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Posts Tagged ‘f1.4’

Panasonic introduces splash-proof Lumix G Leica Summilux 12mm F1.4

15 Jun

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Panasonic is introducing a new prime lens to the Micro Four Thirds family: the Lumix G Leica DG Summilux 12mm F1.4 ASPH. It will be the widest prime that company offers (not counting its 8mm fisheye) and provides an equivalent 24mm view on Micro Four Thirds bodies. Designed to withstand a little wear-and-tear in the form of splashes and dust, the 12mm F1.4 offers a dedicated ring to control its nine-bladed aperture.

Its rugged build includes a metal mount, body and included lens hood. The lens uses inner focus drive and a stepping motor for quiet operation, and is made up of 15 elements in 12 groups. Pricing and availability information has yet to be announced.

Press release:

PANASONIC LUMIX G LEICA DG SUMMILUX 12mm, F1.4 ASPH Lens

The H-X012 Micro Four Thirds Professional Wide Angle Mirrorless Lens

NEWARK, NJ (July 1, 2016) – Panasonic unveiled a new LEICA DG SUMMILUX 12mm/F1.4 ASPH. (35 mm camera equivalent: 24 mm) digital interchangeable lens for Digital Single Lens Mirrorless camera based on the Micro Four Thirds standard. The new 12mm wide-angle lens enables photographers to capture beautiful group, event, and nature photography. It also allows indoor shooting in low lighting and produces an impressive, natural defocusing effect with its F1.4 aperture. In addition, the LEICA DG SUMMILUX 12mm/F1.4 ASPH. boasts a rugged, splash/dust-proof design (when combined with splash and dustproof LUMIX G Mirrorless camera models) to meet the needs of a wide-range of photographic situations.

Integrating two aspherical lenses, two UED (Ultra Extra-Low Dispersion) lenses and an ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) lens, the lens system is comprised of 15 elements in 12 groups. The adoption of five special lenses makes it possible to meet the stringent LEICA standard for exceptional image quality with high resolution and minimum distortion. In general, flare is commonly seen around the periphery of a point source with many high-speed lenses when a large aperture is employed. However, the new LEICA DG SUMMILUX 12mm/F1.4 ASPH. achieves high resolution from the center of the image to the corners by suppressing this flare. Users can take advantage of this lens to shoot a brilliant night skies or night scenes containing illumination to capture true-to-life images with minimal blurring and distortion at the edges. The multi-coated lens elements also minimize ghosting and flaring.

Incorporating an inner focus drive system and a stepping motor, the new LEICA DG SUMMILUX 12mm/F1.4 ASPH. is capable of smooth, silent operation together with the camera’s high-speed, high-precision contrast AF system for both photo and video recording. It is also compatible with the sensor drive at a maximum of 240 fps to take full advantage of cameras with high-speed AF. This stunning AF performance is excellent for recording 4K videos, where precise focusing is essential.

The LEICA DG SUMMILUX 12mm/F1.4 ASPH. comes with an aperture ring for direct, intuitive aperture control. Nine blades give the aperture a rounded shape that produces an attractively smooth effect in out-of-focus areas when shooting at larger aperture settings. A highly reliable metal mount assures durability for repeated use. The lens mount, the barrel and the hood are all made of metal to provide a sleek, sophisticated design that matches the entire line-up of LUMIX G Digital Single Lens Mirrorless (DSLM) cameras.

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Summilux 12mm F1.4 specifications

Principal specifications
Lens type	Prime lens
Max Format size	FourThirds
Focal length	12 mm
Lens mount	Micro Four Thirds
Aperture
Maximum aperture	F1.4
Minimum aperture	F16
Aperture ring	Yes
Number of diaphragm blades	9
Optics
Elements	15
Groups	12
Special elements / coatings	2 aspherical lenses, 1 ED lens, 2 UED lenses
Focus
Minimum focus	0.20 m (7.87″)
Maximum magnification	0.1×
Autofocus	Yes
Motor type	Stepper motor
Full time manual	Unknown
Physical
Weight	335 g (0.74 lb)
Diameter	70 mm (2.76″)
Length	70 mm (2.76″)
Sealing	Yes
Filter thread	62.0 mm
Hood supplied	Yes

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Hands-on with new Panasonic Leica Summilux 12mm F1.4 ASPH

15 Jun

Hands-on: Panasonic Leica Summilux 12mm F1.4 ASPH

Panasonic has just announced a new prime lens for Micro Four Thirds. The Lumix G Leica DG Summilux 12mm F1.4 ASPH is a metal-bodied prime that provides an equivalent focal length of 24mm in full-frame terms. We’ve got one in our hands, and we’ve got pictures to prove it!

