Not personally, but it's been the major conspicuously absent lens for many many years, so I'm glad and surprised! Your chair makes you look like 1980s Lex Luthor in his power suit lol ;)
It's one of the missing FL prime for both Olympus and Panasonic for years and years and years and years, in spite of numerous requests and complaints. They just flatly refused to provide a small UW prime. So, most people already got other alternatives. Especially with the Laowa 10mm, which is chipped and tiny, already available long before this, it is no surprise that most will not be very excited about this Panasonic lens. The AF is a selling point but it's not all that important for a 9mm lens. A metal build and aperture ring would have made it more appealing IMHO. Those who are new to M43 may find it very nice to put on a GX9 or another Panasonic compact, knowing that all camera functions will be supported. Yeah, way too late. As you pointed out, the distortion is slightly disappointing though understandable for an UWA. However, Laowa has proven many times it can be controlled even in lenses that are still compact, eg in its 7.5mm f/2, 9mm and others. I hope that this Panasonic is in use more user friendly and surprise free. So, overall, better late than never but not exciting.
Ha! Kasey, nice to see you here! So could it be the perfect vlogging lens for your Olympus? Or does the lens have the two potential problems you were worried about?
Always enjoy your reviews, this is a lens I've been waiting for. I was looking at the 8-18 but already have the 12-60 and with the announcement of the 9mm I'm going to just get this.
Your examples look so good. I bought a Voigtlander 20.5 mm f/0.95 and surprised by how bad it is. Strongly considering this one thank you for this information!
I’m pretty excited about this lens. It’s the one prime missing from the M4/3 lineup. Most of the ultra wide zooms are very big apart from the very old Olympus 9-18 f3.5-5.6 and that has the slightly inconvenient collapsible design.
Even though I shoot Sony FF and there are numerous wide angle primes available at much cheaper prices, the smallest FE body is the A7C. This PL 9mm f/1.7 can be mounted on something as small as a Panasonic GM1 or an E-PMx body. This would make an awesome close-up street lens!
Another great review Richard. It looks intriguing, if for no other reason then Panasonic actually releasing any new MFT lens. But the lack of focus clutch and/or aperture ring is disappointing - clearly aiming this lens more at photography or home video use. Still, the price is actually decent for the format and I've always like the snappy look of Panasonic lenses - crisp, sharp, and contrasty. Color me interested.....
Thank you ! Yes I would love to see aperture ring! But i really don't think they would put a focus clutch on their compact prime lens. Panasonic only do that to their zoom or the full frame lens. It's not easy to maintain/develop two camera systems, but I guess all these new micro four thirds cameras or lens shows us Panasonic is still really committed to the system, despite all those rumours.
For serious video/photography I would pickup the Leica DG 10-25mm f1.7. It’s bigger and 3x more but covers all the primes in between with much better features . . . worth the investment.
Great review. It is not true that the ultra wide lens is not used in sports. I don't go anywhere without an oly 8mm 1.8. I mainly photograph motorsport and various events, concerts etc. Lens flare control is amazing.
@@RyougiVector the front element of the 8 mm is pretty flat compared to the bulbous 7-14 mm front. Then again, these two wide angle lenses from Olympus have no equal in the Panasonic line up so impossible to live without.
Thank you for this video, can you recommend this lens for night photography of the starry sky?, is it compatible with the new OM1? Thank you very much.
I’m a refugee from mft to ff when the gh6 took too long and the only lens that really makes me want to go back is the Laowa 7.5 f/2. That thing is remarkable. I dream about the images you could get from it.
Hi, is the distrosion correction integrated in the lens ? How does RAW files look and can they be easy corrected in Lightroom ? Is the distorsion visible on Black Magic Pocket 4K ? Thanks!
Thanks for your comprehensive test! When measuring the corner sharpness, did you refocus to the corners? If not, the lack of sharpness might result from field curvature, which isn’t such a problem in most situations.
i was actually going to get the 8-18 right before this. there's still a large difference between 8mm and 9mm (16 and 18) though (for landscapes). 9mm is actually better than 8mm for vlogging (less facial distortion). but i'm not sure if it'll cut it for the dual purpose landscape + vlog.
@@GrenlandUnderVann Olympus 7-14 f2.8 has horrendous lens flare. Sold mine to purchase the 8-18 and love it! Previously owned the 9 f1.7 but it wasn’t wide enough for my style of vlogging and isn’t versatile being a prime. On the plus side though, the autofocus is amazing and it’s very tiny.
@@DennisMeetsWorld Most problems with the 7-14 is outdoors. Which I usually remove by shading out the sun by a hand and holding the camera with the other. But mostly I use it indoors with flash /controlled lights and there are no such problems. I wish for a 6 to 12 mm one day.
