About this item NANO SURFACE COATING: Professional, high quality LEICA DG VARIO ELMARIT camera lens optics with Panasonic’s Nano Surface Coating to reduce unwanted ghosting and flaring for crystal clear pictures (4 ASPH / 2 UED) HIGH SPEED AUTO FOCUSING: Upgraded faster focus tracking via a 240 fps linear motor performs smooth aperture changes so there are no sudden jumps in exposure for improved video performance ADVANCED OPTICAL IMAGE STABILIZATION: Panasonic POWER O.I.S. compatible with enhanced LUMIX Dual I.S. 2.0 LUMIX Mirrorless cameras immediately compensates even large camera shake and vibrations for sharp, blur free photos STANDARD ZOOM LENS: A 5X optical 24 to 120 millimeter (35 millimeter camera equivalent) focal length with F2.8 4.0 ASPH provides flexible framing from breathtaking landscapes to beautiful, mid telephoto 60 millimeter portraits RUGGED HIGH PERFORMANCE DESIGN: Durable metal body camera lens braves the elements in nearly any kind of weather or shooting location (Splashproof / Dustproof / Freezeproof); Minimum Aperture:F22. Extra Low Dispersion (ED) lenses correct chromatic aberration rendering sharp, high contrast images with clear colors from corner to corner
Product Dimensions 4.49 x 4.49 x 7.24 inches Item Weight 1 pounds ASIN B01N7LGSZO Item model number H-ES12060 Customer Reviews
4.7 out of 5 stars Best Sellers Rank #758 in
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer No Date First Available January 4, 2017 Manufacturer Panasonic Country of Origin Japan
Product Warranty: For warranty information about this product, please
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Panasonic LUMIX Professional 12-60mm Camera Lens, Leica DG Vario-ELMARIT, F2.8-4.0 ASPH, Dual I.S. 2.0 with Power O.I.S, Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds, H-ES12060 (Black)
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Product Dimensions 4.49 x 4.49 x 7.24 inches
Item Weight 1 pounds
ASIN B01N7LGSZO
Item model number H-ES12060
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Best Sellers Rank #758 in SLR Camera Lenses
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer No
Date First Available January 4, 2017
Manufacturer Panasonic
Country of Origin Japan
About this item NANO SURFACE COATING: Professional, high quality LEICA DG VARIO ELMARIT camera lens optics with Panasonic’s Nano Surface Coating to reduce unwanted ghosting and flaring for crystal clear pictures (4 ASPH / 2 UED) HIGH SPEED AUTO FOCUSING: Upgraded faster focus tracking via a 240 fps linear motor performs smooth aperture changes so there are no sudden jumps in exposure for improved video performance ADVANCED OPTICAL IMAGE STABILIZATION: Panasonic POWER O.I.S. compatible with enhanced LUMIX Dual I.S. 2.0 LUMIX Mirrorless cameras immediately compensates even large camera shake and vibrations for sharp, blur free photos STANDARD ZOOM LENS: A 5X optical 24 to 120 millimeter (35 millimeter camera equivalent) focal length with F2.8 4.0 ASPH provides flexible framing from breathtaking landscapes to beautiful, mid telephoto 60 millimeter portraits RUGGED HIGH PERFORMANCE DESIGN: Durable metal body camera lens braves the elements in nearly any kind of weather or shooting location (Splashproof / Dustproof / Freezeproof); Minimum Aperture:F22. Extra Low Dispersion (ED) lenses correct chromatic aberration rendering sharp, high contrast images with clear colors from corner to corner
Panasonic LUMIX Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds camera lenses deliver a no-compromise approach to optical performance for modern interchangeable camera enthusiasts and professionals. As an optical partner of legendary LEICA Lenses, Panasonic LUMIX Professional Camera Lens LEICA DG VARIO-ELMARIT H-ES12060 features Panasonic’s Nano Surface Coating to reduce bothersome reflections across the entire light spectrum for the highest standards of detail and sharpness. Built for the outdoors, this professional grade metal body lens features a splash / dustproof design when mounted on a compatible LUMIX G Mirrorless camera. Featuring Power O.I.S. optical image stabilization compatibility with 5-Axis Dual I.S. 2.0 (Image Stabilization), you’ll shoot with unprecedented hand-held stability across both video and still. For added versatile high performance, this standard zoom lens offers a F2.8-4.0 ASPH and focal length of 12-60mm (35mm camera equivalent: 24-120mm) to render everything clearly, from corner to corner. What’s more, the stunning AF performance of this lens records excellent 4K video where precise focusing is essential. Make the switch from bulky DSLRs to the smaller, lighter, more compact Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds system cameras and lenses from Panasonic LUMIX.
