Fun with the Lumix/Leica 45 macro

[Brian Mosley]

Well, there's a good condition 40mm f1.8 on ebay here in the UK for £21 at the moment... I really think it's worth pointing out what a bargain this lens represents for 4/3rds and m4/3rds shooters.

Obviously, the PL 45mm f2.8 is a brand new lens, includes complex stabilisation and focusing motors specifically for m4/3rds - it's the only native m4/3rds macro lens available and so we can expect a premium price for now.

Cheers

Brian

 

[Godfrey]

Well, there's a good condition 40mm f1.8 on ebay here in the UK for £21 at the moment... I really think it's worth pointing out what a bargain this lens represents for 4/3rds and m4/3rds shooters.

That's fine. I can see all future discussions of whatever piece of equipment going this way:

"I just bought a remote release for my Olympus E-7600.2F. Gads it was expensive! Did you hear that the Konica Hexanon AR 40mm f/1.8 was a wonderful bargain? Only €36 on Ebay last week! My gosh, I wish I could get a remote release for that price... "

It's a nice old lens, Brian. They're cheap because, until only recently, nobody wanted the damn things. Same goes for Canon FD lenses.

The price of a Konica 40, in the context of my initial impressions of the ME45/2.8, has no bearing whatever.

 

[Brian Mosley]

I've been singing the praises of Hexanon lenses for a couple of years... ever since I started converting them for use with the Olympus E-400. I even put a gallery up of examples with all those I've collected here.

I don't remember where I found out about them... probably some random OT mention in a thread somewhere :ROTFL:

Cheers

Brian

 

[Cindy Flood]

Terry,
I love your new avatar and the color portrait that Godfrey made for you. The color looks much more like you, because it brings out your beautiful eyes.

 

[Rich M]

Mango flowering occurs from December to April, but offseason flowering is not uncommon. This burst of inflorescence is early and will bear March fruit.

Cute little buggers....

Uncropped, converted in LR2.

 

[ricseet]

Hi Terry, nice portrait and nice to put a face to the name. Godfry did a great job taking this gorgeous shot.

Thanks for sharing the pics - certainly a very nice lens to add to the collections.

cheers

ric

 

[JBurnett]

Re: gdg ... first impressions

Terry asked my initial impressions of the 45 Macro so I wrote them down and posted them to DPR too. Thought I'd post them here as well.

Godfrey, I know you have the ZD 35mm Macro. Is the manual focus-by-wire of the 45mm about the same as the 35, better, or worse?

 

[Godfrey]

Re: gdg ... first impressions

Godfrey, I know you have the ZD 35mm Macro. Is the manual focus-by-wire of the 45mm about the same as the 35, better, or worse?

Better or worse ... I'm not sure.

The 45's focus servo is smoother and quieter.
They both take quite a bit of movement to go from infinity to closest focus, but I didn't measure it specifically.

 

[JBurnett]

Re: gdg ... first impressions

Better or worse ... I'm not sure.

The 45's focus servo is smoother and quieter.
They both take quite a bit of movement to go from infinity to closest focus, but I didn't measure it specifically.

Thanks. I realize I wasn't very clear in my post. I do miss the feel of a "mechanical" focus, especially when doing macros. Sometimes with the 35, I turn and turn, and then I think "am I turning the right way?"

 

[Terry]

Re: gdg ... first impressions

Thanks. I realize I wasn't very clear in my post. I do miss the feel of a "mechanical" focus, especially when doing macros. Sometimes with the 35, I turn and turn, and then I think "am I turning the right way?"

The 45 is no different. It can be a little disconcerting.

 

[Godfrey]

Re: gdg ... first impressions

Thanks. I realize I wasn't very clear in my post. I do miss the feel of a "mechanical" focus, especially when doing macros. Sometimes with the 35, I turn and turn, and then I think "am I turning the right way?"

Hmm.

I've become very comfortable with the focusing feel of the 35 and my other FourThirds lenses. I know what direction to turn them and they always work precisely. Not having an infinity stop was only disconcerting for a day or two.

 

[simonclivehughes]

I just got this lens, having been using my Micro Nikkor 60mm f2.8 and adaptors. WOW, I just love it!! It's so tiny and light compared to the Nikkor and just so easy to use. Here's some shots just out and about yesterday, all GH1 and at f2.8, handheld.