@@TheRealRichardWong how it react in video when you point low light to high light quickly? Vignetting if I had a step-up filter 55 to 72mm with a freewell vnd of 72mm? Focus ring is grippy like the 25mm 1.4? I have other questions for omsystem om-1 but....
1. the transition from low light to high liight is relatively smooth 2. Sorry can't answer as i don't have the step-up riig or freewell filter 3. focus ring is not rubber-ish
It's an interesting option for video and especially on crop sensors for sure. Crazy btw that every time you wave your hands you get a huge bounce light on your face 😶 Must have been a very sunny day 😄
How would you compare the performance of the Leica 9mm vs Laowa 7.5mm? I am interested to use it mainly for video shorting of people I interview in talking head format. I worry that I will not be able to correctly focus with a fully manual lens. I am aware of Panasonic camera bodies and their reputation for hunting.
hi Jose, i haven't done any side by side comparison. But while 7.5mm and 9mm sounds similar, 7.5mm is still quite a bit wider so it may work better or worse for you depends on the field of view/look you want. The Latest g9II is great for continuous AF but even with the previous recent cameras, they still work fine for talking head video, you could always lower the AF sensitivity or even lock it to MF after a single AF on the subject
thanks for the video. how's the autofocus and distortion on Olympus bodies, if you have any? And is the manual focus linear on them, as well? I think the option to set the focus ring to be linear or nonlinear is not in the likes of the E-M1 mark ii.
If shooting with GH6 with dynamic boost /V-Log enabled on a bright sunny day, you should use a ND filter .. having said that i didn't when i shot my vlogging style intro as i don't have a suitable size ND for that :/
I rly enjoy the details in ur videos. Can u perhaps do a leica comparison between the 9 mm vs 10-25 mm vs 8-18 mm? I need a wideangle for vlogging, not sure which one to go for.
Hi Lesley, the 9mm is much smaller, lighter and faster. But the 8-25 gives you flexibility of a zoom lens, so it's really up to you what is more important
It didn't take much for me to realize that this was going to be a for sure buy for me. 1.7 Under $500 AF Size Leica It's great that the IQ seems excellent, but I would have purchased it for the aforementioned specs above. I'm preordering now!
Thanks for your very good video! This small lens would fit very good on my Pen-F. I was looking for a small ultra wide angle lens and I think this Pana/Leica is the one!
hello, I have a pen-f with 30mm sigma and 42.5 nocticron and I need a compact lens that is hard to detach from my camera like the leica 9mm 1.7 or the leica 15mm 1.7 or the 20mm? I hope but not I think the 9mm has the same softness and leica look ... anyway I am interested in the color rendering ... advice?
I think if you are looking at the Leica 9mm, 15mm and thee Lumix 20mm, i would look at what is the focal length i like the most first, as they are really diferent field of view. That would have more impact on the photo than the small difference in colour rendering in my opinion. I have a Leica 15mm myself and love that lens! (use that for a lot of my recent youtube video too)
@@TheRealRichardWong for the focal length I can't tell you ... I'm looking for a lens that is difficult to detach from the body of my camera ... I could also have 1 additional compact lens in my trouser pocket to do a bit of everything while traveling and for my brother's wedding I am inclined to 15mm but I'm afraid of regretting any opportunities for landscape photos ... how are the 9 and 15mm looks similar? Or is the 15mm still a lens to have absolutely in your kit?
9mm and 15mm are VERY different. You really have to decide what focal length you want. Do you want really wide angle i.e. 9mm? or you ok with 15mm? Unfortunately this is something only you know what is the best. If you want everything maybe need to get a zoom lens like the Leica 10-25 f/1.7 then you don't need to change lens
Thanks for a really nice review. Strongly considering one of these for myself. Anyone knows if it can take ordinary UV filters (i.e not ultra-slim) without vignetting?
I borrowed laowa 7.5 f2 and I like it, but the vignetting is annoying. Can this 9mm be a valid alternative? the only real doubt is that 7.5 mm captures a larger portion and every now and then I have to shoot indoors ..
I believe this lens has less vignetting than the Laowa. I did a review of the Laowa too so maybe you can check the vignetting test results and compare?
Thank you for your comprehensive review. I have only two requests: can you stress the longitudinal chromatic aberrations for this lens but in general in future tests. Second and more important please build that Gundam RX78 urgently I cannot stand seeing it in the box!!!
