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Leica M lens on Olympus OM-D


gearoido

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I've just taken the plunge and bought an OM-D. I haven't bothered with CSC's to date but thought it was a good time to get some first hand experience of them (just in case:)) whilst waiting to see what photokina brings in September. Choosing the OM-D also provides an opportunity to take a look at 4/3rds at the same time, something I've also not bothered with so far.

 

Faster glass for m4/3rds seems to be a little thin on the ground so I've got the Olympus 12-50 kit lens for the time being, which also seems to be the only body matching weather-proofed option at the moment (the dealer did have a very nice, if expensive, Panasonic wide-angle zoom in store but not the Leica 25mm f/1.4). I need to do some research on available and upcoming lenses, as faster options will be a priority if I take to the system. I'm not sure that using M lenses will be something that I'd try at the moment.

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I agree. If it wasn't for the MFT format I would leap on this little gem but in some ways I already struggle with the 23mm lens on my X100 and the lack of being able to get any bokeh apart from close up work so the OM-D would be even worse

 

 

David what makes you think you won't get Bokeh with OM-D?

 

It's such a different system than the X100 (which I had), and the choice of available lenses is wide.

 

Cin Cin

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Faster glass for m4/3rds seems to be a little thin on the ground so I've got the Olympus 12-50 kit lens for the time being

 

If f/1.4 isn't fast enough with the Panasonic Summilux you could look at the f/0.95 25mm Voigtlander lens. If you need faster than that I can't really help, but really fast lenses are about as thin on the ground as for the Leica M system if you think about it. A 45mm f1.8 (aka 90mm) isn't bad either for a portrait lens ;)

 

But if you mean a general lens then Panasonic have the new weathersealed 12-35mm f2.8 (f/2.8 across the range) out any day now in the UK.

 

Steve

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If f/1.4 isn't fast enough with the Panasonic Summilux you could look at the f/0.95 25mm Voigtlander lens. If you need faster than that I can't really help, but really fast lenses are about as thin on the ground as for the Leica M system if you think about it. A 45mm f1.8 (aka 90mm) isn't bad either for a portrait lens ;)

 

But if you mean a general lens then Panasonic have the new weathersealed 12-35mm f2.8 (f/2.8 across the range) out any day now in the UK.

 

Steve

 

I have the CV 25 and love it. My next favorite lens on the OMD is the Oly 45, a gem of a portrait lens! I have used my 75 Lux and 90 Cron on my OMD with great results.

 

Tri

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I agree. If it wasn't for the MFT format I would leap on this little gem but in some ways I already struggle with the 23mm lens on my X100 and the lack of being able to get any bokeh apart from close up work so the OM-D would be even worse

 

Don't insist on this with those who assess that smaller sensor=less DOF... :rolleyes:

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If f/1.4 isn't fast enough with the Panasonic Summilux you could look at the f/0.95 25mm Voigtlander lens. If you need faster than that I can't really help, but really fast lenses are about as thin on the ground as for the Leica M system if you think about it. A 45mm f1.8 (aka 90mm) isn't bad either for a portrait lens ;)

 

But if you mean a general lens then Panasonic have the new weathersealed 12-35mm f2.8 (f/2.8 across the range) out any day now in the UK.

 

Steve

 

Yes, I didn't phrase that too well. By thin on the ground I didn't mean that they don't exist, it was just that the dealer I bought the camera from didn't have many in stock and was a little vague on availability. More research needed by me.

 

I usually keep just a small core lens kit, e.g. a mid range zoom together with a 35mm prime and a portrait prime, so that 12-35 f/2.8 sounds interesting.

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I have the 12-35mm pre-ordered Steve as I think the OMD has done what the M9 did for Leica, make the lens supply dry up. The Panasonic Summilux was plentiful one day and out of stock the next when I started looking for one. I did eventually find one and it is a superb lens.

 

As regards DOF Jaap, yes, it isn't as deep as FF or APSC. So you work a slightly different way, or accept that photography can demonstrate more about the going's on in the world if things are sharp. Working a different way could mean standing further away with a longer focal length to get shallow DOF. But obviously to stand further away you may have to walk somewhere, which is advocated with a non-zoom M, but it appears the m4/3 format causes a painful limp.... Its not like there is no bokeh with m4/3, just that the myth started when all the lenses were slow (like the typical kit zoom) and it hasn't sunk in yet that there are many faster lenses available now. But I would agree with you that m4/3 is not the format if you want to fully embrace the fetishistic tyranny of shallow DOF in all your photographs. But thinking about it, the Leica M system offers very few opportunities to render shallow DOF that is much greater than is possible with m4/3. And those few opportunities are on an exclusive basis of affordability. On the other hand, where else (other than a Olympus m4/3 body) are you going to discover that something like a 90mm Elmarit M with all its creamy smooth bokeh has become an image stabilized low light long telephoto lens? There are up's as well as down's.

 

Steve

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I have the 12-35mm pre-ordered Steve as I think the OMD has done what the M9 did for Leica, make the lens supply dry up. The Panasonic Summilux was plentiful one day and out of stock the next when I started looking for one. I did eventually find one and it is a superb lens.

