Olympus 12-60 -- requesting feedback

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Eithcowich

Active member
I've been using the 14-140 with my af100 and overall, once I gotten over the desire to use auto-focus, it's not so bad -- other than in low light situations. So I'm exploring an inexpensive alternative for low light indoors, and interviews.

I called B&H yesterday and the guy recommended the Olympus 12-60 f/2.8-4 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...014_12_60mm_f_2_8_4_ED_SWD.html#Specification) with a $110 Panasonic mount. What do you guys think? Anyone has experience with it and the af100? How is it hand held?

Most importantly, how much better than the 14-140 is it in low light?
 
Hi - to keep it short:

OLYMPUS 12-60mm

Pros:

+ acceptable low-light capabilities until about 45mm @ f 3 or f 3.5
+ great sharpness and focal length
+ 12mm is also little plus over 14mm
+ Camera gives feedback to the Lensactions (aperture/ focal distance / etc) and controls iris
+ good Price for performance if you are used to configure manually

Cons:

- no REAL low-light gamer
- no autofocus
- no remote-focus
- no real alternative compared to the 14-35mm f2 from OLYMPUS

Recommendation: Wait a bit and buy the 14-35mm....be happy :-)
 
Which adapter did they suggest for the Olympus 12- 60? I was at B&H last week asking about the Tokina 11-16. I thought the Novoflex adapter would control the aperture and the salesman said it wouldn't. I wonder which adapter works with the Tokina 11-16. My widest lens right now is a Canon FD 24mm. I need something wide as well since I shoot mostly on location and need to get wide with little room. I looked at the Panasonic 7-14 and that looked fun house wide to me. I would like to avoid that kind of distortion at the edges.
 
Hi,

The 12-60, while being a nice lens does not have any auto-focusing, the iris motor does tick and the focus motor, seems quiet as does the zoom. The good news is that the iris open in manual will stay put once at F4 and will stay there during a zoom. But frankly the ticking may make it less than desirable. They have some Micro 4/3s lenses that are nice and quiet. Take a look at the M14-42 II F3.5-56, be careful this is a second generation of this lens, the first is noisy.

Best,

Jan
 
To paraphrase Mel Brooks, "We don't need no stinkin' auto focus".

I've been using the Zuiko 12-60 with a Pany adaptor for about a month now and couldn't be happier, especially since adding an IndiFocus. Sure, it lightly clicks but it's never bothered me, didn't break the bank, is sharp and looks good.

Out doors, I can drop the ISO, dial in some ND and open up wide.
 

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mediaplexx said:
Hi - to keep it short:

OLYMPUS 12-60mm

Pros:

+ acceptable low-light capabilities until about 45mm @ f 3 or f 3.5
+ great sharpness and focal length
+ 12mm is also little plus over 14mm
+ Camera gives feedback to the Lensactions (aperture/ focal distance / etc) and controls iris
+ good Price for performance if you are used to configure manually

Cons:

- no REAL low-light gamer
- no autofocus
- no remote-focus
- no real alternative compared to the 14-35mm f2 from OLYMPUS

Recommendation: Wait a bit and buy the 14-35mm....be happy :-)
Click to expand...

I know the f-stop difference is not much, but what I liked on the 14-54 over the 12-60 is the f-stop ramps less, and at the same FL the f-stop will be faster on the 14-54.

Of course you'd have less reach, but I don't need 12mm and 54mm is good enough for me!

snp said:
To paraphrase Mel Brooks, "We don't need no stinkin' auto focus".

I've been using the Zuiko 12-60 with a Pany adaptor for about a month now and couldn't be happier, especially since adding an IndiFocus. Sure, it lightly clicks but it's never bothered me, didn't break the bank, is sharp and looks good.

Out doors, I can drop the ISO, dial in some ND and open up wide.
Click to expand...

How are you liking to use the 12-60 with the Indifocus Mini FF?

I have the same FF and the Olympus 14-54... Still haven't tried both.
 
Thanks for replying, Jen. I do need a faster lens as the 14-42 3.5-5.6 seem pretty close to the 14-140. I filmed with the 14-140 indoors today. There was good light there (a large window open and a 500 watt halogen) but I still had to constantly gain up from 400 to 800 to 1600 (!!) while panning. So the image is not exactly noise free. Other than that I got what I needed (in other words I'd be able to edit a good scene from the footage.)

snp, which mount exactly are you using? Foolishly I didn't ask the guy at B&H but he said there's a panasonic one for 109.95 and an olympus one for 148.50 -- and that they're basically doing the same.

Also, with the 12-60, can I adjust focus on the lens (like in the 14-140, which works just fine for me manually) or do I need a follow focus?
 
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zuiko 12-60 is an SWD lens and the focus ring is mechanically coupled (works without powering/communications from the body). However the focus throw is ca 90 degrees as opposed to 180 degrees on 14-35, the accuracy of manual focussing is affected.
 
I'm using the Panasonic DMW-MA1 with the 12-60 and like Pietro said, the manual ring on the Zuiko works well, I just happen to like FF.