Thank you Massimo! Now to answer your most important question first. Yes I want to finish the Gundam kit asap too. I broke some parts last Christmas so have to order replacement parts from Japan which took a while. Now the parts have arrived, but I just don't have spare time to work on it. So. Let's see! And re longitudinal chromatic aberration, any suggestions on how to test it the best?
@@TheRealRichardWong I am glad you are very busy but I am looking forward to seeing the RX78 in working order. Please post on instagram when ready! Jokes aside loca can be tested with a fence / grid not backlit but with the lens focussing on point with relatively shallow depth of field. If red and green colors appear we have loca. Fringing in backlit shots is a sensor phenomena more than lens though most people think differently. Thank you for your continued outstanding work it is getting better each time
@@Interceptor121 hey i can't remember if you are following me or not but i have a new Instagram account "toycapturer" focus on toy/model stuff, hopefully i will post something there. Ok thanks for the LoCA test idea. yes that's similar to what I do I would try to include them more in my future reviews (can't do this one as I've already returned the lens to Panasonic)
Hope it works with my Olympus OM-D E-M10 MK IV or I will have to send it back once it arrives this week. No one discusses any camera issues, so, I have assume it should work.
I was about to say that this lens should've been paired with the G100 but having no OIS just keeps the camera's limitations apparent. (Shout-out to the gunpla)
@@thewalkingvloggingman7152 I plan to but it's a long way out. Used up my budget for the other primes, not for the G100 though. Don't have one (but was thinking about it).
Good video presentation. The problem is this lens appears to made from plastic, if so, I won't be buying. There seems to be no consistency in the Panasonic Leica brand design. Every lens looks different except the 12mm 1.4 and 42.5mm 1.2. The 25mm 1.4 vers. 1 was plastic with a silver band, yet vers. 2 is now all black with some metal and looks more in line. The 15mm has a aperture ring and not the others. Design elements are all over the place.
Oh yes, it is so odd that so many Panny primes look so different from each other. The 15, which I have, and the 12 have similarities in appearance ... but the rest?
Thanks! I would say the 25 1.4 is the exception as it was the first ever leica micro four thirds lens, all the Leica lenses after that are of similar (not identical) design. Having said that, i would love to have an aperture ring on this 9mm, so it's same as the 12mm, 15mm and 42.5mm.
Tell me which lens is convenient to shoot macro, let's say Lego toys. And in general, is it convenient to shoot large lenses or will it be more convenient with a phone if you walk out of convenience? Is it just always convenient to shoot with a lens when there is a scenery around?
Looks great. I have the PL 15mm F1.7 and love it. Also have the PL 8-18mm which I always shoot at 8mm (also have the PL 12-60) so I would rather have the new 9mm.
Then again, it makes us wonder how the 12 mm is so much bigger. Several corners have been cut compared to the features of this lens. Plastic versus metal finish. No aperture ring. Significant distortion correction in the lens profile.
Fabulous lens, but you should have mentioned something important - With in-camera barrel distortion control, this lens is probably not a good lens for Olympus users, or at least that the lens needs to be tested on Olympus bodies. I would prefer a better optical design. My Laowa 7.5mm f2 is both wider, and smaller than this Leica, which proves that rectilinear is possible in small sizes, and add an AF motor mechanism to the Laowa, and it still wouldn't be much larger, if any, than the Leica. Does Panasonic not have any engineers as good as the ones at Laowa? As a result I consider using in-camera lens distortion as the lazy way out, and positively unfriendly for someone like me who uses bodies from other manufacturers (I have a JVC LS300, and I am sure that Black Magic CC 4K users would also be negatively impacted, as well as Olympus users.) Saving money on engineering time to produce a result with a major negative impact on a significant number of potential buyers is not cool. This "fix it in software" mentality is just bad engineering practice. Sony does it too, but Sony lenses can't be used on any other manufacturer's bodies, so not so bad, but Panasonic does not have that luxury.
Hey Artistjoh I did mention the distortion / correction and showed an example of what it look like without correction from around 8:33 :) Oh i thought Olympus camera can apply distortion correction to Panasonic lens as well?
@@TheRealRichardWong I don't know for certain - it needs testing, but I do know that Panasonic applies in-camera chromatic aberration reduction which Olympus cameras I know do not, and so there are some Lumix lenses that have purple fringing when used on Olympus and other manufacturer bodies. You might have also noticed that the Fn button Olympus puts on lenses does not work on Lumix cameras, and aperture rings on Panasonic lenses do not work on anything other than Lumix cameras. Consequently there is good reason to question whether the heavy distortion correction required for this lens will work on any Olympus, JVC, Z Cam, Black Magic, or DJI camera that can use this Pana-Leica lens. I am passionate about interoperability across the manufacturers. I am very critical of Olympus doing things that won't work on Lumix cameras, and I am equally critical of Panasonic when they do the same kind of thing. This lens needs to be tested on other cameras using MFT, especially Olympus and Black Magic, because I don't like the idea of people wanting to buy this lens and then discovering it is not rectilinear, if indeed it is not, on their camera. As someone who uses multiple MFT camera brands I am hyper-aware of these kinds of problems and it ticks me off when manufacturers use software correction to avoid going to the expense of developing something as do-able as making an actual rectilinear wide angle, even a small one as Laowa proves.
