Last week I told you that Olympus is sending out the 75mm f/1.8 lens for testing to journalists and photographer. Today we have the next good sign for a not so far away lens announcement. The Micro Four Thirds pdf catalog (Click here) has been updated and now includes the lenses. I hope Olympus will announce them in June along the new XZ-2! The 75mm f/1.8 is particularly intruiguing also because Olympus states that this is the “highest imaging performance M.Zuiko” lens. It means it beats the already very good [shoplink 23576]Olympus 12mm f/2.0[/shoplink]!
Curiosity: The Panasonic 12-35mm and 35-100mm X lenses are NOT included in the pdf.
Via Four-thirds.org
97 Responses
bring me, God…
….bring me 75mm f/1.8, GOD!!!!!
Finally..
“bring me, God…”
Never heard anyone asking a camera company to do this! 🙂
Amen.
actually, Kwannon is the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy (Kwannon, Canon, you see?)and Zuiko means “blissful light”
Hmm the lens offerings for m43 and especially Olympus are getting more interesting. Will there be a quality zoom lens coming too, say at around 500 euro?
Hopefully iit also not the most expensive lens in the lineup
“Panasonic 12-35mm and 35-100mm X lenses are NOT included in the pdf.”
That’s because their largest aperture is yet to be determined.
I see it this way: Panny zooms are not included b/c they don’t have final aperture. Also new Voigtländer 17.5mm is missing.
Anyway I can’t wait my 75mm 🙂
Admin: is X-2 new XZ-1?
Forgot the “Z”. I was thinking on the new X-2 from Leica when writing this post. P.S.: Leica has an announcement this week and I posted it on MirrorlessRumors.
June, great! I’m looking forward to hearing about the XZ-2.
Hi, Admin. According to the newest Olympus production line brochure: the M.ZD 75mm f1.8 will have all-metal body and the M.ZD 60mm f2.8 will be water and dust proof. That’s great news 😀 (just hope for silver and black option for all Zuikos).
Not such good news, because the price of the 75/1.8 will be in line with the 12/2, rather than the 45/1.8. Too rich for me, for a prime.
In the PDF there’s also an ad for an unspecified MFT Tamron lens, quote:
“A genuine Tamron lens, especially for your Micro Four Thirds camera.
MFT users now can have the same high expectations as every Tamron user.”
It would be interesting to see what they do : they have an history of making smaller an lighter zooms than every other lens manufacturer. Their 28-75mm F2.8 is the lightest standard zoom this fast and is extremely sharp.
Interesting times !
It says 1x Macro lens. But the description also uses 35mm equivalent focal lengths. Does anyone know if the 1:1 macro is physically real (like in the ZD35mm f/3.5) or equivalent (like in the ZD50mm f/2)?
EDIT:
I guess it should be physical 1:1 (or 2x in 35mm equivalent), because the 35mm lens also says 1x shooting.
it is a “real” 1:1 macro:
http://dc.watch.impress.co.jp/img/dcw/docs/510/854/036.jpg
Also, the 0.19m minimum focus distance is always measured from the sensor/film, not the front of the lens (common mistake), so that is incredibly close with a lens this long.
Which is crazy close given how long that lens looks- combined with Weather Sealing, I’m going to be taking a lot of photos of mold and fungus on hikes this summer 🙂
By the length of the barrel, 1:1 looks pretty obvious.
speaking of which, anyone knows the formula to calculate the minimal focusing distance, given FoV and magnification?
[edit: got it. 1:1 @ 60mm , minimal focus distance is 24cm ]
This is an IF lens, so the focal length changes with the focus distance…
Highest M.Zuiko performance ever ?
Then means a must have lens for M43 , surely will going to get it .
My only worry is the lens on my GX , will I able to hold & shooting like the current 45mm ?
By the way , where is the respond from Pana ?
The 35-100/2.x will be Panasonic’s response. Looks like they will both be very expensive, and the zoom will be more useful….and weather sealed. To me anyway. I couldn’t justify $800 or so for an occasional use lens like the 75/1.8, but I would use the 35-100 a lot. When I am taking portraits at that range (full body from a distance, or head-shots), I like to frame it properly using the zoom, rather than losing pixels via cropping in PP.
Or rather than using your feet to move closer? 😉
+10
-10, half the time that’s going to get me run over, falling off a cliff or into a lake. There are plenty of times when the feet just aren’t the right option!
And then some of the time I’m too drunk to walk…. 😉 , weatherproofing is handy then.
The 75 is going to be expensive. I can smell >1000$ (but it WILL be fantastic).
yeah..at least $900! (without the $125 lens hood!