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| Product Dimensions | 4.49 x 4.49 x 7.24 inches |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 1 pounds |
| ASIN | B01N7LGSZO |
| Item model number | H-ES12060 |
| Customer Reviews | /* .cm-cr-review-stars-spacing-big { 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 120 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when('A', 'cf').execute(function(A) { 4.7 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #758 in SLR Camera Lenses |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | January 4, 2017 |
| Manufacturer | Panasonic |
| Country of Origin | Japan |
Omar –
1.0 out of 5 stars
Does not focus
One of the rings is broken and it does not focus.
KOng –
2.0 out of 5 stars
Two Stars
Overpriced for what it is.
One person found this helpful
O. M. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best balance of size, range and image quality for general purpose m43 zoom.
TLDR;——–This is a great general purpose zoom lens for Micro 4/3. In my opinion it offers the best balance of size, range and image quality that is currently available in the format.In Depth———–The Panasonic Leica 12-60/2.8-4 is part of the now “Holy Trinity” of zoom lenses, including an Ultra Wide (8-18/2.8-4), General Purpose (12-60/2.8-4) and the new telephoto (50-200/2.8-4). This new Panasonic Leica f/2.8-4 zoom lenses represent, in my opinion, a great balance of size (and weight), range, and image quality.The PL12-60 is an extremely sharp lens to use. At f/2.8 it has just a tad of corner softness, which goes away at f/4 or f/5.6 (though even at f/2.8 it is more than acceptable). This allows using this lens for images that are sharp across the frame, both on the wide side and the long end. The 12-60 range represents an equivalent range of 24-120 which is an EXTREMELY useful range. In many cases, it can be used for an entire day without switching to any other lens. This is what I love in this lens, and why I switched over to it from the Olympus 12-40/2.8.It is built very well with all metal construction and feels solid (and cold) in your hand, despite being fairly lightweight. It pairs beautifully with my G9 (although it worked very well with my EM1.2 before as well), as well as with my GX9, offering Dual IS for improved image stabilization. Focusing is instant and completely silent. It is truly a great lens.Compared to the Olympus 12-40/2.8:————————————————-I had the Olympus 12-40/2.8 for more than 3 years before switching to the Panasonic Leica 12-60/2.8-4. If pixel peeping, the Olympus is just a tad sharper in the corner on the wide side at f/2.8 (though the PL12-60 is a tad sharper in the corner @ 40mm). Stopping one stop down makes these difference disappear, but more importantly, these differences are really only visible when pixel peeping. There is no chance anybody could tell any diff between two shots shot with these two lenses in a normal viewing (either on screen or print). If anything – the PL12-60 is a tad more contrasty, although that too is very minor (and completely overriden by editing).At the end of the day the decision between those lenses boils down to having a constant f/2.8 vs better range (60mm vs 40mm). I shot those two lenses side by side for some weeks and ended up deciding to keep the 12-60 (Though this may be individual). @ 40mm, the F/4 (3.9 to be precise) of the 12-60 definietly fails to yield similar shallow DoF as the 12-40 @ 40 f/2.8, BUT – zooming the 12-60 all the way to 60/f4 yields similar shallow DoF like 40/f2.8 – so I find this acceptable.I really enjoy the reach more than I did the constant f/2.8, so for me that is the better lens.Some other differences:- As mentioned – the 12-60 has IS which gives it advantages on body with no (or weak) IBIS. It also has Dual IS with modern Panasonic bodies which is an advantage.- The 12-60 supports DFD so it will get you better CAF with Panasonic bodies vs. non EM1 bodies in Olympus- The 12-60 is a tad narrower and a tad lighter than the 12-40. It is not very noticeable but it’s there…- The 12-40 has “Clutch MF” – some people love it, I never connected with it. It tends to get caught in the bag and switch to MF without wanting to. I find the small switch on the 12-60 to be better for ME. Those who do a lot of video work may feel differently.Compared to the Olympus 12-100/4————————————————I never owned the 12-100 but had the chance to use it on a couple of occasions. In terms of IQ the 12-60 may have a very tiny edge in sharpness in the corner, but again, it is so unnoticeable I would consider that a wash. The 12-60 offers f/2.8 on the wide side vs a constant F/4 on the 12-100. It’s a nice advantage of the 12-60, but