Who's excited about this new Leica 9mm f/1.7 lens?
Not personally, but it's been the major conspicuously absent lens for many many years, so I'm glad and surprised!
Your chair makes you look like 1980s Lex Luthor in his power suit lol ;)
It's one of the missing FL prime for both Olympus and Panasonic for years and years and years and years, in spite of numerous requests and complaints. They just flatly refused to provide a small UW prime. So, most people already got other alternatives. Especially with the Laowa 10mm, which is chipped and tiny, already available long before this, it is no surprise that most will not be very excited about this Panasonic lens. The AF is a selling point but it's not all that important for a 9mm lens. A metal build and aperture ring would have made it more appealing IMHO.
Those who are new to M43 may find it very nice to put on a GX9 or another Panasonic compact, knowing that all camera functions will be supported. Yeah, way too late.
As you pointed out, the distortion is slightly disappointing though understandable for an UWA. However, Laowa has proven many times it can be controlled even in lenses that are still compact, eg in its 7.5mm f/2, 9mm and others. I hope that this Panasonic is in use more user friendly and surprise free. So, overall, better late than never but not exciting.
Wow! Lex Luthor haha ok I'll adjust my setup next time to get a more supervillian style lighting!!
I'm always surprised by Laowa's zero-D design!
I will definitely buy this lens when I will get the chance....Thanks Richard!!
You had me at Leica.
This is your dream lens 😀
Ha! Kasey, nice to see you here! So could it be the perfect vlogging lens for your Olympus? Or does the lens have the two potential problems you were worried about?
@@TheRealRichardWong wondering if he could check the impact of distortion of this lens on video on Olympus body.
@@TheRealRichardWong Looks to be well controlled, thanks for testing it out :) I might order one to test on the Olympus!
Thanks!
Oh Thank you so much James!
Can't wait to see a side by side comparison of the Panasonic 9mm and Laowa 7.5mm F2.
And/or the Laowa 10mm F2
Always enjoy your reviews, this is a lens I've been waiting for.
I was looking at the 8-18 but already have the 12-60 and with the announcement of the 9mm I'm going to just get this.
Yes it makes a lot more sense as it's cheaper, smaller and faster
Your examples look so good. I bought a Voigtlander 20.5 mm f/0.95 and surprised by how bad it is. Strongly considering this one thank you for this information!
Thanks for watching Ed!
Excellent review. This lense is on my shortlist. 😊
Yes. I'll get one. Thanks Richard.
Great review, thanks. The focus linear control capability is also available on G9 with latest firmware.
Yes that's right!!
Hi Richard ! Thanks for your review! Is that lens sharpest than the Laowa 10mm f2? Which one would you take ? Thank you !
sorry i haven't done side by side test so can't answer the question
I’m pretty excited about this lens. It’s the one prime missing from the M4/3 lineup. Most of the ultra wide zooms are very big apart from the very old Olympus 9-18 f3.5-5.6 and that has the slightly inconvenient collapsible design.
yes it is really one of the last gap in the m43 lineup, don't know why it takes so long but it's finally here
Even though I shoot Sony FF and there are numerous wide angle primes available at much cheaper prices, the smallest FE body is the A7C. This PL 9mm f/1.7 can be mounted on something as small as a Panasonic GM1 or an E-PMx body. This would make an awesome close-up street lens!
Great review! Thought you were using a gimbal and then realized you were using a Panasonic 😊
Another great review Richard. It looks intriguing, if for no other reason then Panasonic actually releasing any new MFT lens. But the lack of focus clutch and/or aperture ring is disappointing - clearly aiming this lens more at photography or home video use. Still, the price is actually decent for the format and I've always like the snappy look of Panasonic lenses - crisp, sharp, and contrasty. Color me interested.....
Thank you ! Yes I would love to see aperture ring! But i really don't think they would put a focus clutch on their compact prime lens. Panasonic only do that to their zoom or the full frame lens. It's not easy to maintain/develop two camera systems, but I guess all these new micro four thirds cameras or lens shows us Panasonic is still really committed to the system, despite all those rumours.
