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12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 Olympus official topic
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    image

    * Super fast AF
    * Powerzoom
    * Lack of stabilization
    * Focal length: 12-50mm
    * Aperture: f/3.5-6.3
    * Close focusing: 0.35 meter (0.98 ft)
    * Macro: 0.2 to 0.5 meter (0.66-1.6 ft)
    * Filter size: 52
    * Focus and Aperture rings
    * Powerzoom button on the left side of the lens
    * $499 estimated price
    * Available Mid-January 2012

    Olympus adds to its powerfully simple and growing PEN family with the first fully-compatible interchangeable Micro Four Thirds lens to incorporate an electronic motorized zoom. The M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ (35mm equivalent 24–100mm) delivers smooth, quiet zooming that gives you versatility, portability and maximizes the performance of the Olympus PEN® compact system cameras.
    The sophisticated new lens has a zoom ratio of approximately 4.2x, allowing photographers to capture anything from detailed, wide-angle group shots to medium telephoto-range images so you can get up close and personal for intimate portraits of children and pets – even indoors. The photographer can control the zooming speed by turning the barrel – slowly for drama, quickly for performance, or at an intermediate rate. Manual zooming is also available for those looking to take full control.
    In macro mode, which can be set by pushing the zoom ring forward while depressing the macro button on the side of the lens, focusing is possible between 8 and 20 inches for close-up shooting with a maximum image magnification of 0.72X (35mm camera equivalent). The L-Fn (Lens Function) button suspends the autofocusing operation temporarily to avoid unintended focusing on obstacles that appear suddenly between the camera and the subject.
    Perfect for brilliant still images and high-definition (HD) video capture, the Movie & Still Compatible (MSC) M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm F3.5-6.3 EZ has also been enhanced with a linear motor that drives smooth and quiet autofocusing for stress-free shooting.
    New lens elements and glass materials ensure the clearest possible imaging performance, and the proven dust and splashproof mechanism originally featured in the Four Thirds SHG (Super High Grade) series lenses is now incorporated for the first time in a Micro Four Thirds System lens. Multiple sealing rings, fitted throughout the lens body, prevent water splashes and dust from penetrating, making the M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ a versatile zoom lens for the toughest conditions.


    Via: http://www.43rumors.com/
    12-50mm_EZ.jpg
    520 x 367 - 38K
  • 18 Replies sorted by
  • jokieonejokieone
    6.3 seems a bit steep but I have faith in Olympus as a lens maker and I think the optics truly will be outstanding and that this will be a good lens to have next to the fast primes.

    Hopefully as it is 6.3 the price wont be humoungus!
  • mpgxsvcdmpgxsvcd
    Is it just me or does it seem like we just keep getting rehashed new kit lenses that offer a little something more in new features and subtract a lot in what really matters(Image quality and light absorption).

    These new kit lenses continue to get more and more expensive as well.

    I just want a 12-35mm F2.5 or lower and a 35-100mm F2.8 or lower with IS. I don’t care what the price is and I don’t care how big they are. I know I may be in the minority. However, Panasonic has already announced these lenses. Let’s hope they don’t screw it up by making it F3.5 or more.
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    @mpgxsvcd
    >I don’t care what the price is and I don’t care how big they are.

    Problem is that most of the customers care about it.
    If you make fast lens and sell it in small amount you could be in big minus even in the case of high price.
  • mpgxsvcdmpgxsvcd
    @Vitaliy_Kiselev

    I understand that is why I said I am in the minority. However, they have made the Leica lenses, the Oly 12mm, and the 7-14mm. Those are all niche lenses that are crazy good and crazy expensive. I don't see why they don't just make a fast zoom.

    They know people will buy it. Everyone asked for the 12mm, 25mm, and the 45mm and those are all selling. I can tell you one thing this new 12-50mm won't sell unless it is tiny.
  • aljimenezaljimenez
    The Panny 14-45mm is faster and very sharp with second hand sales going for around $300. This lens seems to just bring power-zoom to the Olympus lineup... Al
  • plasmasmpplasmasmp
    so at f6.3 at 50mm you basically have 2 choices, 6.3 and f8 before diffraction affects the image. AWESOME
  • DrDaveDrDave
    I like slow food and slow music but slow lenses zzzzzzzzzzz
  • dizzbitdizzbit
    im not so sure who is their target market with this lens, the only appeal is the weather sealing which is not the m4/3 crowd is looking out for.
  • sohussohus
    So strange... everything on this lens screams 'professional' but the apertures are a big let down. Still, I think this lens can be a very worthwile competitor for the 14-42 mm.

    Looking forward to the 12-35mm Panasonic X lens. The only thing I hate is focus-by-wire. I think it could work very well if you could control it via your iOS device/remote with smooth A-B transitions and focus racks. I still hope that this is where Panasonic and Olympus are heading... their lenses are pretty good.
  • ElenionElenion
    This lens is quite meaningless. People who buy powerzoom lenses and accept little apertures need a zoom of at least 8X or similar.

    PS: do you know if the 12-35 has the powerzoom?
  • stonebatstonebat
    if waterproof, then power zoom in m43?
  • LPowellLPowell
    If this lens is not parfocal, then I can't see any semi-pro video use for it at all. Assuming there are no focus shifts or iris glitches at f6.3 and up, a slow-to-medium power-zoom could be useful for ENG-style shooting. But if it's relying on AFC to stay in focus while zooming, I'll stay with the Leicasonic 14-50mm f2.8-3.5.
  • stonebatstonebat
    Only Zeus knows what Olympus is facking.
  • AlexAlex

    I got the 12-50mm together with the EM5 but I decided to not unwrap this lens since I'm not very excited about this it and I wanted to return the the howl kit.

    However, today when I was "engineering" back the EM5 into its box, I couldn't resist to test the 12-50mm on the GH2. This power zoom work very well and there is a to me never seen before display on the GH2, that indicates the current focal length.

    Focus very quick an silent (better than 14-140!)

    didn't checked if its parfocal - damn

    manual zoom is also ok

    12-50mm_GH2_display.png
    480 x 326 - 187K
  • AlexAlex

    looks like this lens is parfocal:

    last video on the video review chapter http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympusem5/14

  • ghkqnghkqn

    Like previous Oly consumer zooms, I suspect this 12-50 works best around ~25-30, and is probably softer at 50. This was true with my 1st Oly zoom 14-54 (S1). What I just said is pure speculation since I do not own the 12-50

    The 6.3 is a let down, but I notice that at 12, it is already 3.5. I wonder at what focal will the lens jumps to f5.6 or hopefully something less, like f4 something. With the 14-54, you only need to go to ~17 and it is already at 3.5....

  • 0understeer0understeer

    I'll tell you later on, currently got it at home for testing purposes on my G3. So far it does work reasonably well.

  • tetakpataktetakpatak

    Here is kind of review from Dec 4, 2012:

    http://www.sansmirror.com/lenses/lens-reviews/lenses-for-m43-olympuspanas/olympus-12-50mm-f35-63.html

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