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Panasonic 42.5mm f1.2 lens experiences?

plinden

New member
Have any of you experience using the new Panasonic 42.5mm lens? My interest is using it on an Olympus M1.

I would appreciate any comments. Also any video experience (in my case I have a granddaughter and would expect to use the lens in low light). Thank you.

Peter Linden
 

Paratom

Well-known member
Have any of you experience using the new Panasonic 42.5mm lens? My interest is using it on an Olympus M1.

I would appreciate any comments. Also any video experience (in my case I have a granddaughter and would expect to use the lens in low light). Thank you.

Peter Linden
I have shot some images of my kids with it.
I really like the rendering of the lens. It handles quite well on the EM1 and IQ is very good.
I some images I didn't nail focus when using it wide open, but it was probably because my kids are not standing still.
I think f1.2 is not only usefull for shallow DOF, but it also allows you to shoot at lower ISO in the same light.

I also did some comparison shots with the 45/1.8 Oly....and have to say the difference in IQ is not worlds apart. So considering price and size I am not 100% sure which lens makes more sense. At the moment I keep both until I made up my mind.

Regarding video..haven't tried it but it came to my mind that it must be a terrific lens for video with its smooth rendering.
 

mmbma

Active member
tried both. go for the 45mm 1.8. The difference in bokeh is of course noticible but in my mind not worth 1300 in price difference
 

G43

New member
EM1 user.
I have both the Oly 45/1.8 and the PL 42,5/1.2.
The PL 42,5 is quite superior talking corner to corner sharpness, micro contrast and pop. It is more subtle rendering and shows a color beauty truly unmatched. The Bokeh is one of the most beautiful I've seen from any lens regardless format.
I've not used my Oly 45 since I got the PL 42,5.
Truly a Masterpiece and a must have lens for the 43 connoisseur.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I'd really love this lens, but when I was thinking of which 45mm to purchase I chose the Panasonic-Leica Macro-Elmarit-DG 45mm f/2.8 ASPH. I chose it because I'd used it before, extensively, and love its rendering qualities, it's fast enough, and of course it not only does a beautiful job on portraits and landscapes but is a superb macro focusing lens as well. It's very sharp wide open (usually f/2.8 is as wide-open as I want with a 45mm anyway for portraiture) and only improves a trifle through the rest of the range. It's lighter and a bit smaller than the Nocticron, a little heavier and larger than the M.Z 45/1.8.

Lots of good choices!

G
 

G43

New member
The Oly 45/1.8 is a stunning good lens and for the buck a true winner of the value for money IQ equation/competitiveness reward.
I've not tried the PL 45/2.8, but many good folks reports the positive results that Godfrey so clearly states. The macro feature this lens sports is a benefit seriously to consider. Since my bag includes the Oly 60/2.8 macro lens, I didn't consider the P 45/f2.8. I judge it as a serious bid for you Peter.
The PL 42,5/1.2 satisfies not only the test labs, Diglloyd, Huff and who else. It reveals the inner soul of the motive at a very high level. It is simply a joy to look at the light it recorded. To me this lens speaks transparency in spades.

If you have any possibility to try or rent the pack of the 45 range lenses, do that and make your own conclusion.
 

mmbma

Active member
I read that the nocticron is too large to be used on an EM5 with grip. What about on EM1? (I know EM1 has a little more width in the grip area). This might become a deal breaker if one cannot fit it on the EM5 with grip.

Anyone with actual experience with the combo?
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
I'm leaning towards buying both the Zuiko 45/1.8 and the PanaLeica 42/1.2, one for travel in combination with a smaller body (GX7?) and one for more "serious" work with the GH bodies.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I read that the nocticron is too large to be used on an EM5 with grip. What about on EM1? (I know EM1 has a little more width in the grip area). This might become a deal breaker if one cannot fit it on the EM5 with grip.