No doubt the 14-35 is a better lens but economics being what they are, I went with the 12-60 with no regrets.

I have 24mm f/2.8, 50 & 85mm f/1.8 primes when I have a need for speed. The 50mm is probably my most used glass.
 
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nugat said:
zuiko 12-60 is an SWD lens and the focus ring is mechanically coupled (works without powering/communications from the body). However the focus throw is ca 90 degrees as opposed to 180 degrees on 14-35, the accuracy of manual focussing is affected.
Click to expand...

Is the 12-60 focus ring really mechanically coupled to the body? I thought it was servo like the 14-54.

One more thing to justify the 12-60 price point.
 
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Jan_Crittenden said:
The 12-60, while being a nice lens does not have any auto-focusing, the iris motor does tick and the focus motor, seems quiet as does the zoom. The good news is that the iris open in manual will stay put once at F4 and will stay there during a zoom. But frankly the ticking may make it less than desirable.
Click to expand...

Any hope that Panasonic will jump into this void and provide a 12-60 f/2.8 zoom that addresses the issues you point out? I'm asking because there's clearly a lot of pent up demand for just such a lens that's designed for video (and the AF-100), with an equal demand from the GH-2 crowd. Such a lens would make the GH-2 a kick-tail "b" camera for video, and would also be an excellent stills camera lens as well. A win-win-win maybe.

Lack of such a lens is why I've not (yet) joined the feeding frenzy for these newest Panny cameras.
 
Thanks everyone. Two more questions re the 12-60:

1. When you say it's clicking, do you mean we see a change in light when in auto-iris (a-la the 14-140) or actual sound? And if so, are the ticks when auto-focusing (which I'm not using anymore) or caused by the auto-iris? That could be a show stopper for me because I'm often using a shotgun on the camera.

2. re nugat's comment that the focus throw on the 12-60 is only 90 degrees -- does anyone know what is it on the 14-140, so that I can compare?
 
Eithcowich said:
Thanks everyone. Two more questions re the 12-60:

1. When you say it's clicking, do you mean we see a change in light when in auto-iris (a-la the 14-140) or actual sound? And if so, are the ticks when auto-focusing (which I'm not using anymore) or caused by the auto-iris? That could be a show stopper for me because I'm often using a shotgun on the camera.

2. re nugat's comment that the focus throw on the 12-60 is only 90 degrees -- does anyone know what is it on the 14-140, so that I can compare?
Click to expand...

I don't know about the 12-60 but I have heard it is similar to the 14-54 which I've used. The 14-54 has an aperture that makes sounds and abrupt changes and only changes in at least ~1/4stop increments. Also, on an AF100, the camera automatically tries to compensate for aperture while zooming in or out so as you zoom in, the image gets darker due to to the aperture ramping, and then the camera periodically clicks the aperture open to compensate, so basically zooming causes your exposure to flicker back and forth, which seems pretty unusable. Also, these lenses have servo focus so if you turn the focus ring slowly enough, it can have a >180deg focus throw, and fast enough it's much much shorter, also kind of annoying. As I said, im not sure how much this translates to the 12-60, but I've heard they have a design. If the 12-60 improves over the 14-54 in any of these issues, it would definitely be interesting to know.
 
The 12-60 even detached from the camera body/power/comms will focus with the manual ring and the distance scale moves. The focus throw is slightly more than 90 deg., perhaps 100 deg.
However I find it inferior to 14-35 zuiko for cinematic purposes on AF100. It does not communicate focus with the body, so push AF is not possible, manual only. The aperture is 1-1.5 stop worse (14-35 is constant f2). The focus throw is 100 deg compared to 14-35's ca 180 deg (can't confirm the latter 100% as I don't have the lens with me now). The 14-35 is also SWD electromechanics and mechanical focus. The 14-35 horizontal angles on the AF100 17.8mm wide frame are equivalent to the most commonly used ones on S35 (full aperture 24.9mm frame width). Effectively it's like a 20mm-50mm lens in cinema.
 
nyvz said:
As I said, im not sure how much this translates to the 12-60, but I've heard they have a design. If the 12-60 improves over the 14-54 in any of these issues, it would definitely be interesting to know.
Click to expand...

I know I'm sounding like our NZ Shooter friend, but you've got to remember that the 12-60 is a variable prime, not a zoom lens. I don't care if it beeps, buzzes or farts when I zoom (which it doesn't - it lightly clicks).

If you want a quick run and gun zooming camera/lens combo, stay with the 500, 370 200, 170, 150 or whatever.

Personally, IMHO, I'd rather take the time with the AF100/12-60 to set up a shot, focus, select an f/stop - ND filter - ISO combination appropriate for the depth of field I want to achieve and then shoot it. I like taking that time.

I like the 12-60 range and speed so if you're comparing mangos to mangos then the 12-60 beats the Lumix 14-140 or the Zuiko 14-42 or 14-54.

If you compare it to the 14-35 f/2.0 then you're talking mangos to guavas, a sweeter fruit that costs almost three times as much.

Regards,
Scott
 
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