At the CP+ show in Japan, Panasonic unveiled their new Lumix G Vario 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH Power O.I.S. Micro Four Thirds lens. It provides a 35mm equivalent field of view of 24-120mm on a m4/3 camera which is a useful range for everyday shooting – although when used in 4K with the GH4 or G7 it will be cropped tighter. It features Panasonic’s POWER O.I.S stabilization system which is compatible with the Dual I.S. function on recent Panasonic cameras.
Panasonic claim that the 12-60mm is splash and dust-resistant which allows it to be used in inclement conditions and harsh environments. The lens aperture is quite slow and the variable aperture ramps quite quickly. Despite the lens being quite compact it still feels solid and well made. Like many modern stills lenses it has no hard stops or distance markings, although zoom and focus rings felt fairly smooth and the image stabilisation worked well. Image quality was hard to judge from my brief time with the camera, but it did appear to be pleasant. Just don’t expect any sort of shallow depth of field when using it.
The lens will be available in May for around $500US.
