Review: Leica V-Lux (Typ 114)

Leica and Panasonic have an interesting working relationship. Some Panasonic cameras have Leica lenses that are produced in Panasonic's factory following Leica quality control measures. And some Panasonic cameras are essentially rebadged as Leica models. The V-Lux (Typ 114), for example is Leica's version of the popular Panasonic FZ1000 and like the D-Lux (aka Panasonic LX100), it's produced in Panasonic's factory.

Both have been covered already along with all the other latest camera reviews and news in the Techradar Camera Channel home page.

The (Typ 114), by the way, distinguishes the V-Lux from its predecessor, which was called the V-Lux 4 (confusingly) but was based on an the older Panasonic FZ200 bridge camera which has a smaller sensor.

As usual there is a price premium to pay for the Leica badge, but the V-Lux comes with a 3-year warrantee from Leica and a copy of Lightroom 5 for organising and processing your images.

Like the FZ1000, the V-Lux (Typ 114) is a bridge camera with a 16x zoom range and a focal length equivalent to 25-400mm. Both cameras have a Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 at the widest point and f/4 at the narrowest.

The 16x zoom range covers an effective 25-400mm.

Just like the FZ1000, the V-Lux is a direct competitor to the Sony RX10 which also has a (20.2Mp) 1-inch sensor, but the Sony's focal length range is restricted to the equivalent of 24-200mm, although the maximum aperture is a constant f/2.8 throughout the zoom range – the V-Lux's maximum aperture drops to f/4 at the equivalent of 175mm.

Inside the body is a 1-inch sensor (significantly larger than the 1/2.3-inch devices in most models), with 20.1 million pixels. The bigger sensor means larger photo-receptors, to allow more light to be captured and improve noise control, dynamic range and image quality as a whole.

Leica doesn't actually mention the V-Lux's processing engine, but it's a safe bet that it's the same Venus Engine as is found in the Panasonic FZ1000. This allows the native sensitivity to be set in the range ISO 80-12,500 with an expansion setting of ISO 25,000 – that's slightly different from the FZ1000 which tops out at ISO 12,800.The maximum continuous shooting speed is 12 frames per second.

There are exposure modes to suit enthusiasts (program, aperture priority, shutter priority and manual) along with a fully automatic mode and scene modes to help less experienced photographers. The V-Lux also has a mode that gives access to the same 22 filter effects available on the FZ1000. These effects are applied to JPEG files, but they can be used when shooting raw files simultaneously so that a clean file is available for processing.

The FZ1000 was the first bridge camera capable of 4K (3840 x 2160 pixel) video recording at up to 25fps (PAL) in MP4 format, and the V-Lux follows suit. While this may not impress some stills photographers, the fact that it's possible to extract 8Mp still images form 4K video may.

It's also possible to record video at Full HD and VGA resolution, but the V-Lux only allows MP4 recording while the FZ1000 can record in MP4 or AVCHD. The FZ1000's ability to record Full HD footage at 100fps is also absent in the V-Lux.

Like the FZ1000, the V-Lux has a collection of AF point selection options including, 49-Area, 1-Area AF, Pinpoint AF, Face Detection AF and the Custom Multi AF mode first seen in the GH4 that allows the user to select blocks, rows or columns of AF points for use. It's also possible to focus manually and Focus Peaking is available to show the areas of highest contrast (focus) – this is especially useful during video recording.

There is also a Zebra display for highlighting areas close to burning out. This can be set to indicate a brightness value of 50-105%.

It might look like an SLR, but the V-Lux's viewfinder is electronic rather than optical.

Naturally, as it's a bridge camera, the V-Lux's viewfinder is electronic rather than optical. This is a 2,359,000-dot OLED device, and there's a vari-angle 3-inch 921,000-dot LCD. As on the FZ1000, this screen is not touch-sensitive.

The V-Lux has Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity built-in for connecting to smartphones and tablets. In addition, Leica offers a free app (Image Shuttle) which enables the camera to be controlled remotely and images transferred wirelessly.

An intervalometer for time lapse recording, multiple exposure mode and a built-in flash, along with a hot-shoe for attaching an external flashgun, top-off the V-Lux's specification nicely.