Anyone with actual experience with the combo?
I haven't had a Nocticron in my hands to try ou, but the E-M1 works very nicely with much larger lenses (ZD 11-22, 50-200). I can't imagine any difficulty fitting and using the Nocticron.

G
 

stephen.s1

Member
I love it. It's worth every cent! It works beautifully with my M1, and my GX7. The M1 has a grip, and the GX7 is sans grip. No problem with holding either camera with the noct hung on it.
 

G43

New member
The Nocti and EM1 are a very balanced couple. The glove fits the hand well and cause no tension holding the combo.
Looks perhaps pretty bulk with the lens hood on, but without it's very handsome and compact looking.
Very similar weight balance like the 75 and 12-40.
The Nocti is the King of Sharpness in the 43 town, whereas the Oly 75 and PL 25 might be called the Queens of Sharpness.
 

G43

New member
In other words maybe better to say:

Each one 25, 42,5 and 75 are Kings within their focal pool. But for ultimate sharpness the 42,5 is Emperor above the two others.

It is my hope the new PL 15 mm may join the exclusive club. I'll get one in May.
 

G43

New member
This might help to choose:

Panasonic Lumix Nocticron 42.5mm/1.2 Lens Comparisons

I did several of these kind of comparisons, but it came out to the benefit of the Nocti in any case.
We have to have in mind that all lenses comes with some production tolerances and that might cause we may experience different results making those comparos.
I would claim that the motive chosen in the link above may not be the best in order to show the real differences between the Nocti and the Oly 45. One really have to shoot live out there in daylight under the hard light conditions we often face, where CA and fringing a la carte often sets the rules of the game and hence put the optics on tough trials.
Let there be no doubt that the Nocti surpasses the Oly45 rather convincingly in live use. And it should indeed at this price level.

DxOMarks just updated their best lenses for M43 and I was glad to find the new LP 15 mm listed very high.
Best prime lenses for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM1 - DxOMark
Then I hope I'll find the lens rendering as beautiful as the other ranging that high on the list.
 
I had read that too, but it is not true with the Olympus battery grip (HLD or HDL6?). With the lens cap reversed for storage, it is too tight on the E-M5, but fine on the E-M1 IMHO, but with the lens cap in extended position or off, it is perfectly fine on the E-M5 (ands obviously on the E-M1).



I read that the nocticron is too large to be used on an EM5 with grip. What about on EM1? (I know EM1 has a little more width in the grip area). This might become a deal breaker if one cannot fit it on the EM5 with grip.

Anyone with actual experience with the combo?
 
Just got my GH4 and Nocticron and went out for a walk last night. It's a solid package, very stable in the hand. This is SOOC monochrome setting jpeg, f1.2. I'm a happy camper.
 

G43

New member
I'd like to draw the attention to all MFT users that the 42,5 Noct is a must have lens.
The more I use it, the more it stays glued to the camera body ;-)

The most impressing about this perfect lens is it reminds you on how good those MFT sensors actually are. It is the only lens I have that clearly resolves the potential of the sensor and then it's flawless. Rendering gets 5 stars+ to my book.

ŒðŠ·ƒŒƒ“ƒYƒŒƒrƒ…￾[￾FLEICA DG NOCTICRON 42.5mm/F1.2 ASPH./POWER O.I.S - ƒfƒWƒJƒ￾ Watch
 

MRfanny

New member
Just wondering how many of the owners here are putting a filter over their glass? I'm split between protecting it and not adding any more glass to it =)
 

dhsimmonds

New member
Just wondering how many of the owners here are putting a filter over their glass? I'm split between protecting it and not adding any more glass to it =)
I do use a UV filter as protection against smears, dirt and damage although a lens hood may well provide the latter. The purists will always advocate not putting another two layers of glass surface in front of expensive lenses!

I am neither a purist nor pixel peeper just an every day practical photographer!;)
 

Knorp

Well-known member
As it happens it seems I just joined the ranks: I'll go naked though ... :grin:

All the very best.
 
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