Product Description

In combination with the E3 Digital SLR Camera, this 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 SWD lens delivers fast autofocus speeds. It covers a zoom range equivalent to 24mm to 120mm on a 35mm camera lens. This lens also boasts impressive close-up shooting capability, allowing users to shoot from as close as 25cm throughout the zoom range. The extraordinary autofocus drive provides both high speed and high precision while operating with extremely low noise. Designed to meet the needs of the professional photographer, Zuiko Digital lenses were born of an uncompromising commitment to performance. The lens features high resolving power, to get the most out of the imaging element. Zuiko Digital lenses allow light to strike the image sensor at a near-perpendicular angle, minimizing degradation and light loss. This large, award-winning lens is perfectly matched to work exclusively with digital cameras so every pixel is properly exposed.

Product Details

• Brand: Olympus
• Model: 261014
• Released on: 2007-11-05
• Dimensions: 1.85 pounds

Features

• 12-60 millimeter f2.8-4.0 zoom lens for digital cameras (equivalent to 24-120 millimeter in 35 millimeter photography)
• Features Supersonic Wave Drive (SWD) technology inside to provide quiet, ultra-fast autofocus speed
• In combination with the Olympus E-3 DLSR, delivers the fastest autofocus speed in the world
• 100-percent digital design ensures high-definition performance
• Features special optical glass elements to correct various types of aberrations

Manufacturer Description

The Zuiko Digital ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD lens is a high-performance standard zoom lens that covers a zoom range equivalent to 24 to 120mm on a 35mm camera lens. Special optical glass elements are used to correct various types of aberrations, while the 100 percent digital design ensures high-definition performance with clear, crisp images from edge to edge. This lens also boasts impressive close-up shooting capability, allowing users to shoot from as close as 25cm throughout the zoom range.

The lens’ autofocus is powered by Olympus’ breakthrough SWD. Designed to be the world’s fastest AF system, this extraordinary autofocus drive provides both high speed and high precision while operating with lower noise than ever. Optimized for use with the new E-3, this lens enables the camera to demonstrate the full power of its high-speed capability, providing the fastest autofocus available in the world using a standard zoom lens.

About Supersonic Wave Drive Technology Olympus-proprietary SWD technology has enabled an ultra-fast, whisper-quiet, high-precision AF system. Two compact, high-powered Supersonic Wave Drive devices power autofocus at an ultra-high speed by exciting unique elliptical oscillations, while an ultra-compact 5.3mm x 4.3mm optical encoder detects and controls the lens drive position using direct rotation detection without reduction gear. This enables it to achieve a level of precision that’s accurate to 5 microns (5/1000 mm). When used in combination with the new E-3, which offers improved AF computation and lens-body communication rates, the SWD motors provide the fastest focusing speed of approximately 170 ms (0.17 seconds).

Customer Reviews

Olympus Zuiko 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 Digital ED SWD Lens
Amazing lens, amazing optics, amazing range. This lens stays on my Olympus E3 70-80% of the time. Fast is not even close to the experience when using it with the Olympus E3. A must have !!!

Fantastic
I purchased this lens 3 weeks ago before this lens I had the 14x54 lens and it worked great with my E3. But now that I have the 12x60 lens I know what fast focus is. It is very well built and weather sealed and focus is dead on every time. I use it to take flower and landscape photos I also have the 50mm lens and it will get used much less now that I have the 12x60 lens.

A bit pricey, but worth every penny
Let's get one thing out of the way -- obviously, this isn't a cheap lens.

But in terms of capability and quality, it's a HUGE step up from the kit (14-42mm) glass. Weather-resistant, fast to focus, wide zoom range, makes images that are razor sharp from edge to edge -- you can't argue with its quality.

Note though, that if you're used to the kit lens, this item's weight and size will be noticeably greater than what you've been using. That's often the price of a faster lens -- to get more light in, you need a bigger diameter (and with that, heavier) lens. Also, the built-in flash doesn't work well with this lens -- in most cases, the lens will block the flash in part of the frame. Still, you can keep your kit lens for built-in-flash shots, and use this one for all your "available light" shots.

I've had mine for just a few weeks, and I love the pictures it takes with my E-510. I plan (somewhere in the future) to move up to an E-3, so the SWD doesn't buy me much now, but keeps me somewhat "future-proofed" for the day when I have the cash to upgrade my camera.