GH4 tease & Leica DG Summilux 15mm f/1.7 Review by Blunty.
The 15mm Leica is the latest new MFT lens and still not shipping. So if are eagerly waiting to get the lens you can kill the time by watching the brand new review by Blunty (video on top).
And DxOmark (Click here) posted the list of best primes you can use on your tiny GM1. Noctocron and Zuiko 75mm are on top of course. Followed by the new Leica 15mm.
15mm Lens preorders:
Black lens at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here), BHphoto (Click here), Wex UK (Click here), Amazon Japan (Click here).
Silver lens at Adorama (Click here), BHphoto (Click here), Amazon Japan (Click here).
42 Responses
I don’t get it. The so called leica lenses were designed and manufactured by panasonic. Why did they have make us pay the red dot fees by sticking a leica label on them? Certified by leica, eh? Why not just get Oly to certify them instead?
It’s because Oly is not Leica.
This is true.
Have you looked at the price of a real leica lens??? This is $600 which is a fraction of any other true leica.
A bit disappointing that its not as good as the Olympus 12MM
That’s according to only one reviewer.
Yea I’m waiting for some of the bigger review sites to give a more thorough look through. I need a good wide angle so its sort of between this 15MM, the Oly 12MM or maybe as a last option the Oly 17MM 1.8.
According to two reveiwers now. Forget who the first one was.
PCmag preferred the Oly 17MM F1.8 to the Panasonic 15MM
Dxo scores the 15 higher than all but i think 2 m43 lenses for sharpness if thats worth anything. I like seeing the numbers on a chart per fstop like lenstip etc. Waiting for those reviewers imo.
In the Nocticron review DXO writes “after the mediocre 15mm”. Now, I don’t know how good or bad “mediocre” is, still I think people don’t need DXO numbers to take nice photos. Nocticron and MZuiko75mm are indeed great pieces of glass, but even the “poor” MZuiko17mm f1.8 serves me well.
Where did you read DxO claimed the 15mm being mediocre? Link please!
Or maybe you mixed things up and read that conclusion in this mediocre blogg?: http://www.thephoblographer.com/2014/04/18/dxomark-test-confirms-nocticron-42-5mm-f1-2-every-bit-good-pricey/#.U2FT3iyKCyo who seem to have just looked at the score without looking at the measurements.
For measurement comparisions check my post above!
Just checked, you’re right: I mixed the two links. My thought won’t change thogh: whatever DXO says, I use my gear at my best 😉
Don’t worry, DXO is junk. Just as M43.
A Panasonic Leica 15mm f/1.2 IS I would pay $1,000 for, but not $750 for a 15 f/1.7.
They wanted to make this lens small and compact for GM camera. I think 15mm/1.2 may be too big for GM1.
Just wait for another prime lens that isn’t designed for GM camera.
Don’t get mad guys.
Panasonic announced that they wanted to make this lens small and compact for GM line. Therefore, do not expect a superb high quality as noc. 42.5mm/F1.2 or faster than 1.7 from this small lens.
I think Panasonic will make another high grade prime lens that faster, bigger and…… pricier. If you don’t like this 15mm/F1.7, just wait for the next one (or maybe go buy 17mm/F1.8 or 12mm/F2 from Olympus).
PS. I’m waiting for sonething like a new 25mm/F1.2 (or F1.0), 17.5mm/F1.2 or maybe 12mm/F1.2.
Ah crap I was going to place an order, and now? I need a pro lens to shoot my collection of M43 cameras in low light. This review means, this lens is not pro.
Oh PUH-LEASE!
This is what, the 4th or 5th highest rated M43 lens? Obviously, your a wannabe “Pro”, because most M43 lenses aren’t good in low light, same goes for the bodies!
you can’t go over iso 1600 before pics get super noisy in M43 cameras, hand held or tripod. The sensor isn’t big enough.
If you’re trying to be a pro in low light, you’re using the wrong system.
Name a dslr with better video capability than the 4/3 gh4. Stop trolling.
Was I talking about video or Stills? Did I not mention “Pics” as in PICTURES, or do you have selective reading problems?
name a M43 camera with better image quality after iso 1600 in low light… yeah, YOU stop trolling.
Has any reviewer who claims this lens is soft bothered to put up some full resolution samples so that we can judge for ourselves?
Why bother? All bright primes, when aperture is fully open, are soft in corners. Important are the distortions, not softness.
So you’ve already made your mind up about the lens based on a few internet reviews. And you don’t want to see full res samples. Okay.
There’s more to a lens than DXO numbers or sharpness. So far I really like the color and other subjective aspects of all the Panasonic Leica lenses including the Panasonic Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm f2.8. The DXO numbers for that lens are absolutely bizarre. Take a look at the actual user reviews on Amazon or the pictures taken with that lens on Flickr and see if the real world results match the numbers.
