A trusted source told me that Panasonic plans to show two more new MFT lenses at CP+. One should be almost certainly the 30mm f/2.8 macro lens. The specs of the second lens are unknown but that lens should be displayed as mockup only.
Reminder about the new 30mm macro:
Panasonic writes about that lens:
The new 30mm/F2.8 macro lens enables not only life-size macro photography but also offers further versatile styles of capturing photos, such as landscape photography thanks to a focusing distance of 60mm (35mm camera equivalent). For high precision focusing in macro photography the new lens also supports 240 fps high-speed AF, while integrating optical image stabiliser. It features a sophisticated exterior design in metallic finish for the stylish appearance.
43rumors reader Leo reported at Photokina:
I was at the Photokina today and Pansonic had a mockup of a 30mm lens with the label “Lumix G macro”. There was no further explanation and nobody at the booth could give me details. In fact they were surprised by the display themselves ;).
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My guess: 150mm 2.8 😛
A 200 mm 2.8 that works with the oly converter would be my dream! But Pana would ruin it (for me) with O.I.S and a 1800 € price.
What are.you smokin?
just meant I don’t need O.I.S with a oly body and it increases price
2.8 / 150 lost some of its cool factor, ever since the f2.8/ 40-150 from Olympus came out. My guess is they will need more than o.i.s.
That was officially dropped from the roadmap by Panasonic, if I remember correctly.
I think it was pushed back indefinitely / on hold (which basically amounts to the same thing)
8-9mm f1.4 O.I.S would be my dream 🙂
An 8 or 9 at any f number between 1 and 3.5 would already be great.
Is O.I.S really possible or even needed at those focal lenths?
to make movies – to make movies – why people do not understand, that if you make movies you need need need (!) also stabilisation on wide angle lenses?
It does not have to be to make movies? Also…ISO is great for ANY lens!? (Which is why I shoot OLY). Why would someone not see an advantage to being ably to hand-hold a UAW lens and be able to shoot at one second?…like you can with the new EM5II. Obviously, that is a great photographic tool to have in your quiver for a still image to shoot at a low ISO and a high DOF in low-light situations to get a cleaner file with less noise.
So why do people constantly say IS is not needed for WA lenses?…It makes me laugh! 🙂
“for a still image to shoot at a low ISO and a high DOF in low-light situations to get a cleaner file with less noise.” now finally Olympus gets into movie making! Oly recognises the wishes of all those people who do not want to make only stills! Panasonic lacks on the sensor stabilizing. But then , conequently they should have in every single lens the OIS, because they are always proud for the movie making crowd. And for this reason I will change now , after the OM 5 Mark II is arriving to Olympus.
A very sharp Panasonic 200-400mm f5.6 under 2000 euro :):):)
That makes me very happy!
indeed, it would be cool to get some superteles from pana too!
The Panasonic 100-300mm f4-5.6 is sharp at 100mm but at 300mm f5.6 it’s bad.
With this lenses we have two very good m43 options for wildlife:
– m.Zuiko 300mm f4 (prime, faster aperture)
– Panasonic 200-400mm f5.6 OIS (more flexibility, slower aperture)
Not the fastest (like f2.8) lenses but very sharp wide open and not too expensive and big.
Pana 25mm f1.4 is a great lens, similar in 8-9mm would be a great decision.
What about a macro-zoom lens?!? Like the former Minolta AF Macro Zoom 3x-1x or the Canon MP-E 2,8/65 (which has a fixed focal, but offers a variable magnification factor). This would be really cool! We have had our share of fast prime lenses; now it’s time for some more “exotic” lenses like macro zooms, fisheye-zooms or tilt-shift lenses!
No exotics when theres still no good superteles!
This is what I would love to see. I actually own the Canon MP-E 65mm f2.8 1-5x lens, and had to get a Canon body just to use it.
The thing is that the Canon MP-E 65mm, was just really a further development of the original Olympus 65-116mm auto extension tube, and it’s lenses heads. Primarily an 80mm f4, but also a 135mm f4.5, 38mm f3.5 and 20mm f3.5. These were all essentially bellows lenses, but the 65-116mm auto extension tube was a far more compact and robust version of a bellows. Bellows are not really suitable for work in the field as they are too easily torn and are not robust enough. Plus they are too big.
