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Official launch Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2 ASPH

httivals

New member
Given that the Canon 50mm f1.2L sells for about the same price (in U.S. dollars, at least at B&H), it doesn't seem over-priced, to me anyways.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
Looks like it'll be a winner. I really liked the other Leica designed and Panasonic produced lenses.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Nice to see it becoming available now. Haven't decided whether I really need it yet, as I have the ME45 already. Waiting to see the Summilux 15 first... :)
 

Annna T

Active member
Start saving up, boys & girls ... :shocked:

Panasonic formally launches Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2 ASPH

Now, who's first to take the plunge ?
:watch:
I don't think so : that lens is huge for MFT bigger and heavier than the 75mm. 425gr. : that defeat the purpose of MFT ! I would have been happier with a lighter 45mm F1.8 offering the same performance as the 25mm Panasonic or the Olympus 75mm.

I have got a bad copy of the Olympus 45mm F1.8 and was interested when the Panasonic was announced, but not at this weight and size.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I don't understand all the complaints about the weight and size, and price.

If you want a lighter weight 45mm-50mm lens, the Olympus M.Zuiko 45/1.8 or Panasonic-Leica Macro-Elmarit 45mm f/2.8 ASPH are both available. The Nocticron-DG 45/1.2 ASPH is all metal construction, has OIS, and is quite a bit faster than either: of course it's going to be larger, weigh more, and be more expensive.

It's not like there are no choices. Look at even available 50mm f/1.2 lenses from other manufacturers... They're all in and around this size and weight class, plus or minus a few grams, depending upon construction materials.

The Olympus M.Zuiko 75/1.8 is similar in size and weight. It's handy and comfortable to use on the E-M1 body sans grip, a little large on the much more compact E-PL1 body. I see the Nocticron as being in the same class, a mite heavier and larger due to the OIS and all-metal construction.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
I don't think so : that lens is huge for MFT bigger and heavier than the 75mm. 425gr. : that defeat the purpose of MFT ! I would have been happier with a lighter 45mm F1.8 offering the same performance as the 25mm Panasonic or the Olympus 75mm.

I have got a bad copy of the Olympus 45mm F1.8 and was interested when the Panasonic was announced, but not at this weight and size.
Why not just sell your bad copy of the 45 1.8 and try a new one? Normally there are no issues with that lens!

As already mentioned by others - you cannot invert physics and if you have a 1.2 lens with that focal length and metal construction this is what you get! So complaining is not really helping here ;)
 

Annna T

Active member
I don't understand all the complaints about the weight and size, and price.

If you want a lighter weight 45mm-50mm lens, the Olympus M.Zuiko 45/1.8 or Panasonic-Leica Macro-Elmarit 45mm f/2.8 ASPH are both available. The Nocticron-DG 45/1.2 ASPH is all metal construction, has OIS, and is quite a bit faster than either: of course it's going to be larger, weigh more, and be more expensive.

It's not like there are no choices. Look at even available 50mm f/1.2 lenses from other manufacturers... They're all in and around this size and weight class, plus or minus a few grams, depending upon construction materials.

The Olympus M.Zuiko 75/1.8 is similar in size and weight. It's handy and comfortable to use on the E-M1 body sans grip, a little large on the much more compact E-PL1 body. I see the Nocticron as being in the same class, a mite heavier and larger due to the OIS and all-metal construction.
Well, you can read my post as a complaint/whining, but it wasn't meant to be so : the question was who would get one; I gave my answer and explained why. That's all. For me, MFT is about being small and light. Not to the point of getting only a GM1 or E-P2 with pancakes, but neither to the point of getting a fixed lens weighting 425gr. For me, this lens clearly crossed a red line. All the more so that I prefer deep DOF to bokey. To each his/her own.

PS : I had bad luck with the 45mm F1.8 Olympus, but it would be unfair to sell a lens that I think is subpar, as was suggested : would you want to buy it from me ?
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Well, you can read my post as a complaint/whining, but it wasn't meant to be so : the question was who would get one; I gave my answer and explained why. That's all. For me, MFT is about being small and light. Not to the point of getting only a GM1 or E-P2 with pancakes, but neither to the point of getting a fixed lens weighting 425gr. For me, this lens clearly crossed a red line. All the more so that I prefer deep DOF to bokey. To each his/her own.

PS : I had bad luck with the 45mm F1.8 Olympus, but it would be unfair to sell a lens that I think is subpar, as was suggested : would you want to buy it from me ?
Bokeh is not Depth of Field, or shallow DoF. Bokeh is the quality of the out of focus rendering ... Even deep DoF images have bokeh.