For serious video/photography I would pickup the Leica DG 10-25mm f1.7. It’s bigger and 3x more but covers all the primes in between with much better features . . . worth the investment.
Alex, I'd already own that lens, but the "3x more" factor is a big one!
@@alexanderaseffa I wish they made a 6-12 mm f1.7 as well.
Great review. It is not true that the ultra wide lens is not used in sports. I don't go anywhere without an oly 8mm 1.8. I mainly photograph motorsport and various events, concerts etc. Lens flare control is amazing.
Every rugby game has a group photo op at the end 👍
It is surprising how the fisheye flares way less than the 7-14 pro does
@@RyougiVector True. The 8mm 1.8 is better than the 7-14, but definitely worse than panaleica 9mm 1.7 in this review. Amazing
@@RyougiVector the front element of the 8 mm is pretty flat compared to the bulbous 7-14 mm front. Then again, these two wide angle lenses from Olympus have no equal in the Panasonic line up so impossible to live without.
Thank you for this video, can you recommend this lens for night photography of the starry sky?, is it compatible with the new OM1? Thank you very much.
It definitely is compatible with OM1. For astro photography, i think it is a good lens but check out the sharpness and coma section of my video
good explanation but I am undecided between this lens and the laowa 7.5, I have a lumix g9 with the 12-35mm but it makes a cut. some help. Thank you
i think it really depends on if Autofocus is needed (leica 9mm), and whether you want the wider lens. (Laowa)
I’m a refugee from mft to ff when the gh6 took too long and the only lens that really makes me want to go back is the Laowa 7.5 f/2. That thing is remarkable. I dream about the images you could get from it.
Have you found a comparison of the two yet?
Wow it is a lot more compact than I thought at 130 grams.
Thanks Richard.
Hi, is the distrosion correction integrated in the lens ? How does RAW files look and can they be easy corrected in Lightroom ? Is the distorsion visible on Black Magic Pocket 4K ? Thanks!
Lens correction profile is embedded, popular software like Lightroom would support it. Not sure about when used with blackmagic camera sorry
What profile for video you use?
V-Log 10 bit 420
Which one do you recommend between Panasonic 9mm or Laowa 7.5mm for self shooting vlogging?
9mm with cameras that don't have any crop in Video mose. Or 7.5mm if your camera has noticeable crop
Thanks for your comprehensive test! When measuring the corner sharpness, did you refocus to the corners? If not, the lack of sharpness might result from field curvature, which isn’t such a problem in most situations.
The sample photo i show in the video didn't refocus on corner.
Good point, Hauke - I had the same question. Thanks for clarifying, Richard.
Oh ..and in my future lens review videos, I will try to show both results
Superb breakdown! Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
i was actually going to get the 8-18 right before this. there's still a large difference between 8mm and 9mm (16 and 18) though (for landscapes). 9mm is actually better than 8mm for vlogging (less facial distortion). but i'm not sure if it'll cut it for the dual purpose landscape + vlog.
It's hard to beat the 7 mm offered by the Olympus PRO 7-14 f2.8. My most used wide angle lens.
And it is too close to 10-25mm f1.7. Consider m4/3 does not offer fast ultrawide. faster than f2.8. I wish this lens is 8mm.
@@GrenlandUnderVann Olympus 7-14 f2.8 has horrendous lens flare. Sold mine to purchase the 8-18 and love it! Previously owned the 9 f1.7 but it wasn’t wide enough for my style of vlogging and isn’t versatile being a prime. On the plus side though, the autofocus is amazing and it’s very tiny.
@@DennisMeetsWorld Most problems with the 7-14 is outdoors. Which I usually remove by shading out the sun by a hand and holding the camera with the other. But mostly I use it indoors with flash /controlled lights and there are no such problems. I wish for a 6 to 12 mm one day.
Thanks a lot ! If you can share more about this I say yes, it's my dream lens ! Finally !!
Is there anything else you want to know about?
@@TheRealRichardWong how it react in video when you point low light to high light quickly?
Vignetting if I had a step-up filter 55 to 72mm with a freewell vnd of 72mm?
Focus ring is grippy like the 25mm 1.4?
I have other questions for omsystem om-1 but....
1. the transition from low light to high liight is relatively smooth
2. Sorry can't answer as i don't have the step-up riig or freewell filter
3. focus ring is not rubber-ish
As always great review! Definitely will check it out 😁
Hey Richard! Just got myself a GH6 recently and will definitely be getting this lens for it. Come over to Point Chev for a coffee sometime 😉👍
Hey Jon! Oh awesome you got the gh6! I hope you enjoy it! Yes I will message you when I am near your place and catch up for a coffee ☕
Meet you at Francescas one evening, perhaps? :-)
@@fredio54 the best Pizza! 🍕
@@mrjonkane Vegan with cheese, almost every time :-D SO good. GH7 good? Maybe. I can only afford the Pizza, for now. :-D
@@fredio54 Yeah GH7 looks almost as good as those pizzas! I moved to S5IIX last year but I still have a soft spot for the GH series.
