Panasonic Debuts New Weather-Proof Zoom Lens at CP+
Need weather-proofing and lots of zoom? Here's one for you.
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Kicking off its own CP+ announcements, today Panasonic added a new Lumix G Vario Power OIS lens to its Micro Four Thirds lineup. Boasting a dust and splash-proof design, this is an interesting addition to an already fleshed-out collection of lenses.
As its name implies, the LUMIX G Vario 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power OIS Lens is a 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 lens with optical image stabilization. With a 35mm equivalent zoom range of 24-120mm (5x), this lens covers most popular standard focal lengths in one lens. Compatible with Panasonic's dual-IS system on its most recent G-series mirrorless cameras, this lens should make a good companion to cameras like the Lumix DMC-G7 or another Micro Four Thirds camera.
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With specs like these, this glass is a solid kit replacement lens.
This particular lens is capable of taking macro shots as close as 7.8 inches away—useful if you're prone to taking a close-up here and there. This means it's probably better suited for macro phtography, than say, the G X Vario 12-35mm f/2.8 ASPH. Composed of 11 elements in 9 groups, this lens has an extra-low dispersion element, and is designed to minimize chromatic aberration to improve performance.
While it's not particularly specialized, it would make for a good kit lens replacement—though its $499.99 pricetag is nothing to sniff at. If that sounds like your cup of tea then the LUMIX G Vario 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power OIS Lens hits shelves in May 2016.
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