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Despite the popularity of all-purpose zooms, photographers' interest in lenses is unabated. Lenses are the number-one search item on our Website. And digital photography has brought on a whole new wave of optical innovation.

Lens of the Year: Panasonic Leica D Vario-Elmar 14-150mm f/3.5-4.5 ASPH

Panasonic hasn't had a new D-SLR since last year's DMC-L1, but its soon-to-be-released zoom -- no bigger, amazingly, than the existing Leica 14-50mm f/2.8-3.5 -- is the Four Thirds digital system's answer to 35mm's all-in-one 28-300mm zoom. Unlike most of its full-frame counterparts, though, it has built-in optical image stabilization (Panasonic's Mega O.I.S.), a valuable asset for sharp handheld shooting at its longer focal lengths. With 15 elements, including four aspherics and one ED, the 14-150mm is also the first Leica D lens to incorporate built-in ultrasonic focusing (XSM, for Extra Silent Motor). That aids stealth with the low-profile Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 or Leica Digilux 3. Close focusing to under 20 inches permits reproduction ratios as high as 1:3. Yet for all its modern advantages, this winning lens has an old-fashioned manual aperture ring.

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