It's an interesting option for video and especially on crop sensors for sure. Crazy btw that every time you wave your hands you get a huge bounce light on your face 😶 Must have been a very sunny day 😄
Thanks for watching oh and let me check the reflection thanks for the feedback
How would you compare the performance of the Leica 9mm vs Laowa 7.5mm? I am interested to use it mainly for video shorting of people I interview in talking head format. I worry that I will not be able to correctly focus with a fully manual lens. I am aware of Panasonic camera bodies and their reputation for hunting.
hi Jose, i haven't done any side by side comparison. But while 7.5mm and 9mm sounds similar, 7.5mm is still quite a bit wider so it may work better or worse for you depends on the field of view/look you want. The Latest g9II is great for continuous AF but even with the previous recent cameras, they still work fine for talking head video, you could always lower the AF sensitivity or even lock it to MF after a single AF on the subject
Thanks, Richard. Much appreciate the advise and suggestion.
thanks for the video. how's the autofocus and distortion on Olympus bodies, if you have any? And is the manual focus linear on them, as well? I think the option to set the focus ring to be linear or nonlinear is not in the likes of the E-M1 mark ii.
Sorry Vector I don't have access to a late model Olympus body to check it for you.
Oh but distortion correction should work on Olympus body i believe
@@TheRealRichardWong Even video would be corrected on Olympus body?
@@TheRealRichardWong do you happen to have a copy of the Olympus E-M1 mark ii?
@@humayunmrd Sorry i can't answer that as i haven't shot much video on a Olympus body (mostly photos). maybe someone can help
Is it worth adding to camera bag if i already have the 12mm?
do you find yourself quite often wanting a wider lens than your 12mm? if the answer is yes, then yes :)
Great review and great lens. Thanks. Probably will need an nd to shoot with enhanced video and high iso
If shooting with GH6 with dynamic boost /V-Log enabled on a bright sunny day, you should use a ND filter .. having said that i didn't when i shot my vlogging style intro as i don't have a suitable size ND for that :/
I rly enjoy the details in ur videos.
Can u perhaps do a leica comparison between the 9 mm vs 10-25 mm vs 8-18 mm? I need a wideangle for vlogging, not sure which one to go for.
Thanks! I will see if I have a chance to compare them
Hi. With the OM1, which lens would you recommend for landscape/walk around lens - Panny 9mm vs OM 8-25mm? Thanks
Hi Lesley, the 9mm is much smaller, lighter and faster. But the 8-25 gives you flexibility of a zoom lens, so it's really up to you what is more important
Both:)
in my country the landscapes are far away. 40-150 pro
What not to like an ultra-wide angle lens with so many virtues: light weight, compact, sharp, fast, contrasty, short focal distance and WEATHER SEALED
If you have the time, could you check if the claimed FOV of the lens matches how it measures with distortion correction?
Sorry I have already returned the lens so can't do it
It didn't take much for me to realize that this was going to be a for sure buy for me.
1.7
Under $500
AF
Size
Leica
It's great that the IQ seems excellent, but I would have purchased it for the aforementioned specs above. I'm preordering now!
Thanks for watching Erik!
How does it compare to Laowa 7.5mm f2 ? I am struggling to keep Laowa or change this one.
Laowa is quite a bit wider, has much less distortion, but is manual focus. Leica has better lens flare control. Each has it's own pros and cons
How many stops of a difference between this lens and Laowa 9mm f2.8?
A bit over one stop
1 and a half stop (1.5).
Thanks for your very good video! This small lens would fit very good on my Pen-F. I was looking for a small ultra wide angle lens and I think this Pana/Leica is the one!
This lens should be a great match to one of the smaller m43 camera
waiting for it to be released
hello, I have a pen-f with 30mm sigma and 42.5 nocticron and I need a compact lens that is hard to detach from my camera like the leica 9mm 1.7 or the leica 15mm 1.7 or the 20mm? I hope but not I think the 9mm has the same softness and leica look ... anyway I am interested in the color rendering ... advice?
I think if you are looking at the Leica 9mm, 15mm and thee Lumix 20mm, i would look at what is the focal length i like the most first, as they are really diferent field of view. That would have more impact on the photo than the small difference in colour rendering in my opinion.
