Announced! New Olympus 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 EZ power zoom.
As usual I am continually updating this post!
My first impression:
Olympus announced a new kit lens with slow aperture and not so low price ($499). But the real strengths of the lens are the new powerzoom feature, macro focusing and the weather sealed body. It also should have a high optical quality. I think the lens would have made a lot of sense if launched along a new weather sealed PEN camera. But I guess that camera is coming soon anyway…
Press release links:
Pictures of the silver version and lens with hood at Fotopolis. Picture of lens with hood at TV.smith.
Olympus Asia
German press release at Photoscala.
Quesabesde (spanish).
Focus Numerique (french).
Dpreview
Lens resolution chart:
Poll:
Before to vote take some time to think! 
Loading ...Full press release:
CENTER VALLEY, Pa., December 14, 2011 – 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.
U.S. Pricing and Availability
M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ: Available Mid-January 2012
Estimated Street Price: $499.99
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Recent comments
Comment from Mike: I think most of you missed the memo on w...
Comment from wonderer: that is not really true.
F3.5 is F3.5 o...
Comment from Olympius: @Berneck:
To be even more precise, pe...
Comment from Berneck: You're definitely wrong there. While it...
Me
6 months ago |I am so glad that I bailed out of this sinking ship, good luck to y’all
simonl
6 months ago |Just curious………. why are you still here? Envy? Regret?
Me
6 months ago |I wish it was envy. I am a huge fan of their past products. I duck my head in once in a while to satisfy my morbid curiosity and to see how rudderless old flagship olympus is fairing. I am still bitter .. they abandoned me and my once-favourite sytem one time too many.
Coming here is a kind of sad, pathetic therapy for me, so yes, I feel better now in case you are wondering, thanks. I will leave you alone to enjoy what I am sure is a functional system, albeit with a very questionable future as far as support and updates go, judging by their past mistakes. I try to regret nothing, but that just isn’t very possible I feel.
Daemonius
6 months ago |I chuckled when I saw that MTF.
Have they ever saw MTF for some decent but now long-gone Contax lens? 
Seriously.. WTF?
Fan
6 months ago |It is a fantastic lens, weather sealed and with both internal focusing AND zooming! That is just great.
Hecti
6 months ago |Thats like a cine lens!! probably the only cool thing about the lens tho…
Scott
6 months ago |People keep asking why weather sealing. Well you can only use the lens outdoors so I guess its going to need it. The good thing for consumers is they do not even know what the f-stop is or does so all they will know is it has a good range.
st3v4nt
6 months ago |Still waiting for much more complete specification…is this a faux macro or true macro?
spam
6 months ago |This is true macro according to Sigma’s definition
ijack
6 months ago |What’s wrong with all these spoiled brats here.
Olympus just announce 2 fast prime, now they announce a good kit lens and all these complaints?
bonzo
6 months ago |Well someone mentioned “4/3 12-60mm”… someone added “f2″
Jack
6 months ago |Well, not everyone takes Physics lessons, I guess many of them have a rough day of work too.
Next time Olympus announces a computer they’d complain that it is not a camera.
st3v4nt
6 months ago |Judging from magnification data 0.72x looks like a faux macro?
Voldenuit
6 months ago |The Zuiko 50/2 macro had a reproduction ratio of 0.5, so 0.72 is better than the (excellent) 4/3 lens.
However, in almost every other respect (barring weather sealing, for which we have to await a weather sealed body*), this new zoom disappoints.
* speaking of weather sealing, I once dropped my GF1 + 7-14/4 into the petting tank at an aquarium, and both the camera and lens worked flawlessly after a quick wipe-down. I pretty much scoff at inclement weather.
Jason
6 months ago |@Voldenuit – the .72 is the 2X number, it is actually .36, therefore the .5 is more. The 50 mm does not suffer from geometric distortion, plus it can be doubled by buying a $120 adapter!
Will
6 months ago |Two words, slow and big.
