Image on top: The 25mm Leica from Helge (3dkraft)
Our 43rumors reader and friend Helge just received the very first Panasonic-Leica 25mm f/1.4 lens that has been shipped to Germany. And he already made a full sharpness and bokeh test on 3d-kraft (Click here /it’s in english!): “If you are looking for a bright standard focal length comparing to a 50mm at fullframe wth autofocus, perfect sharpness and already some potential to play with DOF, the Leica DG Summilux 25/1.4 is highly recommended. Also in video mode the autofocus performas very well. Used on the GH2 it is very silent and adjusts sharpness speedy and nearly without optical pumping.”
If you want to buy the lens now you can find it on eBay via Asian resellers [shoplink 24686 ebay]here[/shoplink] and [shoplink 24687 ebay]here[/shoplink]. Amazon Germany (Click here) still says the lens will be in Stock between the next 3-6 weeks. Amazon UK (Click here) says that the lens is temporarely out of Stock. Amazon US (Click here) shas some lenses sold by japanese resellers.
24 Responses
Helge is usually a male name.
Right. Quite a common name here in Sweden.
“If you are looking for a bright standard focal length comparing to a 50mm at fullframe wth autofokus, perfect sharpness and already some potential to play with DOF, the Leica DG Summilux 25/1.4 is highly recommended.”
What do you mean ‘highly recommended’? It’s the ONLY option for the requirements that are mentioned…
Apart from that, it does seem to be a very good lens, and $599 is a very reasonable price for it imo.
The leica comparison was done incorrectly. In the test, the Panasonic focus was set more to the front, and the LEICA was focusing on the background, such that it appears sharper!!
Have a look at http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd381/judocas/Leica%20test/leica-wrong2.gif
Unfair!!
Nice call!
yeah, the leica seems to have some backfocusing issues 😉
what good are tests if they don’t even use a tripod and the same focus point?
It was not done incorrectly but the spool of thread that stick out of the focus layer was irritating.
Meanwhile the images were replaced in the article by a more meaningful setup and a more accurate procedure with many samples that were compared afterwards.
The conclusion is still the same: Whereas the Leica DG Summilux is sharp up to the edges, the kit zoom gets blurry signficantly (in both of my samples the upper right corner is worst).
If you are interested in the results, please look into the article again.
I think that the DG Summilux 25 replaces the 20/1.7 as the “must-have” normal prime for m4/3. Sure, the perspective is somewhat different and it’s not a pancake, but it offers more DOF control and character. Looks like it’s as good as my copy of the much larger 4/3 version. It’s a pity it lacks a distance scale for zone focusing, but all the rest seems just about perfect. Probably one of the most versatile prime lenses ever made. If I wanted a single lens for my camera that would be it.
I may trade by 20/f1.7 for this one…
My friend has the 20mm pancake, and for video the 25mm is much much better. AF is better, faster, more accurate. Bokeh is really really nice. Constrast is very good. I do mostly video shooting, so this lens is perfect for me. Check out my video tests on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fegdWuleupE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORAbR_rtmt0&NR=1
Nice videos, nice lens – really sharp, i guess you upload them at a very high bitrate to youtube?
I’ve noticed you also have the (or just have tested) the LA7200. I’m considering bying one and putting on the 25mm when I get my hands on it. Have you tried this combination? and will it be light enough to be handheld?
LA7200 is hard to work with, and after the tests I sold mine. You need some kind of lens support because it is large and heavy. I wouldn’t hand hold it, and even on a rig it’ll be bulky. Also the lens doesn’t have OIS so handheld shots are best on a rig or tripod.
Video is H.264, converted to ProRes HQ first, full 1080P.
Thanks! thats very helpfull
For Video 12mm is best….
It does look good on video…shallow dof, but not ridiculously shallow, excellent sharpness…
It’s the leica stabilized?
If so, probably I’ll trade it for my pancake+50 FD canon and kit lens…
Nope, it’s not stabilized …
It is not stabilized on Panasonic bodies. On paper it is stabilized on olympus.
Personally I don’t think the bokeh is that great, can be a bit harsh sometimes. Anybody else feel the same?
For me it has a wonderful bokeh, as you can see here:
http://gakuranman.com/night-walk-with-the-e-p3-and-panasonic-25mm-f1-4-leica-lens/
The 20mm is the perfect match for the GFs – but for G(H) this 25mm looks soooo great. Maybe I switch from GF2 + 20mm to GH1 + 25mm…
Yeah, with a GF-1 the 20mm is just so easy to carry everywhere. The Leica on a GF-1 is just too much of a pocketful.
Wish they’d put this PL 25mm f/1.4 on the matching simulation at http://www.four-thirds.org/en/special/matching.html. Even the Oly 45mm f/1.8 is on there and it’s not even released yet!