
I love prime len but … there are always some moment (e.g event shooting)a zoom lens is far more convenience…
Or I could buy an E-M5, put my 25mm on it, put my 14mm on my E-PM1, and have $300 spare to put towards the 75mm.
The 45mm 1.8 is the gold standard for what I like about m43: small, light, simple, affordable, high quality. A few more like that, please.
> The 45mm 1.8 is the gold standard for what I like about m43: small, light, simple, affordable, high quality. A few more like that, please.
+1
The 12-60 is cheaper and humiliates the 12-35 in terms of IQ, based on the image samples I’ve seen thus far. The only problem is that it won’t focus well on m4/3 bodies, but that’s what 4/3 is for 😉
Actualy, although not FAST fast it is ok focus speed – like the EP1 with kit lens… yes not fast but usable in most situations…. and yes I bet the 12-60 will kill the 12-35…
With a little bit of patience we can wait until FT lenses work fully with mFT bodies 😉 But how long we have to wait? 1 year or 2?
Hopefully not long… but it is somthing I would have thought Oly would have done from day 1…. then they would have had 20 lenses ready and waiting for a baying public!!!
I bet marketing said it would be more profitable to try and get a whole new set of lenses to honk… bet they thought it could make more money that way…
Idiots… this was needed day 1!
While it’s a fine lens, the weight and size of the 12-60mm are a bit of a killer.
Filter Thread: 72 mm
Dimensions: 3 1/8″ x 3 7/8″ (79.5 x 98.5 mm)
Weight: 1.27 lb (575 g)
Then add the adaptor.
There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Good optics tend to be large and heavy.
To me, the 12-35 seems worse than the 12-50 in the corners, and we’ve seen from Pekka Potka’s tests how the 12-60 bests the 12-50 in every aspect.
This is basically what m4/3 is: if you’re content with mediocre lenses because you want small size and weight, then it’s a system (well, a “system” – it’s not there yet) for you. If you demand great optics or need telephoto, then you need to look elsewhere…
What are you basing your opinion on? Looking at the SLRGear test (which is very consistent across lenses), the 12-35 looks to be sharper into the corners than even the 12-60, and it doesn’t have the 12-60’s complex distortion at the wide end either. Plus the 12-35 was tested on a higher res body, which will show up problems more.
I think you’re basically trading size and weight for zoom range – the 12-60 has a wonderful range, but it’s just too big and heavy, especially on Micro. The 12-35 is a better compromise for me.
I hope it will eventually prove to be in the same league as the 12-60 and 14-54 when we see more pics. Otherwise the price would look quite unwarranted, even considered with the smaller size and better brightness…
How can it be in the same league when not the same flexible range? This is a specialized short zoom for those with deep pockets or who do photography for a living and can write it off as a business expense. Compare it to the 14-54 f2.8-3.5 at less than 1/2 the price new, 1/4 used, and it reconfirms the need for Olympus to drop the E-M5 sensor/processor into an E-xxx body for the rest of us living on a budget.
mFT is beginning to mean “more freaking toys” where we’re trading an afforadble FT body and a few very good SG (9-18mm, 70-300mm)zooms and excellent HG (14-54mm MkII) zooms for a pocketful of expensive primes and now a $1300 short zoom.
Nikon D600 will be a full frame camera with fast auto focus. It makes more sense to get that if you haven’t bought the E-M5. if you already got the E-M5, wait for the tamron/sigma version of 12-35mm f/2.8 – probabaly in the $600-$700 range like the ones they have currently for apc-sized camera (7D, D7000, etc). At twice the amount ($1300) of what Tamron/Sigma would charge for similar spec’d lens, what is Olympus thinking??!!!???!!
Enjoy your 2KG monster while I enjoy my 700g light monster
Sam,
You keep asking ‘what is Olympus thinking?’
You do realize this lens is Panasonic right?
I keep wondering, ‘what is Sam thinking?’
haha, my bad. I meant to say, “WHAT IN THE WORLD IS PANASONIC THINKING!!!??!! $1300???!!!!! I’d consider buying it if it’s around $600-$700. Or I’ll just stick to my prime (14mm 2.5, and 25mm 2.5, 45mm 1.8). instead of shooting with 12-50mm 2.8, i can buy a 2nd E-M5 body at $999 and shoot double barreled with all primes. that will still give me extra $300 to spend on a nice Oly flash. There, i think that’s a better way to go… or i’ll pick up a Nikon D600 for $1500 in one month.