I would have probably opted for the better range of the 12-100 if that was the main advantage.In my eyes, the 12-100 is simply too big. It is a massive lens, not only in m43 terms, but generally speaking. It is too big for my taste, and so I can’t like it too much. Some people though love it as it is so versatile.Compared to the Lumix 12-60/3.5-5.6————————————————–I only had the Lumix 12-60 for .a short time. In terms of feel and build quality the PanaLeica one is far superior. The Lumix 12-60 may be weather sealed but it feels plasticy and its very light weight makes it feel cheap. Nonetheless the Lumix 12-60 is not a bad lens, and is somewhat smaller and noticeably lighter, making it potentially a better fit for smaller bodies like the GX9/GX85. Having said that, I prefer the IQ and BQ of the Panaleica.
11 people found this helpful
Tankery –
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great all purpose lens
I’m a Panasonic dude so I have as my best shooters a GX8 and a G9. At one point I tried the Panny 12-35 and this 12-60 Leica and I finally decided on this 12-60 because of the range and generally that it appears sharper and richer with landscape photos. But anyone that has the 12-25 Panny won’t be disappointed. Lovely lens.This is a very versatile lens with the 12 range for landscapes and then out to the 60 range for everything from portraits to flowers to interior shots, etc. It produces consistently sharp pics throughout the range.While it isn’t a consistent 2.8 across the entire range I didn’t find this a problem. This is a kit lens on the beautiful Panasonic G9 and worthy of that but can get pretty pricey.Oddly, I have the cheaper 12-60 Panasonic which is insanely cheaper and it takes phenomenal landscapes as well. Can’t really tell a difference. If you don’t intend to use a 12-60 in other than bright light, this far cheaper 12-60 will suffice. But where the Leica is worth the extra money is close ups and less than ideal light conditions. It is a superior lens to the cheaper 12-60 all around for such conditions. Most shooters know in bright sunlight virtually any modern pro or enthusiast M43 camera takes excellent photos.I know there is a 12-40 Olympus out there that some say is the best general purpose lens but I have never tried it. My problem with Oly lens is not the sharpness, very sharp, but can sometimes not work as well on a Panny body. The only two Oly lens I use is the 45mm and the 60 mm macro.Anyway, if you have the money and want to get the best all purpose Panny lens that is water and dust proof then I would spring for the 12-60 Leica.
5 people found this helpful
IrreverentIrreverent –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tops in versatility and IQ compares favorably with other outstanding lenses
This focal length range is where most everyday photos are made, and I’m also a bird and bug freak, so upon switching to M43, the most lens money (and weight) went into two Panasonic / Leica zooms, 12-60mm (FX SLR equivalent 24-120) for everyday subjects and 100-400mm (200-800 FX eq.) for critters. This 12-60 retired a decent 14-42 kit zoom (cursed with a PLASTIC LENS MOUNT) that came with a used Panasonic GX7 a neighbor was unloading to raise cash. I have a beloved old manual 200mm f4 Micro-Nikkor (400 FX eq) that fills the sensor with a butterfly that doesn’t even know I exist as long as I make no large sudden movements and cast no shadow on it. Along with the GX7 came a great but compact 45-175 (90-350 FX eq.) f4-5.6 zoom about as big as half a banana. It has tremendous reach for its size and gets great candid shots of unsuspecting people as well as bugs. I found a deal on a 42.5 f1.7 (85 FX eq.) Panasonic prime lens that is not only good for portraits without flash (real photographers don’t use flash), but, like so many short telephotos, is razor-sharp. As shown in the accompanying images, this Leica 12-60 makes a worthy addition. I can carry the GX7 with the 12-60, the 45-175, and 25 and 42.5 f1.7 primes in a couple of jacket pockets. One reason I prefer Panasonic glass to alternatives, besides the 6.5 stops of OIS integrated between lenses and bodies, is CLOSE FOCUS. This 12-60 is no exception, with full OIS integrating with bodies, and focusing to about 10 inches, so I can usually get as close as needed hand-held without macro gizmos. I did make these shots from a cheap tripod using a 2-sec self-timer delay to let vibrations die down before firing the shutter. This was over a period of days in lamplight sometimes mixed with daylight, since the plant was on a window shelf close to a table lamp, so most differences are due to lighting, and I’m delighted with this lens as with all my glass.