Jason
6 months ago |if it is .72x with the 2X FT/MFT ratio, then it is a .36 macro as opposed to a 1.00, the 50 mm f/2.0 is .5 macro, 1.0 with adapter – the 50 mm crushes, although this may be ok, still geometric distortion is going to be present I assume…
bonzo
6 months ago |From the press release:
“…focusing is possible between 8 and 20 inches for close-up shooting with a maximum image magnification of 0.72X (35mm camera equivalent).”
Hope that helps.
MP Burke
6 months ago |I have the 45-175mm Panasonic lens, which is a few mm longer than this 12-50mm lens and about the same weight and it does not feel monstrously large, even on a camera like the Panasonic GF3. It is also worth mentioning that my 14-42mm Panasonic kit zoom, set at 42mm, is longer than the 45-175mm zoom.
Thus I don’t think a non-extending 83mm and 220g can be classed as too big. The other m43 kit zooms all extend when zoomed and the four thirds lenses at 12-60, 14-50 and 14-54 are all bigger and much heavier.
In fact it makes perfect sense to have a moderately priced general purpose weather sealed kit zoom, once there is a weather sealed camera in the range.
I am interested to see the weather sealed camera that Olympus produces. I will look at it very closely indeed, if it has a built in EVF.
spam
6 months ago |+1
shin
6 months ago |+1
iluvhatemail
6 months ago |as long as they make a remote that can utilize the power zoom then this will be a big step for cinematographers using m4/3. If not then the power zoom feature is a huge waste
Reza
6 months ago |Well said!
alienchow
6 months ago |F 6.3? Seriously? Power zoom? Seriously? I know I would trade the power zoom for a couple of extra stops any day. It is sad/funny that to get a simple camera that will get out of your way while photographing, you have to spend $10,000.00 for a Leica M9 or Pentax 645.
bidou
6 months ago |” It is sad/funny that to get a simple camera that will get out of your way while photographing, you have to spend $10,000.00 for a Leica M9 or Pentax 645″
So true.
Pile
6 months ago |Outdoor use only.
12mm wide + Macro with weather sealed is a dream lens for trekkers.
JF
6 months ago |Yes, it’s true when it is sunny. With the slow aperture, at sunset / sunrise or when it is cloudy you will need a tripod which is not the best for trekkers…Maybe I would have preferded the extra weight in bigger aperture…
bonzo
6 months ago |Well then take One of the fast primes with you
jules
6 months ago |So *thats* what interchangeable lens bodies are made for!!!
The Master
6 months ago |Just putting the name “Weather Sealed” on the lens is going to make it sell and if it’s decent, that will help. I have to give Oly credit for making this lens, as it was a cleaver marketing move and beat everyone else in the mirror less market to the punch.
blastingmills
6 months ago |I take this as good news that this weather sealed lens will be kitted with a weather sealed m4/3 body.
It wouldn’t make sense to sell a weather sealed lens without the weather sealed body…
Fish
6 months ago |I don’t like the slow aperture. I don’t mind the powerzoom if it is just an extra feature, but if they could have made the lens: better IQ, or smaller, or cheaper, I would have preferred that they scrapped powerzoom and just left the video features to Panasonic because they are better at it anyways.
I think the weather sealing is awesome news. Correct me if I’m wrong but this is the cheapest price that Oly has offered a weather sealed lens at isn’t it?
Internal focusing is good news.
The range is an improvement over the kit.
The fact that it’s a macro – and with better magnification than the 4/3 50mm macro – is great news too. Does that mean we can expect this lens to be nice and sharp as well?
I see no problem with the size. I routinely use my E-PL2 with the 4/3 zuiko 70-300mm and have no problems at all. I have never wished that the setup was heavier or bulkier by having a bigger camera body. (although I miss having a viewfinder which would allow me to use my head as a third point of contact). The most outrageous size difference I have ever shot handheld was my Tamron 300mm f2.8 on my E-P1 and I still never wished that the body was bigger. I accept that I don’t understand the concept of “balance” that some members are always talking about. I shoot with my right hand on the camera and my left hand supporting the lens – that’s what balance is to me. At 210grams this lens is not too big and I would have accepted even larger if it would have meant faster aperture.