It’s 799$ for the 75 f1.8 ,if I’m not mistaken it would be release on June 18th next month,..that’s what ,.I’ve heard from Olympus representative last two weeks when I met him @17thstreet store
Time to save some money boys
They are becoming like Canon with their stupid overpriced hoods.. Thankfully they are popular enought that they are making rip-off hoods in china for a much more reasonable price…
@Sneye, i think so too, very expensive but stellar performer.
I sure hope the 75 is as good as the 45 primes and I can afford it when it comes out.
Start saving your money!
removed, wrong reply sorry
Short telephoto’s have normally been among the sharpest lenses in any makers line up, the optical design is less problematic then wide angle lenses, so it should be an amazing lens. Hopefully it will also be within a reasonable budget!
+1 on the price.
Hopefully they come up with a black version as well 🙂
HOLY MOLY THIS IS BETTER THAN 12MM NOW I AM REALLY READY TO PAY 800+ FOR IT. HIGHEST IMAGING PERFORMANCE. THIS IS SO PRO GUYS OMG TOTALLY. I CANT WAIT TO PAY 1000. I <3 U
Do you need a hug ?
YES PLEASE TOUCH ME
Here’s one from me. Hopy you don’t mind the odour.
The macro is the most interesting for me, as I have a Leica 90/4 that performs very well – and is small. Wonder how the macro performs close-up AND in the normal range.
I still did not buy the 2.8/45 macro yet, I probably will be torn when the 60mm is out. A happy dilemma 😀
Any info on the 75mm minimum focusing distance?
It’s 0.8 m / 2.62 ft
I can predict that I will be torn between the 60mm (due to weather sealing and Macro) and the 75mm (due to maximum aperture). I own a Minolta Rokkor 85mm/2, which is a fantastic lens (also on the E-M5), but has to be manually focussed. Well, we’ll see… It’s good to have the choice!
Impressive list of lenses. Can’t wait to see what Tamron will show.
Pity there’s no SLR Magic in there.
“Can’t wait to see what Tamron will show”.
Let me guess: a large 17-50 f/3.5 for NEX (and m4/3).
Well, their NEX lens is smaller than similar Sony, so there’s hope…
Like I wrote above, Tamron has a history of designing very compact and light zooms, always lighter than the competition. This is one of their selling point.
Agree. I guess we’ll see a superzoom first, though.
I have been wondering why Tamron hasn’t participated in 4/3. It seems like a natural for them.
Admin, do you have any info on the filter size? From the photo it looks quite wide.
What is the need for a 150mm and 120mm equivalent lens? We need high quality fast lenses in usable focal lengths.
45mm makes sense, over
100mm, and 20mm and under makes sense. We already have a pretty good selection of normal range lenses.
I have never seen the need for short telephoto. Portrait length (45mm 90mm equilant or thereabouts) is much more useful for my needs.
I always needed a longer or shorter lens than the 135mm that camera companies produced in the days of 35mm film. Here we go again. 135mm is the functional equivalent of these focal lengths.
Like the 12, (14), 20, 25, 45?
(Fast being anything with <=2 (or 2.8) light gathering capabilities)
120mm and 150mm equivalent focal lengths are unusable? We have a decent selection of shorter, fast, native M4/3 primes. These add to our options.
A 60mm macro is good for a bit more distance, especially for crawly things. I have a Nikon 60mm f2.8 macro that I use for that, but also bought a used Nikon 105mm f2.8 AI-S macro to gain even more distance for flying bugs and to use as a telephoto.
The 60mm has Internal focus and weather sealing that adds to it’s appeal. Hopefully it have usable manual focus, not crappy focus-by-wire and great IQ, above all.
The 75mm is fairly close to the classic 128mm f2.8 telephoto, but at f1.8 it’s a full stop faster! If you insist on an AF telephoto, this could be a good choice. That said, the 60mm comes close pretty to 128mm as well.
It’s great that we’re finally starting to see some longer M4/3 primes! Now let’s see a great 300mm f4! Choice is good.
My 300 is a Nikon f4, super lens (used on my 4/3 and m4/3 bodies.) I’d love to have a 300 for 4/3 or m4/3.
No focal length is actually unusable, but some fit my shooting style better than others, and those focal lengths (that range) were what the camera companies forced on us before zooms became practical.
I owned lenses in that range, but always needed longer or shorter.
So much for ancient history.
Yeah, I know what you mean. Some focal lengths work better for some people than others. I find a 60mm (120mm eq) too short and 105mm (210mm eq) too long, so I got a 75mm f2.5 Voigtländer (still waiting form the adaptor). 135mm (270mm eq) is somewhere in the middle. Like my 14-140mm it’s always a bit frustrating at the long end.
