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Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Summilux Lens
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Return this item for free
Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
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Purchase options and add-ons
Brand | Panasonic |
Focal Length Description | 25mm F/1.4 Prime Lens |
Lens Type | Standard |
Compatible Mountings | Micro Four Thirds |
Camera Lens Description | 25 month |
About this item
- LEICA DG QUALITY – LEICA DG Mirrorless Micro Four Thirds lenses provide the ultimate in optical quality and performance. LEICA DG Lenses meet the strict quality standards set by Leica Camera AG.
- F1.4 APERTURE - High-speed F1.4 LEICA DG SUMMILUX lens with outstanding image rendering and exquisite soft-focusing effect.
- RUGGED DESIGN – Dust and splash*-resistant design withstands heavy field use under harsh conditions for high mobility
- COATED OPTICS - Nano Surface Coating by Panasonic ends unwanted ghosting and flaring
- FILTER THREAD – For greater creative control this lens offers a 46mm thread mount for polarizer and other options lens filters.
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Price | $647.99$647.99 | -10% $447.99$447.99 Typical: $497.99 | $237.49$237.49 | -11% $797.99$797.99 List: $899.99 | -41% $147.99$147.99 List: $249.99 | $597.99$597.99 |
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Customer Ratings | ||||||
Auto focus | 3.4 | 4.9 | — | — | 4.3 | 4.8 |
Quality of material | 4.1 | — | — | — | 4.4 | 4.9 |
Sold By | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Electronics Basket | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
lens type | Standard | Wide Angle | Standard | Wide Angle | Standard | Fisheye |
compatible mountings | Micro Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds | Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds | Micro Four Thirds |
lens design | Zoom | Prime | Zoom | Zoom | Zoom | Prime |
focus type | Auto Focus | Auto Focus | — | automatic | Auto Focus | Stepper motor |
minimum focal length | 25 millimeters | 9 millimeters | 12 millimeters | 12 millimeters | 25 millimeters | 15 millimeters |
max focal length | 35 millimeters | 9 millimeters | 32 millimeters | 35 millimeters | 25 millimeters | 15 millimeters |
fixed focal length | 35 millimeters | 9 millimeters | 32 millimeters | 35 millimeters | 25 millimeters | 15 millimeters |
model name | H-XA025 | H-X09 | H-FS12032K | H-ES12035 | H-H025K | lumix |
max aperture | 1.4 millimeters | 1.7 f stop | 3.5 f stop | 2.8 f stop | 22 millimeters | 1.7 f stop |
From the manufacturer
Smooth Rendering Plus Rugged Splash-Resistance
A 25mm F1.4 lens with superb image quality and minimum distortion. Featuring class-leading F1.4 LEICA DG optics with high-speed, high-precision AF built into a rugged exterior ready for all seasons.
LUMIX G Leica DG Lens – Ultimate Optics
Opt for a Leica DG lens and get the ultimate in optical quality and performance. The sophisticated design means brilliant clarity and distortions prevented to enable precise, sharp picture rendering.
Nano Surface Coating – clarity from all angles
Put an end to unwanted ghosting and flaring - the Nano Surface Coating has been applied to lenses in the system to bring crystal-clear pictures even if you’re photographing a light source in the dark.
Lens Construction and MTF Chart
Lens Construction: 9 elements in 7 groups–2 aspherical lenses, 1 Ultra High Refractive Index lens
MTF: For lenses that are capable of compensating distortion, the horizontal axis of the MTF shows the distance from the center of the corrected image.