Hands-on: Panasonic Leica Summilux 12mm F1.4 ASPH

As you can see, the new 12mm prime is a fairly substantial lens, and at 335g it’s relatively heavy, too. Panasonic is touting its all-metal construction (which even extends to the detachable hood) and 15 glass elements also contribute substantially to the weight. A nine-bladed aperture should ensure both attractive bokeh and sunstars at smaller apertures.

Hands-on: Panasonic Leica Summilux 12mm F1.4 ASPH

Of those 15 elements, two are ‘ultra’ extra-low dispersion glass, and one is regular extra-low dispersion. According to Panasonic, they should combine to provide very good edge-to-edge sharpness even at wide apertures, making this an ideal lens for astrophotography (among other things). The front filter ring has a diameter of 62mm.

Hands-on: Panasonic Leica Summilux 12mm F1.4 ASPH

A manual aperture ring and wide, well-damped focus ring give a feeling of real quality to the new 12mm, and although it’s not a lightweight lens, handling is very nice on the Lumix DMC-GH4. Autofocus is handled by a stepping motor, which Panasonic claims is capable of keeping up with the 240 fps refresh rate of modern Panasonic M43 cameras’ sensor-based autofocus.

Hands-on: Panasonic Leica Summilux 12mm F1.4 ASPH

When paired with a weather-sealed camera like the GH4, the 12mm F1.4 becomes relatively weather-resistant. Panasonic claims that this combination should be ‘splash and dust’ proof.

Hands-on: Panasonic Leica Summilux 12mm F1.4 ASPH

It’s hard to make out in this image, but around the lens mount you’ll find the slimmest of rubber seals, to prevent moisture and dust from getting into the camera when the 12mm F1.4 is attached.

Hands-on: Panasonic Leica Summilux 12mm F1.4 ASPH

Here’s the included lenshood in all its glory. The Panasonic Leica Summilux 12mm F1.4 ASPH is the sixth Leica lens in Panasonic’s current M43 lineup – pricing and availability have yet to be announced, but we’ll keep you posted.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Art Lens Review

08 May

The world of camera lenses can be separated into two main groups: zooms and primes. Prime lenses are those which have a fixed focal length, meaning that they don’t zoom in and out. Once upon a time there were only primes. With the advent of zoom lenses photographers no longer had to rely on just their feet in order to get achieve the desired composition. This versatility brought with it a trade-off. Zoom lenses have more moving parts and components, which adds weight and reduces the speed of the lens, along with sharpness. Optically, primes are generally much faster and sharper than zoom lenses but limit the shooter to only one focal length, which can be off-putting to some.

But times change. Today we see a new generation of photographers realizing the merits of shooting with prime lenses. This paradigm shift is reflected by lens manufacturers who are beginning to produce more prime lenses for a hungry new market.

Sigma 2

The 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Art lens from Sigma is among one of these that is meant be an all-purpose fast prime, for those needing a lens with excellent sharpness and great low light capabilities. I put the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 through its paces and have a feeling you will be well pleased.

Build Quality

Sigma 4

Being part of Sigma’s well regarded Art line of lenses, I expected the 30mm to be highly refined and well-built; it did not disappoint in this area. It’s manufactured from the same thermally stable composite (TSC) which is incredibly metallic in its heft and appearance. The entire lens looks very smooth and professional, with all markings and indicators being commendably well executed. The focusing ring has that perfect feel of silk when it’s turned. It moves very smoothly, being neither overly tight, nor too loose. The travel from minimum focus distance to infinity is just right, and it still leaves a lot of cushion for focusing accurately when in manual mode. The AF/Manual switch is ideally placed for no-look operation, and is very crisp when it is clicked from one to the other.

Sigma 5

Sigma 3

Included in the package is also a great looking lens hood which causes a bit of deception when attached because it makes the lens appear markedly larger than it actually is in reality. But it does a superb job of reducing the amount of contrast-robbing peripheral light from making its way to the lens’s front element. Overall, the quality of workmanship displayed in the 30mm is outstanding. It feels very well balanced when mounted to the camera (Canon 7D).

