Leica D Summilux 25mm f/1.4 ASPH

[Paul Shields]

What a mouthful for a lens . Anyway, all the talk seems to be pointing to this being released in the next month or so (PMA maybe?). Personally this is the lens I've been waiting for (though a Zuiko variant would have been just as welcome - and no doubt cheaper). Shame it's going to be so weighty .

On the Pany website it also says it's well suited for macro shooting. I'm not entirely convinced by that looking at the minimum focusing distance - 0.38 seems rather average and longer than a lot of the ZD lenses that have close-up ability.

Still, it'll be a great lens for low light shooting, though just a bit too bulky and heavy to match up with something like the E-400. I find the f/2 50mm works nicely in this mode - small enough to balance well, but a sharp f/1.4 (and I'm sure the PanyLeica will be pretty sharp wide open) would be even better.

Lens Construction: 10 elements in 9 groups (1 Aspherical lenses, 3 ED lenses and 1 Super ED lens)
Mount : Four Thirds mount
Focal Length: f=25mm (35mm film camera equivalent 50mm)
Aperture Type: 7 diaphragm blades / iris diaphragm
Aperture Range: F1.4
Minimum Aperture: F16
Closest Focusing Distance: 0.38m / 14.96in
Maximum magnification: Apporox. 0.18x (35mm film camera equivalent)
Diagonal Angle of View: 46°
Filter Size: 62mm
Max.Diameter: φ77.7mm / 3.06in
Overall Length: 75mm / 3.06in
Weight: 525g / 18.5oz
Standard Accessory: Lens Cap, Lens Hood, Lens Rear Cap, Lens Storage Bag

[Mr. Pickles]

f/1.4 comes at a price. Well, price and weight....

[cyclohexane]

Looks like a very nice lens.... too bad it's a 50mm equivalent. I don't really use the traditional 50mm length on 24x36mm imaging media too much.

On the Pany website it also says it's well suited for macro shooting. I'm not entirely convinced by that looking at the minimum focusing distance - 0.38 seems rather average and longer than a lot of the ZD lenses that have close-up ability.

Thanks to Sigma's (and other manufacturers') marketing, anything that remotely approaches 1:3 magnification is considered "macro". The Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 Macro has a minimum focusing distance of over 3 and a half feet.

[Paul Shields]

Originally Posted by cyclohexane

Looks like a very nice lens.... too bad it's a 50mm equivalent.* I don't really use the traditional 50mm length on 24x36mm imaging media too much.

I sort of know where you're coming from on that as I've tended to ignore the 'classical' 50mm FL myself. Maybe 'normal' = bland .

Thanks to Sigma's (and other manufacturers') marketing, anything that remotely approaches 1:3 magnification is considered "macro".* The Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 Macro has a minimum focusing distance of over 3 and a half feet.

Ahh, interesting. Seems like Sigma follow the Orwellian newspeak approach. I do feel PanyLeica are definitely pushing it a bit when saying this is a macro lens...

One other thing - pity they haven't included 'MEGA OIS' as with the 14-50mm. I guess they feel it's not so significant on such a fast prime - and I'll wage bets (OK - 10p max) that Olympus will produce a body with built-in IS at the PMA.