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Leica Visoflex (Typ 020)

Pros Very sharp. Brings a big image to your eye. Tilting design with lock. Eye sensor. Diopter correction. Integrated GPS.

Cons Pricey. GPS can take a while to lock on. Bottom Line The Leica Visoflex (Typ 020) is one of the better add-on EVFs that you can get for a mirrorless camera system, but it's expensive.

By Jim Fisher

The Leica Visoflex (Typ 020) ($595) is the add-on EVF for the T (Typ 701) mirrorless camera. It's one of the better EVFs I've used—it packs more pixels than the Olympus VF-4—but, like most things Leica, it's expensive. If you decide to buy into the T system, it's a worthwhile add-on, as it's quite pleasant to use and also adds GPS capability to the camera.

The Visoflex, named after a classic Leica accessory that converted an M rangefinder into an SLR, connects to the T via its accessory shoe. It's an LCD finder with a staggering 3,700k-dot resolution, and it brings a very large image to your eye. I looked at it side by side with the OLED EVF Sony uses in its Alpha 7 cameras under identical conditions. The Visoflex is just a little bit bigger, noticeably sharper, and a bit brighter to my eye.

From a usability standpoint, it's excellent. There's an eye sensor that automatically switches from the rear LCD to the EVF when you bring it up to your eye. It's not overly sensitive like the one on the Sony Alpha 7, so I didn't have to struggle with my torso accidentally switching it on when using the rear LCD. The EVF locks into a straight back position, but can also tilt all the way up to 90 degrees. There's no locking at increments in that range, but the hinge is strong and holds steady in the position which you've set it. There's a -3 to +3 diopter to adjust for your vision.

The unique feature that the Visoflex brings to the table is GPS. Rather than build that functionality into the body, Leica opted to put it in the EVF. It's not the first time the company has taken that approach, as the M (Typ 240) has a multifunction handgrip accessory that adds GPS and a few additional ports. The GPS works well, accurately recording the position you were standing when a photograph was captured, but it does take a minute or two to acquire a signal. You'll want to pay attention to the satellite indicator on the camera's rear LCD (also shown in the EVF) to see if it has a signal—you'll probably have to leave the camera powered on for a couple of minutes in order to get the GPS to work when starting your day, but it locks on faster if you're staying in the same area to shoot.

If you decide to buy the T, I heartily recommend budgeting for the Visoflex (Typ 020) along with it, especially if you plan to use manual focus rangefinder lenses. It delivers a big, sharp image to your eye so you can focus with precision. It's also helpful on bright days. The T's rear display is plenty bright on its own accord, but the EVF is a lot more pleasant to use when sunlight is harsh. As an eyeglass wearer, I found myself having to cup my hand around it to really block out unwanted light, but that's the case with a lot of EVFs. Leica charges a lot for the Visoflex (Typ 020), but its quality is excellent. It's good enough that owners of other Leica cameras that use the older Visoflex EVF2 will be jealous that this new model isn't backward compatible.

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Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6

Pros Compact. Sharp through zoom range. Minimal distortion. Great build quality.

Cons Expensive. Lacks optical stabilization. Edges a little soft at widest angle. Some color fringing when shooting JPG. Bottom Line The Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 captures excellent images and is quite compact, but it's too expensive for what it is.

By Jim Fisher

The Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 ($1,750) is one of a pair of lenses that launched with the T (Typ 701) mirrorless camera. It's not Leica's first attempt at an autofocusing zoom with this range—the X Vario uses a similar zoom lens—but it's the first for an interchangeable camera system. The Vario-Elmar is quite compact and plenty sharp through its range, though edges are on the soft side at 18mm. But it doesn't include any sort of image stabilization system, and its f/3.5-5.6 variable aperture is unambitious as far as zoom lenses go.

The 18-56mm lens is designed to match the APS-C sensor used by the Leica T, so its field of view is more like a 27-84mm zoom on a full-frame camera system. At 2.8 by 2.6 inches (HD) and 11.6 ounces, it's fairly compact for a zoom lens, and its front element is on the small side, so you can use 52mm threaded filters. A reversible petal-style lens hood is included, as are the standard front and back caps and a carrying pouch. The lens can focus as close as 11.8 inches, which is typical for a zoom of this type.