I just ordered a Nikon ED 300mm f4.5 IF lens from KEH. Can’t wait! If P&O ever release good long primes, I’ll sell it back. 😉
I was at a Roller Derby bout the other night, and let me tell you, the 75/1.8 would have been really useful.
damn damn damn where are the damn x lenses.
yeah, i find those focal length to be too long….
was hoping for a true 135 equivalent. with F1.8
huh? You mean a 135mm f1.8?
What? The 60mm is not silver! I thought Olympus was going to stop making black lenses by 2013.
Maybe their weather sealed will be black?
my guess is black primes are coming be early fall. 1yr later than 12 and 45mm silver editions. 🙂
Since the new “fast” Panasonic zooms are not listed, I wonder if they are having problems with these lenses? Hasn’t it been almost a year since they began talking about these new zooms?
I hope olympus announce with the release of the em5…seriously where the hell is this camera? Mine is still backordered at B&H. Get it together olympus. Deliver one product at a time.
It’s not Olympus, it’s B and H. I cancelled my preorder with them last week and got the cam elsewhere.
Why Pana’s X lens 35-100 still not comfirm it’s aperature likely they already have breakthough in lens technology & they are trying to make it F2.0 . This is the only explanation that make sense to me .
At the meantime , I really want to have this 75mm F1.8 , is a great lens to own . Hopefully it can surpass it’s 4/3 counterpart .
So when Olympus says the lens has the highest imaging quality, is it like the time they said that the corporation did not embezzle money through criminal syndicates and then two months later $4.9 billion was found to be unaccounted for in a financial scandal?
I would not be surprised if the 75mm costs only a fraction of the 45mm to develop/produce yet will cost 2x more. CANT WAIT to pay 100 for a plastic lens hood made in China for 15 cents.
I think the 75mm will be metal, like the 12mm. It will cost similar too. I also understand “highest” different from admin. “Highest” means “as good as the best MFT lens so far”. Not better.
i’ve got the weather sealed 50mm/f2.0 macro 4/3 lens which is tiny and the mmf3 adapter is light too… so why should i get the 60mm/f2.8?
Maybe you shouldn’t.
For 1:1 macro.
I also use the 50mm with ex tube, that lens is so good to even consider the 60mm is ridiculous, use the money to buy something else, unless the 60 goes beyond 1:1 and quite a way beyond at that.
I thought Panasonic stopped making the four thirds 25mm f1.4. Its interesting to see it here. Also there are no more Sigma for four thirds listed. Not surprising.
The Specs for the 60 and 75mm are not in the back. So they may have added weather sealing to both or neither. Only the 12-50mm is noted in the specs to have weather sealing.
Will be interesting to see what Tamron releases. A compact 90mm Macro could be nice. Or they could bring back live to the old 300mm f2.8 and 200-500mm f5.6 adaptal lenses in a compact M43 design. But thats just be a tele-photo shooter coming out. Also It does seem like all the wide angles are already covered. Lenses I know of, 8mmfish, 12mmf1.7, 12mmf2, 14mmf2.5, 17mmf2.8, 17.5mmf0.95, 19mmf2.8, 20mmf1.7, 25mmf0.95, 25mmf1.4, 30mmf2.8, 35mmf0,95(rumor), 45mmf1.7, 45mmf2.8Macro, 60mmf2.8Macro, 75mmf1.8, 300mmf6.3Mirror, With zooms 7-14mmf4, 9-18mm, 14-42mm, 12-50mm, 40-150mm, 100-300mm.
So whats missing would be nice 300mmf4 prime, and the yet to be released 12-35mm and 35-100mm Pansonic zooms.
All else is covered or is adapted with Nikon or OM glass.
A wide angle shift lens is still missing !
Could be a 10 or 11mm, or even a 12mm, no need for tilt, neither for fast apertures. But we need shift for shooting architecture.
Pana/Leica stopped production of the 25 1.4 D series with the aperture ring, and now is selling the DG series without an aperture ring. That is a huge difference to me. D lens is usable, DG lens is a pain.
Admin, stop teasing us with XZ-2 tidbits and give us the lowdown! A couple days back you first buried in another post that the XZ-2 was coming this summer, today buried in this article you tell us its coming next month (or at least that’s how it seems). I’m guessing you don’t yet know what features it will have or you’d tell us.
I’m hoping for NR control, touch screen, decent video, improved sensor. Maybe also a fast 12-100 or 12-120mm zoom as icing on the cake. The perfect take anywhere camera.