2 people found this helpful
Coronet Blue –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very good, considering the range it covers
To answer the question everyone asks: f/2.8 at 12mm (drops to f/2.9 at 13mm), f/3.2 at 18mm, f/3.5 at 25mm, f/3.9 at 40mm to 50mm, f/4 from 51mm to 60mm.If you are looking for a high quality general puprose zoom for your m43 camera, look no further. This lens is a fine perforrmer everywhere except in the corners at 12mm. Even there, it’s ok if you stop down a bit. And if I didn’t have the 12-35 f/2.8 lens to compare with, I would have left it at that. However, since I have the 12-35/2.8, making a comparison was inevitable and the 12-35 is a little better, especially at 12mm.The issue seems to be field curvature because comparing images of a flat subject, shot with both lenses, at the wide end, the 12-60 images appear convex (center is closer than the edges) whereas the 12-35 images are almost flat. With either lens, the barrel distorion is mostly corrected automatically, and with the 12-60 it may be that moving the pixels to correct for distortion afffects corner sharpness at 12mm.But you probably don’t plan on using this lens to photograph flat objects, and if the extreme corners at 12mm are a concern, you’re better off not using a zoom in the first place. I doubt anybody will be dissapoined with this lens, but like the 24-120 lenses for full frame cameras, when you try to be both a wide angle and a telephoto, there are compromises. Since I don’t want to carry both the 12-35 and the 12-60, I have a difficult decision to make.
109 people found this helpful
C. Garrard –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Actually it’s a Bargain
There are few lenses that can cover such a wide range of photographic tasks while also remaining weatherproof, freeze proof and as versatile as the Panasonic DG Vario-Elmarit 12 – 60 mm F 2.8-4 lens. This lens is just about as much of a do it all lens as they get.When you factor in its close focus capabilities… Excellent optics, excellent build quality, fast aperture and overall versatility, this lens could be a real one lens solution/bargain depending on your needs.It’s a lens that needed to be made for the new breed of cameras coming out. I’m thoroughly impressed with this lens on every level. It’s a jack of all trades…..But a high end feeling lens that gives more than its price tag would suggest. If you can live with the focal length….It’s going to surprise you more than you realize.
14 people found this helpful
Ross W. –
3.0 out of 5 stars
For the price, I expect excellence.
For a lens of that price, I expect both technical excellence and ‘good enough for photos’. It’s certainly good enough to create some great images, but aside from its solid construction, extra zoom range, and great IS, it is not up to the standard of either my old beat up Panasonic 12-35mm F2.8 or a friend’s Olympus 12-40mm f2.8. Both of those lenses are sharper through the range, especially in the corners were the 12-60mm falls flat.Yes, it’s pixel peeping, but the corners ARE soft, all of them. They sort of a somewhat smeary/blurred mess with significant vignetting through most of the zoom range and apertures. At most zoom ranges the rest of the image is suitably sharp, 60mm always seems a bit lack luster though. If you look at the uncorrected RAW output with appropriate software, you can see some of the problem in the significant corner distortion that’s corrected.Will this impact photos? In many cases no. However given the price and the Leica branding I’d expect it to at least match my old 12-35mm or Oly 12-40mm on technical specifics and it’s not really close. I have the same experiences with the PL 8-16mm although the corners there are even worse.
