WhatDigitalcamera posted the Leica DG Nocticron 42.5 f/1.2 First Look. And LLoyd Chambers writes quite an interesting note about the OIS feature of the lens:
I’m not a fan of optical stabilization, because it does not improve imaging performance and in this case, I’d want to use it on the Olympus E-M1, which has superb in-body image stabilization. So those extra lens elements just make the lens heavier and more expensive and more complex and more prone to alignment errors. Well, it is what it is.
Sure OIS doesn’t improve the IQ on Panasonic cameras???
P.S.: I take the chance to ask our European readers if they found any preorder option in Europe! I haven’t :(
Panasonic is now displaying the mockup of new Panasonic GH 4K camera at the CES Las Vegas show! There are no details yet about the camera price, specs and launch date. The new GH 4K will NOT replace the GH3. It will be placed above it rumored specs are:
16mp
1/8000 shutter
1mil dot OLED screen
21mm OLED viewfinder, 3,000+ dot.
Time code
200mbps mp4 All-i/100mbps IPB
4k/30p
4:2:2 10/8bit output
3G-SDI and XLR adaptor (An adaptor that the camera sits on with XLR x2, HD-SDI x4)
Price: €2799
This is an enlarged crop of the top of the GH 4k (it’s just like the GH3).
The Panasonic Nocticron 42,5mm f/1.2 has now been officially announced! And we also got a price: $1,599 or £1,399 or 1499 Euro and shipment in March! UPDATE: A bit weird but the preorder price a BHphoto (Click here) is $100 higher! Hope it’s just a typo from BH.
Here are some early tests and image samples: ePhotozine posted a preview and writes: “this new lens has a superior build quality to it compared to previews Leica DG branded lenses” Camera.reviewed posted an unboxing video and image samples and writes: “This may be the best Micro Four Thirds lens currently in existence.”
German press text at Photoscala. French press release at Focus Numerique. Dutch press text at Digifotopro, Spanish press text at DSLRmagazine.
Image samples at Amateur Photographer.
More samples at polish Digitalcamerapolska.
Press text at Dpreview.
Image samples at Lenstip.
More images via Smallcamerabigpicture.
This is the official Press Release:
LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Panasonic is proud to introduce the new LEICA DG NOCTICRON 42.5mm / F1.2 ASPH. / POWER O.I.S. (H-NS043) interchangeable lens for the LUMIX G based on the Micro Four Thirds System standard. (35 mm camera equivalent: 85 mm). This incredible lens not only has a maximum aperture of F1.2, but it also incorporates optical image stabilization (POWER O.I.S.) along with full time Auto Focus. Certified by the world-renowned LEICA, exceptional high image quality is guaranteed as well as its sophisticated metal design. The name “NOCTICRON” was newly defined by Leica Camera AG for this lens that achieves a remarkably fast F1.2 aperture among Micro Four Thirds digital interchangeable lenses.
The new lens system is comprised of 14 elements in 11 groups and uses two aspherical lenses, one ED (Extra-low Dispersion) and one UHR (Ultra High Refractive Index) lens. The aspherical lenses suppress spherical aberration and distortion. The ED lens enables sharp, high contrast description without color bleeding to the corners while the UHR lens enables high optical performance that renders an image with uniformed descriptiveness from center to edges as well as downsizing of the lens unit.
The popular 42.5 mm medium-telephoto focal distance (Equivalent to 85 mm on a 35 mm camera) is perfectly suited for portraits with rich stereoscopic effect. Together with the high-speed aperture, users can utilize the beautiful soft focus for more impressive, creative shots. Nine blades give the aperture a rounded shape that produces an attractively smooth effect in out-of-focus areas when shooting at larger aperture settings. It also captures landscape with an extremely natural perspective. In addition, the aperture ring on the lens barrel allows direct, intuitive control over aperture settings.
Panasonic’s Nano Surface Coating technology has been adopted to the NOCTICRON 42.5mm / F1.2 ASPH. / POWER O.I.S. Reflection is dramatically minimized at entire visual light range (380nm-780nm) by applying the extra-low refractive index coating with nano-sized structure on the surface of the lens. It results in a super clear image with dramatic reduction of ghost and flare.
Due to the shallow depth of field which is unique to the large aperture lens, even a slight handshake can potentially cause images to be out-of-focus. However, the POWER O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) which is integrated in the LEICA DG NOCTICRON 42.5mm effectively compensates for not only small, fast movement but also large, slow movement, making it easy to capture super clear shots even when shooting in low-lit situations such as in night time or indoors.
It incorporates superior inner focus system, which enables excellent resolution and contrast from close-up to infinity. The inclusion of newly developed stepping motor makes the focusing action smooth and silent for use in both still and video recording. Notably the performance of Auto Focus is far superior to the phase-difference AF when a fast lens with smaller F value is used. When mounted on LUMIX G cameras, users can take advantage of the high-speed, high-precision Contrast AF system.
The sophisticated metal design of LEICA DG NOCTICRON 42.5mm / F1.2 ASPH. / POWER O.I.S., including the hood, deserves to bear the prestigious LEICA name. A highly reliable metal mount is durable enough for repeated mounting of the lens.
Screenshot of the “stupid” predition from 247wallst.
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247wallst (Click here) predicts that Olympus will disappear in 2014. Now , honestly, I can’t understand why this BS is floating around the web almost every year. It’s now the fourth or fifth time I heard from analysts saying that Olympus will close the coming year. That “prediction game” is so old that it’s likely that the only thing that disappeared are some of these financial analyst guys :)
Addendum: By the way, two months ago I read plenty of reports about the coming European winter being one of the coldest in history. Guess what, it’s hot as hell here and no snow anywhere (expect on higher mountains). This is just to say how much people wants to spread news just for the sake to get viral :)
Best 20 Pictures of 2013 and Stories Behind Them (Samudranil).
E-M1 is camera of the year at TheOnlinePhotographer.
TimeLapse-SunSet in Korea 2013″ from kooi-Park Kyoung Kyun at Dicahub.
Abstract work with the E-M1 at Sergiomuscat.com
Jon: “If you like, feel free to share my E-M1 gallery, all shot with the E-M1 and the 17mm f/1.8 and 12-40mm f/2.8. I’ve had the E-M1 for 2 weeks now and I’m extremely happy with it (I also have the D600 and X100S, just so you know where I’m coming from). Here’s the gallery: http://www.openbloom.com/CAMERAGEAR/Olympus-OMD-EM1-Gallery”
Nicholas: “The mounting plate of my M.Zuiko 12-40 PRO lens broke off, just as others have reported. Three of the four scores sheared. This happened while mounted on an E M-1(with Battery Holder) in a padded Lowe Pro Bag. The bag fell off a bed onto a heavily padded hotel carpet. It was such a minor fall that I didn’t even look inside the bag when it happened. I only realized the lens was damaged the next morning when I took the camera out of the bag. I called Olympus and they acknowledged there was “an issue,” and assured me that warranty would cover the repair. Perhaps most troubling: The technician iI spoke with admitted that they do not have a fix. He encouraged me to keep checking the website for updated information.“
The first announcement of the year is made by Samsung (with the NX30). It’s not really a spectacular camera btu it has one new literally “eye catching” feature: The EVF can be titled and pulled(!) for the comfort of your eyes. You tell me if such a “pulling” EVF would be nice to have on a MFT camera!
P.S.: “Our” Panasonic GX7 can tilt the EVF and not pull it.
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