And I don’t see the point of folding design with this type of lens. Even if it did, you could never fold it down small enough to fit it in your pocket anyways. I love the tiny folding 14-42mm as a cheap kit zoom and even the 9-18mm collapsed makes a cool comparison with the wide angles of other manufacturers. But when it’s extended – ie, every time you actually use it – it’s not that much shorter than Panasonic’s 7-14mm and for an expensive keeper-lens, I would actually prefer that it be solidly built with IF and no folding mechanism that allowed wobbling or increased the risk of moving parts failing or allowing dust or water to enter. JMO
- Chad
Fan
6 months ago |Plus, internal zooming!! That makes it a very solid construction and you can lean the lens against windows when shooting. I love these internal features in the Panasonic 45-175.
Voldenuit
6 months ago |> The fact that it’s a macro – and with better magnification than the 4/3 50mm macro – is great news too.
I’ve just seen that Olympus is touting the magnification as “35mm equivalent magnification”. So it’s really a 0.36x magnification, which is not remarkable.
Boo to Oly for lying through their teeth.
Fan
6 months ago |How long can they wait now to announce a weather sealed body I wonder!!!
SLOtographer
6 months ago |This a nature, landscape, trekker lens. It’s not a portrait lens or event lens. With a weather-sealed body and if it has good optics at F8, then it’ll be useful for its intended purpose. One lens, a small body, and light tripod — I could hike all day…
gena
6 months ago |all those features like weathersealing, power zoom are nice but, primary use for this object is to take pictures so, glass is most important component, everything else just to service that glass.
so, when does f6.3 kick in? at 40mm… having 45-50mm at f6.3 does not sound like a useful lens at all, even outside use is very limited especially given the smaller sensor and high iso issues
omolympus
6 months ago |50mm f6.3 – I just give up with this company.
And that’s coming from a long-term user of 30+ yrs.
The product planners at the imaging division must be very amateur
in their photography.
reggieandtfe
6 months ago |I called the weather sealing two or three weeks ago. I’m going to pat myself on the back.
Anonymous
6 months ago |very logic lens for those who climb or stay a lot in nature. if you look at the apertures used in wildlife or nature photography will see that most of pictures are made over f4.
12mm are very good for lanscapes where the most used aperture is f8.
for long end, the same.
i think everybody thinks that if is water sealed it’s have to be also a night lens.
Len Metcalf
6 months ago |Wow… weather sealing on the way… can’t wait to see a weather sealed camera…
Will be interesting to see what happens if/when there the business is sold…
dj
6 months ago |its the Perfect outdoor nature lens! f3.5-6.3 is good enough for landscape photography. the close focus is excellent for outdoor macros and the weather sealing if perfect for when it rains. I use a tripod for 85% of my work so this little lens is gonna be great!
Eric
6 months ago |For cross-country skiing, I use the 14-42~3.5-5.6 with my E-620 (and the 40-150 for easy trails). And I keep the 12-60 home for less dangerous activities. Same for caving. So from this point of view, it can be interesting.
Eric
6 months ago |Forgot to mention that I need a body to use in conjunction with this “fabulous” lens i.e. that I can use with glacier glasses and snow gloves
TheEye
6 months ago |Yeah, the main advantage of having a compact and lightweight camera system is that you can carry a more hefty and sturdy tripod.
Fan
6 months ago |I guess since both focusing and zooming is internal, it was not too difficult to weather-seal this lens. Let’s hope they will announce a new body soon also.
Connor
6 months ago |3.5 is disappointing, 6.3 is .. well, I won’t even say it.
Nice try, but for me this is a complete fail.
Willy
6 months ago |I can understand trading a larger aperture (ie. 12-60mm f/2.8 lens) for a more compact size (the new 12-50mm f/3.5), as long as the image quality is the same. If fact, you would think it would be easier to design a higher quality lens if the aperture were smaller.
