New Olympus 75mm and Panasonic 12-35mm X preorder in Germany and UK.
Good Morning! Before to start with the new rumor week I want to let know my German and UK reader that the Olympus 75mm f/1.8 is now available for preorder at Amazon Germany (Click here) and Amazon UK (Click here). Unlike it was with the Panasonic 12-35mm X lens I still haven’t found any review of that lens. Have you?
The Panasonic 12-35mm X is now also available for preorder at Amazon Germany (Click here) and Amazon UK (Click here). About that lens we already know everything 
USA and Asia Preorders:
The Olympus 75mm lens can be preordered at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (Click here). And Adorama has also the accessories: Olympus LH-61F, Metal Lens Hood (Click here) and the Olympus LC-61, Metal Front Lens Cap (Click here).
The Panasonic 12-35mm X lens can be preordered at Amazon (Click here), BHphoto (Click here), Adorama (Click here), Amazon Japan (Click here) and Digitalrev (Click here).
Thanks Stefan
dau
2 years ago |looks like its available to order from amazon us..
spam
2 years ago |I haven’t seen any reviews so far, wasn’t there a June 11th deadline? The Olympus MTF-curves look good though, but that’s all I’ve found.
bli
2 years ago |Pekka Potka on his blog site refers to a June 11 date for being allowed to publish pictures of the 75/1.8.
BLI
2 years ago |… or rather pictures taken with the 75/1.8…
Anonymous
2 years ago |UK £899 US equivalent £584. A huge difference – why?
Farrukh
2 years ago |+1
inis44
2 years ago |+1
I don’t get it as well. 899.99 USD is not really 949 EUR (1178 USD) or 799 GBP (1227 USD).
BLI
2 years ago |Please… as anyone knows who has purchased goods in other countries, USA sites give price *without* VAT, while European sites give prices *with* VAT. The German VAT rate appears to be 19% now (http://www.tmf-vat.com/vat/eu-vat-rates.html), so German price sans VAT is €797 = $989, while UK price (20% VAT) is £665 = $1022.
Of course, both of these are overpriced compared to USA price sans VAT ($899), but you also have to consider added benefits such as better warranty, etc.
My point? I agree that Europeans pay too much compared to Americans, but at least use fair/honest comparisons! Don’t blame Olympus (or Panasonic for that matter) or the online shops for VAT that is a result of national politics! Or else your arguments loose all credibility.
E-1
2 years ago |+ custom fees.
fan_guo_lai_xiang_xiang
2 years ago |Please elaborate… so when amazon.com lists the 75mm 1.8 for 899.99$, how much does the customer have to pay? When I add it to my cart, the price remains the same… when is the US VAT applied?
Nikku
2 years ago |US has no VAT. We have state sales taxes, which are generally 6-9% but are not always charged in online transactions.
avds
2 years ago |When you purchase internationally from UK or Germany/EU, VAT ideally *should* be deducted from the displayed price, because VAT is only paid by residents and is subject to reimbursement by customs on all exports. So you *should* be able to deduct VAT from the displayed price when ordering, or you’ll might be given the final price already (different from what UK or EU customers see). However how and if this is applied in practice can vary I guess. For example Amazon UK *DOES* deduct VAT on international sales according to their help section, though I don’t know for sure if and when they let you know of the final price since I rarely do purchase from them (since EU prices are quite high anyway).
No US state I know of charges VAT. They mostly charge a sales tax which is not reimbursable by customs unlike VAT, but sales taxes are usually (always, should I say) lower than VAT, something in the range of 2-5% versus 15-25%.
mooboy
2 years ago |I often buy from B&H. So, when I went to New York – I was originally planning to stock up big. But, then I found if I bought at the store, or had delivered to the NY address I was staying, about a 9% sales tax was added. I still did make some select purchases – but, for the most part… I found shipping to Australia to be less than the 9% sales tax.
raymay
2 years ago |I tried a pre-production sample of the 75 1.8 yesterday. I only had it on my camera for a few minutes, but it was pretty nice. Too expensive for me though…
Esa Tuunanen
2 years ago |Pekka Potka hasn’t written any test but another Finnish photographer has tried pre-production version.