Check out the Venus 60mm f2,8 macro lens (Google it). This is a recently released Chinese macro lens, which goes from near infinity, to 2:1. It is a manual aperture lens, but I think it would be ideal on m4/3. In fact I am considering getting the E-M5 II, just to use with it. It is not available in m4/3 fit, just Canon EF, Nikon and I think Pentax K. Nevertheless, as it is purely manual it is easy to use via an adapter.
Look on Dpreview’s macro forum, for Orionmystery’s great sample images from it. Also Thomas Shahan did a video review, what was featured on PetaPixel the other day.
Thank you for the hint. I’ll consider this choice too…
It’s quite reasonable priced. I think about $379 dollars on their website which works out at abut £250 – British pounds. The optical quality is really excellent, as Orionmystery has posted full resolution samples comparing it to the MP-E 65mm and Tamron 60mm f2.8. It is at least as good as them at macro apertures i.e. f5.6-f11.
The main disadvantage on a DSLR is that the viewfinder is dark at the taken aperture as there’s no auto aperture stop down. But this should be much less of a problem on mirrorless, where the evf will gain up.
The main difficulty with using the MP-E 65mm is the minimum magnification is 1:1, and so you need to use it alongside a normal macro lens for bigger things. Having said this the MP-E 65mm is an excellent bit of kit, really solid, and the only lens of its type.
A real macro-zoom would be great for travel as long as the quality were there, like the level of the 12-35mm of 12-40mm, only with MORE REACH!!!! Both those lenses are too short… if you’re going to use a zoom. The 12-40mm has pretty close focus, which is okay.
Back when I shot film I had a Nikon 35-135mm f3.5~4.5 macro zoom, along with Nikon 5T and 6T close-up lenses. That was a great lens in terms of fun and flexibility. Optically it was pretty good, not great, but how nice to be able to push the lens into macro mode without swapping lenses!
I already own and use the great 60mm f2.8, this 30mm might be a useful add. Let’s see how sharp it is.
Slightly off topic: does some of you readers own and uses zuiko50mm f2 macro on Em1?
Don’t need to compare .
The 60mm Zuiko win on this one .
A GM oriented lens can’t be Pana’s highest Optics even it’s LEICA sealed .
Compare the 15mm lens with 25mm lens , then you will know what I means .
The 15mm is a GREAT small lens….I do not even care that it is not f/1.4. Its a keeper on any camera including my M1!
Yun, there is nothing to win: 30mm have different angle of view than 60mm, and I wrote that it might be a useful addiction to my 60mm.
I asked if someone has experience with the Zuiko50mm f2 macro, perhaps compared to the 60mm I already own.
I have both PL15 and PL25. I don’ t compare them, I use them both.
Speaking of comparison, I much rather the build quality of the PL15.
Based on the comments I can see that everyone is REALLY excited about this 60mm macro. LOL!
YAWN…….
At least not me
I am excited about it! By the time I’ve been waiting for this lens to come, I hope it will become available immediately. The money’s ready and if the lens isn’t an epic fail in terms of IQ, usability and/or price, I’ll get it as soon as it hits the shops!!!
I am sure this macro lens will be just as popular as the Sony SEL30 macro ie Not very
Popularity isn’t everything… Or in other words: The choices/expectations of the masses aren’t that important! I don’t care how many people will buy the new macro lens; I will (most probably) buy it and if I’m the only person on this planet to buy it, this is fine for me too!
Totally different equivalent focal lengths – 60mm for the Pana, 45mm for the Sony. Hard to compare given that.
This is for stamp & watch collectors.
I would also prefer a longer lens.
Everything suggested Pana currently only interested in doing lenses for the GM series .
This 30mm lens with no exception with design in favor of GM in mind .
A GM oriented lens can’t produce ultimate image quality because size is the limitation .
Where are lenses for GX & GH
How big and heavy a 30mm/2.8 have to be to get your approval?
