Leica 15mm f/1.7 Panasonic Micro Four Thirds Lens ▶︎ Thoughts and Samples After Years of Use
Photo Moment - October 06, 2018
The Panasonic Leica 15mm f/1.7 lens is one of the first high-end micro four thirds lenses I started using, and I've been in love with it since day one. Let's see some sample photos and hear my thoughts after years of use.
Products Mentioned In Today's Photo Moment
- Panasonic LUMIX Leica 15mm f/1.7 — Get Yours Here
Videos Mentioned In Today's Photo Moment
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The Panasonic Leica 15mm f/1.7 lens is one of the first high-end micro four thirds lenses I started using, and I've been in love with it since day one. Let's see some sample photos and hear my thoughts after years of use. Get yours here! http://geni.us/3KtyCz
Love to know what you were shooting with here. The first thing I noticed about this video is how sharp it is.
I have no idea what model Panasonic camera you are using - you say it many times but so badly I’m left in the dark. “GX shifty five” - what’s that?
@@photojoseph Thank you.
going to buy this lens for the GX9 body i have just bought
I still use and love this lens!
very good video, would you know if that lens works for my Lumix DMC-G7 camera? I don't understand much about cameras to be honest and I would use this lens for videos with low light and light haha, if you answer me I would appreciate it, greetings!
@@photojoseph thank you so much!
How does the image quality of the Leica 15mm f/1.7 Panasonic lens on a micro 4/3 camera compare to the image quality of the 28mm f/1.7 lens on a Leica G camera?
Never had the opportunity to compare, sorry
Just got mine today, it fits so well on my Pen 7 that i don't think i'll ever take it off, i'm used with the focal length from the phones so i think i'll like that too. It is sad that the aperture ring does not work on olympus, the camera dials are a terrible idea, they are not marked so you have to guess which one what it is for, then you most certainly turn it in the wrong direction.
Nice! And bummer about the ring not working. Have you checked for firmware updates on both the lens and the camera? The aperture ring is definitely nice to have.
I’ve tried the Panny 14mm f2.5, 20mm f1.7 and Oly 17mm f1.8 and the Leica 15mm f1.7 is better than them all - sharper, better micro contrast, and minimal chromatic aberrations or fringing.
It's June 2023, may I ask if you still use your GX85 and 15mm f1.7? Or have you sold these already, and migrated to full frame sensors?
I do still use the lens. Not the camera; more the GH6. I also use the full frame gear.
What a great video, even its 4 years ago but I might wanna get this Leica 15mm f/1.7 for my G9. Thanks Joseph!
It’s still a great lens! And thank you 😊
I was debating to get this or sigma 16mm. But I think 16 would be better for the gh5. Just feels more premium looking and I like to hold the lens not just the camera
@@photojoseph yeah I saw both in person, the 15mm looked so tempting, but then I thought I much rather have the look of the 16mm on a gh5. It would just look more cool looking and easier to hold as you can hold the lens with 1 hand when recording. But it definitely is much heavier
@@davidvictory9764 ahh… this 15 is delightfully small
@@photojoseph yeah it's like 3 times the size of the 15mm
Never used the sigma. Is it much larger?
Probably the best, most informative video on this lens. Thank you
Great video, as I'm just going to buy the 15mm.
I'm just confused as to why the word "bokeh" has been used to describe the wrong thing yet again ... Why??
I'm just confused as to why the word "bokeh" has been used to describe the wrong thing yet again ... Why??
Bokeh is the aesthetic quality of the blur produced in out-of-focus parts of an image, and it isn't the amount of depth of field, and that is how it has been throughout my 50 years in photography.
My comment isn't a criticism as such, and your video is of great help in making the decision to buy this lens much easier. I have purchased this lens after watching a few of the videos on this lens, and your long term review is more useful than one where somebody uses it for a week or so.
My comment isn't a criticism as such, and your video is of great help in making the decision to buy this lens much easier. I have purchased this lens after watching a few of the videos on this lens, and your long term review is more useful than one where somebody uses it for a week or so.
please @John Taylor, tell me… how have I misused "bokeh"? If you're going to leave a comment telling someone they're wrong, please include what's right.
So someone mentioned it in another comment down below somewhere about the images from a lx100 vs this setup (and probably not being able to tell the difference). I have a Leica D-lux 109 and was wondering if this would be worth buying a setup like this or not really? Besides the effective megapixs difference which I know the gx85 uses the full 16mp as the lux uses only 12.8 of it. I'd appreciate your opinion, thanks!
I was looking for videos on YouTube about this lens,....saw your video in the list,...20 minutes long,...I thought I won't have the patience for this,...but I clicked on it anyway,....and man, am I glad I did. This is just the type of lens I am looking for,...low light capabilities and great for street photos. The sample pictures you showed were absolutely great,...very professional. And your presentation and comments were first class. Thanks.
I love this lens, perfect for street or video. The manual focus is super smooth
This is an excellent image collection from 15/1.7, one of the best I have seen.
Thank you! I still love this lens.
Hello Joseph - I have this lens and yes it's great however - What are your thoughts on the 42.5mm F/1.2 for both Video and stills on the GH5 M2?