9 people found this helpful
Harry M. Shin –
2.0 out of 5 stars
I had high hopes but in the end, disappointed…
1. Some background info: I own the Olympus 12-40mm and the older but better 12-60mm and I recently purchased but then returned the 12-100mm. Camera body: EM1 v2.2. The reason I rented this lens was to see if it would be of “good enough” quality to utilize as an all in one travel lens (upcoming trip). Going back to the above background info, I would love to use my 12-60mm (Olympus) in that it’s easily the best quality lens, however I tend to utilize the focus stacking feature these days and this isn’t supported for the older 4/3 lens. Thus my routine lens has been the 12-40mm, which is of decent quality, but then the zoom reach is a bit lacking. Thus I recently decided to check out the new Olympus 12-100mm; awesome reach, slower lens but not a big deal to me and my kind of shooting. The problem with that lens is that it’s relatively big / heavy and the sharpness (corners) at 12mm is not “good enough” for me.3. Thus, enter the 12-60mm via Panasonic and here are my brief impressions: a: Build quality: good. b: Size: awesome; really compact and light. c: Image Quality: Unfortunately, definitely the worst in re: corner sharpness of all the above mentioned lens; no question about it. I was actually surprised in that I’ve owned the Panasonic 12-35mm, 35-100mm and they’re both awesome lens.4. Thus, as with all things, there is no perfect lens. It’s going to come down to what your primary goals are. However, if image quality is fairly up there, then you might want to rent this lens and test it out prior to purchase.
20 people found this helpful
Derwin Avery –
5.0 out of 5 stars
My favor lens
This lens is one of the best performing lens on the market. If you have a Panasonic camera. This lens must be in your bag. You will not be disappointed in the pictures taken whike using it
One person found this helpful
Francisco Schuler –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Calidad y versatilidad.
Muy buen zoom. Versatilidad de cuadro, buen peso, calidad de imagen y exposición, material firme, foco suave y sin ruido. Viene con OIS.
One person found this helpful
Slatanic –
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you can only afford one lense, get this!
In a lot of GH5 test videos this lens was used, which got me looking into to more closely for when I ordered my GH5 Some youtubers said that its the one lens to have if you can only buy one lens, and they aren’t wrong. It is a stunning lens in person and works beautifully. It is an excellent mid range lens and works great for photos and video. I was able to film from the back of our auditorium with little issue. If you are looking into doing extreme closeups or long distance shooting/photography you will definitely want one with more zoom, but this lens will work perfectly for me for most of my videography events.
22 people found this helpful
Matt Bailey –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Finally
I have been waiting forever to be able to buy this lens. I have not shot a lot on it but what I have shot it has been nice. The build quality feels better than the Canon 24-105mm that I use at work. My only concern is it had a slight flaw in glass, but it was not noticeable in the photos. I can deal with it for now. I would definitely buy it again…but now the Lumix S1R is out….
5 people found this helpful
LarryW –
5.0 out of 5 stars
The images with this lens are very good as far as color and image quality
I bought this to replace a 12-60mm f3.5 kit lens (which was actually an OK lens) and have no regrets. The images with this lens are very good as far as color and image quality.This is a little bigger and heavier then the 12-60mm kit lens but paired with my Panasonic G9 it is just fine. I have also used it some on a smaller camera and it was still OK although some may say it becomes a little front heavy.
9 people found this helpful
Raf –
5.0 out of 5 stars
fabulous lens
I bought this lens for the Lumix G85 instead of the LUMIX G Vario Lens, 12-60mm, F3.5-5.6 that is typically included in the G85 kit. The Leica 12-60mm has an F2.8-4.0 and that makes a big difference. It’s pricier but that was worth it to me. The results are stunningly crisp and clear pictures. This is meant to be my “workhorse” lens and I have excellent results in all conditions. No regrets of any kind.
25 people found this helpful
Robert RoseRobert Rose –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Everything about this lens is great. It is a perfect zoom range (35mm eq …
Everything about this lens is great. It is a perfect zoom range (35mm eq 24mm-120mm), and the constant aperture of f/4 is plenty bright. It is basically equivalent to the Nikon 24-120 f/4 zoom. The images are beautiful. The feel of the zoom is smooth, and the lens feels well balanced. For travel I don’t think you can do better.