Why do we give two craps about the D600? If I want a good but big azz camera or if I want to buy a joke of a CSC camera, I’ll buy a Nikon – talk about lack of DOF.
Several reasons.
It’s got a full frame sensor.
It’s supposed to be under $2000, maybe as low as $1500.
It’s a Nikon.
Say what you will about Nikon, but the brand recognition is massive.
If it is what they say, smaller and simpler than a D800, a modern day FM2, I might get one. The thought of macro shooting, full frame, with my Nikon macro lenses is pretty damn compelling, as is the thought of using my 20mm f2.8 as a real 20mm again!
Olympus is thinking whatever they want, it is a Panasonic lens.
Apparently Sam doesnt know how to read that this lens is from PANASONIC and NOT Olympus.
Mind you If Oly made this lens it would be $2000!!!!
Unfortunately, the cost of this lens kind of kills it for me. I think I will stick with my original plan of both new Oly primes this year and hope they release a m4/3 version of the 12-60mm sometime in the future.
I am glad Panasonic built this lens though, it looks excellent and is a real boost to the format.
So… how accurate is that amazon information. Anyone from February get any silver body only cameras shipped? What day did you order?
I ordered on the first day.. February 7th and still haven’t gotten any notice of shipment.
The SLRGear review shows a commendable performance. Pity they used the GX1’s JPEG shots OOC instead of raw, I’m sure the raw files would show more detail from which to judge the real potential of the lens.
I may buy such a lens when dealers have enough of them in stock so that I can swap them. Too much sample variation these days.
PhotographyBLOG has the price @ 999.00
Well, I just read the preview from dpreview, “In terms of DOF and background blur, the lens behaves like a 16-45mm F3.5 lens for APS-C, or a 24-70mm F5.6 lens for full frame cameras. This isn’t a bad thing per se; it’s simply the compromise you make to gain the extra portability.”
Wise words.
I’m never ever going to give 1300 (it will be the price in euro, I think) for an f 2.8 zoom lens that does not let me use the DOF language. The reason to use of a large aperture lens is not a matter of light, it is a matter of DOF! 🙁 Fullframe in my hand, micro4/3 in my pocket with PRIMES.
There’s so much talk about the DOF, but I’ve not seen an explanation of why it is so important. What effect are you going for with the DOF language?
I don’t like portrai shots where only the tip of the nose is sharp, but it seems that some people exactly want this and nothing else 😉
Seems it’s just a point to bring up in the “is m43 better than FF” arguement. We all understand that you don’t get as shallow a dof, but that’s not ALWAYS what you want. I’ve personally never felt held back by the lack of FF DOF. Honestly, with my Yashica 50mm on Epm1 I often stop down to 4 or 5.6 to GET RID OF some bokeh. It’s all preference though.
Some folks just want more of EVERYTHING for LESS.
I agree with you Joshua, I want a 25-200 f1.8 for $500, that’s not to much to ask for, is it??? I’m quite happy to forego the wide end.
A review of this lens has been posted at ePhotozine. In terms of sharpness, the ratings are said to be “very good” but short of “excellent”, certainly not as good as the earlier ratings that were given to the Olympus 12mm f/2 lens. Pictures taken with this lens have also been posted by Jeff Keller at the Digital Camera Resource Page. I have compared them with photos he had posted in his previous review of the Panasonic G3, which used the 14-42mm lens. Frankly, comparing the pictures he took of the same scenes in SF Chinatown, I don’t see much difference in IQ,
Several weeks ago I ordered a copy of the Olympus 12mm, but I held off opening the box until this lens was announced and I was able to see a few of the early reviews. I’ve decided to pass on this lens, not because of the price (I’ve already splurged on a Nikon D800 plus a 70-200mm VR lens this year), but because it doesn’t suit my photography needs and the IQ is not so compelling for me to buy this lens instead of one or two superb fast MFT prime lenses: for me 14mm isn’t wide enough and 35mm is not long enough. I might have been tempted if the zoom range extended to 50mm, making this lens more like the excellent 24-105mm L series lens from Canon, which at one time I did own (I now use the tank-like Nikon 24-120mm lens as the walk-around lens for my D800). For others, I’m sure the lens will be a nice fit to their style of shooting.