I think this lens seems target the whole range of MFT cameras and if it it not big enough for you, you should look for FF equipment and be happy with that.
Size is the limitation?
Poor boy.
Open your eyes and see. Or else, grow up.
In this world, there exists the Panasonic 14mm f/2.5 and 20/1.7, THE milestone of m4/3’s IQ.
In the era of the pro zooms, the 75/1.8 and the Nocticron, I’m not sure the 14mm deserves that reputation. Even the 20mm, while very good, has slightly soft corners by comparison. Not enough for me to complain, mind you…it’s one of my favourite lenses.
But I guess my overall point is that M4/3 now has a ton of optically superb lenses, big and small (but the bigger ones are the best ones, unfortunately).
20mm, soft corners? Compared to WHAT? Pro Zooms? -yeah, right.
That 20mm, especially the MkI, is Sharp. AND in the corners!
Yap yap yap. Relax sunshine, we have not started taking the mickey just yet.
I don’t expect a noctocron every 6 months. Moreover, I’d wait untill we know more about that second mysterious lens before jumping to conclusions.
There is a tiny 4/3 35mm macro, which can be had very cheaply now ($150 or so).
Even cheaper. I have sold mine for 100EUR. It was a very good lens but with very very slow focusing on a m43 camera.
Even on E-M1?
I guess it’s gonna be another fisheye or some cosmetic MkII or another 14-42mm. As always, a 8mm 2.8 or something like that would be nice. Super Tele Zoom ist also still an option, although I don’t need one. What I would really like is this mysterious 12-50mm 2.8 – 3.3 that Panasonic supposedly wanted to release some years ago, although the idea is almost obsoleted by Oly 12-40mm.
A 12-50 2.8-3.3 would be really interesting, and not really obsoleted if it had OIS. With that aperture range, it could be the same physical size as the 12-40, as well. Maybe a tad smaller.
14-45mm replacement by 14-50 f? I don’t care and optimize optic better 14-45mm kit zoom ,low cost ,revise video AF 🙂
No other F2.8 primes, please. Even if they are so-called macro lenses. This relatively small sensor system desperately needs bright and ultrabright primes!
Depends on what you’re doing. On a sunny day at f2.8, you can easily max out a 1/4000s shutter at base ISO…
That’s why we need 1/16000s bodies as well.
…what if we don’t care about shallow DoF?
I agree, a 30mm/f2 macro would have been more a lot more flexible as a walkaround macro / social / all-around lens. But really, it would likely be in an entirely different price class at that point. No less that $400, I would imagine.
Hopefully Panasonic will sell this one for $250…
This system has more than enough bright and ultrabright lenses! Mostly third-party lenses, but you fast-prime-afficionados really don’t need to complain about a lack oft ultra-/fast primes!!!
I’d like to see some lenses push below the f1.4 / f1.8 marks with auto focus. There are the Voitlanger (probably spelled wrong) that go down to .95 I believe but they are manual focus only. I’d prefer that Panasonic and Olympus start pushing for even faster lenses with auto focus in it.
When you look at the lenses that are available we kind of covered the entire spectrum of lenses now. We don’t really need more cheap lenses (there are plenty to choose from), I’d like to see more options on the faster lenses now.
Start buying that f1.2 leica lens
Agreed. How about an 8 or 9mm f/1.0-f/1.4, 10mm f/1.0, 12mm f/1.0, 17.5mm f/1.0, 25mm f/1.0, etc etc etc… All AF, all sealed, all sharp.
This seems like it be a cool addition to the lineup to me. Think of it this way, as the focal distance increases for a specific aperture the DOF shrinks in width. The big challenge with macro photography is balancing narrow DOF with the available light. You’re always trying to crank UP the aperture to get more DOF on your subject while still allowing enough light in and not running into diffraction. A wider angle lens, will have this a wider range of distances in focus.
Sure you want wider apertures when you want to control DOF for things like portraits to be able isolate your subject. However with macro when the subject is only a few cm from the lens the DOF tiny and it would s nice being able to get the whole bug or flower in focus.