I have a Leica 15mm myself and love that lens! (use that for a lot of my recent youtube video too)
@@TheRealRichardWong for the focal length I can't tell you ... I'm looking for a lens that is difficult to detach from the body of my camera ... I could also have 1 additional compact lens in my trouser pocket to do a bit of everything while traveling and for my brother's wedding I am inclined to 15mm but I'm afraid of regretting any opportunities for landscape photos ... how are the 9 and 15mm looks similar? Or is the 15mm still a lens to have absolutely in your kit?
9mm and 15mm are VERY different.
You really have to decide what focal length you want. Do you want really wide angle i.e. 9mm? or you ok with 15mm?
Unfortunately this is something only you know what is the best.
If you want everything maybe need to get a zoom lens like the Leica 10-25 f/1.7 then you don't need to change lens
Thanks for a really nice review. Strongly considering one of these for myself. Anyone knows if it can take ordinary UV filters (i.e not ultra-slim) without vignetting?
Hi Erik Thankss and Sorry I'm not sure as i haven't got any filter of that siz to try out
filters on order, id expect it will be fine but I will step up to 58mm to keep it standard'
Excellent video
Thank you very much!
I borrowed laowa 7.5 f2 and I like it, but the vignetting is annoying. Can this 9mm be a valid alternative? the only real doubt is that 7.5 mm captures a larger portion and every now and then I have to shoot indoors ..
I believe this lens has less vignetting than the Laowa. I did a review of the Laowa too so maybe you can check the vignetting test results and compare?
Thank you for your comprehensive review. I have only two requests: can you stress the longitudinal chromatic aberrations for this lens but in general in future tests. Second and more important please build that Gundam RX78 urgently I cannot stand seeing it in the box!!!
Thank you Massimo! Now to answer your most important question first. Yes I want to finish the Gundam kit asap too. I broke some parts last Christmas so have to order replacement parts from Japan which took a while. Now the parts have arrived, but I just don't have spare time to work on it. So. Let's see! And re longitudinal chromatic aberration, any suggestions on how to test it the best?
@@TheRealRichardWong I am glad you are very busy but I am looking forward to seeing the RX78 in working order. Please post on instagram when ready! Jokes aside loca can be tested with a fence / grid not backlit but with the lens focussing on point with relatively shallow depth of field. If red and green colors appear we have loca. Fringing in backlit shots is a sensor phenomena more than lens though most people think differently.
Thank you for your continued outstanding work it is getting better each time
@@Interceptor121 hey i can't remember if you are following me or not but i have a new Instagram account "toycapturer" focus on toy/model stuff, hopefully i will post something there. Ok thanks for the LoCA test idea. yes that's similar to what I do I would try to include them more in my future reviews (can't do this one as I've already returned the lens to Panasonic)
@@TheRealRichardWong it is done. For the loca lateral not backlit shot or even light behind just in case!
excellent review
Thank you Kent!
I’ll be getting one for my gm5 and em5ii for when I want a everyday prime trio kit. for serious days carry the new s5miix but god I love my gm5
Superb video / Regards Ulf
Thank you Ulf!
Is the lens barrel plastic or metal ?
Plastic
A winner lens I'm gonna get it....
And i think you will enjoy it a lot!
Hope it works with my Olympus OM-D E-M10 MK IV or I will have to send it back once it arrives this week. No one discusses any camera issues, so, I have assume it should work.
it should work. i know a lot of Olympus camera users are shooting with this lens.
I was about to say that this lens should've been paired with the G100 but having no OIS just keeps the camera's limitations apparent.
(Shout-out to the gunpla)
Just get the 15mm. It's awesome on the G100.
@@thewalkingvloggingman7152 I plan to but it's a long way out. Used up my budget for the other primes, not for the G100 though. Don't have one (but was thinking about it).
Good video presentation. The problem is this lens appears to made from plastic, if so, I won't be buying. There seems to be no consistency in the Panasonic Leica brand design. Every lens looks different except the 12mm 1.4 and 42.5mm 1.2. The 25mm 1.4 vers. 1 was plastic with a silver band, yet vers. 2 is now all black with some metal and looks more in line. The 15mm has a aperture ring and not the others. Design elements are all over the place.
Oh yes, it is so odd that so many Panny primes look so different from each other. The 15, which I have, and the 12 have similarities in appearance ... but the rest?
Thanks! I would say the 25 1.4 is the exception as it was the first ever leica micro four thirds lens, all the Leica lenses after that are of similar (not identical) design. Having said that, i would love to have an aperture ring on this 9mm, so it's same as the 12mm, 15mm and 42.5mm.