Gorgeous lens. Great for video if manual focusing. It has a very long focus throw, designed for slow and accurate focus for portraits, so it’s too slow to use for video. But it’s gorgeous. It’s actually the main wide shot on all my current youtube videos (the white and blue gear wall set).
Thanks! I was on the fence about this lens but your review was very helpful!
That was the GX85. Still one of my favorites!
Hmmm This is a Summicron really. I can why see they did it to deliver a compact lens but I think there is room for both. 15mm F1.4 would be smaller than the 12mm F1.4 and bigger than the 25mm F1.4. I'm hoping they come out with a Lumix Leica Summilux 17.5mm F1.4...I have an OM-D M10 mk 1 and love the 25mm F1.4...
Hi Joseph, great review again!! One question re the Pana Leica 15mm: does your lens shade also sit very loosely? I an constantly worried that it might go off and I lose it (although it might make a lot of noise when it drops to the ground).. I have already lost the rubber lens cab..... BR Erwin.
Oh yeah — for sure. It's a problem with any metal-on-metal lens shade. It flexes with the temp; I've had a metal lens shade clang the the cobblestone streets in Venice in the middle of the night. Oops!!!!! Anyway I have a very narrow strip of gaff tape jammed in the grooves on mine. Works perfectly.
Wonderful photos Joseph. This lens has such contrast I am thinking of swaping it for my Oly 17 & teaming it up with a GX9. Are these images SOOC JPEG or from raw? Rich
I've got my 2nd hand used without lens hood. But was able to use screw-in JJC LN-46S .46mm lens hood and it look very nice. BTW, you can't lose this one, since it is screw-in.
Awesome video!! Do you Recommend this lens for fashion photography?. I am using G85 🤔🤔
If the 30mm equivalent focal length is what you're looking for, then sure.
i have one for over 4 yrs, like it very much, only 2 things i don't like. One is the ring in the front is easy to loose, and second is corners are a obviously softer than center.
Would this work for real estate wide shot vids, weddings and such? recommend one if not please! Good vid, very informative.
Weddings, yes. Street photography, yes. Real Estate… I prefer something wider. I use the 8-18mm for almost all real estate work https://geni.us/iVNa
You should get a commission Joseph. As well as buying the lens, I grabbed all of Little Freddie King's albums too!
haha that's awesome… he makes some great music!!
on MFT is it still a f/1.7 or is it f/3.5 ? i'm new o MFT so sorry if that's a dumb questions
Not a dumb question at all, and totally confusing. The general calculation is that you double both, so a 15/1.7 becomes a 20/3.4 But it's not that cut and dry. It depends on if you're talking exposure, or depth of field, and what you're really comparing it to. Remember the f/number is a calculation of size of the aperture vs the focal length. Anyway, I recommend this article for further reading that may actually help, unlike my comment ;-) https://www.discoverdigitalphotography.com/2013/what-does-equivalent-aperture-mean/
loved the video! whats your opinion when comparing it to the fov of olympus 17mm lenses for the type of photography you presented us ?
I haven't shot the Olympus for street photography. All I can say is that I love the Panasonic Leica one. It's an amazing lens; one of the favorites in my collection. http://geni.us/3KtyCz
that's a 30mm vs 35mm full frame difference. Pretty minor. I would happily shoot at either focal lenght.
I sold this lens 2 years ago and bought another copy last year. I use this on a Panasonic GM1. I get as much pleasure from this combo as from my Leica M240 with a Leica 28mm f2. Still use my Nikon D3s and various zoom lenses for generating cash flow to finance my photography journey. Definitely horses for courses. Don't let fan boys/girls of other makes or systems tell you that MFT is dead. I shoot many different formats and systems and they are good and fun for different reasons.
Amen! Yeah this really is a wonderful lens and I totally hear you on the “enjoyment” factor. While I’ve never owned a Leica I can totally appreciate the enjoyment and absolutely love a small system combo!
I just picked this lens up yesterday and this video is a great overview of things to come! I previously had my 20mm 1.7 on my gx85 but was looking to get my first really “nice” lens as well as something with faster AF. I do love the 20mm for many reasons (form factor, the unique 40mm equivalent) but man was the autofocus slow and not terribly useful in situations where I was popping off shots quickly. Excited to have this little fellow (and its slick metal lens hood!) on my camera.
It's a fabulous lens. Still one of my favorites and most used!
Also about aperture ring: If you have an excellent handling of camera controls (Pana GX GH series, Olympus OM and PEN series) then ring does not make a difference.
But if you have a Panasonic GM (1, 5, 7 or processors), which doesn't have so many controls, one more control, the ring, makes a great improvement.
But if you have a Panasonic GM (1, 5, 7 or processors), which doesn't have so many controls, one more control, the ring, makes a great improvement.
That’s fair. I still prefer lenses that have a mechanical ring though, especially on a lens like the 10-25/1.7 where it’s stepless, so you have totally smooth aperture control.
Even I have this lens for more than 5 years and loved to use it almost at every situation... I still love to watch review about it :) best lens ever.