Please let that 2nd Pany lens be one of the following:
– 8mm/2.8 Rectilinear
– ~20mm f/1.2 PL fast normal
– 150/2 OIS PL (not likely): Need something to replace the 150/2 Oly
– 100-300/2.8-4 OIS (also not likely): Current 100-300 is not very good
just writing some fancy numbers is not going to magically improve lens quality. seriously. aperture is not equal to quality.
And just wishing for some numbers doesn’t make it possible.
100-300/4 is the best you can hope for – and would be quite big and expensive for the system, not in line with the other pro Panasonic zooms. I mean those are lenses that make over-sized DSLRs look small. is there currently a 100-300/2.8-4 on the planet? any idea what a lens like that physically would be like? that’s bazooka/rocket launcher territory.
Lens quality is typically not what people complain about when it comes to M4/3. Speed is.
The one exception is supertelephotos, where the current Oly 75-300 and Panny 100-300 are only decent – about the same as a Nikon 70-300 IF VR, or Canon 70-300 IS USM, but not up to the standards of something like the Nikon 80-400 VR.
For that get Olympus 40-150mm pro and teleconverter and Nikon look like decent!
This ends up being slower than the Panny 100-300 and like trying to hold a 35-lb Lee-Enfield 303 rifle one handed; camera shake.
Btw extra long lenses need optical stabilisation, go try it.
I defy any Nikon to actually auto-focus in dim light let alone night time like the MFT cameras can and do.
To get the extra long zooms to focus you have to hold them stock still on target like a rifle to get that AF lock with the pinpoint. It takes about 0.5 second. If the target “moves” then it will lock onto foreground or background.
Using the 100-300 on the tripod the other night I got the 100-300 to AF lock accurately on Jupiter, a mere speck in the sky, in less than 0.5 second.
There are no poor OEM mft lenses, all are top quality, some are quite a bit better than that, as in world class (Leica, X and PRO).
Can’t say the same for Canikon kit lenses. Oh, and mft are cheaper. The Nikkor AF VR 80-400 f/4.5-5.6D ED is only £600 and not all that good, you have to go over £3,500 for the good ones.
Yes, I was of course referring to the $2600 Nikon 80-400 4.5-5.6 ED VR as the only one that demonstrated clear superiority. The Canon equivalent, I guess, would be the $1500 100-400 L, but even that is not necessarily significantly higher resolution than the Panasonic 100-300.
The $300 Canon 55-250 kit lens actually performs really, really well, but it’s obviously significantly shorter when you consider the crop (400mm equivalent at 1.6x crop, rather than a 600mm equivalent for the M4/3 pair).
The Panny 100-300/F4.0-5.6
Btw it is a better lens than the Ollie 75-300 and faster than the long Pro RPG launcher with its X1.4 fitted; good glass if kept clean as prone to dust, something of a learning curve to use it or any other extra long lens.
It looks like a normal size long zoom lens size on the GH4 but a trifle silly on the GM1
There is/was a Sigma Bigma four thirds fit -600mm zoom which will slowly AF on MFT, pricey s/h even if found; 4-lb of rocking horse poo.
Always smaller because lens need to cover two times smaller sensor. And always lighter. Depending by build quality, 1/2 or 1/3 smaller and lighter.
Like compare 400mm f/4 to Olympus 40-150mm pro with TC.
oh I can’t imaging about 100-400 f2.8-4.4 what the size of.
As far as I remember, there were some patents about a 100mm and a 35mm, maybe one of the comes true. (crossing fingers for the 100)
a macro 100mm would be sensational.
or a macro 150 – bugging dream lens 🙂
Buy a Olympus 40-150mm Pro and kenko extension rings and you have exactly that! extreme sharp and ultimately long macro!
That lens with teleconverter and extension tubes is a killer!
The extension rings work on Panny lenses too.
Tests show the £200 Panny 45-150 is very nearly as good glass as Olly;s 40-150Pro, and much much lighter.
Tests show the cheapo 45-150 to perform better than the other mid-range zooms except the non-PZ X-series and the PRO.
Optically from center those cheaps are excellent until very end in tele. But you don’t have build and aperture and design to give better situations to get better photos.
