Got this and the Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 lenses as my first M43 lenses. Paired with my E-M5 Mark III, it makes the perfect everyday camera. LOVE this lens, love it's focal length. So sharp and beautiful rendering, highly recommend this lens.
Great video Gary. I have the 15mm f1.7 and love it on any of my MFT cameras. I've used a Q2 too. Because of the larger sensor you are able to render shallower DoF at f1.7 but for me the great DoF of MFT is an advantage for street photography as it means I can shoot street at f4 in lower light situations and get f8 equivalent depth of field. The Leica is quite a bit heavier than say a GX80/9 with the 15mm lens plus you have the option to put on a 45mm portrait lens and get more creamy background than the Q3 could ever deliver. The Q3 is a great camera but for me not worth the money. Leica lenses are worth the investment as they hold their value for decades. I don't see the fixed lens cameras being the same long term investment.
Thanks for sharing! Some good points, I agree about the DoF, I personally also think that it's up to us to utilize the extra DoF on M43, and I don't view it as a disadvantage as well.
Oddly, my favourite field of view was provided by a 28mm lens back in the days of film. This is only odd because now I find my favourite field of view is provided by the Lumix 20mm (on M43) and 27/28mm on APS-C (Fuji). I struggle to understand what has brought about this change but I am now attempting to re-learn my perspective by using the 15mm Pana-Leica! The aperture ring on this lens is a thing of beauty.
I agree with you. Having control of the aperture on the lens has a high value. I am in year 4 of using one M43 camera and one prime lens. I am still learning but getting better. ( 42.5 f 1.2 ) It's time to pick a wide but difficult to be confident in finding a similar color capability. Maybe 12mm.
I love challenging myself with one camera and one lens. The 15mm is often the lens I choose. The other prime that I pick up and use is the olympus 45mm f1.8. I think these are possibly the best primes made for micro four thirds.
Thank you! This really started as a reaction to my own GAS, I wanted a Q3, but then I remember I could probably "scratch the itch" by using my PL15mm 😁
My favortie prime so far is the 25mm f1.4 Leica. I have ordered the 15mm 2 days ago. Intend to use it for indoor and evening portrait shots. The 17mm will also be a companion to my GM5. There are several weeks delay before getting the lens, but I can wait - a bit :)
One month later: viewing the video again because it has been posted on M43 Rumors website. The 15mm is still not here. Panasonic is giving no delivery date. I am also waiting for a 12-32 which I ordered on June 3rd. Panasonic said it will be here at the beginning of August :( I am wondering what is behind those delays. The 15mm was for the holidays to play it Q3 style :) I am affraid it will be for other holidays.
Once again, nice work putting context, "Enjoyment Factor", around the reasons for using different gear. You remind us to keep our focus on the subject whatever gear we have in hand!👍❣️
28mm is really a flexible focal length in my opinion, I enjoy 28mm as well! I also love my Lumix 20mm as well, it's always tough to decide between PL15mm or Lumix 20mm, they are both great lenses!
TBH, I was hugely impressed with my EM1MKIi and Olympus 17mm F1.8. I also do have Leica M film and digital cameras and some very expensive Leica glass, so I know what I am talking about.
I love the Panasonic 25mm f1.7 it is beautiful. Amazing macros, crisp, lots of creamy bokeh. Just beautiful all up. Much cheaper than the other options too
The 25mm f1.7 is definitely a good choice for that focal length. I used to have Olympus 25mm f1.8 that I love as well, a really good choice for 25mm-ish focal length.
I liked so much your approach regarding the gear purchase crazy ness that we all have in this society.take a look at smooth criminal M.J. those were pieces of art and mastering of takes and ....was done with obsolete gear nowadays...that makes me think such a lot about this craziness of amateur videographers buying ultra pro gear
So far, I have Olympus bodies and lenses only. The Leica look is very tempting, but the manual aperture would not work with Olympus and I am not ready to get yet another camera body just for that and I would hate to have it not working. I love shooting with the Olympus 17mm f/1.8 and the pen mini to have it small, but my favourite prime by far is the 20mm f/1.4 pro that fits perfectly with my E-M5 and OM-1. The 40mm equivalent field of view is the perfect normal to my eye, not the 50mm.
Yes it isn't a good idea to get another camera body just to pair with a very specific lens. Oly 17 is a very solid lens, used it in the past and loved it! 20mm f1.4 sounds like another solid lens as well! Thanks for sharing!
@@Gary_W The only reason why I stick to Olympus is to restrict my GAS a bit and better use what I already have, as you point out so well in your video. My collection of cameras and lenses would grow huge if I didn’t, so many tempting great systems old and new out there. But my Oly gear never disappointed, it’s always my own fault if a shot doesn’t work the way I want.
The 20mm f/1.7 Panasonic on a micro 4/3 is what I choose for a one-lens/one camera situation. The 14mm f/2.5 Panasonic on a micro 4/3 is what I choose for landscape photography. For travel/vacation photography, I like to carry a 14/20/45mm three-lens kit.