26 people found this helpful
MAC –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome lens
The Leica DG Vario Elmarit 12-60mm is incredibly sharp, fast, stable. It has great edge to edge clarity, is silent and stable. With this lens and my Panasonic GH5 I’ll rarely have need for a tripod and rarely have need to carry a second walk around lens. It is a bit heavy, but with no need to carry a second lens I’m happy.
24 people found this helpful
Damage98 –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect walkaround. Could you get sharper with primes
Perfect walkaround. Could you get sharper with primes? I doubt you would see a difference, and you would have to swap lenses in the field. beautiful design and feel and sharp. You can shoot in confidence at most any aperture and have sharp shots edge to edge.
15 people found this helpful
Al –
3.0 out of 5 stars
moving parts noisy
when I shake the lens, I can feel the moving noise inside the lens. I have a few Leica lens for Lumix G9. only this one I feel the parts moving. But, the quality of the photos seems okay. I hope it is not an issue.
One person found this helpful
netman –
5.0 out of 5 stars
really versatile lens
Very sharp, all the way to the edges, and great stabilization. The zoom range is quite useful.
One person found this helpful
Tempe –
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of my favorite 4/3 lenses of that period was the Olympus Zuiko …
I began using 4/3 system cameras before the advent of micro 4/3. One of my favorite 4/3 lenses of that period was the Olympus Zuiko 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD. The 24-120 (full frame equivalent) range is extremely useful, especially for traveling. Thus, I was intrigued in knowing if the new Panasonic-Leica 12-60 f2.8-4 would fill that gap again for me. I have also used the excellent Olympus 12-40 f2.8 as well as the Panasonic 12-35 f2.8. The Olympus 12-40 is a great lens, but sometimes it’s nice to have a little more reach. Although both Olympus and Panasonic have made cheaper lenses, whose ranges are useful (e.g., the Olympus 12-50 3.5-6.3 and Panasonic 12-60 f3.5-5.6), these lenses are slower and seem to be not up to the same quality standards as the Olympus pro lenses and the Panasonic-Leica lenses.In the first few weeks of use, I have been very impressed by the Panasonic-Leica 12-60 f2.8-4 image quality, sharpness, and color rendition. I have been using it on both the Panasonic GX 8 and the OMD EM1 Mark ii. It is nicely balanced on both cameras. Its image stabilization (IS) only works in sync with the newer Panasonic bodies, but not Olympus bodies. Nevertheless, the five-axis stabilization of the new Olympus OMD is outstanding, so I haven’t noticed any issues in using this lens on the Olympus body.The zoom is silky smooth, the lens is fast focusing, and its construction is very good and weather resistant, although it does not seem to have the more substantial build-quality feel of the Panasonic-Leica f42.5mm Nocticron lens, which is one of my favorites. The f2.8 is also nice to have at its 12 mm length, but it starts creeping up to 3.0 and ultimately 4.0 fairly rapidly when you begin to zoom in closer.In terms of size, it is nearly comparable to the Olympus 12-40 f2.8 (diameter 70 mm Oly vs. 68 mm Pan-Leica; length 84 mm Oly vs. 86 mm Pan-Leica). Both use a 62 mm filter thread. In terms of weight, the Pana-Leica is only 320 g compared to the Oly 12-40 at 382 g. When compared to the excellent new Olympus 12-100 f4.0 at 561 g, the Pan-Leica is considerable lighter, although without the tele-zoom reach. I considered the new Olympus 12-100 mm, but the Pan-Leica is about $300 cheaper and more compact, with a faster aperture at the wide range. The lens is also purported to be very good for video, although my primary purpose in using it is for stills.I intend to use this lens particularly for travel purposes and some street photography. Overall, I find it to be a nice compromise between the Olympus 12-40 f2.8 and the Olympus 12-100 f4.0 both in size, range, and price. You won’t regret have any of these lenses, but I am, thus far, pleased with my choice as I am also trying to reduce the total number of lenses I use.
