Interesting lens patent from Olympus 12-150mm f4 - 6.3

that's an interesting all-in-one lens...

 

Yeah, if I ever got a super zoom, it would have to start at 24mm EFL. A 12-100 or 12-150 is a lot more useful for me than a 14-150 or 14-200.

 

I could replace my Oly 14-150mm with that (if the price is right). I only use that lens for video anyways so power zoom would be better for my use...

 

The FL range is good.
The aperture range is...okay.
The IS is...straight up confusing. With more and more Oly and Pan bodies moving toward IBIS, it's a bit of a noodle-scratcher as to why they'd develop lenses with IS, especially since Oly and Pan have had a good little deal so far...one puts IS in bodies, the other in lenses (up 'till the GX-7).

IF this thing sees the light of day (and it likely won't, as companies file ten thousand patents for every new product they bring to the market), I think it could be a good replacement for the 14-150...the extra 2mm at the wide end would make a big difference for many people, especially those picking it up as a one-stop solution to their travel photography.

 

Yep if the upcoming OMD E-M6 had a 12-150mm power zoom + 4K video recording capability (or at least high bitrate 1080 recording) + 5 axis body stabilization it would really help Olympus maintain/grow sales in the high end compact system camera market.

 

This might make a good lens for a fixed lens 4/3 sensor camera.
Fred

 

I wonder if this is an indication that we will see more lenses from Olympus with OIS. Maybe they would do it for specific uses like video or for some long lenses such as the 300mm f4.

 

I'd love to think that but not quite likely will it happen. because of the aperture range. Olympus has the Stylus 1 that offers 10x zoom with f/2.8 constant aperture, built around a much smaller sensor though; nowadays it's just impossible for camera makers to not consider low light performance as consumers judge a camera by that.

 

The Olympus 14-150 is already not very good at 14mm. This would have to be either a much bigger lens or its going to be even worse.

 

I agree; in fact I'd be willing to sacrifice some of the top end to get 12mm. So a 12-75 2.8 or 2.8-4, weather-sealed, high performance, not too big and heavy, ideally 58mm filters, would be my ideal travel lens.

 

Why? Every M43rds lens with the same/similar specs as a 43 lens that has been released has been smaller so far. Eg, zuiko 7-14/4 vs pana 7-14/4, oly 9-18mm 43 (72!) vs 9-18mm m43 (52),http://camerasize.com/compact/#482.96,482.6.1,ha,t etc.

The 12-40/2.8 is noticeably smaller than the 14-54/2.8-3.5 or the 14-50/2.8-3.5 as well (especially when you add the required adapter), the 12-40 has a little less range, but it goes wider, and faster on the long end than both lenses.

The 43rds flange means a lens that starts at 12mm needs a design that is much more retrofocal than one with a shorter flange, which means a bigger design. So a 12-60/2.8-4 for M43 should be smaller than the 43rds version, and 75mm isn't so much longer that it would be likely to make a huge difference.

 

It would be VERY limited though as F4 is pretty dang slow if its your only lens on a fixed camera. I would like to see an m4/3 fixed camera though with decent lens (2.0-4.0). I know this is possible because the Canon G1X mark 2 has a larger sensor than m4/3 and its lens is F2-4 I believe.

 

The Canon G1X has a 28-112mm f/2.8-f/5.8 lens.