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Product information
Product Dimensions | 4.03 x 4.03 x 4.84 inches |
---|---|
Item Weight | 6.4 ounces |
ASIN | B07WSRSZK9 |
Item model number | H-XA025 |
Customer Reviews |
4.4 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #912 in SLR Camera Lenses |
Date First Available | August 27, 2019 |
Manufacturer | Panasonic |
Warranty & Support
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What's in the box
Product Description
An improvement from the original Leica DG summilux lens that became a must-have for any lumix g Series mirrorless Micro Four Thirds photographer due to its clean optical sharpness and the unique soft-focusing background effect It can generate, now with a rugged dust and splash*-resistant design. The F1.4 aperture provides for super bright light gathering under difficult low light conditions while the Panasonic Nano surface coating nearly eliminates common ghosting and flaring that can accompany wide open aperture photography. Supporting versatile use with its 50mm (35mm camera equivalent) focal length, the Leica DG summilux 25mm/ F1.4 II ASPH. Features stunningly high resolution and a descriptive performance From the center to the corners of the image despite its large aperture. It provides a smooth Defocus for a beautiful bokeh effect that makes pictures even more impressive. The lens system comprising 9 elements in 7 groups uses 2 aspherical lenses and 1 UHR (Ultra high refractive) index lens. The UHR index lens and glass mold aspherical lenses achieve uniform Description from the center to the corners. Panasonic Nano surface coating is also applied to minimize ghosts and flare. Clearing the stringent standard to be certified with the name of world-renowned Leica. Incorporating an inner focus drive system and stepping motor, The new Leica DG summilux 25mm/ F1.4 II ASPH. Is capable of smooth, silent operation to work with the camera’s high-speed, high-precision contrast AF system for both photo and video recording. It is also compatible with the sensor drive At max. 240 fps to take maximum advantage of cameras with high-speed AF. Notices and DISCLAIMERS: splash resistant*/ dust resistant: splash resistant is a term used to describe an extra level of protection This device offers against accidental exposure to a minimal amount of moisture, water or dust. Minimizing damage: in order to minimize the possibility of damage, Please be sure the following precautions are taken: (a) the splash resistant feature only works in conjunction with the cameras, lenses, and accessories that carry the same Panasonic splash resistant certification. (B) the device is not designed to be dust and splash resistant when or if a USB connection cable or the cable holder is attached to it. (C) make sure that all doors, socket caps and terminal covers are securely closed. (D) make sure that you are in a dry and secure place when changing the battery, lens or memory card, or other accessory. After changing, make sure their protective doors are securely closed. (E) If this device is exposed to water, sand or any other foreign material Clean it as soon as possible, taking the necessary precautions that the foreign substance does not get inside the device. Camera Monitor cleaning: If sand, dust, or liquids such as water droplets adhere to the monitor, wipe them off with a dry Soft cloth. (A) not doing so may cause the monitor to respond incorrectly to touch operations. (C) if the monitor is closed When such liquids are present, malfunction may result. Cold temperatures: when using in cold temperatures (10C to 0C (14 F to 32 F): attach a Panasonic interchangeable lens with a minimum recommended operating temperature of 10 C (14 F) before use. Cautions: do not place your hands inside the camera mount of the digital camera body. Since the sensor unit is a precision apparatus, it may cause a malfunction or damage.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the quality, image quality, and sharpness of the lens. For example, they mention it's unsurpassed in quality, produces beautiful pictures, and has superb color rendering. They appreciate the fast focus and smooth focusing. Opinions are mixed on value and weight.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers are satisfied with the quality of the lens. They mention that it is a very well regarded, fantastic and fast lens that produces excellent bokeh. They also say that it's unsurpassed in quality, light, color, and sharpness. Customers also say it'll make them forget they're shooting on a camera. They say it is wonderful in low light and a superb portrait lens. Overall, customers are happy with their purchase and recommend it to others.
"...On the subject of blur, the bokeh of this lens is something else. It's creamy and transitions gracefully from areas of sharpness...." Read more
"...+ Fast aperture+ Includes a nice lens hood, and an acceptable case+ Wonderful in low light (paired with the OMD E-M5)..." Read more
"...of objects, but now the 25mm took that spot for video and is unsurpassed in quality, light, color and sharpness...." Read more
"...Great results this time around. Outdoors, it was wonderful. Very bright lens with excellent sharpness outdoors under slightly cloudy conditions...." Read more
Customers like the image quality of the lens. They mention that it produces beautiful pictures, exceptionally sharp images, and superb color rendering. The lens hood is perfectly designed for maximizing its primary function, shading the lens, and the large aperture gives smooth bokeh that people will drool over.
