Center Valley, PA—In conjunction with the introduction of its new flagship compact system camera, the Olympus OM-D E-M1—the new premium Micro Four Thirds successor to the Olympus E-5 DSLR that’s targeted at advanced photographers looking for a CSC engineered to rival full-frame DSLRs—Olympus also revealed a high-performance pro lens category.
The company announced the development of two lenses that will establish the M.Zuiko Pro lens category: the Zuiko Digital ED 12–40mm f/2.8 Pro lens (24–80mm equivalent) and the Zuiko Digital ED 40–150mm f/2.8 Pro (80–300mm equivalent).
M.Zuiko Digital ED 12–40mm f/2.8 Pro. Scheduled for a November release, this 24–80mm equivalent lens is the first model in the new M.Zuiko Pro category. It features dustproof and waterproof performance, and its mount employs the same type of sealing as the OM-D E-M1’s camera body. The lens is Movie & Still Compatible (MSC) with high-speed, near-silent autofocus during still shooting and high-definition (HD) video capture. Olympus notes it “maintains the brightness of a constant f/2.8 aperture for high-grade image creation, one of the requirements of professional photographers for a high-performance lens.” $999.
M.Zuiko Digital ED 40–150mm f/2.8 Pro. This 80–300mm equivalent lens will also join the new M.Zuiko Pro lens category. It is currently under development, with a planned release in the latter half of 2014. It will be a telephoto zoom lens with a bright constant f/2.8 aperture and will feature a dustproof and splashproof construction rugged enough for professional use. Pricing to be announced. olympusamerica.com