But I would not take panny or Olympus cheaper zooms for extension buddies as their quality drops dramatically (while those pro keep quality.)
I want a Leica 7, 8 or 9mm f/1.7 (or better). I’d probably buy a Leica 10, 11 or 12mm f/1.7 (or better). A fast 100+ prime would be welcome too.
I want leica zoom 10.5-38mm f3.8-2.6 Reverse Aperture
for replace 12-35mm f2.8 that will be good thing
10.5-38mm? (21-76mm?) really?
I’m curious, but where does the desire for such an odd zoom range come from?
What’s reverse aperture?
“What’s reverse aperture?”
Probably he thinks it would be better to have to lens faster on the long side. This might be a good thing but I’m afraid there are several phsical laws to break to get that. It’s just like me – I would like to be able to fly just by swinging my arms. Also a good thing but….
start @ 10mm f3.8 and stop @ 38mm f2.6 ,
wide range don’t need bright aperture because capture light too much,
although brighter aperture is good but f4.0 is bright enough to take images,
tele range need brighter such as portrait , i think lens manufacture can do that it better than constant aperture. it’s my idea.
You are right, it would be great to have a lens with brighter aperture at the long end. Unfortunately you can’t build that in a way that make sense.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-number
The F-number is the focal length divided by the diameter of the entrance pupil. Somtimes there is some light lost in the lens but this is kind of the maximum you can get.
If your lens has f2.6 on the long side, it might get smaller F-Numbers on the wide side. In some cases you get the same F-Number all the way, which is kind of a constructive decission. Having larger F-numbers on the wide side would be possible if you give something away on purpose but not helping in any way to improve something.
Anyway, your whish to have 38mm f2.6 is defining the minimum diameter of the lens and with this, it is easy to build a lens that has f2.6 or lower on the wide side.
i mean better constant aperture about Len Size.
maybe ha ha,but i think 10mm or niffy is so pretty start range.
Not sure why anyone would want a slower lens to gain a trifle more zoom range.
All Panny lenses are Leica designed.
There are physical engineering problems going wider than 14mm on a zoom whilst keeping it fast, which is why the X12-35 only goes to 35mm. Olly squeezed one to 12-50 f/3.5-5.6, can you guess which is the better lens. 12-40PRO or X12-35: get the X12-35.
12-40mm is better, far better if you place them under review without knowing brands.
Sorry to burst your bubble.
When olympud released 12-40mm it was places head to head many lenses from panasonic, Olympus, Zeiss, leica, canon and Nikon winning all expect couple Zeiss primes that cost 10x more.
Even Zeiss engineer can tell you it is easier to make a zoom than prime equally good!
When is Panasonic going to start putting distance scale on their lenses for manual focusing???!!!
What I’d like to see is a 10-60 f4 weather sealed pro grade lens to go with a G8 with organic sensor and Fuji T1 like controls. Oh, and 5 axis IBIS too please.
A distance scale on a lens with non-mechanical, focus-by-wire would be utterly useless.
The Olympus lenses with the manual focus snap-ring thingie is better. Otherwise, use manual lenses if you want to use a distance scale that’s somewhat accurate.
Focus distance can be internal like in Nikon lenses where FBW works too.
I am not telling Panasonic how to make their lenses. I am asking Panasonic to make them as a consumer. I couldn’t care less about the technicalities.
If you don’t care about technicalities, use manual lenses (native M4/3 or adapted) with distance scales. It works for me.
PL 8mm f1.4 and PL 12mm f1.4 with autofocus best for me 🙂
Why do we want yet another telephoto prime?
Please, please can we have a 450 or 600 wildlife lens please.
I’d probably like a compact 10mm f2…or a quality compact 20-60mm f4 (odd I know)
60mm focusin distance equivalent in 35mm?
Meaning field of view about 40°
If it is a macro, I am guessing its resolution is pretty good. There is no good reason for Panasonic to make a lens that is inferior to the Sigma 30mm, and 2.8 is not horrible if it is reasonably priced. Might be interesting.
The other lens? How about a high level PL17.5mm like the Nocticron?
Any word on this now CP+ has started?