But if you compare the two lens’ MTF charts, the new 12-50 is far inferior to the 12-60. Both lenses have good contrast, but the new lens’ resolution (60 l/mm line) is never over 60% at 12mm, where as the 4/3 lens starts just below 80% and is flat almost to the edge. Same at the longest focal length.
I’m not an expert at MTF charts, but do other folks see this?
TheEye
6 months ago |Compactness and size are unrelated. Compactness simply refers to a “stumpy” form factor.
Based on the MTF charts, the 12-50 is nothing to write home about compared to the 12-60.
Jason
6 months ago |This lens is garbage, except as part of a body and lens kit, or for video it will be decent. The 12-60mm will surely beat the piss out of this optically.
Scott
6 months ago |You wont even have to focus it because at 50mm 6.3 you get 5 or so feet in front and 10 or so feet behind dof. Just point and shoot. LOL
Great for video. you never have to worry about focus
TheEye
6 months ago |With this lens being so slow, why does it have to be splash water resistant? I mean, you need sunny weather when shooting that lens at the long end. Rain and sunny weather do coincide, but not that often!
Will
6 months ago |I will stick with my primes.
Steve
6 months ago |I was so hopeful for a 12-60 f/2.8-4 for m43 and now of course there’s no chance. None. Such a shame. I won’t buy Panasonic – their colours suck so that’s it for my love affair with m43. Perhaps Sony will release a decent 16-80 for e-mount and I can swap to that.
fgl42
6 months ago |Samsung is supposed to release a 16-80mm (24mm-120mm equivalent) in the next month or two. It’s supposed to be an OIS lens. I wonder how it’ll compare to this Olympus. I doubt it will be weather sealed but it will be f3.5 to 4.5. I wonder if the price will be about the same or less. f6.3 is kind of ridiculous- especially for a $500 lens. And for video it’s preferable to have the stabilization in the lens- not the camera.
spam
6 months ago |Someone will always be about to release something. In this case I’d say something different. Comparing the new 12-50 with a new (not released) Samsung lens with different design parameters just don’t make sense to me.
fgl42
6 months ago |So you only compare lenses that are the exact same? There are similarities, both in terms of equivalent focal lengths and intent of the lenses- both are designed with video in mind. In this regard, I think the Samsung makes far more sense because the image stabilization is in the lens, not the camera body. The aperture of the Samsung is also far more sensible and the lens has a bit more reach. The only advantage I can see for the Olympus is the weather sealing and maybe the price. The Samsung is listed at B & H but they don’t have a price on it yet. My guess is it will be the same price as the Samsung.
spam
6 months ago |You can of course compare anything and the lens you refer to certainly have a similar zoomrange, but the Olympus lens is clearly designed with quite different goals than the Samsung one. Olympus has made a take anywhere do anything kit zoom where size and weight (obviously) have been important parameters. Samsung’s lens got to be much larger and is what I’d call a mid level standard zoom.
Personally I’m interested in a lens like the Samsung 16-80 with, but that doesn’t prevent me from seeing the usefulness of the 12-50. I’m not sure what compact system to go for, but mFT is at the top of my list at the moment and the lack of a mid level standard zoom is one of the reasons why I haven’t decided yet. However, a mid level standardzoom isn’t the type of lens I’d put on the camera for bring everywhere use. I’d need something like the X 14-42 or the new 12-50 for that. Both have really interesting properties and deciding between the compactness of the X-lens and the zoomrange and ruggedness of the 12-50 wont be easy.
fgl42
6 months ago |Yes, I see you’re point. And you’re probably right about the Samsung being larger/heavier. I like the ruggedness of this lens but I’d wait for the Olympus weatherproof body before getting it. That compact Panny zoom is really something else. Now that lens is a head turner.
spam
6 months ago |Sony have a 16-80 F3.5-F4.5, it has 72mm filter and weight is almost a pound (445 g). It’s difficult to guess how Samsung’s version will compare as shorter flange distance and possibly simpler mechanical design could reduce weight while IS will add weight compared to the Sony lens. Anyway, it’s likely to be around twice the weight of the (211 g) 12-50 have much larger diameter and about the same length.
http://www.dpreview.com/products/sony/lenses/sony_zeiss_16-80_3p5-4p5_za
Daniel
6 months ago |Not everyone is interested in creative bokeh, but usually happy when most of the elements on the picture are focused.
