Panasonic 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH POWER OIS LUMIX G VARIO

Panasonic 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH POWER OIS LUMIX G VARIO User Reviews

• 7 out of 10 points and recommended by transiently (26 reviews)
  Smooth and pleasant to use, with great focal length range and reasonable, if not tiny form factor. Excellent close-focus capability and performance. Slightly better optics than good samples of both versions of Panasonic 14-42 and 12-32 kit lenses, but

  For the most critical users, edge and, particularly corner resolution are never quite ideally good, even if for most users, most of the time, it probably matters little. Slightly better optics than good samples of both versions of Panasonic 14-42 and 1

  Overall, a mostly good enough lens with versatility and usability on its side, although I wouldn't dream of buying one at retail price.
  
  Sharpness is helped by even higher contrast than most other Panasonic kit lenses. Actual resolution is reliably high in the centre at all settings, but, when shooting at or near infinity, it falls away in the corners, and is also increasingly lost at the sides of the image from around 40mm.
  
  By 60mm, shooting scenic views at infinity, only the centre is even reasonably sharp, and the sides are poor. Every other M4/3 lens I've tried which covers 60mm does this very much better. By contrast, close-ups are surprisingly sharp, to the point where the lens can stand in for shooting frame-filling butterflies etc, for which it is more than acceptably sharp for this type of lens.
  
  My lens was bought used on a well-known auction site. Your lens may perform better or worse.
  
  I find I like mine very much and that it is my most-used lens for M4/3. But I use full frame for my most critical photography...and I didn't take long to learn how to work around this lens's weaknesses. If your lens performs like mine, you will probably end up learning to avoid using the long end for scenic photography...which is unfortunate given that Panasonic also makes a tiny and very cheap 12-32, a good sample of which gives comparable results to one of these.

  reviewed September 20th, 2020 (purchased for $125)
• 8 out of 10 points and recommended by pietro (5 reviews)
  Sharp, especially at wide end. Small, light, good range. Consisten and good across the frame.

  None, unless you're expecting $1000 performance from a $300 lens.

  This is what m43 is all about. A compact, quality lens that doesn't cost the earth. Add in the Olympus 40-150 (on stabilised bodies) and the Panasonic 25 1.7 and for around $500 s/h you'll have a killer set of lenses on something like a gx85 or an Oly OM-D em10.

  reviewed June 24th, 2018 (purchased for $200)
• 9 out of 10 points and recommended by benherrmann (5 reviews)
  Well Constructed for the Price Point Weather proof Optically punches far above its weight Metal Lens Mount Can be purchased for varying inexpensive amounts on the likes of eBay (i.e. separated from the kit). Excellent focal range

  Considering its price point, none that I can identify.

  When you think of kit lenses, you often have images of optics with ranges of 28-82 or 24-70 MM equivalents. And then you know that optically, they will be just good enough - yet lacking in a number of areas. But you put up with them because they either came as part of your camera kit, or you didn't have the money to spend on more expensive lenses.
  
  Now enter the (what I consider to be) the wonderful Panasonic Lumix 12-60 f3.5-5.6 OIS zoom range with a superb 24-120 MM equivalent focal length. When I first saw this lens being introduced, I figured, "finally, a focal length we've been waiting for." I saw the list price ($499 USD) and then waited to see what the reviews would entail. However, even after a year, this lens was somehow overlooked by most reviewers - with just one or two popping up here and there. In averaging the reviews, all indicated it was a nice lens - with the typical kit lens qualities. So I figured, "hmmmmmnnn, should I still wait?"
  
  Well, while perusing the Panny 12-60's on eBay, I had noticed quite a few of them separated from the kit - either by owners or by vendors - and they were priced anywhere from $249 to $349 USD. So I pulled the trigger and obtained one. It was shipped quickly and I received it within 3 days.
  
  Once I began using this zoom lens (I put the initial one on my Olympus E-M5), I was not prepared to like it as much as I did. All of my so-so expectations were completely thrown out the window. Here was a superb performer with excellent optical performance across the frame. Granted, the center of the frame was the sharpest (which lens isn't?}, and even the corners were quite good for the genre beginning at around f4. The contrasts were superb, and most of all, it was an absolute delight to have a 24-120 MM equivalent. Suffice it to say, this is the lens that you can leave on your camera most of the time.
  
  I enjoyed this lens so much, that I wound up purchasing two more of them (again off of eBay) - and I have to report the other two that I acquired are just as good as the initial one I ordered. So now I keep them on the likes of the Olympus E-M5, the Panasonic GH3, and the older (yet awesome) little Panasonic GF1 - and that's where they will stay. Need I say more?
  
  Now reality dictates that you get what you pay for - and obviously, we'd all love to own the near $1000 USD standard zoom lenses that feature either a constant f2.8 or an f2.8 - 4 minimum aperture range. But many of us cannot afford those models and we're looking to get the best bang for the buck. I've always been impressed with most Panasonic standard zoom kit lenses as most of them do quite well for the price range (read the Panny 14-45, 14-42, 12-32, and now the 12-60 here). Now I must add the caveat that reality dictates that copy-to-copy variations do exist with most lens ranges.
  
  So if you're considering this lens, all i can say is that for the genre - in particular, the price point - you should consider the price vs. performance factor. And in this regard, this newer Panny 12-60 f3.5-5.6 OIS punches far above it's weight. For me - considering the prices you can get this lens at (on eBay, that is - not the full retail at various stores), this lens comes highly recommended by me.

  reviewed August 17th, 2017 (purchased for $349)