The Vario-Elmar is styled just like a black Leica rangefinder lens. The focal lengths are marked in yellow at the base of the black metal barrel, and the 18, 24, 35, and 56mm positions are marked in white on the zoom ring. Both the zoom control and manual focus ring feature ridges, so they're easier to grip during operation. One thing that is missing from the lens is image stabilization. Most standard zoom lenses for competing systems zooms offer that function, including the Fujifilm Fujinon 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS for Fuji X mirrorless cameras. Stabilization helps to capture sharper images at longer shutter speeds, and also steadies handheld video.

I used Imatest to check to see how the lens performs with the only compatible camera at this time, the 16-megapixel T (Typ 701). At 18mm f/3.5 its performance is the weakest, but it still scores better than the 1,800 lines per picture height we require to call an image sharp. Its center-weighted score is 1,928 lines, with good even performance through most of the frame. The outer edges of the frame are a little bit soft (1,455 lines), but that's not atypical for a zoom of this design. There's very little sharpness to be gained by stopping down—at f/5.6 the score improves to 2,011 lines, which isn't a significant increase. Barrel distortion is very well controlled; images show about 1.4 percent, which is much less than most 18-55mm designs show.

At 35mm the distortion goes away, and the maximum aperture narrows to f/5. The lens scores 2,116 lines here, with solid performance through the edges of the frame (1,906 lines). Stopping down to f/8 shows a modest increase in the center-weighted score (2,212 lines) and edges (2,120 lines). At 56mm the maximum aperture is a narrow f/5.6, and the center-weighted score is still quite good (1,968 lines). The edges are just a hair shy of the 1,800-line mark at 1,747 lines, but they do hit 1,800 lines at f/8. Distortion is still a nonissue at 56mm.

There is some behind-the-scenes distortion correction going on in camera, but it's applied to both JPG and Raw output, so it's not anything you'll have to worry about when processing images. The processing varies a bit based on the file format. The camera leaves behind some yellow and purple color fringing at the edges of the frame when shooting in JPG, but Lightroom automatically removes it from the Raw file. Lightroom also applies a bit more advanced distortion correction, so if you shoot Raw+JPG and look at the images closely, you'll see that the Raw image has a slightly tighter field of view due to more aggressive distortion correction.

The Leica Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 is a fine performer from an optical standpoint, but for its asking price you'd expect optical stabilization, a wider aperture throughout its zoom range, or both. Leica equipment is generally priced at a premium, but even with that in mind the $1,750 sticker price seems on the high side, which prevents the zoom from getting a higher rating. If you've made the decision to invest in the T system, it's your only choice at the moment for zoom lenses. We'll have to wait and see what lenses Leica will release to round out the system in the future.

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Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2

Pros Very wide aperture. Sharp from edge to edge at f/1.2. No distortion. Optical stabilization system. Physical aperture ring. Fantastic build quality.

Cons Big. Heavy. Expensive. Bottom Line The Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2 is the best Micro Four Thirds lens we've seen for portraiture thanks to impeccable sharpness and a wide aperture. It's an easy Editors' Choice.

By Jim Fisher

Let's dispense with the downsides: The Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2 ($1,599.99) is big, heavy, and expensive. But it delivers edge-to-edge sharpness even at its widest aperture, captures a heck of a lot of light, shows no distortion, is optically stabilized, and makes it possible to capture images with a very shallow depth of field, which is not always the case with Micro Four Thirds cameras. If you can get past its bulk and price, you'll be rewarded with a lens that earns a very rare 5-star rating, which also makes it our Editors' Choice. If you're on a budget, the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f1.8 is a solid alternative, but its photos can't quite match the look of an image shot at f/1.2.

The Nocticron is hefty, especially when paired with a compact Micro Four Thirds camera. It measures 3 by 2.9 inches (HD), weighs 15 ounces, and supports 67mm front filters. It balances well with the Panasonic GX7, but I don't think I'd want to use it with the diminuitive Panasonic GM1. The barrel is metal, with a large manual focus ring and a physical aperture ring, and the included lens hood is also metal. It connects via a thumbscrew, and is cylindrical in design so there's no wrong way to attach it. The aperture ring has a setting for automatic operation, and full-stop markings from f/1.2 down to f/16, but can be adjusted in third-stop increments. Even though the Nocticron can be used with cameras from Olympus, the ring only functions on Panasonic bodies—you'll need to use the camera to adjust the aperture if you opt to mount the lens on an Olympus body.