Not everyone is interested in natural low light pictures, but prefers instead to use a good flash for greater contrast.
For those people, this new lens is great + it looks solid, weather sealed, has macro as well as a powerzoom that would work great for video.
And all of that for less than 500 euros. I think it’s a good move from Olympus.
For the other people, including myself, we’ll stick to our primes, and possibily wait for the Lumix 12-35 which could be the ideal compromise between brightness, creativity and flexibility.
Nathan
6 months ago |Sure, not everyone is interested in what you consider “low light”, but many are interested in “indoors” or even “outdoors at some time other than noon”.
f6.3 is an unacceptable upper limit for aperture. It’s nice to be able to move to ISO 800 and tighten up the aperture a bit, but really, this aperture in conjunction with the current sensors is not competitive. It’s usable, it can produce some excellent images, but it isn’t as capable as hardware being built by other manufacturers, and that is the ultimate milestone.
It’s not enough that the camera and lens be capable of good photos, it has to be as capable as other alternatives. We’re not trying to justify its existence, we’re trying to justify a purchase- a totally different thing from simply being kind and saying it’s “ok” for Olympus to build this because somebody might find it acceptable. They have to find it to be a good choice.
Nathan
6 months ago |It’s like they’ve never even heard anyone say that their sensors lack about a stop of sensitivity compared to APS-C.
Now, this could be overcome if standard zooms were f2.8-f3.5, but Olympus still builds f3.5-f5.6+ type zooms as if there was no problem.
The 12mm F2 is brilliant. The 45mm f1.8 is stupendous. But the zooms absolutely must start at f2.8 and finish out at f4 or so in order for the PEN system to produce similar image quality to competitors. Many photographers have said this, and Olympus is ignoring them and doing their own thing.
Power zoom is okay I guess for video, but it’s not a pro feature. At least, not by itself without compatibility with tripod zoom controls.
BUT
If they also announce a camera with weather sealing that does 1080p with a global shutter, it will be incredible for video. Knowing Olympus, they won’t have global shutter, so it will be mediocre.
spam
6 months ago |IMO you’ve misunderstood completely, or it might be wishful thinking. Olympus and mFT’s primary strength is compact bodies and compact lenses. Olympus focus on that, as they should. Nothing wrong with som higher end lenses too and I hope they’ll add a mid level zoom like the 12-60 at some point, but that will never be the main focus.
Olympus need to compete with Nikon 1, superzooms and high end compacts and they do that fairly well although they really need to switch to the 16MP Panasonic sensor or find another sensor source. APS-C is out of reach for high Iso performance and resolution, they can never compensate for the difference in sensor size.
Fan
6 months ago |The difference in sensor size compared to APS-C is minimal. They just need a better sensor.
Berneck
6 months ago |You’re definitely wrong there. While it may appear that a 43 sensor is not much smaller than APS-C, it’s actually about 40% smaller. It’s an optical illusion, partly due to the aspect ratio.
However, that being said, I feel like we shouldn’t be lagging in low light performance as much as we are…..
AND, I’ll take it a step further. Some day 43 sensors will have the same low light performace of the current D3s or 1Ds, but by that time it won’t be enough…LOL
Fan
6 months ago |No, they just need a better sensor. It’s not a matter of size, it’s a matter of techonology.
