[shuttertalk]

Micro Four Thirds users now have a lens to aspire to - Panasonic have announced a 12-35mm constant f2.8 aperture lens, giving it an equivalent field of view of a 24-70mm lens.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/21/panas...ur-thirds/

Pricing is not confirmed yet, but it's probably going to be north of the 1K mark.

[shuttertalk]

Dpreview has a preview of it here:

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/panasonic_12-35_2p8

Note there's also supposed to be a 35-100 f2.8 coming as well...

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/01/11/...ceptLenses

[Wedding Shooter]

These are the two zooms m4/3 need.

[Pavel]

I am not sure that these are for me. They are not very compact/light (relative to primes), they are expensive and a dealbraker - they are slow relative to thee full frame version(f/5.6 equivalent) making it hard to get shallow DOF with them. I think high performance primes in the focal range covered (24 to 70mm equiv.) can be relatively cheap, small/light and fast. I would look there first and forego the convenience.

[Toad]

I am not sure that these are for me. They are not very compact/light (relative to primes), they are expensive and a dealbraker - they are slow relative to thee full frame version(f/5.6 equivalent) making it hard to get shallow DOF with them. I think high performance primes in the focal range covered (24 to 70mm equiv.) can be relatively cheap, small/light and fast. I would look there first and forego the convenience.

I agree for the most part. The promise of m43 has always been its compactness, and moving to larger zooms seems to negate that advantage to a certain extent. Having said that, an OMD with this 12-35 on it is only a fraction of the size of a D700 with a mounted 24-70 F2.8.

One thing though, only the DOF is equivalent to full frame F5.6. As far as light gathering capabilities, the 12-35 is a true F2.8.

[Pavel]

One thing though, only the DOF is equivalent to full frame F5.6. As far as light gathering capabilities, the 12-35 is a true F2.8.

Agree - a good point. I am now close to purchasing the Olympus OMD and a clutch of lenses for my wife - have her go ahaed. I am going to get only primes - DOF is a major issue with her afder using G11. I wish there was a reasonably priced fast(ish) prime at around 200 mm equivalent (100mm)

[Toad]

I wish there was a reasonably priced fast(ish) prime at around 200 mm equivalent (100mm)

Yes - there are no primes for m43 yet longer than 45mm (=90) although a tasty looking Olympus 75mm F1.8 (=150) has been announced that will supposedly be available on July 1..

[matthew]

Call me stubborn, but I have to say that I was a bit disappointed by this announcement. After all, Four Thirds had the 14-35 and 35-100 as f/2.0 lenses, so f/2.8 is a step back from that. Of course, those two lenses were the same size as the 135-format f/2.8 lenses of the equivalent ranges, which doesn't suit the Micro format particularly well, and I was amazed at how small the 12-35 looks. Life's a barter.

What's very interesting is seeing the m4/3 move upmarket. The 12-35 is also Panasonic's first weather-sealed lens, and I doubt that they made it for the E-M5 – Panasonic and Olympus don't like each other that much. It's not a stretch to think that the GH3, currently expected for a September announcement, will be weather-sealed.

But is this now a system that people can justify buying this calibre of lens for? After all, I can get a Nikon 24-70 for my D800 for just a bit more…