Saying "this lens is larger and heavier than I'm interested in" is different from saying "this lens is too large and heavy for mFT." There's a big difference. A big part of my decision whether to buy one of these, or even the Oly 45/1.8 since I already have the M-E 45/2.8 will be whether the ability to make even shallower DoF is any advantage as well as exactly how the lens renders (bokeh) at both large and small lens openings. I'm quite pleased with the M-E 45/2.8 already in this regard.

If you have a lens which is defective, write Olympus about it. Provide examples as to why you are not satisfied with it. Like as not, they will do their best to make you happy, up to and including replacing it for a different one.
 

iiiNelson

Well-known member
Wow. This went left fast... I only took Annna T's comment she indended - for her needs. She simply stated that she doesn't find it useful in her current work flow based on the press release. People stop by forums and do that all the time all over this place simply to make it known that camera X or lens Y doesn't perform as expected for them and they like what they already have.

As for Micro 4/3 I have to agree that smaller lens size is a thing that they market upon and being that the sensor has half the total area as a 35mm FF camera it's reasonable for one to expect the lenses to be smaller and lighter somewhat.

The price is just going to be an adjustment when you market your cameras solely as consumer and prosumer devices then create the professional line afterwards. Sony is going through the same thing where people are complaining about the price of the 35 and 55 based on aperture sizes or the fact they don't zoom. Coming from Leica I thing the Sony Zeiss FE lenses are priced fairly. They're cheaper or close to the ZM equivalents and have AF as well. Consequently after being a Micro 4/3 user since the G1 I know that the lens quality was never really a weak point of micro 4/3 (from the Panasonic side at least.) I think this is a no compromise specialty lens and one probably more at home in a studio than say for... Street work. As mentioned there are 2 other (slower and smaller) options for that type of work.

No need to take one persons opinion personally though. People have a right to their reservations and to change their opinions after the fact. That's all I have to say about that. I'm happy to see Panasonic is still coming out with some great Leica designed glass. I'm sure this one will continue that precedent.
 

retow

Member
I don't think so : that lens is huge for MFT bigger and heavier than the 75mm. 425gr. : that defeat the purpose of MFT ! I would have been happier with a lighter 45mm F1.8 offering the same performance as the 25mm Panasonic or the Olympus 75mm.
Exactly my opinion as well. The only real advantage of MFT is the small sensor footprint which should translate into compact and lightweight camera bodies and lenses. Recently we see a trend of mft getting bigger and heavier (E-M1, GX7) and aps-c (e.g. see today`s announcement of the Nikon DSLR 3300 with an interesting sensor) and FF cameras smaller.
 

dhsimmonds

New member
I agree Godfrey that bokeh is the quality of OOF and it's made up of many different factors. I have a British friend who always describes any lens that provides him with his sort of bokeh as an "arty' lens which pretty well describes the way a good lens can "draw" the subject.

The same friend has both Olympus 60mm macro and a 45mm Panny Leica DG Elmarit macro lens. He uses the Leica for his arty shots but the Oly 60mm for insects etc requiring maximum clinical sharpness. The right tool for the right job!

As for weight and size, it is first and foremost a classic portrait lens and as such could perhaps spend quite a bit of it's life in a studio or on a tripod when weight and size wouldn't matter too much. It is not really a travel lens in my opinion.
 

drofnad

Member
The only real advantage of MFT is the small sensor footprint which should translate into compact and lightweight camera bodies and lenses.
Isn't this new lens at least partly in that spirit,
compared to the 85mm f/1.4 FF lenses?
Of course, with the Oly's stabilized bodies,
one can see hope for greater lightness from
them --no OIS in lens.

Recently we see a trend of mft getting bigger and heavier (E-M1, GX7)
...
Or do you mean the Pany GH3?
The GX7's rather svelte.
(And the GM1 nearly invisible!)

:)
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
...The only real advantage of MFT is the small sensor footprint which should translate into compact and lightweight camera bodies and lenses. ...
I think you've hit upon my fundamental disagreement with the whole "too big, too heavy" notion. I didn't become interested in FourThirds or Micro-FourThirds because I was looking primarily for small and light. For me, the draw is the format proportions and size which delivers on the FoV–DoF relationship which I prefer, and the 'fully integrated design' which results in the best lens kit in the industry for digital capture, on average. I like my cameras to be in the size and weight range from the Leica CL to the Olympus E-1: this makes them comfortable in my hands with good balance for a wide range of lens types and sizes. Smaller than that is a casual snapshot camera; larger I only rarely want to carry.