Also, any word on an E-7 for Photokina? I was out photographing birds this morning with my E-620 and E-PM1. E-620’s hobbled by poor IQ above 400, E-PM1 is useless for BIF. Just put the E-M5 sensor in the E-5 body and, presto, Olympus would have a high ISO capable action tracking body to go with their excellent 4/3’s zooms. Too logical – this or a similar but cheaper/smaller non-weathersealed E-50 (which I’d prefer) should be out like now!
The E-M5 is the perfect anchor to their revival. These two “bookend” cameras will serve to broaden their appeal as we wait for an mFT that solves tracking and 4/3’s lens compatibility.
I wouldnt be suprised if oylmpus does another upgrade to the e-5 to keep 4/3 alive for a bit longer, essentially just cramming a few of the nice bits from the om-d in, like the screen, sensor and maybe the new IBIS if it could fit.
Why does a macro lens need defocusing control / soft focus? What am I missing here? Why would that be useful?
maybe its the same they use on the DC lenses from Nikon; there you can control the bokeh of the OOF areas in front or back of the subject….looks useful macrobokeish fanatics
They mean soft defocus as in ‘good bokeh’.
Beautiful. Thank you Olympus!
I wonder what the hood looks like……. square or round-ish, petal?…. excited about this!!! I hope they make 150mm f/2 next, that would be sweet!
17mm f/1.8 MSC pancake in the style of the 45, please Olympus.
We want a high quality normal lens such as 28mm/F1.4.
The earlier 17mm was a loser compared to Lumix 20mm. Stupid Olympus did not realize that the superiority of normal lens is the key for success in M43.
75mm is marginally important compared to 20-28mm/F1.4-F1.8.
In the 20-28 range there is the Pan 20mmf1.7, the Leica 24mm f1.4 (the lens I think you want), the Volt 25mmf0.95. On the slow end there the Sigma 19mm f2.8 and 30mm f2.8.
I would say this is covered. Why would you want a 28mm lens? equal to 56mm.
I agree that the 17mm Olympus is slow and not as sharp as the Pan 20mm. But its there and the new Volt 17.5mm F0.95 is out. Little wider is the Sigma 19mm F2.8.
A refresh 17mm f2 from Olympus would be nice, especially if really sharp. But I still can’t see why you want a 28mm.
Seems like he means a 28mm equiv
Of course there is a 12 f2, but perhaps he wants a 14mm f/1.4, I agree that’d be a nice lens!
Why would he call a 28mm equivalent a “normal lens”? The diagonal of the m43 sensor is sqrt(17.3**2+13**2) = 21.6 mm, which is normally considered the “true” normal lens — thus a ca 43mm equivalent should be the approximate normal lens. NOTE: I’m not saying that a 28mm (real or equivalent) is a bad request or anything.
Still, to me it seems like there already are a few good lenses in the normal range (35/40-50 mm equivalent). Therefore, my wish rather goes towards lenses that are lacking such as the new 60 + 75 lenses, and hoping for a birdie lens (3-400 weather sealed, possibly zoom) and perhaps an architecture lens.
Can’t argue with that. I’d love to see something wider, like a 7, 8, or 9mm prime, say f/2.8. And then start hitting up the telephoto end of things.
150mm f/2.8, 300mm f4
I’m no expert on bird photography (but there is an eagle hanging around that I’d like to “shoot”). So I’m curious as to the best range… A 300/4 (weather sealed, of course!!) might be a good range (600mm equivalent) and still allow for a 1.4x tele converter. Would a 150/200-400/4.8 or something be of good quality and more usable?
How can they say that the 75mm is a portrait lens?
Around 70-100mm is ideal for portraits on full-frame 35mm, but on m43 75mm is equivalent to 150mm which is very much on the long side for portraits.
I don’t know Jon, 135mm is a very popular focal length for portraits. I used to shoot tight portraits at 400mm with my 50-200mm to get more subject isolation.
150mm (equiv) seems good for the smaller format which will give it just that touch better isolation than a 65mm would have.
Perhaps they are also killing two birds with one stone as it can be used for short range sports and other things that a 180mm lens would (also popular mixed with a 85mm companion)
Whatever lenses are coming for micro4/3, just keep it compact in size. Beside on par quality, the lens size issue is one thing that makes the m4/3 system ahead from the competition.
While I agree barry, I also disagree. There always needs to be compact lens’, for those who want a compact system. But eventually they also need the extreme lens’.
If you need more reach and brightness, you’ll need something like a 300 F4 or faster, it won’t be compact, but it’ll be the only option if you need it.
It’s a camera system, just because there are bigger lens’ doesn’t mean you need to buy them. But for those who are only running a single camera system, having a system that can be used for all needs even the really telephoto, or niche stuff is important.