Lens reviewers need to learn to review the “look” of a lens and not just comment on supposed sharpness.
Might have been a nice lens.
But the price is as outlandish as we come to expect from the Leica branded lenses.
So no 15mm for me. And no 45mm. Neither the 42.5mm or 25mm.
P.S. Coming back to discussion of Panasonic’s financials. That’s another reason IMO why Panasonic imaging is struggling: too many premium lenses, not enough affordable ones.
There are affordable lenses. But their quality is also “affordable”. You can’t ask for premium quality at low cost. Remember, among size, image quality, “fast” aperture and price of a lens, you can only choose 3. The 4th will always be a con.
There are affordable camera systems. They all cost less than M43…
And none of them compare in both of these two aspects: more compact as a system and better IQ.
True though the sigma 60mm is one gem of a lens. Likely doesnt meet your fast criteria at 2.8 so your measurement still stands 😉
Maybe someone heard you, looks like the price dropped $2 on B&H and Amazon to $597 to make it more affordable… 😉
I also wish a Lambo was affordable… la sigh…
The 14mm f/2.5 is affordable and very good from f/2.8 on. DXO haven’t tested it, yet it is one of the few lenses that isn’t oversized for the GM1. Indeed, it is almost ideal for the GM1, all things considered. DXO’s claim to be listing the best lenses for the GM1 when they haven’t tested the 14 just proves DXO isn’t the authority it claims to be.
This is the lens for those who can’t decide which moderate wide angle to choose. 28 or 35mm (equivalent)?
As to sharpness it is about as sharp as the almost as expensive Summilux 25: http://www.dxomark.com/Lenses/Compare/Side-by-side/Panasonic-Leica-DG-Summilux-15mm-F17-ASPH-on-Olympus-OM-D-E-M1-versus-Panasonic-LUMIX-G-20mm-F17-ASPH-on-Olympus-OM-D-E-M1-versus-Panasonic-Leica-Summilux-DG-25mm-F14-on-Olympus-OM-D-E-M1___1345_909_534_909_450_909
Compared to Olympus 12 and 17mm lenses it is the clearly sharpest lens from f2.8 and on. clearly much better in the corners: http://www.dxomark.com/Lenses/Compare/Side-by-side/Panasonic-Leica-DG-Summilux-15mm-F17-ASPH-on-Olympus-OM-D-E-M1-versus-Olympus-MZuiko-Digital-ED-12mm-F20-versus-Olympus-MZUIKO-DIGITAL-17mm-F18___1345_909_531_0_1112_0
How DxO can give the Summilux 15mm one point less than the 12 and 17mm Olympus lenses in their overall score is a mystery to me. I guess they must use some weird formula as it is not the first time their score doesn’t match their own measurements and how I would interprete them. As I read the DxO measurements the 15mm is the clearly best fast AF wide angle prime lens for M4/3 followed by the 12mm and quite a bit behind, but still good enough, the 17mm.
It’s because DxO is bias towards Nikon and Olympus lenses. Even if Panasonic were to make a superior lens, they just won’t give it a better score than any Olympus lens.
It’s just like the Olympus bias here.
But we now have to take into account your DxO bias…
Moi? Showing bias for DxO? HAW! I refuse to even GO to their website! I swear Nikon is paying them!
Wow.. The 15mm summilux lens sharper than 25mm summilux lens , above the already legend , 45mm lens & on par with 75mm lens .
This is very impressive if the findings are true .
Definitely will buy it once available .
As far as I know, DXO tests lenses at their widest aperture. It’s not uncommon for a lens to be sharper at f1.7 than at f1.4, that’s why this 15mm scores better. But what DXO does not/cannot measure is the “mojo” of a lens: for that you need only your eyes.
Anyway, at f1.4 25mm is fairly sharp in the middle, while at f1.6 its sharpness is clearly better.
I’m not trying to say that it’s the king of sharpness or better than this 15mm, since they are different lenses. (I prefer 50mm focal lenght, but lately I’m enjoying again Voigty 17.5mm)
@MarcoSatori
Previously I did conducted several tests to find out which is the sharper lens , the 25mm Summilux or the 45mm lens cause DXO point out , the summilux is sharper . Yes , The 25mm is slightly sharp according to my tests .
I don’t expect the 15mm lens to beat the 25mm in sharpness knowing that a wide angle lens is hard to be a sharp lens but at least on par , then I’ll very happy .
As a model photographer I find both lenses perform equally wide-open in terms of sharpness impressin, but the Summilux transition from infocus to blur area is more subtle then the Zuiko, which benefits in return from the longer FL being more ideal for portaits, haf & full body shots.
I agree with you .
The 75mm lens perform beautifully when shooting portraits , is just he need to step back if you want the whole scene .