"...Although it's made of black plastic, it still looks great on my silver E-M5 as it blends in well with the black leatherette texturing...." Read more
"...This Panasonic prime is one of those lenses. The images are outstanding.Pros:+ Beautiful pictures+ Fast aperture..." Read more
"...I was completely impressed with micro 4/3 just by this lens. Fantastic shots but you must deal with the zoom if you wanted to use it for other..." Read more
"...The combination is fantastic, giving me exceptionally sharp images in virtually any lighting situations (and I d a lot of night street shooting)...." Read more
Customers like the sharpness of the camera lens. They mention that it's impressive, tack sharp, and hard to beat. They also appreciate the super sharp optics and 1.4 aperture, which can capture better-than-average images. Overall, customers are satisfied with the sharp quality of the lens.
"...Colors are saturated and the lens is very sharp from the center to the corners. This lens has no problems producing quality images...." Read more
"...Outdoors, it was wonderful. Very bright lens with excellent sharpness outdoors under slightly cloudy conditions...." Read more
"...34;go get that shot," and the lens brings it in 90% of the time: sharpness, color balance, "glow." Some of this you can add in post..." Read more
"...F1.4 is great for low light photosThe sharpness is really impressiveIt renders images better than my other lenses..." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the focus of the lens. They mention that it is a very bright, fast lens with a shallow depth of field. They also appreciate the smooth focusing and auto focusing. The lens is very fast (f/1.4) and works well in existing low light conditions.
"...Video: The lens does terrific at video. The focusing motor is fast as it needs to be, with minimal-yet-occasionally noticeable focus searching...." Read more
"...Pros:+ Beautiful pictures+ Fast aperture+ Includes a nice lens hood, and an acceptable case..." Read more
"...It is true; the autofocus is definitely faster on the 25mm 1.4. That is the only advantage this lens has over the 20mm 1.7...." Read more
"...The super fast f1.4 aperture also lets me utilize a nice short depth of field with a pleasant bokeh effect...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the light performance of the lens. They mention that it has outstanding low-light capabilities, is wonderful for low- light shooting, and is perfect for night or low light shooting. The lens offers a very bright result under many conditions, and has stellar low- lighting performance. It is a great night-time shooter and provides great results without flash for indoor photography. The in-body stabilization also means that there is no need for flash in most indoor situations.
"...+ Includes a nice lens hood, and an acceptable case+ Wonderful in low light (paired with the OMD E-M5)Cons:- Price-..." Read more
"...Great results this time around. Outdoors, it was wonderful. Very bright lens with excellent sharpness outdoors under slightly cloudy conditions...." Read more
"...If you can afford it; buy it. The low light performance is stellar. It is quite large with the lens hood but feels good on the M5...." Read more
"...The light was fine but nothing special. I took a couple of pictures with the 50 mm lens on an old Panasonic GF-1 body...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the depth of field of the lens. They mention that it is amazing, narrow, and wide open. They also say that the field of view is very good for group shots or tight spaces, and that it has a great zoom range.
"...If you shoot wide open at f1.4, you still get a nice depth of field...." Read more
"...The super fast f1.4 aperture also lets me utilize a nice short depth of field with a pleasant bokeh effect...." Read more
"...that costs about twice the price of this lens, but has a nice all-purpose zoom range...." Read more
"...The shallow depth of field of this thing is impressive...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the value of the camera lens. Some mention it's well worth the price, while others say it'll break the bank.
"...With this lens Panasonic managed to package Leica glass at an "affordable" price...." Read more
"...Of course the Leica design lends its legendary quality, but at a modest price (compared to real Leica).Well, it's not a real Leica...." Read more
"...The price was a ripoff without any warranty, brochure and sealed box...." Read more
"...It produces really nice bokeh when wide open. And of all, the price is right for this piece of art!..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the weight of the lens. Some mention that it's lightweight and ready for use in low light, while others say that it is far heavier, bulky, and double the size and weight.