Despite the focus ring being an electronic affair—turning it activates the focus motor rather than physically moving the elements—I found manual focus to be quite a pleasant experience. I wasn't turning and turning and turning the ring in order to adjust focus like I had to with the Zeiss Touit 2.8/50M, even when moving toward the 1.6-foot minimum focus distance. That the lens doesn't support macro focus distances helps speed the manual focus experience; if you're looking for macro capabilities in a lens with a similar field of view, Panasonic has you covered with the Lumix G Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm F2.8.

There's a physical switch on the barrel to toggle between manual and autofocus, and one to enable or disable the optical stabilization system. I recorded some handheld video with the system enabled and then with it disabled, and was happy to see that it did its job in smoothing out the motion of the footage. When you're working with stills, the f/1.2 aperture makes it possible to get a really short shutter speed in a lot of situations, but you will want to stop down to increase the depth of field in certain situations. It's not as shallow as the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM, a lens with an identical field of view when paired with a full-frame camera, so you can get away with shooting at f/2 or f/2.8 and getting enough depth of field to keep your subject entirely in focus. The aperture blades form a perfectly round circle, which works to create a smoother bokeh effect behind your subject when stopped down.

I used Imatest to check the sharpness and distortion characteristics when paired with the 16-megapixel GX7. At f/1.2 the lens bettered the 1,800-line center-weighted score we use to mark an image as sharp, recording 2,051 lines per picture height. There's very little falloff in image quality at the edges of the frame, as is often the case at the widest aperture; it even averaged 1,986 lines at the outer edge of the frame at f/1.2.

Stopping down to f/1.4 offers just a modest improvement in sharpness (2,082 lines), but at f/2 the score jumps to 2,338 lines, and it hits 2,489 lines at f/2.8. Peak sharpness is achieved at f/4 (2,502 lines). At f/5.6 there's a drop-off in detail due to diffraction, but you can stop down all the way to f/11 and get an acceptable image (1,947 lines). Distortion is a nonissue, it shows just 0.2 percent barrel distortion, which is completely irrelevant in real world shooting.

There aren't a lot of bad things to say about the Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2. I was happily surprised by the impeccable quality of the images it captured, even at its widest f/1.2 setting. The shallow depth of field that the longer focal length and wide aperture create gives photos the look of those captured with a much larger sensor. If you're a Micro Four Thirds photographer, and if you can stomach the Nocticron's price and bulk, this is a lens that should be on your wish list. It's about as close to perfect as they get from an optical standpoint, and easily earns our Editors' Choice award.

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Leica Summicron-T 23mm f/2 ASPH.

Pros Compact. Wide aperture. No distortion. Focuses to 1 foot.

Cons A little soft at f/2. Maximum aperture narrows at close focus distance. Expensive. Some color fringing when shooting JPG. Bottom Line The Leica Summicron-T 23mm f/2 ASPH. is very compact and captures a lot of light, but you need to stop it down a bit for true edge-to-edge clarity.

By Jim Fisher

Leica chose its first prime lens for the T mirrorless camera system wisely. The Leica Summicron-T 23mm f/2 ASPH. ($1,850) matches the field of view and light gathering capability of the quintessential Leica optic, the 35mm Summicron that has adorned many of its full-frame digital and 35mm rangefinder cameras. This new Summicron is an autofocus lens that covers a smaller APS-C image sensor, but it's quite compact and can focus closer than its M-mount cousins. And, while it doesn't deliver quite the impeccable performance that its price would dictate, it's a solid prime lens option for the T system, and one that does a better job capturing images with a shallow depth of field than the Vario-Elmar-T 18-56mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom that is also available for the T.

