90-280/2.8-4

[sillbeers15]

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To me it is no surprise that Panasonic has input in Leica SL's VE lenses design as these are Auto Focus lenses. The micro motor drive system to establish focusing contain micro motor/s, Lens linear movement design and Printed Circuit Board design on stability compensation. Which in my opinion means there is life for these lenses when the electronics components becomes obsolete. It is why I am happy to hear a third party AF adapter available for M lenses in development. It means I can keep my manual M lenses to gain AF capability. Just imagine you have to pay an equal $ or more for a AF prime lens as an M lens and twenty years down the road, the AF equivalent just becomes worthless and useless due to technology change

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[cpclee]

The text on the page says the patent granted is related to the OIS and inner focus mechanisms of this lens.  The optical formula doesn't seem to be the subject of the patent.

 

I would't be surprised if Leica worked with Panasonic on the electronic aspects of the lens -- they'd have to collaborate with or source components from someone, Panasonic or otherwise, for these sort of things. I doubt however that there would be an incentive to let Panasonic take charge of the optical design.  Leica understands the importance of perception when a premium lens is designed by themselves.  However good Panasonic's optical design capabilities is another story.  All of the Japanese consumer electronics firms have deep capabilities in designing very high grade, industrial grade products and parts even if they are most often associated with mid to low price consumer products.

[wlaidlaw]

It might just be as simple that if Leica wanted to patent various aspects of the lens in Japan, it was easier to have a Japanese company do this than a German one. A separate inter-company agreement could cover the "what if" in the event of Leica falling out with Panasonic or just terminating their cooperation. Minolta used to apply for patents in respect of Leica R and compact/mini camera equipment.  

 

Wilson

[steppenw0lf]

By accident I found a great looking Leica lens. Unfortunately it turned out to be only for Panasonic cameras.

But what a ZOOM !!!  Equivalent to 200-800 on the SL http://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/cameras-camcorders/lumix-g-lenses/h-rs100400e.html

 

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That could be useful on safari ...      I wonder how the IQ is. And the price ...

Edited August 27, 2016 by steppenw0lf

[wlaidlaw]

I thought about getting that lens for my Olympus EP-5 but then I sat and thought: "How many times have I used my Olympus 75-300 (150-600 EFOV) ED Mk.2?"  Very seldom was the answer, so I could not begin to justify the cost of the Pana/Leica, which is £1300 in the UK. 

 

Wilson

[steppenw0lf]

This is a very low price (comparatively) for such a big Leica lens. I wonder if it is produced by Leica or Panasonic (not that it really matters).

For safari and for macro, fourthirds could be interesting (smaller lenses, more DoF). Leica has only very few lenses with this name, but there is a macro and of course a 1.4/25 (1.4/50mm equivalent, though it is probably quite different to the real 1.4/50 ) .  

[dkCambridgeshire]

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This is a very low price (comparatively) for such a big Leica lens. I wonder if it is produced by Leica or Panasonic (not that it really matters).

For safari and for macro, fourthirds could be interesting (smaller lenses, more DoF). Leica has only very few lenses with this name, but there is a macro and of course a 1.4/25 (1.4/50mm equivalent, though it is probably quite different to the real 1.4/50 ) .  

 

 

 

A 4/3 format 25/1.4 lens is actually equivalent to a FF 50/2.8 lens i.e. has the same DOF as the 50/2.8. Furthermore, the FF format is capable of being used at higher ISO with less noise that the 4/3 format.

 

dunk 

[steppenw0lf]

My 90-280 is perfect - would not want to miss it.

But this Pana/Leica looks really great, like the old R lenses and the hood is built in - a feature I regard as the epitome of the good old Leica lenses.

I am very positively surprised by this lens collection (only 3 lenses as far as I see).

I would rather add this than an X1D. And the photos are great. The bird pictures have probably been made with less effort than your robin photos. Not to speak of the handling  of the 800mm.  

Of course difficult to guess the real quality difference.

Edited August 27, 2016 by steppenw0lf

[wlaidlaw]

The micro four thirds sensor is not a million miles away in area from the APS C/T crop sensor size on the SL, albeit 4 x 3 and 21.6 x17.3mm for MFT rather than 3 x 2  and 23.6 x 15.7 for SL crop . So on that basis you could say the 90-280 was equivalent to a 144-448mm, if you only use the T sized area of the centre of the image. At some point, I would imagine Leica will bring out a 1.4X or 2X extender. 

 

Wilson

[dkCambridgeshire]

My 90-280 is perfect - would not want to miss it.