Berneck
6 months ago |Um, While I am having a tough time getting past the 6.3 aperture on the “long” end, I’m actually warming up to what this lens is. If I read the specs correctly, this lens is only 3.25 inches long and 2.25 inches wide. Also, this lens had no external movement, right? It’s fully enclosed and sealed. I think the picture is deceiving, this lens is smaller than it looks. So consider that it’s sealed, has a fixed length, and power zoom, it’s not all that bad. In fact it’s pretty nice for a kit lens. I think if the long end was 5.6 instead of 6.3, half of the psychology behind the contempt for this lens would vanish immediately! All we need is the weather-sealed body to go with it!
Any thoughts?
Daniel
6 months ago |Nathan and Berneck,
I agree with both of you.
Yes, the fact that an APS camera has a stop advantage over m43 cameras means that lenses should be in average a stop faster than those for APS cameras to achieve similar quality under similar conditions.
And indeed, if this zoom was stoping at 42mm, it would have probably F5.6 at the long end, the same as the kit zoom which is already a fairly good one.
I am not interested in this lense because I prefer using primes which are much brighter than any zoom lenses.
But in case I would be looking for a zoom, this zoom seems better for me than the kit zoom.
It’s true that for many among us, the Lumix 12-35 looks much more promising, but it might be also much more expensive.
Considering the size and weight of this new zoom : it’s only 15gr more than the Leica 45mm, that’s pretty light in my opinion. So the idea that this new lens is slow and big at the same time is not that true. Slow it is, but not more than the kit-zoom. And the weight is still light.
For all those reasons I believe that this zoom is a welcome addition in the m43 system. But as I said, I’m not interested in it, just happy to see the system growing.
Berneck
6 months ago |Agreed, I think people are not so much angry about THIS lens, as much as they are angry that they haven’t gotten the fast zoom they have been shouting for for several years now!
Olympius
6 months ago |@Berneck:
To be even more precise, people are mad because what so many enthusiasts wanted was the micro 4/3 version of the awesome Olympus 12-60mm f/2.8-4. While I’m certain this new micro 4/3 lens will have excellent IQ, the slow speed overall is sure to turn people off, even though the 12-50mm is MUCH smaller and lighter than the big 12-60, and much better suited to the tiny little micro 4/3 cameras.
Though I could probably deal with the slowness of the lens, one thing that turns me off, as it does for most of Olympus micro 4/3 offerings, is the lack of lens based image stabilization. As a Lumix user, I find that a highly desirable trait in a standard zoom for video use, but Olympus’ sensor based image stabilization means that their lenses will never meet my expectations.
Sad, as I really love their regular 4/3 lenses for still photography, and own quite a few.
- Olympius
wonderer
6 months ago |that is not really true.
F3.5 is F3.5 on compact, m43 and APS-C! Bigger sensor will have more shallow DOF in the same comparable focal lenghth (converted to full frame) but the shutter speed will be the same on F3.5 glass everywhere.
The advantage of bigger sensor is it will indeed catch more light and will allow to use higher ISO, but again, F3.5 is F3.5! That’s why Sony NEX doesn’t have a good glass compared to m43, one-stop advantage is here only for DOF, mostly you need to shoot with higher ISO or slower shutter speed compared to m43 great glasses (20mm F1.7 or 45mm F1.8)!
Once again, the F3.5 is comparatively fast on compacts/m43 or even full frame, once is F6.3 is simply ‘slow’ to use at night, no matter if it would be fitted on a full frame camera, two stop advantage or not!
Mike
4 months ago |I think most of you missed the memo on what a u4/3 camera is supposeed to be – SMALL. A 12-60mm f 2.8-4 lens would be roughly the same size as the 4/3′s Zuiko Digital. Have you tried that lens on a PEN? I have… not exactly compact. It’ll take great shots, but it’s all lens. If you want that lens, buy the adapter and there you go. But you can’t have a compact pocket-sized camera, with a 12-60mm f3.5 lens AND a sensor that large… that’s like a pound of glass, 6″ long and 72mm in diameter. It’s simple math. Granted, they could make something shorter and faster, and I’d be all for that – but then you guys would be bitching it wasn’t a longer focal length.