Panasonic announces 12mm f/1.4 lens for MFT cameras

Panasonic is collaborating with Leica with a 12mm f/1.4 lens. The bright wide angle is suitable for micro four thirds cameras and is sealed against dust and moisture. It is not yet known when the lens will be on the market and what it will cost.

Both the housing and the lens mount are made of metal. The 12mm f/1.4 is 70mm long, has a maximum diameter of 70mm and weighs 335 grams. Filters with a diameter of 62mm fit on the filter thread and a lens hood is included. The minimum focusing distance of the autofocus lens is 20cm. The Leica-Summilux is equipped with a stepper motor, which is compatible with the ‘high-speed AF’ system of recent Panasonic system cameras.

The optical design consists of fifteen elements in twelve groups, with several aspherical and low dispersion elements, designed to provide high sharpness and high contrast. The aperture can be controlled electronically via the camera, but there is also a physical aperture ring for manual control. The diaphragm consists of nine blades.

Panasonic has not yet announced a suggested retail price, but the 12 mm f/1.4 will probably be more expensive than the 12 mm f/2.0 from Olympus. That lens currently costs 669 euros from most providers.