The lens measures just 1.5 by 2.5 inches (HD) and weighs a mere 5.4 ounces. That's noticeably smaller than the Sony Carl Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 lens (2.4 by 2.5 inches, 7.9 ounces) that's available for the competing E-mount camera system. The Summicron covers an almost identical field of view and gathers almost as much light, so its size is certainly worth noting. Using the included hood almost negates the svelte form factor, as it essentially doubles the height of the lens. But it is reversible for storage, which will save a bit of room in your camera bag.

The Summicron utilizes 52mm front filters; that's the same size that the Vario-Elmar-T employs, so you can share one set between the two lenses. The lens barrel is all metal, and there's a manual focus ring with a ridged design. Close focus is capable to about 1 foot (0.3-meter), but as you near the close end of the focus range, the T (Typ 701) narrows the iris—at the closest distance the Summicron's maximum aperture is f/2.8. While the logic behind this isn't clear, my guess is that the lens doesn't perform optimally at close distances without being stopped down.

The Fujifilm X100S, which features an APS-C sensor and a fixed 23mm f/2 lens, captures images with a very soft look at close distances at f/2; stopping it down to f/2.8 delivers a sharp image in the same shooting scenario. If that's the same case with the Summicron, I would have preferred that Leica make f/2 available and simply noted that you should narrow the iris to f/2.8 for optimal results in close-focus situations. The other side of the argument, and the one that Leica chose to agree with if it is indeed a sharpness issue, is that you don't want to have to concern yourself with the focus distance and adjust the aperture along with it when actually out shooting in the real world.

I used Imatest to check and see just how the lens performs when paired with the 16-megapixel T. At f/2 it betters the 1,800 lines per picture height we want to see on a center-weighted sharpness test, but not by much. It scores 1,837 lines, and the middle third (1,759 lines) and outer edges (1,440 lines) are both on the soft side. Stopping down to f/2.8 improves the overall score to 2,240 lines, with numbers that approach 2,000 lines through most of the frame. There is still a little bit of softness at the very edges (1,549 lines), but that's forgivable.

At f/4 the lens delivers very even performance across the frame, with a center-weighted score of 2,125 lines. The very edges of the frame are sharp here as well, showing 1,813 lines. The lens is sharpest at f/5.6 (2,144 lines). There's no sign of barrel distortion in images. If you shoot in JPG, there is some evidence of purple and yellow color fringing near the edges of the frame when shooting. It definitely gives edges a fuzzy feel at f/2, but lessens as you stop down. Interestingly enough, it's not visible in Raw DNG images once they've been imported into Lightroom. That means that the software knows to look for the color fringing and remove it automatically. Lightroom is included with the T, and even you shoot in JPG you can use the software to remove the unwanted colors from images with a few clicks.

If you're a prime lens shooter and have made the decision to go with the T system, the Leica Summicron-T 23mm f/2 ASPH. is the only game in town. It's a good lens, but some issues with sharpness at its maximum aperture and color fringing (if you're a JPG shooter) keep it from being a great one. It's performance doesn't quite live up to its asking price that, while a bargain compared with a full-frame M-mount 35mm Summicron ($3,195), is on the high side for a mirrorless lens. But Leica products command premium prices, and if you're smitten enough with the T's industrial design, and you're willing to pay the cost of entry to enter the T system, this is a solid lens option, especially for M-mount 35mm Summicron devotees.

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Leica T (Typ 701)

Pros Stunning design. Integrated Wi-Fi. Big 3.7-inch touch-screen LCD. Customizable interface. 16GB internal storage. Supports in-camera charging and includes external charger. Includes Adobe Lightroom license.

Cons Expensive. Touch focus capability needs work. No continuous autofocus support. Wi-Fi doesn't support direct smartphone connection. Android app not yet available. Proprietary strap system. Bottom Line The Leica T (Typ 701) features a stunning aluminum unibody design, but it's not as robust as its price tag implies.