Google Translate does this time miraculously mostly understandable/sense making translation if you want to try.
http://sulanto.blogspot.fi/2012/05/olympus-mzuiko-digital-ed-75-mm-f18.html
Though in short conclusions are:
Metal construction feels good and build quality is at professional level.
AF works roughly at speed of fastest m4/3 lenses and is quiet.
Sharpness is good at full aperture and bokeh is very good. Small stopping down rises sharpness to excellent.
Yun
2 years ago |I need comments / opinions of the Zuiko lens on a Pana body . Hopefully it can perform nicely as the 45mm . Due to such long FL & not IS , I’m bit worry to shoot with Pana body .
st3v4nt
2 years ago |Both looks like very good lens tough too expensive for me…I may have to wait couple of years before own it. By that time I hope there will be more choice available also new camera perhaps. Let’s wait for 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens before decide which lens I should own.
Bob B.
2 years ago |There is a pool of drool collecting on my desk, beneath my chin. I can’t read any more. LOL! The price is so steep on this lens it is painful…especially with the added Olympus lens-shade rape. I also doubt that the price will come down at all (as the similarly built 12mm is still selling for $799 in the US plus additional lens-shade rape.), in the next year or so.
So for those of us who MUST have the lens we are just going to have to bite the bullet. The silver bullet, at that.
Mr. Reeee
2 years ago |Lens prices usually fluctuate a bit, but rarely drop like camera prices. Look at at how prices have fluctuated or RISEN since then. Besides, you buy lenses for the long haul, not to be swapped out the way camera bodies tend to be.
I got my native M4/3 lenses in February 2011…
7-14 @ $775
20mm @ $320
Voigtländer Nokton 25mm @ $899
The only difference is the 14-140mm which was available separately for about $850. Now it’s about $499! The 100-300mm price has dropped about $100, too.
“lens shade rape” heh heh heh
Bob B.
2 years ago |Yeah…lenses “generally” hold up on price. The rule there is the more expensive the lens the more the price will hold. I took a beating on my 45-175mm Pany…..bought for $450 when it came out. Now, can be had for $300 or less….which is more fitting..good lens..definitely…but not a GREAT lens. Usually the only time a high-end lens REALLY drops in price is when the manufacturer makes an updated version…
I am expecting the 75mm, f/1.8 to be a great lens…… We shall see.
Camaman
2 years ago |“lens shade rape” very nicely put!
Bob B.
2 years ago |Olympus could at least throw in a $2 lens pouch with the purchase of the lens to ease the pain.
BLI
2 years ago |My dealer *gave* me a Panasonic lens pouch for my Zuiko 12/2…
Bob B.
2 years ago |Well…I didn’t get that ….but H and B Digital sent me a Giant Canon lens cloth AND a Canon EOS Silver Bullet Thermos (very cool) with my $999 perchase of a Silver OM-D from them. They even called me from NY when they got the camera to see if I wanted it. GREAT GUYS…Mario and Tony!!!!!!!!! They ROCK.
Bob B.
2 years ago |Well…I didn’t get that ….but H and B Digital sent me a Giant Canon lens cloth AND a Canon EOS Silver Bullet Thermos (very cool) with my $999 purchase of a Silver OM-D from them. They even called me from NY when they got the camera to see if I wanted it. GREAT GUYS…Mario and Tony!!!!!!!!! They ROCK.
Bob B.
2 years ago |Sorry…I stuttered.
mooboy
2 years ago |Regarding ‘lens shade rape’, maybe they should offer dinner vouchers – as I like to be wined and dined after I’ve been f—ed…
Lollus
2 years ago |“Preorder” means that one even has to wait for this? He he he way to go suckers.
BobWanksALob
2 years ago |You do a lot of stupid things, stuttering is not the stupidest.