Sigma 1

It leans towards the robust side in terms of weight for a normal (close to the naked eye’s field of view) prime lens at 15.3 ounces (434g), but it is by no means clunky or difficult to shoulder for long periods. Here we see the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 compared to another prime work horse, the Canon 50mm f/1.4.

Canon Sigma

With the lens hood reversed for storage, it’s easy to see just how compact this lens really is in the hand.

Sigma in hand

Here are the official lens specifications and element array provided via Sigma USA.

Sigma 30 Specs

Image Quality

The Sigma 30mm f/1.4 is quite the beast, photographically speaking. The 30mm focal range is very close to what could be considered wide angle, yet it shows no perceivable distortions at the corners. The bokeh is absolutely beautiful; the nine curved aperture blades produce an incredibly smooth, nearly dream-like, background blur when shooting at wide apertures. Some portraits today are being shot with alarmingly short focal lengths with very positive results. This lens would serve that purpose well, and offers richly vibrant colors across the entire aperture range. This great color rendition will make for a love at first sight situation with landscape photographers also. If you shoot a lot of nightscapes this lens will appeal to you as well. Of course the f/1.4 aperture capability makes for great low light work, but the coma was found to be very low likewise. This means all your great shots of the night sky will be produced clearly, with little distortion of those small points of starlight.

The autofocusing of the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 is also a point of praise. Focusing was very fast and accurate, and very quiet. It’s great to see a prime lens with AF that is on par with its other features. While manual focusing is always a good idea, the benefit of a high-performing autofocusing mechanism can’t be understated when shooting at the wide open apertures which this lens is capable of achieving.

This brings us to one of the only two downsides thus far found in the 30mm; its sharpness at small and large apertures. It is certainly not uncommon to see a marginal reduction in sharpness when approaching minimum and maximum apertures, from even the most highly prized lenses. From f/2.2 through to f/11, the sharpness of this lens is wonderful. Anything smaller than f/11 or wider than f/2.2 however, saw a significant drop in overall sharpness in my tests. Happily though, that leaves an enormous range of possibilities for optimal image sharpness, and in my opinion, should not diminish the respect this lens deserves.

Here are some sample images to demonstrate the corner sharpness over a range of apertures from f/1.4 through to f/16. The first picture is for reference to the 1:1 magnification applied to the samples.

Corner 1 to 1

And now for the samples:

F 1 4

F 2

F 2 8

F 5 6

F 8

F 11

F 16

The other downside is relatively noticeable chromatic aberrations at wide apertures. Of course this is to be expected, but it bears mentioning nonetheless. For a lens of this quality the chromatic aberration is a little more than expected when the lens is wide open at f/1.4. These aberrations drop extremely quickly past f/1.8 and diminish completely around f/2.2.

Even at their most noticeable, Lightroom handled the fringing easily in post-processing. Much like the sharpness issue, for most shooters, the chromatic aberrations shouldn’t be a concern, or at the very least should be manageable.

The 30mm F1.4 DC HSM | Art is a terrific lens, despite any marginal concerns with sharpness and aberrations. It performs quite well across a wide range of situations, and will be a great addition to those looking for a low light prime lens with low distortion. Astro photographers will love it for its low coma and sweeping perspective, and landscapers will be drawn to its wonderful color rendition. Even street photographers would be elated to have this lens in their bag due to its incredible bokeh.

Here are a few real world sample images which were shot with the Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC HSM | Art lens, mounted to a Canon 7D, processed in Adobe Lightroom CC.

Sigma 30 Sample 1

Sigma 30 Sample 2

Sigma 30 Sample 3

Sigma 30 Sample 4

Sigma 30 Sample 5

Sigma 30 Sample 6

I would recommend this lens to virtually anyone who needs a sturdy low light prime lens. It fits a myriad of circumstances when high grade professional quality photographs are needed. When shooting at common apertures it is an incredible value for a prime lens at this price point.

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The post Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC HSM Art Lens Review by Adam Welch appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Samyang announces 14mm F2.8 and 50mm F1.4 autofocus FE lenses

04 May

Samyang Optics has announced its first autofocus lenses. The 14mm F2.8 ED AS IF UMC and 50mm F1.4 AS IF UMC will be offered in Sony’s E-mount and are designed to cover a full-frame sensor. With a robust metal housing, each lens will be able to utilize phase detection AF as well as contrast detection, and will offer 67mm filter threads.

