This wide-aperture zoom lens, which was announced at last year’s Photokina, has a fast constant aperture of f/1.7 and a 35mm equivalent focal range of 20-50mm, along with video-friendly silent operation via its inner focus drive system. It also has a mechanism to minimise focus breathing, that slight fall-off in focal length which can occur when an object is brought sharply into focus. The lens features 17 elements in 12 groups, and can focus as closely as 0.28m. Although it lacks built-in stabilisation, most contemporary Micro Four Thirds cameras are now stabilised in body, and the lens has a relatively short focal length to begin with (weighing 690g it should also be easy to hold steady). You’d never describe this as a budget lens however, as it goes onsale for £1799 from July 15th.
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