Photo from Japan

PR

Las Vegas, NV (January 4, 2017) - Panasonic is proud to introduce a new standard zoom digital interchangeable lens, the LEICA DG VARIO-ELMARIT 12-60mm / F2.8-4.0 ASPH. / POWER O.I.S. (35mm camera equivalent: 24-120mm) as the first lens to be introduced from its LEICA DG VARIO-ELMARIT F2.8-4.0 Series.

Covering a focusing distance from ultra-wide angle to super telephoto, this new LEICA DG VARIO-ELMARIT F2.8-4.0 Series achieves exceptionally high descriptiveness for both photo and video recording, and yet its size is kept compact. All of the lenses in this series feature a 9-blade diaphragm to give the aperture a rounded shape that produces an attractively smooth effect in out-of-focus areas when shooting at larger aperture settings. All lenses also take advantage of Panasonic’s Nano Surface Coating technology to minimize ghosts and flaring.　They boast a rugged, dust/splash-proof design and are even freeze-proof down to -10℃ to withstand professional use under harsh conditions. The high-quality video recording capability is also one of the advantages of this lens series.

The new LEICA DG VARIO-ELMARIT 12-60mm / F2.8-4.0 ASPH. / POWER O.I.S. offers a versatile 5x zoom range of 24-120mm. It fully covers a variety of daily shooting situations, from dynamic landscapes to portraits even in low-lit situations, providing a beautiful defocus effect by taking advantage of the F2.8-4.0 high-speed performance.

Comprising 14 elements in 12 groups, the lens system features four aspherical lenses and two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lenses that effectively suppress spherical distortion or chromatic aberration to achieve stunning picture quality. The use of these lenses also enables high mobility.

In addition to the wide aperture, the POWER O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) effectively compensates for blurring, making it easy to shoot even in dim lighting. The lens works with the Dual I.S. (Image Stabilizer)*1, 5-axis Dual I.S., and 5-axis Dual I.S.2 system when mounted on an applicable Panasonic LUMIX DSLM (Digital Single Lens Mirrorless) camera.

The linear motor enables the camera to comply with the sensor drive at max. 240 fps to take full advantage of cameras with high-speed, high-precision Contrast AF. It also helps to reduce wobbling. Notably, the new lens excels in video recording performance. In addition to the silent operation achieved by the inner focus drive system, the micro-step drive system in the aperture control section helps the camera to smoothly catch up to brightness changes when zooming or panning. The optical design achieves exceptional barycentric stability to minimize image shifts during zooming. The AF tracking performance in zooming is also improved thanks to high-speed frame analysis for focus control.

Offered in sharp, metallic black color, the new LEICA DG VARIO-ELMARIT 12-60mm / F2.8-4.0 ASPH. / POWER O.I.S. stylishly matches the LUMIX G DSLM cameras.

The LEICA DG VARIO-ELMARIT F2.8-4.0 Series lineup will expand with additional lenses. An 8-18mm (16-36mm, 35mm camera equivalent) wide zoom lens and 50-200mm (100-400mm, 35mm camera equivalent) telephoto zoom lens are presently under development.

At the bottom of this article it shows the price to be $999 https://www.dpreview.com/news/0216061684/panasonic-leica-dg-12-60mm-f2-8-4-lens-moves-from-roadmap-to-reality

Well: it USED to have an Amazon price listed as $999, but...now it has disappeared???

Bit, this article lists the price as $997 http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2017/01/04/panasonic-announces-new-bridge-superzoom-compact-mirrorless-12-60mm-f-2.8-4

And, I've pasted a bitmap of that page in case the price on it disappears as well. ;-)

Plus, the price is at the Adorama pre-order link in the 1st post above.

Hands-ons and Previews

http://www.photographyblog.com/news/panasonic_12_60mm_45_200mm_and_100_300mm_hands_on_photos/

https://www.ephotozine.com/article/panasonic-leica-12-60mm-f-2-8-4-hands-on-preview-30400

In stock at

https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-VARIO-ELMARIT-Professional-Mirrorless-H-ES12060/dp/B01N7LGSZO/

Review

http://www.mirrorlessons.com/2017/03/22/panasonic-leica-12-60mm-f2-8-4-0-review/

Center and edge sharpness are excellent from f/4-f/11. Diffraction starts to affect the image sharpness from f/16 onwards.

Lens is little soft wide-open at 60mm, where it's best used stopped down, and there's some barrel distortion at 12mm.

http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/panasonic_leica_dg_vario_elmarit_12_60mm_f2_8_4_asph_review/

https://news.mapcamera.com/KASYAPA.php?itemid=30625

Reviews

https://www.focus-numerique.com/zoom/tests/panasonic-leica-dg-vario-elmarit-12-60-mm-f-2-8-4-asph-3007.html

he didn't like focus pulling with it and thought f4 was too slow for low light but apart from that it's ok :)

I've had mine on a fair bit now prefer it to my v1 12-35 would have been nice to be 2.8 through the range but then it would be huge and expensive, I get far less flaring than I did with my 12-35 outside where I pretty much stopped using it filming because of that. Def need to stop it down to 5.6 ish at the 60mm end for photos but found video I didn't really notice. The zoom ring is super smooth use it like a camcorder with it if you practice. Agree wouldn't use it indoors without a flash much but works fine with one so no big deal. Would use the inbuilt focus pull on the gh5 if I was doung a staged shot rather than trying to do it by hand.

So we calling this lens parfocal?

Or is this "software parfocal"? Very interested for using this for live event recording. I know it's not constant aperture, however at such an extreme zoom range, you would need to increase depth of field anyway.

@alcomposer Can you explain what you mean by software parfocal? At those close focusing distances the depth of field is very narrow, even if the PL12-60 isn't the fastest of lenses. Your test seems quite persuasive to me. Where you able to convince yourself?