Panasonic/Leica Lens Conclusion (Part 9)
Have I benefitted from purchasing this lens? Below I’ve listed the positives and negatives. But remember for the most part it is how it benefits me, even though I might make comments that compare it to other lenses which don’t entirely fit. I’m judging it primarily for myself and how it works for me but including general statements making reference to other primes for the benefit of you.
NEGATIVES
Price
This is a huge chunk of change as stated in the beginning of the review for a prime lens. I’m well aware of the fact that for the same price as this lens I could have repurchased Canon’s own 50mm f1.4 prime lens along with an EOS 3 and still have money left over. Or as one of my friends did note, I could have bought the same Canon 50mm prime and a second hand Canon 5D for £400 more, odd, but that was his take. Those are weird comparisons to make but as somebody who owned that gear, I understand what my friend is trying to say because he is a Canon user and doesn’t look favourably on the Olympus lineup.
There are two Sigma lenses for the 4/3rds lineup, a 24mm f1.8 and a 30mm f1.4 respectively, they are both cheaper but I never considered them.
Focusing (Low Light)
This is more of a fault with the Olympus E420 really as it has a reputation for not being a good low light focuser, I did have trouble using it in dim light and I can only wonder how it will perform with a higher end body such as the E3. As a side note, even the 12-60mm performs best when coupled with an E3 so I can only hope to assume the same thing applies here. For the rest of the time in everyday light I’ve not had any issues with trying to lock focus.
Aperture Dial
I really wish I could use the aperture ring. It takes seven flicks of the thumb to get from f1.4 to f8 or 5 from f2 to f8. How practical or useful that is for you will of course be down to personal preference. If there was a firmware update so Olympus users could use the Aperture ring I would be a happy. Somebody recently commented on www.dpreview.com stating who Panasonic shouldn’t have included it on the lens in the finished product and the Aperture should have been controlled via the camera dial since the 4/3rds system is entirely digital and its the way forward. I disagree, for me it is a step backward for Olympus users and we should at least have the option anyway so that we can decide for ourselves.
Weatherproofing
It has none as far as I’m aware. The 12-60mm sure, because it is weather resistant, but neither is the Canon 50mm.
Lens Hood
I mean come on, it’s bigger than the 12-60mm! (Though not really an issue with the lens).
Size
The Leica is a heffer, never mind the lens hood. But I want to remind myself and you reading this; because it is only fair to say that the camera it is attached too IS the world’s smallest and it sticks out more because of it. If I still had the Canon prime I would make a size comparison between the two. However it is an inch shorter than the 12-60mm which was my walkabout lens. This Leica replaces it because as stated before I like my primes. Not a true negative then as such but not a whole positive either.
POSITIVES
Image quality
I’ve only had it three days but I am happy and exceptionally pleased with what I have shot so far. I wouldn’t use this camera for low light work unless mounted to a tripod so my solution otherwise is to fall back on my Contax G2 and its 46mm Planar lens using 35mm film. I’d be happy to wait for an Olympus E430 if it was a better camera in low light or upgrade to the E3 with its Image Stabilisation. It’s not like I have shaky hands either, I can hand hold at 1/30th and sometimes 1/15th of a second with a DSLR. I will state this though, during my testing, using the Leica lens at ISO 1600, it produced a more attractive noise in the image than with the kit lens and the 12-60mm! :)
Weight
It is lighter than the zoom lens it replaces as a walkabout lens. But generally for a prime it is heavier than the Canon 50mm prime (290grams), if we were to compare camera to camera and lens to lens, the Olympus setup would still win when it comes to being able to travel lighter with equal kit.
Focusing
It’s performed well for me so far, I can’t say I miss shots because of the lens. It’s louder than the 12-60mm of course because its not SWD, but it isn’t distracting and I’ve not let it concern me, a non-issue as I see it. Think of the sound Robocop makes when he walks though slightly muted.
Aperture
F1.4 mean anything? The fact that I can shoot at f1.4 and f2 and use ISO 100 for nearly 90% of what I do means a lot to me. The lens like others is sharper when going up 1 or 2 stops and it is very noticeable, I would still use f1.4 when the situation called for it. But at least I can shoot higher than f2.8, that was the limiting factor of the zoom lens and my decision to not buy the 25mm f2.8 Pancake lens because by then you’re at f4 if you want real sharp images.
*UPDATE* Applied the new firmware that is now available for Olympus users, the focus lock seems faster.
CONCLUSION
So in conclusion, I am glad to be back using a prime again, I’m not exactly rich but I am happy to have spent the money to get this lens. It was because I was on a budget that forced me to buy the 12-60mm in the first place and I felt I made too large a compromise, thinking the 12-60mm could offer nearly all my needs alongside my Contax G2 with its set of primes. If I could turn back time I might have not bought the 12-60mm and plumped for the Leica instead. I have as I said the Olympus E420 which is the cheapest body in the Olympus lineup and I hope the images I’ve produced have been what you were expecting. Also if you do have a higher spec body such as the E520 or E3 I’m sure your results can only at least equal mine and let me know if I have helped at all.
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If you have this lens still.. I would love to see some nightshots without tripod. Its doable, kinda hard, but.. try it if you can. :)
If 420 isn’t able to focus in dark.. simply use manual.
I’m impressed by quality of photos coming from E420 and those Leica 25mm lens.. never tought, that Olympus is that good.. maybe its really more about who shot, and which lenses he use.. :)
Btw. really nice review.. thank you very much. Its helpful.
Daemonius
July 23, 2009 at 17:02
Hi there, I don’t have this lens anymore, I went back to Canon last year.
I can say that the night shots I did take, contained very high levels of banding, in fact I hardly used my Olympus in anything above ISO 200, even in 400 it was noticeable. The banding was a big problem for me and so in the end I went back to Canon.
I still love the size and weight of the Olympus setup though, at the moment I’m using a 1Dsmk2 with the 24-70mm lens which combined is over 2 kilos in weight. Fun.
In my opinion though, as Olympus improves the 3/4rds format I can still say that lens is a winner on a more sophisticated body. I loved it while I had it.
jonathanjk
July 26, 2009 at 15:21
Well, I have Panasonic G1. :) I guess its “more sophisticated” body..
Image is ok up to ISO 800 .. some noticable (but removable) noise at 1600 and unusable 3200. :D GH-1 is better, but more expensive..
I´m pretty interested in this, cause its only fast lens that Panasonic/Olympus have for some reasonable price. Ofc, its possible to use others, but than its manual focus only..
Daemonius
August 19, 2009 at 22:03
I have a E420 and am new to the world of DSLR’s and the 4/3 format. I’d like to get this Panasonic lense for my E420 but don’t know if the autofocus feature will still work. Does it? Or do I have to use it in manual focus all the time? Also, will the E420 body electronically control aperture on the Panasonic lense and show me the aperture on the info screen, the way it does if I had my kit Olympus lense attached?
Joe
December 22, 2011 at 10:45
Yes, to both of those things. What the E420 won’t do is recognise the manual Aperture control ring on the lens. But I seem to remember an update of some sort, a while back, that helped that out as well.
Good Luck.
jonathanjk
December 22, 2011 at 12:24