Amazon (Click here) just changed the shipment status for the new Leica 15mm f/1.7 lens. It will now ship between the next 2-4 weeks.
Image samples:
by Robert on Flickr (Thanks!), at German Dkamera and ThePhoBlographer.
EU and US 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).
37 Responses
$600 of disappointing glass. $200 too expensive.
well get the 14mm then! bloody inexpensive.
this 15mm is high on my “must buy” list anyway
This statement comes from the guy that was secretly sent a copy by Panasonic to review, but won’t tell us anything other than two incomplete sentences.
I would have considered it at 450-500. :'(
Awesome . . . They will sell all they can make! One of the finest pieces of glass ever made.
I got a notification in March from Amazon
“Panasonic H-X015K G LEICA DG SUMMILUX 15mm/F1.7 ASPH”
Estimated arrival date: April 17, 2014 – April 24, 2014″
I’m not used to this focal lenght. I prefer an equivalent 35mm or a 24mm. Already owning Voigty 17.5mm, MZuiko17mm and MZuiko12mm I’m not interested in it. All I can say is that it look nice. And I hope Olympus will “fix” with a firmware the useless apertur ring (It’s a pity I can’t use it on the Nocticron).
Probably Sony doesn’t allow Olympus to add such a feature to their cameras, as Panasonic is a rival. Also, now that Oly seems to be reverting to Panny for sensors E-M10, it’s possible Sony will continue to insist that peaking continue to be omitted, and may penalize Olympus in other ways in order to protect the NEX cameras.
@admin, no coverage of the five banks that sued Olympus yesterday? Seems like the lawsuit may eat into any progress Oly has made in mirror less and will drain resources, perhaps another few years before Olympus will ever be “allowed” to profit.
I really don’t think your theory has any merit..
Like I said I hope I am wrong.
Are you saying that em5 has not focus peaking because it has a Sony sensor?
What is your alternative theory? That Olympus engineers somehow couldn’t figure out a very useful feature that has been around on other cameras for years?
Perhaps to “invite” customers to buy a more “pro” and expensive camera like Em1?
I would say no because the EM10 has focus peaking and it’s positioned below the EM5
That’s my point: em5 owners should buy a new camera, be it Em1 with Panasonic sensor, or the Em10 with a sensor from Sony. The most important thing is to buy a new camera.. I don’t know if that’s the reason why Olympus is not adding FP on Em5 (I don’t use it on Em1, honestly), still it would be nice towards the loyal customers. Or just to grow that “loyalty”.
New, perhaps. But “more pro”, no.
I agree with you, that’s why I put “pro” between brackets. 🙂 a Pro is a person, not the tool he/she uses to work with.
?but my E-P5 has focus peaking and it is the same sensor as the E-M5, no????
E-P5, E-M1 and E-M10 have the new CPU, thus much more power to calculate that. At least, that is there excuse as far as I know.
ahhhh….that’s it. Thanks.
My understanding is that Sony is the largest shareholder of Olympus, but the former doesn’t own the latter outright, or even own a majority of its shares. But perhaps more importantly, it is in Olympus’ best interest (and therefore Sony’s too) to support a Panasonic lens feature just so potential patrons won’t choose a Panasonic camera body over an Olympus camera body merely because the former works great with both Olympus and Panasonic lenses, but the latter doesn’t support Panasonic lenses fully.
I agree, and I hope I am wrong. Now that there are two aperture control lenses, it would be nice, as both lenses are quite beautiful.
A few years ago, Leica 14-50/2.8-3.5 and Leica 25/1.4 in classic Four Thirds mount had aperture rings, too, and they retain their function on a modern Panasonic Micro Four Thirds camera body when you attach them via a classic 43 to Micro 43 adapter. So Panasonic is not introducing a new feature, but merely reviving an old one.
I have the Oly 17 as well, but if I didn’t, I would have considered it. eq 30 vs 35 isn’t a huge deal for me.
All you have is your little hand bro…
Yeah, 15mm does seem a bit odd.
I’ve got an SLR Magic 12mm, 14mm, 17.5mm and a 20mm, so I’m full-up in that range, too.
The electronic aperture ring is a nice idea in terms of intuitive use, but doesn’t make much sense for use with Oly cameras. Hopefully Oly will release a fix.
This is going to be my new street length to experiment with.
I ordered this a while back. Amazon has been saying ships in 2-4 weeks for a while now. No change in shipping status this week.
The PC mag review is out. It is not too flattering. I am not sure they are the best reviewers but this is still not what I would expect to find for a Pana-Leica.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2455955,00.asp
From the review…
At f/1.7 the lens just exceeds the 1,800 lines
per picture height we require for an image to be deemed sharp. Its
center-weighted score is 1,916 lines, and that holds up for most of the
frame, but the edges are soft at 1,594 lines. They get marginally
sharper at f/2, and at f/2.8 the lens delivers even sharpness across the
frame; the center-weighted score is 2,092 lines and edges top 2,000
lines. It improves at f/4 (2,187 lines) and peaks at f/5.6 (2,222
lines). There is some barrel distortion, about 2.4 percent. This gives
images a slight, but noticeable, outward bow, with straight lines
appearing to curve a bit.
Doesn’t look like they’ve actually used the lens, so not really a review, more like a description of the lens specs written to look like a review.
If this lens is not sharper than my Olympus 17mm f/1.8….I am not tempted as I prefer the 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, equivalent prime spread….it is just part of my being…LOL….30mm throws a wrench in that….kindof odd that Leica picked that focal length.
I will be surprised if the review is really true. MTF results are a function of the lens and camera/sensor combination. He is comparing the 17 with one of the latest Olympus sensors vs. the PL 15mm on a Panasonic sensor. Most reviews find lenses sharper when using the latest Olympus sensors.
Having a fine 17mm already, I can understand that this lens has little appeal to you right away. But making a big deal over 1mm difference FoV, even that wide, isn’t exactly a field review.
The author provides pictures he took with the lens as well as the MTF results. They used the lens. Not sure how well, but they used it.
great deal! 0,99$ off
I have pre order this lens as well .
The stock for Nocticron in my place run out when I want to get it .
Can’t imaging so many people can afford it .
More reviews needed for this Leica 15mm F1.7 , need to compare with Zuiko 12mm F2.0 .
It’s funny that I also see a lot of complainers but sales don’t stop. I think the demand for this lens will be high.