"...The lens feels solid though. It's not so heavy that you'e sacrificing the lightness of the M4/3 camera system, but it's not so light that it feels..." Read more
"...now the 25mm took that spot for video and is unsurpassed in quality, light, color and sharpness...." Read more
"...It is quite of heavy, but I love the fact that tt makes the Olympus OMD EM-5 more handsome yet a little bulky...." Read more
"...-thumb fork, with the same hand under the camera body, and it's lightweight and ready.And keep the hood on the 25mm...." Read more
Reviews with images
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Before we go any further, I'll just give you a little background on my photography needs / experience. I've been doing hobby photography for the better part of 6 years now. I avoid external flash like the plague. I'm not a studio photographer. I'm not a professional photographer. I just really love taking photos and being a historian. I almost always have my Olympus OM-D E-M5 16MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera with 3.0-Inch Tilting OLED Touchscreen and 12-50mm Lens (Silver) on me, thanks to the compactness of the M4/3 camera system and my handy-dandy Black Rapid RS-7 Camera Strap (Black) camera strap.
Now for the review of the actual lens. To make things easy, I'll make a bullet list of features worth mentioning and factors with considering.
Build quality / esthetics: The first thing I noticed about this lens was the smoothness of the focusing ring. When I used this lens, I was stepping up from the panasonic 20mm, which while a M4/3 legend, had a gritty feel to the focusing ring. Not so with the DG summilux. It's smooth as butter. If you're ever used a fluid-head tripod mount, you'll know what I mean. The ring is dampened ever-so-smoothly. Although 99% of the time, I'm using a UV filter ( B+W 46mm Clear UV Haze with Multi-Resistant Coating (010M) ) to protect it, the front element is gorgeous. Of course, it's nowhere near as huge as the Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75mm f1.8 (Silver) Lens for Olympus and Panasonic Micro 4/3 Cameras , it's still pleasing to look at, for what it's worth. There's no getting around the size of this lens. It's a weird analogy, but the lens kind of reminds me of the Nolan-era batmobile. It's unapologetically big, both in length and width, especially when you're using the included plastic lens hood. If compactness of your camera setup is your #1 priority, stick with the panasonic 20mm. The lens feels solid though. It's not so heavy that you'e sacrificing the lightness of the M4/3 camera system, but it's not so light that it feels cheap. It strikes a fine balance between feeling solid and still being light enough to not weigh you down. Although it's made of black plastic, it still looks great on my silver E-M5 as it blends in well with the black leatherette texturing. My one gripe about this lens is that it's not made of metal, like the M. Zuiko 12,17 and 75mm. Although it ultimately makes no difference in the final image, there's just no denying the charm of all-metal construction.
Autofocus: Excellent. When I purchased this lens, I was stepping up from my panasonic 20mm primarily because I was frustrated with the relative slowness of the 20mm's external focusing motor- especially when focus-hunting with that annoying AF-assist lamp in low-light situations (think karaoke bars). The difference between the two lenses is dramatic. Paired with the E-M5, quickly acquiring accurate focus is almost an afterthought. For the most part, focusing with this lens feels nearly instantaneous. It feels just a hair slower than the 12mm and 17mm M. Zuiko lenses, but only by a hair. I'd consider it extremely unlikely that the difference in focusing speeds between the premium M. Zuiko lenses and this lens would result in a missed moment.
Image quality: in a word, outstanding. When I started taking pictures with this lens, it felt like it was reading my mind. This is likely due to the 50mm equivalent focal length. It's the focal length that most accurately simulates how the human eye sees. I've noticed that with this lens, I spend significantly less time recomposing than I would with lenses of differing focal lengths. To put it simply, it feels like the lens gets me. It sees the world as I do, which has resulted in two effects: One, I'm able to capture more spur-of-the-moment shots than I had before, and two- I'm taking more pictures because I know that my camera is more likely to show me what I want to see right away. For the most part, I don't concern myself with sharpness. What I do concern myself with is contrast, which this lens rocks- especially macrocontrast. It's not overblown and melodramatic- it's just what you see, how you see it. Neither do I particularly care about things like chromatic aberration. I've never had anyone look at a picture of mine and tell me that the image would be great if it weren't for the edge-fringing of a telephone pole. One warning though: Shooting at f/1.4 can be a bit challenging. F/1.4 at 50mm can result in a very shallow depth of field which could be confused for image softness- particularly if your subject is close and moving around.
