Panasonic Lumix G Leica Dg Summilux Lens 25mm F14 Gx8 Review

In summary

DG Summilux 12mm f/ane.iv ASPH. lens is an fantabulous performer, although a fleck on the pricey side, particularly when compared with the Lumix Thou 25mm f/1.vii ASPH. lens. Merely when build quality is taken into account, it represents decent value.

The fastest 12mm lens bachelor for Micro Four Thirds arrangement cameras, information technology'southward a full terminate faster than the Olympus M.Zuiko 12mm f/two.0 lens, which is significantly smaller and less than half the weight and price. Merely that lens is not weatherproof.

Like other M4/3 lenses, it tin can exist used on both Panasonic and Olympus cameras and the broad angle of view means the lack of internal stabilisation is less relevant than for lenses with longer focal lengths. Like all Olympus M4/iii cameras, the GX8 is ideal has stabilisation built-in, making it an first-class partner for this lens.

Total review

Panasonic'southward Leica-branded DG Summilux 12mm f/one.4 ASPH. lens, which was announced on fifteen June, 2016, is the fastest autofocus prime number lens with a wide angles of view (equivalent to 24mm in 35mm format). It joins the existing Leica DG Summilux 25mm f/one.4 ASPH. and Sigma 30mm f/1.four DC DN Contemporary lenses and the Panasonic DG Nocticron 42.5mm f/1.2 ASPH in providing a fast AF-enabled alternative to existing lenses for Micro Four Thirds cameras.

Angled view of the Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 12mm f/1.four ASPH. lens. (Source: Panasonic.)

Fast lenses are characterised by large glass elements (required to capture imaging light) and this means exotic elements, precision engineering and relatively high price tags. The optical pattern of the new lens comprises 15 elements in 12 groups and includes a pair of aspherical elements, two ultra actress-low dispersion elements and one extra-depression dispersion chemical element for control over both spherical and chromatic aberrations.

This diagram shows the positions of the exotic elements in the review lens. (Source: Panasonic.)

Multi-coatings accept been applied to the lens elements to minimise flare and ghosting. Similar most wide-angle lenses, this lens is not stabilised. However, nosotros plant information technology benefited from the sensor-shift stabilisation built into the GX8 camera we used for our tests, peculiarly when shooting in low light levels.

The DG Summilux 12mm f/1.four ASPH lens is supplied with the usual front and end caps plus a cylindrical metallic lens hood that tin can be reversed onto the lens butt for transport and storage. A soft carrying pouch with a drawstring closure is too provided.

Features
Key features of the new lens are as follows:
1. Solid, conditions-resistant construction, with a splash/dust-proof pattern. The lens mount, lens barrel and lens hood are all made of metal to ensure long-term durability.

ii. Internal focusing, driven by a stepping motor, provides smooth, silent performance, making this lens platonic for both photo and video recording. The AF drive is designed to integrate smoothly with the high-speed, loftier-precision contrast AF systems in 1000-serial cameras and can handle the maximum sensor bulldoze speed of 240 frames/2d (fps) to take advantage of cameras with loftier-speed AF and back up precise focusing when recording 4K videos.

3. The nine-blade diaphragm closes to a round aperture, providing a pleasing bokeh quality for shallow depth of field images.

4. A transmission aperture ring gives tactile control over exposure settings. The lens also has a dedicated AF/MF switch for switching betwixt focusing modes.

Who's it For?
This lens is best suited to photographers who adopt working in depression light levels and desire the maximum caste of depth-of-field control in shots. Its wide angle of view makes it ideal for taking photographs of groups in indoor situations, while its low level of rectilinear distortions enable it to be used for photographing interiors of buildings (with or without people). Other potential applications include architectural photography, night scenes (astrophotography, star trails and urban illuminations) and sports shut-ups.

This lens is also suitable for landscape and wildlife photography and its rugged structure and weather resistance will withstand a wide-range of photographic situations when a weather-proof camera body is used. The 12mm focal length is ideal for street photography, where conditions resistance can also be useful.

Build and Ergonomics
In the hands, the DG Summilux 12mm f/1.4 ASPH. lens feels very solid. Measuring 70 mm in length and with an external bore of 70 mm, it weighs a substantial 335 grams. The lens cap and metal hood add a further 52 grams. The review lens felt nicely balanced on the GX8 we used for our tests but may be a little large and heavy for Panasonic'south smaller and lighter One thousand-series cameras.

The front element is 49 mm in diameter and protected past a filter thread that is approximately 5 mm deep. It accepts 62 mm diameter filters. Externally, a bayonet mounting, located roughly 10 mm behind the front end of the lens accepts the supplied cylindrical metallic lens hood. The pinch-type lens cap is solid and easy to fit and remove, even when the hood is in position.

