Olympus 12mm f/2.0 "special edition" owners - how do you feel about the new version?

Hello campers,

According to 43 Rumours, Olympus will announce a new black version of the M. Zuiko 12mm f/2.0 lens that will sell at the same price as the usual silver one.

I wonder how owners of the black "Special Edition" feel about this, given that they paid a premium of several hundred dollars to own a black version of the lens (albeit with a protective filter and a hood thrown in the box), only to find it re-launched at a cheaper price.

Personally, I would be a bit grumpy if I were in that boat.

S

NZ Scott wrote:

Hello campers,

According to 43 Rumours, Olympus will announce a new black version of the M. Zuiko 12mm f/2.0 lens that will sell at the same price as the usual silver one.

I wonder how owners of the black "Special Edition" feel about this, given that they paid a premium of several hundred dollars to own a black version of the lens (albeit with a protective filter and a hood thrown in the box), only to find it re-launched at a cheaper price.

Personally, I would be a bit grumpy if I were in that boat.

I am glad to hear this. I thought Oly was making a mistake by not offering the 12mm in black.

I recently purchased another E-M10 body and had the chance to get more lenses at the bundled price. I could have bought a silver 12mm for $600 or a black 12mm for $1200. Anyone who would pay $600 for a filter and hood has more dollars than sense (IMO). The resale value on the special edition 12mm just dropped by a few hundred dollars with this announcement.

I feel quite good that I unloaded mine a few months back, and used the money to get a second G6 and a Panasonic 12-35. Looking back on it, it was a wise move on my part. I love the flexibility of having two cameras, and the 12-35 is an awesome lens.

If I still owned it though, I'd be pretty p*ssed at Olympus. It was an idiotic move on their part to begin with, making it a "limited edition", but to now offer the same thing but at 2/3's of the cost, I believe people have a good reason to be upset.

I would buy one since it's bigger than the silver one, LOL. No I like the way the silver lenses look on my black GX7 & E-P3. But Olympus should of been selling all these lenses in black & silver from the very beginning. They also should of came with lens hood, but that's a different topic.

Randy Benter wrote:

I recently purchased another E-M10 body and had the chance to get more lenses at the bundled price. I could have bought a silver 12mm for $600 or a black 12mm for $1200. Anyone who would pay $600 for a filter and hood has more dollars than sense (IMO). The resale value on the special edition 12mm just dropped by a few hundred dollars with this announcement.

They were selling the special edition 12mm lens for $1200!!!!! I never paid attention to the price and IMO that was a mugging of their loyal customers. But at least you got a hood.

NZ Scott wrote:

Hello campers,

According to 43 Rumours, Olympus will announce a new black version of the M. Zuiko 12mm f/2.0 lens that will sell at the same price as the usual silver one.

I wonder how owners of the black "Special Edition" feel about this, given that they paid a premium of several hundred dollars to own a black version of the lens (albeit with a protective filter and a hood thrown in the box), only to find it re-launched at a cheaper price.

Personally, I would be a bit grumpy if I were in that boat.

S

I'm in the proverbial boat, and I am a bit grumpy. The good news is I got mine secondhand, and happened to find it from an Australian seller while there was a decent conversion rate. So, I only paid approx. what one would pay for a new silver 12mm + hood + metal cap + filter. That being said, I imagine the resale value of my lens fell by about 20~30% "overnight" so I'm not too pleased about that.

Oh well, them's the breaks.

P.S. - What principally drove me towards black was the difference in silver (E-M10) vs. the apparent champagne color of the lenses (12mm/75mm).

tt321 wrote:

When Amazon UK sold the special edition for the same price as the silver one I alerted the forum and more than one person here bought it at that price.

It was an act of considerable kindness on your part. I was among those who bought on your recommendation. I've enjoyed owning it, and if it's true that a non-limited 12mm black lens is imminent, the fact that I paid the standard price will make me feel a lot better about the new variant. Had I bought at the premium price, I would be somewhat miffed.

If I still owned it though, I'd be pretty p*ssed at Olympus. It was an idiotic move on their part to begin with, making it a "limited edition", but to now offer the same thing but at 2/3's of the cost, I believe people have a good reason to be upset.

I'd say if one is going to bite on that hook there's plenty of idiocy to go around.

NZ Scott wrote:

Hello campers,

According to 43 Rumours, Olympus will announce a new black version of the M. Zuiko 12mm f/2.0 lens that will sell at the same price as the usual silver one.

I wonder how owners of the black "Special Edition" feel about this, given that they paid a premium of several hundred dollars to own a black version of the lens (albeit with a protective filter and a hood thrown in the box), only to find it re-launched at a cheaper price.

Personally, I would be a bit grumpy if I were in that boat.

S

If my black 12mm was an investment I'd be miffed.  But it's not an investment, it's a tool.  That being said, I got a great deal on it to begin with, and I've used it plenty of times since it's purchase.  I would not have those images if I had waited to purchase...

Honestly, I go out of my way to choose the silver lenses whenever possible. I guess they remind me of my long-departed L-glass, only without the extra tonnage. I think thy make me look extra classy.