Olympus 25mm f/1.2 lens coming this year

Olympus is rumored to release a 25mm lens with a maximum aperture of f/1.2 for Micro Four Thirds cameras sometime around the middle of 2016.

The lens line-up for mirrorless cameras with a Micro Four Thirds mount is expanding and soon enough we may get to see a bunch of premium optics. The rumor mill has said in the past that Olympus is working on a few prime optics with a very bright aperture of f/1.

Reliable sources are now confirming that the company is indeed working on bright primes, but their maximum aperture will not be f/1. The lenses will offer a maximum aperture that is a tad slower, standing at f/1.2.

The latest report is saying that the first unit to come will have a focal length of 25mm and it will arrive on the market sooner than expected.

Micro Four Thirds users, rejoice: Olympus 25mm f/1.2 lens set for mid-2016 launch

An Olympus 25mm f/1.2 lens will be unveiled soon and will become available before the middle of 2016, a trusted source said. It will be the first lens in a series of fast primes, which will most likely join the company’s PRO-series.

Olympus is already offering a 25mm lens. It has a maximum aperture of f/1.8, but the newer unit will have a brightness of f/1.2.

This wide-angle prime will be compact and lightweight, which is a great achievement considering its maximum aperture. The source revealed that the optic would have been brighter, featuring a maximum aperture of f/1, but the manufacturer decided against it.

There are multiple reasons why it will not offer f/1 primes. The list includes size, weight, and costs. Compared to the f/1.2 version, the f/1 model would have been roughly 43% larger and 230 grams heavier.

Such values make a huge difference in a mirrorless camera setup, especially in Micro Four Thirds units. As the f/1 version would have weighed 620 grams, it means that the f/1.2 will weigh about 390 grams.

Moreover, the diameter of the lens would have stood at 68 millimeters, which is a lot of a MFT optic. In order to sell as hot pancakes, the Olympus 25mm f/1.2 lens must not become a burden for photographers.

When it becomes available on the market, this wide-angle prime will turn into a short telephoto lens, considering its full-frame equivalent of 50mm.

One of its advantages will be the autofocus system. It appears that the lens has been developed to work with the new PEN-F camera. The autofocus speed will be 30% faster when used in combination with the PEN-F than with the high-end OM-D E-M1.

These are all rumors, therefore they must be treated as such. Stay tuned to Camyx for further information!

Source: 43rumors.