I am also very disappointed, why panasonic did not applied 15mm's controls to 25mm F 1.4 MarkII ? Iwish to see aperture and focus ring on 25mm 1.4 mark II.
I am also very disappointed, why panasonic did not applied 15mm's controls to 25mm F 1.4 MarkII ? Iwish to see aperture and focus ring on 25mm 1.4 mark II.
I own this lense in the silver version and i love it very much. It is soo sharp it has a special look other lenses dont have
I thought it was amusing that you referred to it as your Brother in Law's wedding. Wouldn't that make it your sister's wedding? Great lens. Great on the GH5S with a Ronin-S for video.
No… my wife’s brother is my brother in law. His wedding. If it was my sister’s wedding (and I don’t have a sister), that’d be AWKWARD!! 😂 And yeah this lens is still a favorite! Amazing tiny thing.
I have this lens and love it too.
I use with GX80 and look forward to using it with the GX9. 🙂
I use with GX80 and look forward to using it with the GX9. 🙂
I'm thinking about getting the Gx9 or the Gx80; how you liking the Gx9 compared to the Gx80?
Hehe. I shoot this lens on GX80 and wait for Amazon to deliver the GX9 on 02-Sep. Coincidence :)
Thanks for your video.I ordered a few days ago that lens and I was going into the endless spiral of second thought. The pictures you showed are exactly what I want to do with it. Low lights, street photography etc... The only thing that bother me is that it's not weather sealed. When travelling (especially in Asia in summer) rain can happen. I also love to take pictures of street at night with rain, with all the reflections. I guess I must find a way to protect my gear.
Awesome! It’s been easy enough for me to keep dry. It’s so small that, especially when in a small body like the GX85, it’s easily slipped under a coat. Good luck with it, I hope you love it as much as I do!
Excellent pics. I was wondering about the amount of processing involved in these pics... was there a lot of processing involved? The colours are amazing...
@@photojoseph We have to capture and document those old bluesmen while they're still around. For music lovers that's important.
@@photojoseph l hear but haven't tried myself that Raw Therapee can handle new RAW formats from newly released cameras. This may be of help to you in the future. For more info refer to the link below.
http://rawpedia.rawtherapee.com/Adding_Support_for_New_Raw_Formats
http://rawpedia.rawtherapee.com/Adding_Support_for_New_Raw_Formats
Thank you so much, I appreciate that.
@@photojoseph That Freddie King photo is fantastic. The composition and colours hit you right between the eyes. 👌
Thanks! The New Orleans shots are all jpeg straight out of camera, because at the time I shot those on the GX85, there was no RAW support available. They are mostly shot in Vivid profile. Everything else (Tbilisi, wedding, etc.) were processed in Lightroom. I start most of my editing with presets from Mastin Labs or VSCO to get a “film” look, and then evolve from there.
Lovely review and images. Regards Ulf
Does this lens have that "Leica" look?
Honestly I’ve never owned an original Leica so I can’t say… but I can say that this lens is one of my favorites.
Great video and fab photos, really show off what a good photographer can do with the lens. Do you have any comments on its use with OMD? - I appreciate the aperture ring is redundant. Thanks
Thank you, that’s kind. I haven’t used it on an OMD body before I it’ll work, shouldn’t have any issues at all. My first MFT bodies were Olympus and I used them with some Panasonic lenses; never had a problem.
Fantastic video! Well done. It answered so many questions for me. Nice to see someone else who has been to Tbilisi Georgia. I've been there 4 times. I love that country.
Thank you! And yeah, Georgia is great.
You have beautiful photos sir. Nice work. Want to buy this lens soon to pair it with my Olympus gear!
Thanks PhotoJoseph. This video uncovered a unique feature I was trying to use. With the AF switch, I can switch to manual, have focus peaking, and use back button AF for instant AF. And.... when switched to AF, I can have AFC or AF tracking on demand without going into the menus. Just a switch can get these to features. This will change the way I shoot photo and video. Thanks.
Awesome! Which body are you using?
Still wondering about this lens and the Sigma 16mm 1.4 loved by lot of people. Knowing the huge difference in measure and weight but how differs about video autofocus performance? native PanaLeica vs non DFD lens. Also this focus ring on PL lens is sooo tiny, also aperture ring to me is uselss, or well, useless when used the lens manually on adapters.
I have G7 and G80 to use with. Sigma is also 100€ cheaper for me, what's your opinion? thanks :)
I have G7 and G80 to use with. Sigma is also 100€ cheaper for me, what's your opinion? thanks :)
I haven't used the Sigma so can't speak to it but the size and weight of this tiny 15mm is going to be hard to beat
I have olympus omd em10 mii body. I want to buy a prime lens is it for olympus body? I need to hear your advice. Thanks
Would you prefer this over the 12mm 1.4? Is it worth it or that much of difference to get the 12mm?
Oooh… that's tough. I am using the 12/1.4 add a vlogging lens now. The field of view it's just right, and at that distance (arm length) you get nice bokeh. The field of view difference is pretty significant though; 24mm vs 30mm full frame equivalent. For Street photography having very shallow depth of field can work against you, so personally I'd still prefer the 15 as a street photo lens. Plus it's size and weight are hard to beat.
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