70 people found this helpful
HS –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good handling
Using it for stills on a G9. People pictures mostly. Also own the 14-140 which is also very good, perfect for travel. This 12-60 PL is smooth mechanically, fine stabilization, fine sharpness, based on several hundred shots over a month. The two switches on the lens are handy when I mount camera on tripod since I then need no stabilization and usually focus manually. This lens is 360 grams, versus 210 grams for the 12-60 f3.5-5.6, an excellent lens also, which came with my G85 four years ago. Love my G9 so decided to splurge on this lens – happy so far with smooth handling and photo results.
One person found this helpful
SmellaSmella –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Wide to Medium Telephoto & Videography Lens
I bought this lens to do videography for my outdoors Youtube channel on my Panasonic Lumix G9. It fits this use-case excellently with a 12mm wide angle with an effective 5X optical zoom. If you utilize the Ex. Teleconv feature on recent Panasonic cameras you can get an effective 7X lossless zoom for free. If you shoot landscapes and mostly static subjects like I do, then a camera with a sensor shift hi-res mode can increase your range even further than that.Image quality at 12mm is very sharp in the center with some barrel distortion at the very far corners. At the wide end, don’t expect perfectly sharp images across the entire scene – this is a trade-off to be expected in a wide to medium tele. I see a largely clean, distortion free image about 18-20mm and beyond. In the video world this is less of an issue than for photographers. The range you get for size make it worth it to me for the range that you get.Aperture reduces immediately to f/2.9 at 13mm and continues down from there until you hit f/4 at about 55mm. Since I am mostly shooting landscape in video in 4K, I rarely use f/2.8 – however this does come into play in vlogging shots. I find that f/2.8 is the sweet spot for walking & talking on camera in order to produce the ideal amount of background blur while avoiding focus breathing. I find the bokeh at f/2.8 to be pleasing with circular bokeh balls thanks to the 9 bladed aperture. Defocused backgrounds look smooth to me. I am usually at f/5.6 to f/7 when shooting landscape at 12mm and around f/8 to f/11 when closer to 60mm; you will notice diffraction kicking around f/11 but it’s not so bad as to be unusable.Chromatic aberration is largely corrected for but you will see some green & magenta tinting with sun flares. This is better to me than having full-on sun flares in the shot.Another plus is the weather sealing. This lens does not see a ton of foul wet weather but living and shooting in the desert I enounter a lotThe only major con I have come across is that (1) this lens is heavier than the cheaper plastic counterparts; though to me this is a pro adding durability.I am happy with the images this lens produces; I believe this lens is suitable for someone who normally would carry a wide lend and medium telephoto who wants to reduce weight and complexity of their setup. This is probably going to be as close as you’ll get to a do-it-all lens on the M43 system.
23 people found this helpful
R. Davis –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nice piece of glass.
Nice piece of glass.This is one very fine lens. Corner to corner sharpness, wonderful contrast and clarity. I’m using it on my Lumix GX85… a wonderful combo with great synergy. Smooth zoom and manual focus. Autofocus is quick and very tight. Good, solid build quality… and heft.First rate.
2 people found this helpful
Quebec Charlie –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quality
I was new to the M43 camera system and was very hesitant and unsure of what to buy. It was recommended that I purchase this lens as my ‘primary’ lens. I am very pleased with the picture quality that I have gotten from this lens. The pictures are sharp great auto focus (and continuous AF) very stable with the Lumix G9. You won’t be sorry if you buy this lens.
2 people found this helpful
Amazon Customer –
4.0 out of 5 stars
Four Stars
A good well built all rounds lens.
One person found this helpful
Travis –
5.0 out of 5 stars
great, very well built
great construction and very sharp and fast compared to the standard 12-60 lumix lens
schlite60 –
5.0 out of 5 stars
AWESOME GLASS
I bought this for a Lumix G-9 Mirrorless camera. This a great lens and has image stabilization build in and auto focus. does great pictures and video that i have tested so far. I will update the review later on and please see my review for the g-9 too.
2 people found this helpful
Daria –
3.0 out of 5 stars
Unhappy with landscapes, but good for video shooting
I got lumix professional 12-60mm lens for my Panasonic g9 camera, I only do landscapes pictures, and I am so unhappy 😞 I just cannot recieve clear good quality pictures with this lens, before I had 12-35 mm lens and pictures was clear and good quality. I do not have such pictures with this lens. The settings on camera was the same. But maybe I need to change some settings? I tried to understand, why 12-35mm lens pictures is 10-12 mb size (wich is good quality), but 12-60 mm lens pictures only 5-6 mb, that is realy low! I am just upset.
