New Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. POWER O.I.S. Lens

Panasonic announced the Lumix G Vario 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. POWER O.I.S. Lens yesterday.  On Feb 17th Mish Mash show we shared our love for the Vario 12-35mm f/2.8 Asph lens. It is a fantastic range and lens- but a bit pricey at $997.00.  The new lens extends the range to 60, on a micro 4/3 camera this is a 24-120 lens, 5x zoom.  Only downside is the variable aperture f/3.5-5.6. I would love to see them make a f/4 constant lens.  The new 12-60 is weather sealed, offers stabilization (OIS) and is priced significantly cheaper at $497.Preorder from B&H Photo - Lumix G Vario 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. POWER O.I.S. Lens $497Watch our Vlogs from New Zealand - all shot with the GH4 and 12-35 f/2.8Buy the GH4 from B&H Photo  Buy the 12-35 f/2.8Full Press ReleasePanasonic is introducing a new zoom interchangeable lens, the LUMIX G VARIO 12-60mm / F3.5-5.6 ASPH. / POWER O.I.S. (35 mm camera equivalent: 24-120 mm) for the LUMIX G line of Micro Four Thirds System cameras. Featuring a splash/dust-proof design, the new lens offers a versatile 5x zoom range of 24-120mm (35mm camera equivalent) that covers a variety of daily shooting situations from dynamic landscapes to portraits.For everyone interested in a modern alternative to bulky DSLR interchangeable lenses, Panasonic LUMIX Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds lenses deliver impressive, no-compromise optical performance. The durable, all-weather LUMIX 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 Lens features the highest standards of detail and sharpness. Built for travel and great photo and video capture, it comes complete with a splash and dustproof sealed body.** And with Dual I.S. (Image Stabilization) compatibility, you'll shoot with unprecedented hand-held stability anywhere you go.**When mounted on a compatible LUMIX G Mirrorless cameraIncorporating an inner focus drive system and a stepping motor, the new LUMIX G VARIO 12-60mm / F3.5-5.6 ASPH. / POWER O.I.S. is capable of smooth, silent operation to work with the camera's high-speed, high-precision contrast AF system for both photo and video recording. It is also compatible with the sensor drive at max. 240 fps to take maximum advantage of cameras with high-speed AF. This stunning AF performance is able to record 4K video, where precise focusing is required. Seven blades give the aperture a rounded shape that produces an attractively smooth effect in out-of-focus areas when shooting at larger aperture settings. A highly reliable metal mount assures durability for active use, and uses multi-coated lens elements that minimize ghosts and flare to further enhance its shooting performance.It also features 0.54x (35mm camera equiv.) magnification capability for impressive macro close-up shots.  Comprised of 11 elements in 9 groups, the lens system features three aspherical lenses and an ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lens which effectively suppresses spherical distortion or chromatic aberration to achieve stunning picture quality.The LUMIX G VARIO 12-60mm / F3.5-5.6 ASPH. will be available in May at www.shop.panasonic.com and valued channel partners in metallic black for $499.99.