But this Pana/Leica looks really great, like the old R lenses and the hood is built in - a feature I regard as the epitome of the good old Leica lenses.

I am very positively surprised by this lens collection (only 3 lenses as far as I see).

I would rather add this than an X1D. And the photos are great. The bird pictures have probably been made with less effort than your robin photos. Not to speak of the handling  of the 800mm.  

Of course difficult to guess the real quality difference.

 

 

There are 7 Leica-Panasonic M4/3 lenses  … plus 4 regular 4/3 Leica-Panasonic lenses each of which can be used on any M4/3 camera via the Olympus 4/3 to M4/3 adapter … latter includes the superb but very scarce and discontinued Leica Panasonic 14-150mm f3.5/5.6 4/3 lens. 

 

dunk

Edited August 27, 2016 by dkCambridgeshire

[Ron Weissman]

Last weekend, mostly as an experiment, I used the SL + 90-280 to shoot an outdoor theatrical production. I was positioned about 120 feet from the stage on a platform about 20 feet above the stage; illumination (except for flash during the curtain call) was provided entirely by highly variable stage lighting. Shooting manual let me choose the aperture I needed (which varied from background blur closeups of individual actors to wide and deep ensemble shots with as many as 20 actors on stage) while keeping the shutter speed fast enough to capture blur-free images of the action. Unfortunately, I cannot post any images as they are all private, controlled by the theatrical organization. 

 

I shot about 400 images across the 90- 280 range using AUTO ISO set to 800 - 6400, all in manual mode with shutter speed between 1/160 and 1/200. About 90% were tripod mounted but 10% could not be captured using the tripod, so I hand held the SL (still affixed to the tripod) as necessary---always with stabilization turned off, since there was no time to mess with settings. (It is too bad that IS isn't controlled on the lens barrel.)

 

Coming from a Canon 5DIII/F4 70-200 IS (and Sony A7R2 using the Sony F4 70-200 FE), I was really amazed at the results with the SL 90-280. Razor sharp, fantastic/accurate color, and fewer than 1% of the shots having focus issues (either out of focus or front/back focused).  For curtain calls/credits only, I used a SF64 flash, and all but one of about 50 shots were well exposed. (SF64 in TTL mode with camera settings as before (in manual mode).   Noise never was a  problem, except for an occasional bit of dark scenery fabric or the unavoidable night sky captured in wide angle ensemble shots--easily cleaned up by darkening the shadows only slightly. Where shots did need a bit of post processing in LR, the files could be manipulated readily and where shadows needed to be opened up, this never created noisy or problematic files.

 

The theatrical group was quite pleased with the results--and since the images needed less post processing than most shoots I've done for them, the client received the images within two days of the production, in time for unexpected (for them) inclusion in their newsletter.

 

I am really impressed with the 90-280 (and the SL's higher ISO performance) and will now use the SL+90-280 as my regular theatrical kit.  My only **slight** complaint is the weight of this combo + the SF64 flash. But the results are more than worth a tiny bit of discomfort. 

 

Ron Weissman

[Ingo]

and since the images needed less post processing than most shoots I've done for them, the client received the images within two days of the production, in time for unexpected (for them) inclusion in their newsletter.

 

 

 

For me this is the most important advantage of using the SL (beside the impressive quality of the hardware and the IQ) as a professional. The SL allows a timesaving workflow and I got much more sleep since I use it.

[LocalHero1953]

I shot about 400 images across the 90- 280 range using AUTO ISO set to 800 - 6400, all in manual mode with shutter speed between 1/160 and 1/200. About 90% were tripod mounted but 10% could not be captured using the tripod, so I hand held the SL (still affixed to the tripod) as necessary---always with stabilization turned off, since there was no time to mess with settings. (It is too bad that IS isn't controlled on the lens barrel.)

I agree this would be the best solution. The best workaround I have is to assign OIS on/off function to the Video button. It just drops you into the menu at the right place, requiring a couple of button presses, but it doesn't require much thought.

[wlaidlaw]

I did some testing on a tripod with OIS on and off. I found it did not seem to make much difference, if any, turning OIS off when using on a tripod. I expected to be able to see a marked deterioration but I really could not spot it. Therefore, even when using on a tripod, I just leave OIS on. Like Paul I have assigned OIS position on the menu to a button (a long press on button #28, the LV button), so if I decide at a later point that I am wrong and OIS on a tripod really does make a difference, it is there. Now the only proviso I would make is that this testing was on a lightweight wooden Berlebach tripod and the results might be different on my very large rock solid Manfrotto 074B. 