The 14mm F2.8 and 50mm F1.4 will be available in July 2016; no price is given yet. Keep an eye on Samyang’s Facebook page and website for more information.

Press release:

May 3rd, 2016, Seoul, Korea – The global optics brand, Samyang Optics (http://www.samyanglensglobal.com) today announced the long-awaited launch of two autofocus lenses: 14mm F2.8 and 50mm F1.4 lenses for Sony E mount Mirrorless cameras with full frame sensor size. The new 14mm and 50mm are the widest and brightest lenses in their class and offer superb quality images to photographers. This launching expands the boundaries of Samyang Optics photo lens line-up from manual focus only, to now include autofocus lenses.

Optimised Optical Design as Full Frame Mirrorless Camera Lens

Both 14mm F2.8 ED AS IF UMC and 50mm F1.4 AS IF UMC are specifically designed to work in harmony with full frame mirrorless cameras in Sony E mount. The flow of light is devised based on the uniqueness of the distance from glass to sensor in mirrorless cameras to create optimal performance. Along with portability of mirrorless lenses, the 14mm F2.8 and 50mm F1.4 are compatible with full frame sensors to deliver the wideness and sharpness of image to photographers.

The 67mm filter diameter brings the maximum amount of light into the lens to create the best work of light in photography. The 14mm F2.8 is the widest angle available in the market and the F1.4 of 50mm and F2.8 of 14mm apertures are by far the brightest of full frame mirrorless lenses, offering a beautiful bokeh effect and the best quality images under various exposure conditions.

Based on Samyang Optics’ exceptional optical technology, aspherical lenses have been included in both lenses to minimise aberration and unnecessary light dispersion, delivering high resolution from the centre to the corners of the image.

AF Performance and Ergonomic Design Based on Class-Leading Technology

These new products will be the first autofocus lenses in over 40 years of Samyang’s class-leading core optics technologies. Samyang has captured the essence of world leading image technology with their manual focus lenses and reinterpreted it into autofocus lenses. Photographers now can enjoy the prime manual lens image quality and autofocus lens. These new 14mm F2.8 and 50mm F1.4 are compatible with both phase detect and contrast detect sensors to operate fast and accurate focus detection.

The 67mm filter diameter is also the result of years of R&D for best handling, by adding stability to the photo-taking experience. Also the minimal and sleek design and metal-housing solidify the build quality with the internal focus system.

These two new autofocus lenses from Samyang Optics will be exhibited at the Photo & Imaging 2016 Show in Seoul, South Korea. The lenses will be globally available from July 2016. Further details, pricing and availability will follow.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Prime time: Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN | C full-production sample gallery

20 Apr

We had our first opportunity to shoot with the Sigma 30mm F1.4 Contemporary at CP+, spending some time with a pre-production lens taking in Japan’s freshly snow-coated landscapes. With a full-production lens in hand and good weather in the air, we’ve put the Sigma 30mm through its paces a little closer to home. Designed for Micro Four Thirds and Sony E-mount cameras, the featherweight prime is at home on Sony’s a6300 and a6000. Take a look at what this combo can do.

Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN | C real-world sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Leica announces price and details of its 35mm F1.4 lens for the T system

24 Mar

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Leica has formally announced the specifications and price of the Summilux-TL 35mm F1.4 lens for its T-series mirrorless camera. The lens, which is available now, will cost $ 2395/£1650. Leica says that the lens performs at its best wide open, with maximum resolution achieved at F1.4 – though its own MTF charts suggest this is only true in the center of the imaging circle.

Designed to suit the Leica T’s compact footprint, the Summilux-TL F1.4 can also be used on the Leica SL in crop-sensor mode.

Made with a total of 12 elements in 8 groups and a closest focus distance of 0.4m, the lens acts as a standard focal length for the APS-C sensor of the T. Focus can be achieved manually as well as in auto mode, and the smallest aperture on offer is F16.

The lens measures 77 x 70mm/3.0 x 2.7in, weighs 428g/15oz without the hood and will be available in anodized black or silver. Leica originally announced that it would make the lens when it released firmware 1.4 for the T at the end of 2015. We should expect a Leica APO-Macro-Elmarit-TL 60mm F2.8 ASPH in the autumn.