@@TheRealRichardWong the 9 mm is obviously designed as a cheap and cheerful "vlogger" lens so no additional features needed.
Tell me which lens is convenient to shoot macro, let's say Lego toys. And in general, is it convenient to shoot large lenses or will it be more convenient with a phone if you walk out of convenience? Is it just always convenient to shoot with a lens when there is a scenery around?
While the latest phone has amazing camera(s), a proper camera would still give you better image quality and control for sure.
Looks great. I have the PL 15mm F1.7 and love it. Also have the PL 8-18mm which I always shoot at 8mm (also have the PL 12-60) so I would rather have the new 9mm.
I love my PL 15mm f/1.7 too
How much does it cost? Not the most unimportant detail.
it's $499.99 US Castiel
It would have been really helpful if the Laowa 9mm f2.8 compared with this lens.
Yes agree unfortunately I don't have a sample with me to compare
Made in?
China from memory
@@TheRealRichardWong That's a departure from prior high-end Panasonic lenses :-(
Then again, it makes us wonder how the 12 mm is so much bigger. Several corners have been cut compared to the features of this lens. Plastic versus metal finish. No aperture ring. Significant distortion correction in the lens profile.
there are always compromises when designing a lens
@@TheRealRichardWong Obviously the 9 mm was made to a certain retail price. But is it "Leica quality"? "Leica features"?
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Fabulous lens, but you should have mentioned something important - With in-camera barrel distortion control, this lens is probably not a good lens for Olympus users, or at least that the lens needs to be tested on Olympus bodies. I would prefer a better optical design. My Laowa 7.5mm f2 is both wider, and smaller than this Leica, which proves that rectilinear is possible in small sizes, and add an AF motor mechanism to the Laowa, and it still wouldn't be much larger, if any, than the Leica. Does Panasonic not have any engineers as good as the ones at Laowa?
As a result I consider using in-camera lens distortion as the lazy way out, and positively unfriendly for someone like me who uses bodies from other manufacturers (I have a JVC LS300, and I am sure that Black Magic CC 4K users would also be negatively impacted, as well as Olympus users.) Saving money on engineering time to produce a result with a major negative impact on a significant number of potential buyers is not cool. This "fix it in software" mentality is just bad engineering practice. Sony does it too, but Sony lenses can't be used on any other manufacturer's bodies, so not so bad, but Panasonic does not have that luxury.
Hey Artistjoh I did mention the distortion / correction and showed an example of what it look like without correction from around 8:33 :)
Oh i thought Olympus camera can apply distortion correction to Panasonic lens as well?
@@TheRealRichardWong I don't know for certain - it needs testing, but I do know that Panasonic applies in-camera chromatic aberration reduction which Olympus cameras I know do not, and so there are some Lumix lenses that have purple fringing when used on Olympus and other manufacturer bodies. You might have also noticed that the Fn button Olympus puts on lenses does not work on Lumix cameras, and aperture rings on Panasonic lenses do not work on anything other than Lumix cameras. Consequently there is good reason to question whether the heavy distortion correction required for this lens will work on any Olympus, JVC, Z Cam, Black Magic, or DJI camera that can use this Pana-Leica lens.
I am passionate about interoperability across the manufacturers. I am very critical of Olympus doing things that won't work on Lumix cameras, and I am equally critical of Panasonic when they do the same kind of thing. This lens needs to be tested on other cameras using MFT, especially Olympus and Black Magic, because I don't like the idea of people wanting to buy this lens and then discovering it is not rectilinear, if indeed it is not, on their camera. As someone who uses multiple MFT camera brands I am hyper-aware of these kinds of problems and it ticks me off when manufacturers use software correction to avoid going to the expense of developing something as do-able as making an actual rectilinear wide angle, even a small one as Laowa proves.
@@artistjoh Thanks for your explaination
@@artistjoh lens correction profiles is part of the m43 spec. (Fn-buttons, aperture rings and dual IS is not.)
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I like this lens however I never buy a product based on using software to correct its flaws, same with cameras.
Basicall all m43 lenses uses lens profiles to correct geometric distortions. All new lens systems have this feature.
small light sharp
I like the idea of this lens, but my bank account does not !
haha but hey it's not that expensive, i would even say cheap for a Leica lens :)
@@TheRealRichardWong I guess so, I bought a Summilux 25mm a few years ago, it is superb !
Made in China ?
yes, from memory most of the recent camera gear I've reviewed from Panasonic are made in China, including this lens and the GH6.
Haha this lens is brand new but the box looks ten years old
haha well it is a test sample so it has some extra stickers on it which does make it look a bit more used.