2 people found this helpful
Joey C. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
I can now see closer and farther.
One reason I bought this lens is because, the lens that came with my camera was 14 mm – 42 mm. This lens is 12 mm – 60 mm. That means my camera can now see closer and farther. Another reason I bought this lens is because it is dust proof and water proof. The area I live in is currently in a drought. That means when the wind blows, dust is flying everywhere. Before I bought this lens I went to a football game. It started raining. I want to be prepared the next time I go to a football game. I had this lens for about a month. The lens is heavier then my other one, but I consider it a very small compromise for seeing closer and farther.
9 people found this helpful
LakiLaki –
5.0 out of 5 stars
I liked this lens
Wow very nice
K. Fisher –
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is truly amazing glass! Versatile for everything!
Having downgraded from a full frame Nikon to a Lumix m43, I was quite excited to find comparable glass. This is much better in terms of autofocus and image stabilisation than my professional Tamron lens. This has such a great range and while it is a bit on the heavier side it is very easy to carry and is still smaller than every full frame lens I’ve used.
2 people found this helpful
J in Cali –
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great lens for the MFT format. Sharper image and better AF than the 12-60 kit lens
This is a quality product that I have enjoyed over the kit 12-60 it replaced. AF is more consistent and the IQ is better, esp in the wide end of the zoom range. IS & Build quality is excellent on a GH5m2
Vic –
5.0 out of 5 stars
great performance
excellent lens. Love it. great quality pictures
DaveLon –
Really good optics.
I was surprised just how good this lens is from 100mm end to 400mm end (200-800equiv). I use it for birding and all how saw my shots were impressed and many of them are quite capable of telling me if something isn’t all that good. Used it on a Pany. G9 and it was very carryable all day with very little strain. It balances well with the camera and once I got used to the zoom, easy to use. Great buy!
ex-DieselDazzle –
Great quality lens
Fast and sharp just as expected
Ron –
versatile
A lens that produces a very clear image.quite versatile in operational parameters.
John N. Burnett –
Excellent build quality and overall image quality
Excellent build quality and overall image quality. I have tested the lens against the Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 and 35-100mm f/2.8, and well as the Lumix 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6. The difference between the Vario-Elmarit 12-60 and the 12-35/35-100 combo is negligible, and it is better than the Lumix 12-60mm at focal lengths greater than about 17mm. The extra reach means that I can often carry just the Vario-Elmarit 12-60 instead of the 12-35 & 35-100 combo.
Dan S. –
Love it.
Sharp image. Auto focus on the GH5 is quick and spot on.
Gary R. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
LOVE IT.
Amazing. Wonderful. Great stabilization and a very useful range in a small package. Even having the 12-35 and 35-100 and 42.5 1.2 and 20 1.7, this has a permanemt place on one of my GH5 bodies.
3 people found this helpful
William Green –
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Leica quality you’d expect
Excellent construction, superb image quality. Everything you’d expect from a Leica lens. Not disappointed.
One person found this helpful
Peter Bergh –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fast, works well
What more needs to be said?
One person found this helpful
AtlantaTech01 –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great lens for GH5
Have been using this with the GH% for the last one month. Great stills and the 4K videos are fantastic. Now if the editing software can keep up..
4 people found this helpful
Chase –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love it!
I LOVE this lens. I think I just found the one I can’t live without.
One person found this helpful
J. Churchill –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent walking around lens
This is a great all-around lens. It’s got good clarity, little chromatic aberration and a nice open aperture.
One person found this helpful
MC –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fast focus lens
Expensive lens but excellent, fast focus and pictures taken if you can afford.
2 people found this helpful
erez –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
Excellent Meats my needs for day to day use
2 people found this helpful
Felipe A. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Works good
Epic lens
One person found this helpful
Carlos M. –
5.0 out of 5 stars
Five Stars
Fantastic lens for video and stills, although little expensive but a good investment.
3 people found this helpful