 

Wilson

[steppenw0lf]

There are 7 Leica-Panasonic M4/3 lenses  … plus 4 regular 4/3 Leica-Panasonic lenses each of which can be used on any M4/3 camera via the Olympus 4/3 to M4/3 adapter … latter includes the superb but very scarce and discontinued Leica Panasonic 14-150mm f3.5/5.6 4/3 lens. 

 

dunk

 

Dunk,

thanks for the details - did not know that the older 4/3 could be adapted. But I still wonder what is the best M4/3 camera: A panasonic seems "natural" regarding the lens functionality, but Olympus seems to be regarded as more professional. What is your favourite (apart from SL  ) ?

[wlaidlaw]

Dunk,

thanks for the details - did not know that the older 4/3 could be adapted. But I still wonder what is the best M4/3 camera: A panasonic seems "natural" regarding the lens functionality, but Olympus seems to be regarded as more professional. What is your favourite (apart from SL  ) ?

 

A lot comes down to whether you want OIS (Panasonic) or IBIS (Olympus). I don't know whose sensors Panasonic use but Olympus use Sony, which have a very good reputation. My EP-5 has a 16MP sensor which is very good and I would say its low light performance is better than my M240 and close to on a par with my SL. The newer Olympus Pen F has a 20MP sensor and the EVF built in, with the slight downside that the body is inevitably a little bigger than an EP-5 without the VF-4 finder mounted. The out of camera JPEG's are sufficiently good that I only rarely bother with RAW from the Olympus. The performance of the EP-5 is definitely somewhat better than my Panasonic made Leica C112 but given the relative sizes, this is no less than you would expect. The 14-42 pancake Mk.2 lens with its self opening lens cap is very convenient. I suspect the Leica branded Panasonic lenses are better than even the professional grade Olympus ones by a small margin but have not used them to any extent so this is not from personal experience. The early Olympus professional grade lenses had a reputation for mechanical fragility. 

 

Wilson

[dkCambridgeshire]

Dunk,

thanks for the details - did not know that the older 4/3 could be adapted. But I still wonder what is the best M4/3 camera: A panasonic seems "natural" regarding the lens functionality, but Olympus seems to be regarded as more professional. What is your favourite (apart from SL  ) ?

 

 

I have too many cameras and lenses and much as I enjoyed using 4/3 and M4/3 for their compactness I've 'almost' decided to part with the accumulated 4/3 and M4/3 inventory … as have several friends. None of us like the cameras' menus. However, the Panasonic/Leica 100-400 is very tempting for bird photography and is one reason to maybe keep my Olympus EM 1 and Panasonic GH-3 . I spoke to a professional bird photographer at Birdfair 2016 who uses the Panasonic/Leica 100-400mm with excellent results - but he also uses Canon and obtains better results with Canon pro quality tele lenses. I'm sitting on the fence especially as have the SL and would like to acquire the 90-280mm - especially if a 1.4x extender might eventually be available. Selling my 280/4R would almost pay for a 90-280SL  However, my favourite camera is still the R9/DMR (simple & uncomplicated)  especially for bird photography (long term egret project) and with the 280/4R plus APO extenders provides 767mm equivalent. I need to try the Panasonic/Leica 100-400mm but no local dealer has a demo lens. M4/3 cameras are an acquired taste - they have +ve and -ve attributes; there are many available secondhand at £€reasonable and are an easy 'sell-on again' if a recent model is chosen. The M4/3 camera body market is very competitive and you'd likely be pleased with any Panasonic or Olympus high-end model.   I'll wait until Photokina to decide whether to make a clean break from 4/3 format … but for the time being the PanaLeica 100-400 is still tempting. If I decide to acquire the lens i'd likely also upgrade to a M4/3 camera offering 4K video (for the jpeg stills potential) 

 

Maybe not a helpful reply and raises the question as to whether the quality from M4/3 can really compete with FF … but the M4/3 compactness can be a distinct advantage. Choice also depends on what the images are used for e.g. print size, forum publication, PDIs or agency/picture library submissions. 

 

dunk

[TheGodParticle/Hari]

Do I understand correctly that the PanaLeica 14-150 will work on the SL? Or did something get lost in translation?

 

 

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[wlaidlaw]

Do I understand correctly that the PanaLeica 14-150 will work on the SL? Or did something get lost in translation?

 

 

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In a word - no. 

[TheGodParticle/Hari]

In a word - no.

Thanks Wilson