By Jim Fisher

For a company that hasn't made any significant changes to the design of its flagship camera in the 60 years since the introduction of the M3, the Leica T (Typ 701) ($1,850, body only) is a bold statement. Its sleek aluminum unibody design is a huge departure from the classic aesthetics of the Leica M (Typ 240), and its forward-thinking, touch-screen interface is a reminiscent of the Android-powered Samsung Galaxy NX. The T is a great-looking camera, and the image quality that its 16-megapixel APS-C image sensor captures is excellent, with lots of detail through higher ISO settings thanks to a hands-off approach to in-camera noise reduction. But, because of some operating quirks, a high price tag, and the simple fact that competing models deliver more for your money, it's a tough camera to recommend. Our Editors' Choice for high-end mirrorless cameras is the Olympus OM-D E-M1, which is a fast-focusing, fast-shooting camera with a Micro Four Thirds image sensor.

Design and Features
There's no arguing the fact that the T is a gorgeous camera. Leica sent us a review unit in a silver finish, but it's also available to order in black. The body is cut from a single block of aluminum, and is hand polished, giving it a truly breathtaking look. It measures 2.7 by 5.3 by 1.3 inches (HWD) and weighs 13.6 ounces without a lens. It's fairly small compared with other premium mirrorless cameras, though not that far off in size from the Fujifilm X-Pro1 (3.2 by 5.5 b 1.7 inches, 15.9 ounces), which is a little bit bigger, but includes an integrated viewfinder.

The body doesn't include standard strap lugs. Instead, there's a hole on either side of the body, accessible only by using a special tool (or, in my case, a bent paper clip) to eject the protective covers. The included silicone strap plugs right in, but I found it a bit too short for my liking. I wasn't able to use the standard long leather strap from Tap & Dye that I prefer to use with mirrorless cameras, so I opted for a wrist strap that screws into the tripod socket to secure the T in my hands. The polished aluminum looks great, but I wouldn't feel comfortable holding onto the body without a strap of some sort. It just doesn't feel as steady in my hand as a camera with a more traditional finish.

All of the T's physical controls are located on its top plate, to the right of the accessory hot shoe and pop-up flash. There are two control dials, a power switch and shutter release, and the video record button. That's it. If you want to shoot with the T, you're going to have to get used to using a touch screen to configure and supplement the two control dials.

At 3.7 inches, the rear display is big. It packs 1,300k-dots into that space, giving it an extremely sharp appearance. I had no issues using it outdoors on bright days, but I did miss the tilting rear display that Fujifilm includes in its top-end X-T1. The X-T1 includes an integrated electronic viewfinder. If you want to add that functionality to the T, you'll have to invest in the Visoflex (Typ 020) EVF. At nearly $600, the Visoflex is a pricey add-on, but it does include an integrated GPS module.

The rear display's touch sensitivity is excellent, on par with a good smartphone, and the user interface is responsive. It's a 16:9 aspect ratio, so the 3:2 Live View feed only takes up part of the screen. A column of touch controls runs along the right side; it adjusts the shooting mode, accesses the menu, and toggles the amount of information displayed over the Live View feed. If you're worried you'll accidentally activate one of these controls while shooting, fear not; the entire column can be disabled or enabled with a tap. There's no button to review images; instead you just swipe up from the bottom of the screen to switch to Playback mode.

The standard shooting modes—Program, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Manual—are available via the Mode setting. Leica also includes a number of preset Scene modes (Auto, Sports, Portrait, Landscape, Night Portrait, Snow/Beach, Fireworks, Candle Light, and Sunset), which surprised me. Scene modes on a Leica seem out of place.

Tapping the camera icon below the Mode icon takes you to the main shooting menu. From here you can control any number of settings. By default there are eight settings on the screen, arranged in a 3-by-3 grid. The ninth position is a plus sign, which allows you to add any available setting to the grid. You can also press and hold any icon to drag it to the trash. With a little effort, you can customize the menu so that it gives you quick access to the settings you use frequently. There's a wrench and screwdriver icon at the top of right column that offers access to all available menu settings.

The function of the right control dial varies by mode—it adjusts the aperture when shooting Aperture Priority, the shutter speed in Shutter Priority, and the shutter speed in Manual mode. If you're not shooting in Manual, which dedicates it to aperture control, the left dial is customizable. You can set it to adjust exposure compensation, set the ISO, adjust the white balance, change the focus mode, enable the self-timer, or change the flash mode.

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Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2

Pros Very wide aperture. Sharp from edge to edge at f/1.2. No distortion. Optical stabilization system. Physical aperture ring. Fantastic build quality.

