Micro four thirds shooters should be more than happy to know that Olympus just announced two high-end fast lenses for Micro Four Thirds cameras – the 17mm and 45mm f/1.2 M.Zuiko PRO Lenses. Both units join the existing M.Zuiko 25mm f/1.2 PRO in the Olympus premium lens lineup promising to deliver exceptional image quality and appealing bokeh aesthetics when shooting wide open.
In full-frame terms, both lenses are 34mm and 90mm equivalents respectively and with f/1.2 aperture, these would be an enticing option for shooting in multiple low-light conditions. Additionally, both lenses feature the MSC (Movie & Stills Compatible) autofocus system for fast and smooth autofocus during stills or movie recording.
The M.Zuiko Digital ED 17mm f/1.2 PRO lens, in particular, features 15 optical elements in 11 groups that significantly reduce both chromatic and spherical aberrations for notable image clarity, sharpness, and color accuracy.
The rounded nine-blade diaphragm, on the other hand, allows users to achieve a smooth bokeh quality and create pleasing shallow depth of field effect. Z Coating Nano technology has been applied to individual elements to limit flare and ghosting for improved contrast and color neutrality in strong lighting conditions.
Beyond the imaging assets, the lens’ physical design is weather-sealed, dust, splash and freezeproof. For those of you who prefer to shoot manually, the available manual focus clutch permits quick switching to MF control whereas the printed depth of field scale featured on the lens barrel makes precise pre-focusing a breeze.
M.Zuiko Digital ED 17mm f/1.2 PRO Highlights
- Micro Four Thirds System
- 34mm (35mm Equivalent)
- Aperture Range: f/1.2 to f/16
- Four ED Elements, One ED-DSA Element
- Super HR, EDA, and Aspherical Elements
- Z Coating Nano
- MSC High-Speed Imager AF System
- Internal Focusing, MF Clutch
- A programmable L-Fn (lens function) button for easily accessible settings adjustment
- Weather-Resistant Construction
- Rounded Nine-Blade Diaphragm
- Price: $1,199
- Availability: January 2018
The M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f/1.2 PRO should also be extremely beneficial when working in difficult lighting conditions. Unlike its 17mm f/1.2 M.Zuiko sibling, though, the lens consists of 14 optical elements in 10 groups, which also incorporates low dispersion, aspherical, and high refractive index glass elements to control a variety of aberrations and distortion artifacts.
Other identical features include the nine-blade aperture, Z Coating Nano technology, MSC autofocus system as well as the weather-sealed construction that protects the lens against dust, moisture, freezing temperatures, and other harsh conditions. Both lenses are touted to produce an enticing “feathered bokeh” effect alongside distinct shallow depth of field imagery.
M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f/1.2 PRO Highlights
- Micro Four Thirds System
- 90mm (35mm Equivalent)
- Aperture Range: f/1.2 to f/16
- One ED Element, One Aspherical Element
- Four High Refractive Index Elements
- Z Coating Nano
- MSC High-Speed Imager AF System
- Internal Focusing, MF Clutch
- Weather-Resistant Construction
- Rounded Nine-Blade Diaphragm
- Price: $1,199
- Availability: November 2017
The brand new Olympus M.Zuiko Pro lenses are already available for pre-order as it’s expected that the 45 mm f/1.2 M.Zuiko Pro Lens will hit the shelves in November whereas the 17 mm f/1.2 M.Zuiko counterpart will start shipping in January 2018 both selling for $1,199.
[source: Olympus]
B&H Pre-Order Links:
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 17mm f/1.2 PRO Lens
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f/1.2 PRO Lens
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