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

Lee Beasley wrote:

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.

I love the way my silver 12mm & 45mm looks on my black bodies. But If i was buying one now and the price was the same I would probably buy thr black ones. But I wouldn't pay more for a different color. Unless the color choices were hot pink or black.

Also I know we are all different but I would never sell my current silver 12mm just to buy a black one, unless there's a new improve version.

If I was that irrational and impulsive for the want of the Special Edition copy, getting bent out of shape to any degree should be about my own actions, not Olympus', if I were to act my age.

Easy enough for ME to say, granted, since I had another irrational want to satisfy at the time.  

I am mildly annoyed. I would rather have bought a black lens but was not willing to pay a premium for it.  Ah well, I've already made many great images with it, which is the reason I bought it.

tt321 wrote:

Mark B UK wrote:

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.

Many thanks. It's nice to know that people benefited, not only as an exercise of profit-making (immediately re-selling on ebay), a very valid undertaking on its own, but also kept it, used it, and enjoyed the using process.

Have you found the black on metal finish durable or is it prone to brassing (aluminiuming?). Now that both finishes are going to be the same price (?), perhaps this is a legit question for a lot of people.

You're welcome. I tend to be a bit uptight about things either matching exactly or, if impossible, contrasting, which is why I wanted the black 12mm - but had held off as I didn't want to pay the premium and was worried that a non-limited version would come out. So you noticing the black version being offered at the silver price worked perfectly for me.

I've had a lot of use from the lens, and so far can say that the black paint is not scratching off. To be fair I normally keep it in either my pocket or a gadget bad when it is not on the body and round my neck. So I can't say that it would never get that brass look, just that it isn't yet happening to mine.

As you probably know, the limited edition comes with a hood as standard. Whether because of that or its optical design, one thing I've noticed is that it is admirably good at avoiding flare, especially compared with the 12-35 at the same focal length.