Cherub at bookstore
View attachment 27977


Crazy Pasta
View attachment 27976


Drug store ceiling abstract (reminds me of Stargate)
View attachment 27978


This lens, the 20mm f1.7 and my Voigtländer 75mm f2.5 make such a sweet, light kit, and I have the G1, GH1 and GF1 to which I can mount them. I just adore the whole Micro 4/3s system. I have the 7-14mm on order to complete the kit, but I can see this macro lens getting a whole lot of use.

Cheers,

 

[Godfrey]

I just got this lens, having been using my Micro Nikkor 60mm f2.8 and adaptors. WOW, I just love it!!
...
This lens, the 20mm f1.7 and my Voigtländer 75mm f2.5 make such a sweet, light kit, and I have the G1, GH1 and GF1 to which I can mount them. I just adore the whole Micro 4/3s system. I have the 7-14mm on order to complete the kit, but I can see this macro lens getting a whole lot of use.

Nice photos!

I agree completely: the 20/1.7, 45/2.8 and a 70-80 mm lens is so nearly a complete kit, add the wide and that's all I want for this camera.

I did a bit of landscapey stuff the other day with the 45 I was borrowing. Hard to see in these small web-rez images, but the detailing is extraordinary when I print to a larger size.

They're the current post on my blog, with a pointer to the full set on flickr.com:
http://godfreydigiorgi.posterous.com/fog-at-byxbee-park

 

[Diane B]

Godfrey, I looked at the full set. Its a lovely subtle group that I enjoyed.

I think a lot of people are missing the usage others will put the lens to besides macro. I'm not much of a macro shooter--probably better to say I do close and closer ups LOL. But--I also like the lens for more landscape type shots--that was my intention and still is, though I haven't had a chance to do too many.

I think I need to find a good lens in the 70-80 range. I agree--that makes a nice lens set with the 20 and 45--and a wider lens (right now I'm shooting with the Oly 9-18/adaptor--and may continue, at least for awhile).

Diane

 

[simonclivehughes]

Nice photos!
I agree completely: the 20/1.7, 45/2.8 and a 70-80 mm lens is so nearly a complete kit, add the wide and that's all I want for this camera.

Thanks Godfrey! I'm really pleased with it as a macro solution for the G-series. It's also a great portrait lens... I took some lovely pictures of my daughter (that she doesn't want me to post).

The 7-14mm is going to round out the lens coverage for me although I'm tempted to keep the Oly 9-18mm for shooting video as it has the ability to mount filters.

I'm just about to put my D700 and primes up for sale as I find the u4/3s is all I need these days.

Ciao,

 

[scho]

Nice photos!

I agree completely: the 20/1.7, 45/2.8 and a 70-80 mm lens is so nearly a complete kit, add the wide and that's all I want for this camera.

I did a bit of landscapey stuff the other day with the 45 I was borrowing. Hard to see in these small web-rez images, but the detailing is extraordinary when I print to a larger size.

They're the current post on my blog, with a pointer to the full set on flickr.com:
http://godfreydigiorgi.posterous.com/fog-at-byxbee-park

Godfrey,

Beautiful set of "landscapey stuff" with the 45.

 

[Terry]

Simon - congrats on the new lens. It really is quite lovely!

Godfrey - love the foggy landscapey shot.

 

[Godfrey]

Thank you for the compliments on "Fog At Byxby Park"!

I've been working out a new methodology for producing my folio sets to improve their quality ... This piece is going to be the first folio set I print with the new workflow. I hope it's as successful as I think it's going to be, I'm supposed to show the folio to a gallery this week.

BTW, if anyone is interested, I am accepting orders for the printed set. It's much nicer in print than on the web! The folio set is twelve prints, 8.5x11 sized for easy handling, plus frontispiece and colophon in a die-cut folio cover of my own design. I'll print these on Hahnemühle Bamboo paper.

 

[ashwinrao1]

Some lovely shots in this thread. Here are a few of my favs with the GF-1 and Pana-Leica 45:

 

[Godfrey]

Very nice work, Ashwin! 'Tis indeed a wonderful little lens.