Ouch! I just paid $900 for the Sony 16-50/2.8 and LAEA1 adapter to use on my Nex. Its a fast f/2.8 zoom, that’s optically a very high quality lens. This lens covers the same focal range as the 12-35 and is about a stop slower when you factor in the Sony covers APS-c. I’m going for the 12/2 and the 25/1.4 instead for my OM-D, faster and sharper with faster AF.
It’s not a stop slower you dingbat.
What a pointless lens, more so because there’s so many nice small primes 1-2 stops faster and with better IQ to choose from.
Price is also damn high, especially considering amount of materials used, although nothing except Leica can compete with Olympus 12mm f2 when it comes to price/weight ratio – about 5500€ per kilo :))))
What does weight have to do with price? There are some really cheap old brass lens that weigh a ton, yet brass is one of the cheapest materials you can find. Many nice lens today lens are made of high quality plastic, which is a much more expensive material and more durable than brass. Plastic lens also weigh a lot less. People tend to associate plastic with cheap, but there is a whole range of plastic quality, and many are much more expensive than the metals that some people prefer.
“brass is one of the cheapest materials you can find”
Not if you live on planet Earth? Plastic is cheeper than brass… thats why we get brass statues, memorial plaques and furnishings stolen, while wheely bins stay put!
If this is going to be GH3’s kit lens, I don’t dare to picture the price for that set up. I hope GH2’s price will drop even more when pana will announce GH3 so I’ll finally straighten up and get one myself. Still, not gonna even consider this lens. Too pricy and primes are more for me anyway.
Looking at the lens diagram, the lens could have been much smaller. The engineers should work harder to build an F2 len for this price. This is too big, too slow, too expensive. sorry I’ll pass. I am still waiting for an F2 constant zoom lens. Wait a minute, I alreay has one on the Pany LC1.
Looking at the lens diagram, the lens could have been much smaller. The engineers should work harder to build an F2 len for this price. This is too big, too slow, too expensive. sorry I’ll pass. I am still waiting for an F2 constant zoom lens. Wait a minute, I alreay has one on the Pany LC1. lets cut up the lens and put it on the m43 mount with an adaptor for the sensor size difference
> Looking at the lens diagram, the lens could have been much smaller.
You clearly have no clue about mechnical construction of wide angle zooms.
http://forum.mflenses.com/cutaways-and-transparent-cameras-t28075,highlight,cutaways.html
And this one is actually just prime:
http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2011/09/lens-genealogy-part-2/zeisss21cutaway-copy
Too big, too expensive.I want it in constant F2. Sorry, not for me
Too big and too expensive? Instead you want a constant f2?
Do you think that will be smaller and cheaper? The Zuiko 14-35mm F2 is double the size, double the weight and it costs twice as much.
I think I prefer the extra 2 mm of width over the extra stop, but have not used the 14-35 or 12-35 so I’m not sure….
not double but triple the weight (900g)!!! (and double the price)
(refering to ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 14-35mm f/2.0 SWD)
+1 hahaha @ Sarek
Agree needed to be F2.3 or faster… as it stands its only about a stop better than the kit lens!
Preorder in Sweden at Scandinavian Photo, price 11.790 SEK ≈ €1.239 incl vat.
http://www.scandinavianphoto.se/produkt/13962054/panasonic-af-12-35-2-8-asph-power-o-i-s-lumix-g-x-micro-4-3
It’s expansive and ugly in my eyes. I prefer waiting for zuiko prime lenses.
So many talk about ordering or purchasing from outside their own countries to save a Hundred bucks or so, yet no one mentions the carriage and taxes to pay from outside.
I can see how using a carriage to ship a lens would be costly.
I think as usual Asia region will have this lens first. Some of it without even have to pre-order it. And judging from the price there will be enough supply since the demand will not that high.
That until Panasonic decide to release G5 with this lens as a kit, and that it positioned as EM-5 competitor with all weather sealed, new sensor, and so on, reduce the lens price to half. People get crazy all over again it get back ordered and people wait and complaint.
And then the GH-3 got released with double kit 12-35 and 35-100…..and people get even crazier helplessly back ordered again….just my prediction.
There has been no official pricing for US from Panasonic. Amazon sets their own price. PhotographyBLOG has the price @ $999.00 and I think that will be more realistic.