Video: The lens does terrific at video. The focusing motor is fast as it needs to be, with minimal-yet-occasionally noticeable focus searching.
If you're looking at reviews for this lens, chances are you're still somewhat on the fence about it. And you're probably torn between this, the Panasonic Lumix G H-H020AK 20mm F/1.7 II ASPH Lens for Panasonic/Olympus Micro Four Thirds Cameras (Black) and the Olympus M.Zuiko 17mm f1.8 (Silver) for Olympus and Panasonic Micro 4/3 Cameras .
Before we go any further, I'll just give you a little background on my photography needs / experience. I've been doing hobby photography for the better part of 6 years now. I avoid external flash like the plague. I'm not a studio photographer. I'm not a professional photographer. I just really love taking photos and being a historian. I almost always have my Olympus OM-D E-M5 16MP Live MOS Interchangeable Lens Camera with 3.0-Inch Tilting OLED Touchscreen and 12-50mm Lens (Silver) on me, thanks to the compactness of the M4/3 camera system and my handy-dandy Black Rapid RS-7 Camera Strap (Black) camera strap.
Now for the review of the actual lens. To make things easy, I'll make a bullet list of features worth mentioning and factors with considering.
Build quality / esthetics: The first thing I noticed about this lens was the smoothness of the focusing ring. When I used this lens, I was stepping up from the panasonic 20mm, which while a M4/3 legend, had a gritty feel to the focusing ring. Not so with the DG summilux. It's smooth as butter. If you're ever used a fluid-head tripod mount, you'll know what I mean. The ring is dampened ever-so-smoothly. Although 99% of the time, I'm using a UV filter (B+W 46mm Clear UV Haze with Multi-Resistant Coating (010M)) to protect it, the front element is gorgeous. Of course, it's nowhere near as huge as the Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75mm f1.8 (Silver) Lens for Olympus and Panasonic Micro 4/3 Cameras, it's still pleasing to look at, for what it's worth. There's no getting around the size of this lens. It's a weird analogy, but the lens kind of reminds me of the Nolan-era batmobile. It's unapologetically big, both in length and width, especially when you're using the included plastic lens hood. If compactness of your camera setup is your #1 priority, stick with the panasonic 20mm. The lens feels solid though. It's not so heavy that you'e sacrificing the lightness of the M4/3 camera system, but it's not so light that it feels cheap. It strikes a fine balance between feeling solid and still being light enough to not weigh you down. Although it's made of black plastic, it still looks great on my silver E-M5 as it blends in well with the black leatherette texturing. My one gripe about this lens is that it's not made of metal, like the M. Zuiko 12,17 and 75mm. Although it ultimately makes no difference in the final image, there's just no denying the charm of all-metal construction.
Autofocus: Excellent. When I purchased this lens, I was stepping up from my panasonic 20mm primarily because I was frustrated with the relative slowness of the 20mm's external focusing motor- especially when focus-hunting with that annoying AF-assist lamp in low-light situations (think karaoke bars). The difference between the two lenses is dramatic. Paired with the E-M5, quickly acquiring accurate focus is almost an afterthought. For the most part, focusing with this lens feels nearly instantaneous. It feels just a hair slower than the 12mm and 17mm M. Zuiko lenses, but only by a hair. I'd consider it extremely unlikely that the difference in focusing speeds between the premium M. Zuiko lenses and this lens would result in a missed moment.