Cons Big. Heavy. Expensive. Bottom Line The Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2 is the best Micro Four Thirds lens we've seen for portraiture thanks to impeccable sharpness and a wide aperture. It's an easy Editors' Choice.

By Jim Fisher

Let's dispense with the downsides: The Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2 ($1,599.99) is big, heavy, and expensive. But it delivers edge-to-edge sharpness even at its widest aperture, captures a heck of a lot of light, shows no distortion, is optically stabilized, and makes it possible to capture images with a very shallow depth of field, which is not always the case with Micro Four Thirds cameras. If you can get past its bulk and price, you'll be rewarded with a lens that earns a very rare 5-star rating, which also makes it our Editors' Choice. If you're on a budget, the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 45mm f1.8 is a solid alternative, but its photos can't quite match the look of an image shot at f/1.2.

The Nocticron is hefty, especially when paired with a compact Micro Four Thirds camera. It measures 3 by 2.9 inches (HD), weighs 15 ounces, and supports 67mm front filters. It balances well with the Panasonic GX7, but I don't think I'd want to use it with the diminuitive Panasonic GM1. The barrel is metal, with a large manual focus ring and a physical aperture ring, and the included lens hood is also metal. It connects via a thumbscrew, and is cylindrical in design so there's no wrong way to attach it. The aperture ring has a setting for automatic operation, and full-stop markings from f/1.2 down to f/16, but can be adjusted in third-stop increments. Even though the Nocticron can be used with cameras from Olympus, the ring only functions on Panasonic bodies—you'll need to use the camera to adjust the aperture if you opt to mount the lens on an Olympus body.

Despite the focus ring being an electronic affair—turning it activates the focus motor rather than physically moving the elements—I found manual focus to be quite a pleasant experience. I wasn't turning and turning and turning the ring in order to adjust focus like I had to with the Zeiss Touit 2.8/50M, even when moving toward the 1.6-foot minimum focus distance. That the lens doesn't support macro focus distances helps speed the manual focus experience; if you're looking for macro capabilities in a lens with a similar field of view, Panasonic has you covered with the Lumix G Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm F2.8.

There's a physical switch on the barrel to toggle between manual and autofocus, and one to enable or disable the optical stabilization system. I recorded some handheld video with the system enabled and then with it disabled, and was happy to see that it did its job in smoothing out the motion of the footage. When you're working with stills, the f/1.2 aperture makes it possible to get a really short shutter speed in a lot of situations, but you will want to stop down to increase the depth of field in certain situations. It's not as shallow as the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM, a lens with an identical field of view when paired with a full-frame camera, so you can get away with shooting at f/2 or f/2.8 and getting enough depth of field to keep your subject entirely in focus. The aperture blades form a perfectly round circle, which works to create a smoother bokeh effect behind your subject when stopped down.

I used Imatest to check the sharpness and distortion characteristics when paired with the 16-megapixel GX7. At f/1.2 the lens bettered the 1,800-line center-weighted score we use to mark an image as sharp, recording 2,051 lines per picture height. There's very little falloff in image quality at the edges of the frame, as is often the case at the widest aperture; it even averaged 1,986 lines at the outer edge of the frame at f/1.2.

Stopping down to f/1.4 offers just a modest improvement in sharpness (2,082 lines), but at f/2 the score jumps to 2,338 lines, and it hits 2,489 lines at f/2.8. Peak sharpness is achieved at f/4 (2,502 lines). At f/5.6 there's a drop-off in detail due to diffraction, but you can stop down all the way to f/11 and get an acceptable image (1,947 lines). Distortion is a nonissue, it shows just 0.2 percent barrel distortion, which is completely irrelevant in real world shooting.

There aren't a lot of bad things to say about the Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2. I was happily surprised by the impeccable quality of the images it captured, even at its widest f/1.2 setting. The shallow depth of field that the longer focal length and wide aperture create gives photos the look of those captured with a much larger sensor. If you're a Micro Four Thirds photographer, and if you can stomach the Nocticron's price and bulk, this is a lens that should be on your wish list. It's about as close to perfect as they get from an optical standpoint, and easily earns our Editors' Choice award.

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