 

As regards DOF Jaap, yes, it isn't as deep as FF or APSC. So you work a slightly different way, or accept that photography can demonstrate more about the going's on in the world if things are sharp. Working a different way could mean standing further away with a longer focal length to get shallow DOF. But obviously to stand further away you may have to walk somewhere, which is advocated with a non-zoom M, but it appears the m4/3 format causes a painful limp.... Its not like there is no bokeh with m4/3, just that the myth started when all the lenses were slow (like the typical kit zoom) and it hasn't sunk in yet that there are many faster lenses available now. But I would agree with you that m4/3 is not the format if you want to fully embrace the fetishistic tyranny of shallow DOF in all your photographs. But thinking about it, the Leica M system offers very few opportunities to render shallow DOF that is much greater than is possible with m4/3. And those few opportunities are on an exclusive basis of affordability. On the other hand, where else (other than a Olympus m4/3 body) are you going to discover that something like a 90mm Elmarit M with all its creamy smooth bokeh has become an image stabilized low light long telephoto lens? There are up's as well as down's.

 

Steve

 

Excellently put Steve - you could swap that 90mm elmarit for a 180mm elmarit R - and then take pictures at 1/15th second at f2.8 - in such circumstances there are inklings of bokeh!

 

There are situations where one wants narrow depth of field (bring on the M9 and the noctilux) and there are other circumstances when it might be nice if it was a little wider (how about a 60mm macro elmarit on an OMD).

 

Seems to me that they make a very nice combination, each with it's own benefits and disadvantages.

 

all the best

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Lack of bokeh with the Olympus OMD:

 

These images just go to prove the point that it's not possible to limit depth of field with a M4/3 camera::D

 

Images from Olympus OMD with Leica R 60 macro Elmarit

 

Clearly, for many purposes one wouldn't dream of using this little camera if you have an M9 around . . . . but for the times when the M9 isn't the ticket (macro, telephoto principally) then the OMD does very well, and if you don't fancy the range of m4/3 lenses, then you can dig out your old R glass and find it works really well

 

Incidentally, not touting for these images - they were all taken the day I received the lens.

 

all the best

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Guest Holy Moly
Don't insist on this with those who assess that smaller sensor=less DOF... :rolleyes:

 

When full frame lenses are adapted to m4/3 or APS-C bodies, the DOF is SMALLER compare to full frame when both shots have the same content and are printed/viewed in the same size......:D

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Lack of bokeh with the Olympus OMD:

 

These images just go to prove the point that it's not possible to limit depth of field with a M4/3 camera::D

 

 

Proof! But why oh why should it be demanded to refute absurd claims? Anyway, at least you are keeping photographers up to speed Jono, even if they aren't doing it for themselves.

 

Steve

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I would be happy with APS-H or even C,

 

It would be great with leica glass, but would make all of olympus' recent lenses not usable as they cover the 4/3 image circle.

 

The high and super high grade Olympus 4/3 lenses are consistently sharper (at the sensor) within their image circle than any other line, except for leica.

 

I am holding back from the OM-D because none of my high and super high grade Olympus 4/3 lenses will autofocus on it, and lenses that are designed for autofocus, on cameras that are designed for autofocus, are not great fun in manual focus.

 

My E-3 alas is as big and heavy as a D800 so there is little contest as to which to take.

The Oly lenses are actually sharper at the sensor than most of my nikon glass but 4 X magnification (of sensor size) easily nullifys that at the end.

 

Regards .... H

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I am holding back from the OM-D because none of my high and super high grade Olympus 4/3 lenses will autofocus on it, ---snip

 

Huhh? I.e. the 50mm zuiko macro does autofocus on the OM-D...

I'm sure, other pro zuikos do as well.

 

Or did I misunderstand your point?

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If f/1.4 isn't fast enough with the Panasonic Summilux you could look at the f/0.95 25mm Voigtlander lens. If you need faster than that I can't really help, but really fast lenses are about as thin on the ground as for the Leica M system if you think about it. A 45mm f1.8 (aka 90mm) isn't bad either for a portrait lens ;)

 

But if you mean a general lens then Panasonic have the new weathersealed 12-35mm f2.8 (f/2.8 across the range) out any day now in the UK.

 

Steve

 

 

There are reviews out already on the panasonic 12-35mm lens. I have the Voigtlander 17.5 and there 25mm the 25 I am selling, may sell the 17.5 too and get the 12-35 just to down size. I am waiting to see what photokina brings and what leica may have up it's sleeve.

 

 

Jan

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  • 7 months later...
Yes I will get some but when you are used to FF it is hard to go without

 

David, I had the Fuji X100 and the X1Pro which is superb for jpeg's. I also bought the Olympus OM-D E-M5 and fairly quickly sold both Fuji's! I now have two OM-D's.

 

I stayed away from 4/3rd's even though I would liked to have gone down that road, but the low ISO Kodak sensor's and reported inability of smooth OOF really put me off.

 

Then mFT came along and the OM-D in particular with it's Sony sensor, high ISO capability, class leading IBIS anti shake system, and some really great lenses from both Oly and Panasonic. The Lumix Leica mFT lenses are stellar on this camera and give nothing away in the bokeh stakes in my opinion.

 

Example: (Focus is on his whiskers and eyes)

 

Title: "Whiskers"

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