I have a quick question. Can anyone explain how the f-stop for a 2.8 translates to a 5.6 on a m4/3 system? Also, does this also hold true when using a prime lens? If not, why? I’m really confused. Shallow depth of field is important to me – I’m not crazy about razer thin DoF but being able to blur the background when I want is an important tool.
http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html
2.8 FF does not translate to 5.6 4/3. And I’m going to assume you understand what crop factor is.
The crop factor for 4/3 is x2, making it half the size of the FF 35mm film.
For equivelant focal length, you double it.
So 50mm FF = 25mm 4/3 Remember, this is field of view. If you set up a 50mm FF and right next to it a 25mm 4/3, you’ll have the same frame. If you put a 50mm legacy lens on a 4/3 (assuming it’s for 35mm film) it’s still a focal length of 50mm for 4/3 (but 100mm for FF). But it will also be cropped due to the size of the sensor.
For equivelant exposure, it’s the same (but FF will have shallower DOF).
1.8f 4/3 FF = 1.8f FF.
For equivelant DOF, it’s again a crop factor of 2 (but 4/3 will have faster shutter speed/lower ISO).
1.8f 4/3 = 3.6f FF.
So keep in mind, while FF can produce sharper/shallower DOF, for EQUIVELANT DOF you need to over expose the image, therefore getting away with lower and shutter speed ISO on 4/3 for equal DOF.
You can still get shallow DOF on 4/3, don’t worry! 🙂
Sensor size isn’t everything. Once you get used to a format, it doesn’t matter what format it is.
Dpreview have posted a hands on preview…
$1299????
i was hoping for a 399-599 price tag.
i think i’m going to stick with the excellent oly-zuiko 14-51mm f2.8-3.5 II
it may be big, but it costs a lot less and hasn’t let me down yet.
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/olympus-zuiko-digital-14-54mm-f-2-8-3-5-ii-interchangeable-lens-review-15647
$599 lol. I dont think you know a lot about lenses
That’s not a bad price for a 24-70/2.8 equivalent, considering that everybody else’s 24-70 is that rate or more. However, the price won’t entice anybody to switch to M43. If it were $699 and people flocked to M43, then Panasonic could disrupt the industry. But Pan isn’t noted for being a risk taker.
I have the bulky 14-54/2.8-3.5 Oly 43 with Pan M43 adaptor, and I’ve been on the road with it since mid April. It’s fine, and that extra reach comes in handy. I don’t like the way it changes apertures while zooming and shows flickers in my video. If it gets banged up or breaks, I’d replace it with the 12-35. Until then, it’s happy trails with Oly.
Yea, if you guys think the new 12-35 f2.8 price is justified since it is equivalent to FF 24-70 f2.8 lenses, think about this.
The Olympus XZ-1 offers 28-112mm F1.8-2.5 equivalent zoom. Well, according to some of you, f1.8 is f1.8 no matter sensor size. And some of you say that small size may actuall make lenses more difficult to make thus should not be cheaper.
Then the Olympus XZ-1 should cost usd $1500 at least given that super bright and 4x zoom lens while being pocketable.
The excellent Sony 16-50mm f2.8 SSM is only roughly USD 650-700 and it’s weather sealed and also offers silent and fast phase detection. You can put it on the new A37 (pretty tiny body+top apsc sensor) and reduce the overall weight and the price is dirt cheap compare to the estimated GH3 or OMD EM5 + 12-35 zoom
The Sony weighs twice as much, is far bigger, and has vastly inferior optical performance – compare the tests on SLRGear, for example. But of course, for large sensor trolls, optical performance is irrelevant – the only thing that matters is penis, um, sensor size.
I think you are right – they are taking advantage of the over eager crowds!
This lens has less glass & less materials than FF lenses… nano coatings be dammed – once you got a nano coating lab you do all your lenses with it…
This lens should be £700…
An F2 version should be £1400
If we all wanted only shallow depth of field (DOF), we would be shooting with a large format camera at large apertures. Even full frame 35mm sized sensor does not have shallow with a wide angle lens. What makes low DOF is a longer focal length and a fast aperture. I used to zoom all the way in and open the aperture with my video camera (that had a small sensor) to get low DOF. I would have to back up the camera because it was in full telephoto mode. A 50mm f2.8 has the same DOF on a large format, medium 35mm full frame, APC crop 35mm, m43rds and a 2/3rds inch broadcast video camera.