Immediately behind the hood mounting is the manual aperture ring, which provides tactile control over exposure settings when lined up against a white dot on the lens butt just behind the hood mounting. It is calibrated in one-stop increments between f/16 and f/i.4 with i/3EV click-stop intervals betwixt. A crimson 'A' beyond the f/1.four position allows the lens to be prepare in auto aperture mode.

Behind the aperture ring is the focusing ring, which is 22 mm wide and carries a 14 mm wide band of fine ridges. Behind this ring on the 15 mm wide, fixed section of the barrel is a switch for swapping between auto and manual focusing. Both the aperture and focusing rings operate electronically and, although they plow smoothly, they provide piffling tactile feedback to the user.

There's no distance scale and no additional controls on the lens. The only other items are the red reference dot for attaching the lens and Panasonic's branding marks. The butt slopes in to the solid metal mounting plate which is encircled by a narrow rubber ring (office of the dust- and splash-proof protection).

The metal mounting plate clips deeply onto the camera'due south lens mount. Xi gold-plated contacts convey electronic signals between the camera torso and the lens.

Operation
We tested the review lens on the GX8 camera body, the aforementioned camera as nosotros used for the Lumix Yard 25mm f/1.vii ASPH when we reviewed it in November, 2015 (INSERT LINK). In our Imatest tests (which used the camera's three:two aspect ratio), the review lens proved to be about as skillful, coming together expectations for JPEG files in the middle of the frame betwixt f/2.two and f/5.6.

Border sharpness was very shut to expectations beyond the same range of apertures simply dropped sharply between f/5.6 and f/eight equally a issue of diffraction. The graph below shows the results of our Imatest tests.

Lateral chromatic aberration was effectively negligible at all lens apertures. The graph below shows the effect of our tests with the reddish line marker the border between 'negligible' and 'low' CA.

We plant very slight vignetting in raw files from the GX8 at the widest aperture settings. It was also present in JPEGs captured with the photographic camera's Shading Compensation switched off. The consequence was most noticeable at f/1.4 merely barely visible by f/2. Switching on the Shading Compensation eliminates it from JPEGs; raw files are easily corrected in conversion software.

Distortion was finer negligible in both uncorrected JPEGs and raw files. Here, too, in-photographic camera corrections make this aberration a very minor concern.

Because of its wide maximum aperture, the quality of out-of-focus blurring is an important benchmark when assessing this lens. In low-contrast situations, the bokeh produced past the review lens was very smooth and attractive, particularly at the widest discontinuity settings. However, brilliant highlights tended to exist outlined, even in such situations and some choppiness could be seen at apertures between f/two.8 and f/four in contrasty lighting.

The review lens was relatively flare-resistant, retaining a loftier percentage of both colour depth and contrast in scenes when a bright light was included inside the frame. We found traces of magenta flare in outdoor shots taken with the sun merely outside the frame. But contrast and saturation in the residual of the frame were quite like shooting fish in a barrel to adjust in a decent epitome editor.

Conclusion
DG Summilux 12mm f/1.four ASPH. lens is an excellent performer, although a bit on the pricey side, especially when compared with the Lumix 1000 25mm f/1.7 ASPH. lens. But when build quality is taken into account, information technology represents decent value.

The fastest 12mm lens available for Micro Iv Thirds system cameras, information technology'south a full stop faster than the Olympus M.Zuiko 12mm f/ii.0 lens, which is significantly smaller and less than half the weight and price. Only that lens is not weatherproof.

Similar other M4/iii lenses, information technology tin be used on both Panasonic and Olympus cameras and the wide angle of view means the lack of internal stabilisation is less relevant than for lenses with longer focal lengths. Like all Olympus M4/iii cameras, the GX8 is ideal has stabilisation built-in, making information technology an excellent partner for this lens.

Although there appears to be a wide discrepancy between the local and United states of america prices listed in our specifications, when currency conversion is applied there'south really not much departure. Since the toll of this lens is greater than AU$k, once GST is deemed for you will be improve off buying this lens locally.

SPECS

Picture angle: 84 degrees
Minimum aperture: f/16
Lens construction: 15 elements in 12 groups (including 2 aspherical lenses, one ED lens and 2 UED lens elements)
Lens mounts: Micro Four Thirds
Diaphragm Blades: ix (round aperture)
Focus bulldoze: Stepping motor
Stabilisation: No
Minimum focus: 20 cm
Maximum magnification: 0.1x
Filter size: 62 mm
Dimensions (Diameter ten Fifty): seventy 10 seventy mm
Weight: 335 grams (excluding lens cap, lens rear cap and lens hood)
Standard Accessories: Lens front and terminate caps, lens hood, soft storage bag