Panasonic 100mm/2.8 Macro

[jrp]

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And, at f2.8, the backgrounds seem v smooth.  At under 300g, this lens is a winner:

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[tom0511]

Some from today on the SL2-S in north-Germany (Föhr).

 

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[jrp]

This macro business is hard:

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I didn't even notice the greenfly when I was shooting, and the depth of field is very limited (here at f5.6).  But the reality is that this is a Great Leap Forward, compared to what I was able to achieve which my Nikon DSLR, back in the day, in this case sans tripod.  To take such pictures to the next level, I fear that we are in the photo stacking world.

[LanceR]

I thought folks may want to know that the Digital Camera World posted an update to their review article of this lens.  They indicated that the lens they originally used for the Imatest was damaged during transit.  Here is the updated test result, which is substantially different than the original posted on this thread.

 

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[jrp]

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[rsh]

If Leica does not introduce a 100 Macro of their own design and likely to be very expensive, I hope they will introduce a Re Engineered  LUMIX 100.  

[rim_light]

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Lumix 100mm @5.6 on a SL3 (ISO200)

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[Olaf_ZG]

Today I had this lens on my SL, just to try. Having the 24-90 and SL lux, man, this lens is lightweight! Didn’t bought it though, cause I am not sure if I need this lens.

(actually I don’t need it, so good that I didn’t buy it)

[tom0511]

It's a fun lens and I use it often now. 

Its so light that there is not much reason to not put it in the bag.

It looks like the focus limiter switch on the lens doesn't work with the SL3 though.

 

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[ells@watleo.uwaterloo.ca]

I am looking at the Panasonic or Sigma macro for my l mount Leica.  While I have reviewed the reviews and examined the MTF charts, my question is how much of the corrections in the lens (Panasonic in particular) are due to software adjustment which would be native to the body (I presume).  In this case, this would have to be also in the Leica software, or the computer software (I use Capture One 22).  The question is this the case for the corrections of these lens, and are they also in the Leica workflow?

Thanks for the insight!

Ells

 

[BernardC]

12 hours ago, ells@watleo.uwaterloo.ca said:

my question is how much of the corrections in the lens (Panasonic in particular) are due to software adjustment which would be native to the body (I presume).

We don't know the full details of what's required by the L-mount Alliance, but all indications are that the necessary corrections are communicated to the camera body.

For instance, when you shoot video with a Lumix 20-60 on a Leica or Sigma body, distortion-correction happens in real time. 

Personally, I would go for the Sigma macro if I needed the absolute best image quality for high megapixels and big enlargements, and for the Lumix macro if I wanted the best portability. There's a lot to be said for a smaller lens that you keep in your bag, compared to a bigger lens that stays at home.

[ZoomP]

Hi, just got the only copy available locally. Quick check for those having this lens, is there a noticeable internal barrel movement when you hold the lens in your hand? When I tilt the lens upward and downward, I can feel something drops inside the barrel.  It's a bit like having IBIS on the lens except we know there's no IS for this lens.

[helged]

4 hours ago, ZoomP said:

Hi, just got the only copy available locally. Quick check for those having this lens, is there a noticeable internal barrel movement when you hold the lens in your hand? When I tilt the lens upward and downward, I can feel something drops inside the barrel.  It's a bit like having IBIS on the lens except we know there's no IS for this lens.

Yes, there is some movement - presumeably of an optical element - if you quickly move the lens. I havn’t been thinking about this at all; it’s a very nice lens.

[ZoomP]

Thanks for the reply. Good to know I didn’t get a defective copy. Yes, a great lens. It does sometimes lose focus on my sl2s but when it’s in focus, the AF relatively fast.

[SrMi]

On 7/29/2024 at 2:06 PM, ells@watleo.uwaterloo.ca said:

I am looking at the Panasonic or Sigma macro for my l mount Leica.  While I have reviewed the reviews and examined the MTF charts, my question is how much of the corrections in the lens (Panasonic in particular) are due to software adjustment which would be native to the body (I presume).  In this case, this would have to be also in the Leica software, or the computer software (I use Capture One 22).  The question is this the case for the corrections of these lens, and are they also in the Leica workflow?