Image quality: in a word, outstanding. When I started taking pictures with this lens, it felt like it was reading my mind. This is likely due to the 50mm equivalent focal length. It's the focal length that most accurately simulates how the human eye sees. I've noticed that with this lens, I spend significantly less time recomposing than I would with lenses of differing focal lengths. To put it simply, it feels like the lens gets me. It sees the world as I do, which has resulted in two effects: One, I'm able to capture more spur-of-the-moment shots than I had before, and two- I'm taking more pictures because I know that my camera is more likely to show me what I want to see right away. For the most part, I don't concern myself with sharpness. What I do concern myself with is contrast, which this lens rocks- especially macrocontrast. It's not overblown and melodramatic- it's just what you see, how you see it. Neither do I particularly care about things like chromatic aberration. I've never had anyone look at a picture of mine and tell me that the image would be great if it weren't for the edge-fringing of a telephone pole. One warning though: Shooting at f/1.4 can be a bit challenging. F/1.4 at 50mm can result in a very shallow depth of field which could be confused for image softness- particularly if your subject is close and moving around. On the subject of blur, the bokeh of this lens is something else. It's creamy and transitions gracefully from areas of sharpness. You're going to love it.
Video: The lens does terrific at video. The focusing motor is fast as it needs to be, with minimal-yet-occasionally noticeable focus searching.
On building your "holy trinity". I initially purchased this lens to upgrade the normal lens in my 3-prime setup. I went up buying this lens because the Olympus 17mm was sold out. I was happy as a clam with it. But then I got wind that the Olympus 17mm was back in stock. So I sold my 25mm and used it to pay for the 17mm. Yes, the 17mm was sleek and looked great on my silver E-M5. I eventually realized that the 17mm focal length was just a bit too close to the 12mm focal length, and so now I've sold the 17mm to pay for the 25mm. I've experimented around, and the Oly 12, Panasonic/Leica 25, and Oly 45mm complement each other magnificently. The wider angle of the 17 is useful, but as I already own the 12mm, I found the 17mm to be redundant. If I'm going for a wide shot, I'm going all-in with the 12mm. If I'm going for a normal shot, I'm using the focal length that most closely simulates what the human eye sees. If I'm going for a tight portrait, I'm using the 45mm portrait. Lens. With this 12/25/45 setup, I've got 3 distinct lenses with loads of character that can handle virtually any situation life throws at me.
Pros:
+ Beautiful pictures
+ Fast aperture
+ Includes a nice lens hood, and an acceptable case
+ Wonderful in low light (paired with the OMD E-M5)
Cons:
- Price
- Size
This Panasonic lens produces wonder pictures in low light and full daytime. There's no visible artifacts, and the equivalent 50mm (full frame equivalent) field of view makes it natural and easy to use. The lens also allows close focusing, so you can stand pretty close to get beautiful bokeh. The wonderful thing about the u4/3 lenses are that most of them work very well even shot fully wide open. If you shoot wide open at f1.4, you still get a nice depth of field. I honestly think u4/3 lenses shot wide open have a great advantage: you get the light gathering capabilities of f1.4, and the depth of field of f.2.8 (I think) equivalent on a full frame - thus allowing more of the subject to be in focus. Since the focusing comes from the sensor, you get wonderful pictures each time.
What this means for real world use, is you can take a picture of a person and have their near eye in focus perfectly. (The Olympus OM-D E-M5 can do near eye, left eye, right eye). Plus, you won't have just one eyelash in focus, due to the greater depth of field.
Keep in mind that this is really a 25mm lens, so to get that bokeh, you have to be pretty close to the subject. If you want to shoot at distances you're more accustomed to (from APS-C or full frame lengths), I recommend that you take a look at Olympus's excellent 45mm and 75mm lenses.
Colors are saturated and the lens is very sharp from the center to the corners. This lens has no problems producing quality images.
Another benefit of u4/3 is that most bodies allow you to focus very close to the edge of the frame. You simply can't do that with an full frame sensor.
My only wish is that the lens was smaller, keeping in spirit with the u4/3 size advantage. However, had this been a f1.4 lens for full frame, there would have been significantly more glass and the lens would have been bigger and heavier.
In Summary: this is a great lens that adds a lot of versatility to anyone looking for a 50mm (full frame equivalent field of view) on their u4/3 cameras. The low light capabilities of this lens are wonderful.
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