New 12-60 lens

[deeper thoughts]

Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. POWER H-FS12060


Not sure if this will be good for underwater or fit in housings. Posted for info sake

 

[jd950]

I am one of the relatively few who really likes using the Oly 12-40 underwater. Most say it is not wide enough. If the performance of this lens is good, and if its "street" price is where one would expect ($325-$400) then it might not be a bad choice. It has a minimum focus distance of just under 8" and at 60mm that should enable some nice shots of fairly small things. But the best port for it would (in my opinion) be a dome, and once you are spending $1000 on a dome, then most would probably also opt for the Oly 2.8 12-40. Perhaps a "wide angle" port or even a flat port would work okay for a Nauticam housing, but I doubt Olympus would make a port for it for their housings, one would have to find an existing port that would work. In any event, it would be better choice than a 14-42, which is what a lot of folks seem to use. That 2mm is significant.

If Oly makes a 12-50 port for their housings, maybe that could work?

 

[deeper thoughts]

I use the 12/50 lens in the standard Olympus port. It fits and works but of course you cannot activate the macro switch which sucks. This port might fit with the 12/60 lens also

 

[timz]

I use the 12/50 lens in the standard Olympus port. It fits and works but of course you cannot activate the macro switch which sucks. This port might fit with the 12/60 lens also

Are u using it on am e-pl5?? I find the lens interesting too due to the internal zoom and focus.

Just saying. Let's say if i make an extension tube to extend the oem PT-EP12 port length. Do u think the 12-50 is able to fit in the extended port?

Say I'm able to maintain the internal diameter of the port.

 

[deeper thoughts]

Are u using it on am e-pl5?? I find the lens interesting too due to the internal zoom and focus.

Just saying. Let's say if i make an extension tube to extend the oem PT-EP12 port length. Do u think the 12-50 is able to fit in the extended port?

Say I'm able to maintain the internal diameter of the port.

I use it with the olympus housing and the omd5. It does fit nicely, i dont enough to say if it would fit

 

[timz]

I use it with the olympus housing and the omd5. It does fit nicely, i dont enough to say if it would fit

Thanks.

 

[EskilJ]

Deeper T, I can make the 12-50 mod for free if you pay shipping of the lens to me and back. Just note that the lens should be in electrical zoom mode when you ask it to go into macro, and when you go back from macro it returns to 43mm untill zoomed.

 

[timz]

Deeper T, I can make the 12-50 mod for free if you pay shipping of the lens to me and back. Just note that the lens should be in electrical zoom mode when you ask it to go into macro, and when you go back from macro it returns to 43mm untill zoomed.

@EskilJ , when macro mode activated, does it automatically zoom to 43mm?

When switch back to normal mode, will it remain as e zoom mode??

I'm asking abt e-pl7.

 

[EskilJ]

When you set it to macro, it behaves just like when you manually set the lens to macro (from e-zoom). It zooms to 43mm in macro mode.
When you leave macro, it behaves just like when you manually go from macro mode to e-zoom mode, it leaves macro and stays at 43mm - untill you e-zoom it to something else.

So macro mode = e-zoom mode + electric macro swith on.

I've would really enjoy the possibility for close focus at less than 43mm, but haven't found a way to make that - there is several independantly moving optical elments in there and it is not simple..

 

[timz]

When you set it to macro, it behaves just like when you manually set the lens to macro (from e-zoom). It zooms to 43mm in macro mode.
When you leave macro, it behaves just like when you manually go from macro mode to e-zoom mode, it leaves macro and stays at 43mm - untill you e-zoom it to something else.

So macro mode = e-zoom mode + electric macro swith on.

I've would really enjoy the possibility for close focus at less than 43mm, but haven't found a way to make that - there is several independantly moving optical elments in there and it is not simple..

Thanks... but when u said 12-50, do u mean modifying the port so thst u can trigger the Macro button and slide the zoom ring to activate the macro mode???