What is different is the angle of view. 50mm f2.8 is 50mm f2.8. The new 12-35 has the same angle of view as a 24-70mm on full frame 35mm. Because it has a f2.8 aperture means it gathers the same amount of light as the full frame lens that has the same f2.8 aperture. Both cameras can shoot the same subject in the same lighting. Does a photojournalist care about DOF, not as much as about getting the picture in difficult lighting conditions. DOF is used for more artful compositions.
What I am excited about in the new Lunix 12-35mm lens is it is smaller, lighter, weathertight, less expensive and most important, it has something that Canon and Nikon branded lenses don’t have, O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabization) This one of the best lenses for handheld work. If you want less DOF use as faster prime, I have them. That’s why I buy an Interchangeable Lens Camera. You can change lenses.
I feel the price will settle around $1000, so the lens will be less expensive the the full frame ones. Think of this lens more like the Canon or Nikon 17-55 f2.8 for crop sensor cameras. They are in that price range but heavy, have I.S. constant aperture and not weather sealed. I also want the other lens the 35-100mm that Panasonic has shown as a prototype. It will be better for video interviews as I have found the 17-55 on my Canon to be too short.
“A 50mm f2.8 has the same DOF on a large format, medium 35mm full frame, APC crop 35mm, m43rds and a 2/3rds inch broadcast video camera.”
No it doesn’t.
Yes it does ! He means if you put the same lens on any sensor you have same DOFbut different field of view, that’s true !
No, it’s not. I just explained it’s the same exposure.
As Gino posted before, go here: http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html
Now, I’ll choose 2 formats. 35mm and 4/3, which has a crop factor of 2.
Put in these parameters:
35mm Film
Focal length: 100mm
Aperture: 3.6f
Subject distance: 2m
Olympus E-3
Focal length: 50mm
Aperture: 1.8f
Subject distance: 2m
Oh, look. They both equal 0.08m!!
@ Alan: Totally agree with You!
It’s just too expensive. I can get an equivalent lens for my D90 for €350 used…
And that is the main reason why I prefer my Nikon. The lenses are just so much cheaper. (although I just bought the E-PL3 to replace my E-PL1 onle because of the 45mm lens 🙂 )
43rumors: “I want a small super high quality 2.8 zoom lens”, “I want a small super high quality 2.8 zoom lens”, “$1300 – I’m not paying more than $199!!!!”
Looks like a great lens. Just compared Canon and Tamron 2.8 24 – 70 reviews on ePhotozine with the new Panasonic lens and they are similar in quality. Whilst I don’t full appreciate how their tests are run I assume they measure lenses consistently. The Panasonic is better wide open which is after all what you want (and pay for) with a fast lens. Both the Canon and Tamron are weaker until you stop down to f4 or f5.6.
There are so many comments about FF DOF comparisons on this forum and they just don’t seem to make much sense to me. If you want really shallow DOF then a large sensor camera will be better but quite often you want more DOF where M43 is better. Also M43 lenses seem to be very good wide open whereas the FF aren’t at their best until stopped down a click or two. So even if you do want very shallow DOF you might have to accept a softer image with FF. You just pick the compromises that suit you.
Most posters seem to ignore that there are compromises with larger sensors and big lenses just focusing on a single parameter – that’s not how you take photo’s in my experience it’s all about compromises.
that is a ridiculous price.
BBKing
At the same is distance a 50mm f2.8 is the DOF on all the cameras. You example has you moving the camera to compensate for the angle of view.
How has the example I’ve given make you move the camera to compensate for angle of view? The subject is set at 2m for both instances.
BTW, I’m a technician, not a photographer. I guess that now puts me out of your league, hey?
@DJS Yes! I agree with you. 🙂 I said in my previous post that FF results in shallower depth of field (and my examples show that, actually).
From my previous post:
So keep in mind, while FF can produce sharper/shallower DOF, for EQUIVELANT DOF you need to over expose the image, therefore getting away with lower ISO and faster shutter speed on 4/3 for equal DOF.
You can still get shallow DOF on 4/3, don’t worry.
I guess this comes about when admin posts news about a new 4/3 or m4/3 lens, he relates it to a similar lens of equvilant focal length. I have absolutely no problems with that. I agree that 1.8f = 1.8f for equilevant exposure. 😉