For more information see the Leica website.

Press release:

LEICA SUMMILUX-TL 35mm f/1.4 ASPH.

Introducing a new reference lens in the APS-C system category

Leica Camera has today introduced a new addition to the Leica T Camera System portfolio – the Leica Summilux-TL 35mm f/1.4 ASPH. – an extremely fast prime lens with a classic focal length. Set to become the reference lens in the APS-C category, it offers exceptional imaging performance.

The Leica Summilux-TL 35mm f/1.4 ASPH. delivers maximum sharpness, and superb resolution and colour reproduction when shooting wide open, throughout its aperture range, and at all distances from its closest focusing limit to infinity. It also produces stunning pictures with that unmistakeable ‘Leica look’ and a unique and beautiful bokeh.

Considering the outstanding speed and extraordinary image performance, this 35mm lens is surprisingly compact – and, thanks to the internal focusing system, its overall length remains unchanged in use. Furthermore, the lens’ manual focusing ring enables the smoothest adjustments to be made when shooting.

As with all other Leica lenses, the Leica Summilux-TL 35mm f/1.4 ASPH. has been designed by Leica’s own specialists in Wetzlar, Germany, and represents a perfect union of optical and technical expertise. This combination of cutting-edge technology and the highest quality materials ensures consistently excellent results

As indicated by the ‘TL’ in its name, the Leica Summilux-TL 35mm f/1.4 ASPH. is the first of two new prime lenses for the Leica T Camera System that is fully compatible with the bayonet mount of the Leica T, as well as the L-mount of the Leica SL-System. The second TL lens, the Leica APO Macro-Elmarit-TL 60mm f/2.8 ASPH., will be available from Autumn 2016.

Availability and pricing

The Summilux-TL 35 mm f/1.4 ASPH. is available now in a choice of black or silver anodised finish from authorised Leica stockists in the UK, at a suggested retail price of £1,650 including VAT. A matching lens hood is also available at an SRP of £65 including VAT.

Additional information can be found at uk.leica-camera.com

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Seriously sharp: Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM samples

11 Mar

We knew Sony’s FE 85mm F1.4 G Master lens was sharp. After all, we had the chance to shoot with it briefly back in February at the Sony a6300 launch event in New York City. But last week we got better acquainted with the lens, putting it through its paces in different shooting scenarios throughout Miami. And simply put, this lens is seriously sharp. All of the samples in the gallery were shot using the Sony a7R II. Please note, we’ve included Raw files for download for a selection of the images.

See our Sony FE 85mm F1.4 GM real world samples gallery

Note: This sample gallery was shot while on a Sony-sponsored shooting event in Miami. Part of the excursion included photographing models in scenes that call back to famous Miami-based TV shows and movies including Scarface, Miami Vice and CSI Miami. No actual gangsters or cops were photographed during the making of this gallery.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary real-world sample gallery

09 Mar

Among all its releases at CP+ 2016, Sigma’s 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens is the smallest in size, but its wide aperture should help it pack an image quality punch. Designed for Micro Four Thirds cameras and Sony E-Mount, the Sigma 30mm F1.4 uses a stepping motor for quiet autofocus, weighs in at a feathery 265g (9.3oz), and will retail for $ 339 when it’s released later this month.

During a visit to the Sigma factory in Aizu, Japan, we had a chance to test it out in a snowy winter wonderland. The lens is a pre-production sample, and the images were shot on a Sony a7R II in crop mode. We’ve included JPEGs processed from Raw using Adobe Camera Raw (some with and without manual distortion correction), and original Raw files as well, for your viewing pleasure. Check them out and see how the lens stacks up.

See our Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary real-world sample gallery

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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My New Favorite Lens: The Fujinon 35mm F1.4 R

01 Mar

Before I switched to Fujifilm I was a Canon EOS user. My favorite camera was the EOS 5D Mark II and my favorite lens the 85mm f/1.8. I liked that lens because it was ideal for portraits, and for close-ups revealing details.

When I switched to Fujifilm I expected the Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 lens, the closest equivalent (on an APS-C crop sensor camera) to the 85mm, to become my new favorite. It’s a great lens, especially for portraiture. But, to my surprise, the humble 35mm f/1.4 lens, bundled with the X-Pro 1, has become my new favorite.