Thanks Gary. Yet another thoughtful video. I’ve been fortunate to own both the Q2 and the Olympus EM5iii for the past 2 years. Guess which one I pick up 90% of the time? Yup, the Oly with the PanaLeica 15 f1.7. Smaller Lighter Better holding ergonomics Just as much contrast Just as good in low light up-to 3200 iso Safe from red dot scooter snatch The single superior facet the Q2 has, in my opinion, are those fantastic RAW files! Simply no editing required if you get it right in camera. Having said that, with a few tweaks in LR (loving DENOISE) I can achieve the same results with the Oly’s RAW files. Any chance of a video on how DENOISE has potentially breathed new life into M43 high iso shooting?
Thanks for sharing, nice to hear that you also own and have some experience with the Q2, such a fantastic camera! I did a video about using Lightroom Denoise AI on M43 RAW files here if you are interested: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ITdA5LdcNV0.html
While I use Olympus cameras for digital imaging and lenses as well. Ok have been intrigued by “Lieca” lenses also. I just never seemed to have the money or reason to purchase one. I agree. The latest and “greatest” new equipment isn’t worth the cost. If so, Hasselblad would have my check. Two “pro” lenses from Olympus have done just fine.
Thanks for sharing! That's what I always try to remind myself of, not to be tempted with the latest or the greatest, try to use whatever I already have and make the most out of them 😁
Excellent video. I also consider my GX-85 + Leica 15mm combo to be a "Poor man's Q3." While I hope to get a Q3 some day, using only the 15mm lens on my GX-85 is getting me comfortable with the setup. I brought this combo to a recent family reunion and I am amazed at the beautiful, sharp, contrasty and well-saturated images I got. Btw, Panasonic's Leica-branded lenses are designed by Leica but made by Panasonic, subjected to Quality Control by Leica personnel on site.
Panasonic uses the same formula and standard Leica does to create the lens branded Leica. The pana/Leica 25mm has that special look people like from Leica.
04:41 “ … as well as aperture … “ No. In full frame terms it’s an f3.4, so while it may be a lighter camera to carry around it certainly has very little in comparison to the other one. Wide open, there’s no way you’re going to get shallow depth of field.
You are right, the depth of field is definitely not the same with a true Leica Q camera which is full frame. However, in terms of adjusting exposure, the f1.7 on the PL15mm still behaves like an f1.7, i.e you'll get similar shutter speed and ISO on identical light condition.
Just ever so slightly. The reason why you might want this one over the 14mm is because of the background blur effect that is more pronounced with this lens.
True to some degree 😊. That might cause the PanaLeica lenses to become more expensive, but the QC and build quality I think is better on PanaLeica lenses as well compared to regular Panasonic Lenses.
Hi Gary, Leica 15mm f1.7 is a good choice for photography. But for video it sucks... It has very bad AF. I recommend for video Sigma 16mm f1.4. It is much bigger but better AF and better colors than Leica.
My favourite prime is the Oly 60mm macro 🙂 The quality from it is staggering. My only 45mm F1.8 is an old favourite too. For a more standard lens I use the Oly 17mm f1.8, I like it but that 15mm is tempting... So Gary, you are not helping my GAS! 😉 I recently bought the TTArtisan 35mm f1.4. It is a similar size and shape to the Oly 45. The TT is manual focus and that is a challenge, especially when trying to stay at f1.4. That is some advice for anyone with GAS, the TTArtisan lenses are not too expensive and a lot of fun.
Hello Michael, thank you for the comment! Sorry for tempting you with the 15mm 😁. I used the Oly 17mm a long time ago, was a very solid lens that I enjoy so much, but I traded it for a Pan 20mm. Good points regarding the TTArtisan, I think I will at some point try to cover one of TTArtisan lens in my future videos.
The M43 Leica branded lenses are a lot closer to the real deal than people think. These lenses still had to go through the Leica Quality Assurance testing and have the Leica formula although manufactured by Panasonic. Anyone who has used the 15 f1.7, 25 f1.4, or 42.5 f1.2 will attest to that ‘Leica look’…In addition, Panasonic & Leica just announced their L2 partnership where they will be sharing technology to develop camera and lenses for the L Mount. If I were you guys I’d buy some M43 Pan-Leica lenses before they indirectly see a price jump.
They definitely have some of that Leica magic to them! I own a Leica X (fixed prime 23mm APSC ) and the little 15mm 1.7 I can is on par and even a little sharper in some cases on my gx85.
Hi there, thanks for nice video! DJI 15mm is not only very similar to 15mm f1.7, but it actually is a rebranded 15mm f1.7, there is no difference at all.
I used the Pan Leica 15mm f1.7 before during snow in Japan, no problem at all. And used the GX85 many times in light shower as well, also no problem. But I don't think they will survive anything more intense than that 😁
Thanks. A GX8 would probably be more wr but it is bulkier and I much prefer the way the screen of the GG80/85 flips. Do you beleive the Leica 25/1.4 for M43 would survive light Rain ?
@@stephanedubarry8624 The newer version of Leica 25mm f1.4 is marked as weather resistant as far as I know. It should be able to survive light rain easily 😁