Since lens corrections are not baked in, you can remove them using a tool like DNG Cleaner and compare it with the original one. Some post processors may allow you to turn lens corrections off. The lens correction data embedded in the DNGs should be the same regardless of the camera used. Can anyone confirm that?

[huwm]

18 hours ago, BernardC said:

We don't know the full details of what's required by the L-mount Alliance, but all indications are that the necessary corrections are communicated to the camera body.

For instance, when you shoot video with a Lumix 20-60 on a Leica or Sigma body, distortion-correction happens in real time. 

Personally, I would go for the Sigma macro if I needed the absolute best image quality for high megapixels and big enlargements, and for the Lumix macro if I wanted the best portability. There's a lot to be said for a smaller lens that you keep in your bag, compared to a bigger lens that stays at home.

I have had both but not at the same time

Passed on the Sigma and acquired the Panny for exactly that reason, no drop in quality to my eye/purposes and I actually use it!

[ZoomP]

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[Aram Langhans]

On 1/10/2024 at 7:34 AM, Ivar B said:

Agreed, but there is also the question of affordability. I owned the Apo-Macro 2.8/100mm many years back. At the time, there was nothing like ut. I have not seen any comparisons, but I expect todays macro lenses such as the Sigma 105mm to match it. A comparison would have been interesting. 

Been reading this thread with interest.  I have the Q3 as my only Leica now, but had the R system with the 100 APO.  Converted it to Nikon mount when I went digital back in about 2010 and use it now on my Nikon Z with the appropriate adapter. An amazing lens.  My father-in-law bought the Nikon 105/2.8 G and I had the opportunity to do a comparison a few years ago and the APO blew it away wide open and at smaller stops.  I had thought that a more modern lens would have performed better than that old design but i was wrong.  I am now wondering if the Nikon Z 105 Macro would match or surpass the APO since the other Z lenses far exceed the performance of their F mount predecessors. 

If Leica would produce their own macro in L mount I would consider the SL body.  Or does anybody know if the Sigma or Panny Macro meets or exceeds the 100 APO R lens. 

[chris_tribble]

Well - I have been enjoying this lens.  As a walk around, it opens up lot of landscape possibilities. Close fore-ground, mid-distance and far-distance can be engaged with in really interesting ways and it's so agreeably light on the SL2! I'm still getting used to it (the absence of lens stabilisation is a minor annoyance - though of course IBIS helps), but it's proving to be a remarkably flexible tool

I bought it for slide / negative copying and dedicated macro - but I can see it's going to have a wider use than this.  😊  Some examples below:

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Hallo,

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[40mm f/2]

On 1/19/2024 at 6:48 PM, Babylonia said:

Already noticed by MTF differences Lumix 100mm macro lens versus Sigma 105mm macro lens.
The Sigma lens do have the advantage as for optics.

In meanwhile other testing / reviews are published.
You can make a comparison by same lens testing methods used for Lumix lens and Sigma lens.

Showing recent  Digital Camera World  “Imatest”  -  Lumix S 100mm f/2.8 Macro:  Lab Results do show this:

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Over two years back  Digital Camera World  “Imatest”  -  Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro Art:  Lab Results do show this:

 

The quality of the Sigma lens undoubtedly is the best choice as it comes to "optical" characteristics.
And in line what an  independent user photographing “micro chip wafers”  experience found out for the Sigma lens as well.

Cards are shuffled again.
 

If one looks at other publications one gets a quite different result https://www.ephotozine.com/article/panasonic-lumix-s-100mm-f-2-8-macro-lens-review-3678

my experience with when I rented that lens is more in tune with that measurement but there was a big hair in the soup, actually a mayor dust particle visible in every picture, something QC should have not missed.