An E-M1 plus 75/1.8 or Nocticron 45 is at the saddle point of just the right weight and balance to use all day without an accessory grip, IMO.
 

Zlatko Batistich

New member
This new 42.5 is very small & light compared to its full-frame equivalent, the Canon 85/1.2L. So it's very consistent with the purpose of M43. It's big in the M43 world, but will be a nice smaller alternative for someone looking to replace the size & weight of a full-frame system while still retaining comparable focal lengths & apertures.

Compare:
42.5/1.2 = 15 ounces
85/1.2L = 36 ounces

B&H has it listed for $1699, although not yet available. I hope it's IQ is as good as my Pan/Leica 45mm f/2.8 and the 25mm f/1.4.
Actually $1599.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
The greatest advantages with the m4/3 system is that it goes from tiny (GM1 with "pancake" zoom) to medium size (GH3 or E-M1 with lenses like the 42.5mm) while maintaining a consistent build and optical/image quality throughout the system. I haven't tried the above mentioned Nikon D3300 yet, but the D3200 has a crap viewfinder, feels cheap compared to m4/3 cameras of the same size and has a p&s feature set.

I can't afford this new lens at the moment unless I sell my D700 (Which is an option. Saves me from cleaning dust off it :D ), but this is another lens that underlines the enormous versatility of the system. Four lenses with f/0.95, f/1.2, f/1.8 and f/2.8 available in m4/3 mount within roughly the same focal length and unlimited adaptable options.

Anybody want a low mileage D700?
 

retow

Member
This new 42.5 is very small & light compared to its full-frame equivalent, the Canon 85/1.2L. So it's very consistent with the purpose of M43. It's big in the M43 world, but will be a nice smaller alternative for someone looking to replace the size & weight of a full-frame system while still retaining comparable focal lengths & apertures.

Compare:
42.5/1.2 = 15 ounces
85/1.2L = 36 ounces



Actually $1599.
Except for light gathering ability, a FF & 85/1.2 L combo punches in a different league in terms of DR, high iso performance and dof control. Leveling the playing field of dof control somewhat, but still having FF`s DR advantage and some high iso advantage and looking at a quite strong performing Nikkor 1.8/85 the new mft lens is on the heavy side and very pricey as well. As an example the 710 gramm low light monster Nikon Df & 350 gramm Nikkor 1.8/85 costs about the same as a 500 gramm E-M1 & the 425 gramm 1.2/42.5 mft lens. Just my 2 cents.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Except for light gathering ability, a FF & 85/1.2 L combo punches in a different league in terms of DR, high iso performance and dof control. Leveling the playing field of dof control somewhat, but still having FF`s DR advantage and some high iso advantage and looking at a quite strong performing Nikkor 1.8/85 the new mft lens is on the heavy side and very pricey as well. As an example the 710 gramm low light monster Nikon Df & 350 gramm Nikkor 1.8/85 costs about the same as a 500 gramm E-M1 & the 425 gramm 1.2/42.5 mft lens. Just my 2 cents.
You are correct, of course, but the E-M1 shares lens mount and sensor size with the 204g GM1 (only 7g more than Nikon's smallest interchangeable lens camera, the S1, a camera that requires a totally different $1,000 lens to offer a sensible portrait distance), the soon-to-be launched GH4K (that will offer video quality and options comparable to cameras 5 times as expensive) and several other cameras of different size, price and specification.

If I were rich, I could buy all the camera/lens combinations that I fancied, and I could hire a slave to carry them for me. But I'm not rich and I don't have a slave, so I seem to be settling for m4/3. For us poor people, this system really shines :D
 

Zlatko Batistich

New member
Except for light gathering ability, a FF & 85/1.2 L combo punches in a different league in terms of DR, high iso performance and dof control. Leveling the playing field of dof control somewhat, but still having FF`s DR advantage and some high iso advantage and looking at a quite strong performing Nikkor 1.8/85 the new mft lens is on the heavy side and very pricey as well. As an example the 710 gramm low light monster Nikon Df & 350 gramm Nikkor 1.8/85 costs about the same as a 500 gramm E-M1 & the 425 gramm 1.2/42.5 mft lens. Just my 2 cents.
Of course you lose some things by going from FF to M43, but you also gain a much smaller & lighter system overall. Each system has its own merits, and each has some compromises.
 
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