43 Rumors

Niiiice.

I think that 25mm is too close to the existing 20mm pancake.

What’s really needed now is a fast medium long portrait prime. E.g., a prime somewhere between 35-50mm f/1.4-f/2.

We know that Olympus are planning to release a 50mm prime lens, but the other specs are not yet known.

Also, pro spec standard zooms are needed. E.g.,

14-50mm f/2.8 HD Mega O.I.S.

35-100mm f/2.8 HD Mega O.I.S.

how about 45 f/1.4,
why we need 2 fast primes at 20-25 while we dont have anything for portraits? like 45 f/1.8 or faster

Why 25mm if there’s 20mm = not so far away?? IMHO fast wide angle is what we need (12mm)…

I agree with Alex, although anything F1.4 or faster under 25mm is excellent. 25mm F1.1 with autofocus would be the next best seller. Put a wide converter on it, and you can make it wide enough for indoor shooting.

@admin: Why don’t you make a poll on how fast we would want the new 25mm lens to be?

and hopefully sharp without the need of software-correction for distortion. the 20mm sacrificies a lot sharpness because of distortion-correction.

Panasonic just realized that mFT needs more fast primes .
@oluv: F1.4 sounds more pro-like lens so maybe no distortion correction.

Some may be underestimating how different 25/1.2 (I assume, because we’re told it’ll be a little faster) would be from 20/1.7.

Plug some numbers into dofmaster.com…. you’d get much narrower depth of field with the rumoured lens.

As for longer, true “portrait” lenses, the existence of the 45/2.8 suggests to me that if a faster lens ever appears in the 40-50mm range, it’ll come from Olympus, not Panasonic.

I’m with M43photo blog guy: what is needed is a fast prime for portraits and fast constant tele pro spec lenses. If they are serious about this format of camera for the long run, then the more fast primes the better and high quality constant tele is really needed, especially since the sensors in this format when considering high iso could stand quality improvement.

Faster lenses allow both lower iso and bokeh a win win as far as I am concerned. I would really like this format to grow and with competition in other sensor sizes they need to empower users with usability via EVF and quality via improved lenses and improved sensors. The biggest danger to this format is a full frame EVIL, the advantage for 4/3 is size and SONY leaving out the EVF and in their typical minimalist approach leaving out any good controls on their nex units. Apparently SONY is targeting people who only shoot indoors want quality but don’t want to really control the camera but want interchangeable lenses. Kind of like photography unicorns or eunuchs, i.e. immaginary or non-functional photographers. Why bother with a larger sensor interchangeable lens and create a camera that drags its knuckles? What the sun never shines in Japan and nobody takes a pic outside? Frankly I think the camera companies have failed to man-up in the EVIL area.

Of course it is all IMHO. Being a humble guy and all….

john

I think the earlier poster has it right in that this is likely a new kit lens for the upcoming GF-2.

I also share the frustration that we are getting this *kind of redundant* lens instead of some of the other fast primes that are obviously missing from the m43 lineup – i.e. 10mm, 12mm, 70mm, 100mm

I agree with the folks who say what is needed as a fast portrait prime and a relatively fast wide angle (at least 12mm). This lens is too close to the 20mm pancake.

Jeez, and i had almost orderd the 20/1,7, neither fully happy with focal length and maximum aperture, and just refrained because of current pricing and availability. I guess the 20/1,7 won’t make it into my lens basket now. Until the 25/1,4 (or so) gets available, i’ll do with legacy glass. Just the initial price point will be fearsome.

@Henrik: By all means get the 20mm f/1.7. It’s a great lens at a great price (at least among other m43 lenses). Even if this rumor is true, it’s gonna cost above $1000 (my prediction). Also, the 20mm is a pancake, will make carrying your PEN (or GF1) more practical.

Reza, thanks for input It will be on a G2 and it’s not anyway meant as a walkaround lens, more for “reproductional”-like stuff, only brought for special occasions or used around the house, sometimes with a (hi-quality) close-up lens or with a retro adapter.

Agreed though with another poster up there that a fast portrait prime with a bit of macro talent is needed even more (know of the Pana 45/2,8).

I’d love a 50mm f1.4

@The Who:

If I have to bet, it will be branded Leica.

Anyways, if it is going to be 1.4/25 which actually usable at f1.4, as in “sharp without corrections”, it will never sell under $800. Even without the red dot.

@Simon
I don’t think there is anyone that wants a 25mm f/1.4 that doesn’t also want a nice portrait prime, but for me a 25mm is the bigger priority. True, we already have a 20mm/1.7, but I personally prefer the classic 50mm angle of view over the 40mm view. Also, I love shallow DOF, so the faster the aperture the better.

Also, I think the reason you see so many people buying classic manual 40-50mm primes is because, yes, we need a portrait lens, but also because there are simply tons of cheap primes between 40-50mm’s to choose from (I bought a 40mm Voigtlander f/1.4 myself). Try finding a 24mm f/1.4 prime for under $500. And even if you can find one you have to really really want a “nifty fifty” to buy one over the Panasonic 20mm/1.7.

Since I’m not into portrait photography, please explain this one to me. According to FourThirds Matching Simulation there are three fast portrait lenses in FourThirds mount ( not m4/3 ): Olympus 50mm f2.0 Macro, Sigma 50mm f1.4 and Sigma 30mm f1.4. What’s wrong with those lenses? OK, they auto focus slowly, but I guess that’s not an issue in portrait photography – your subject stops for a while anyway.

What this system doesn’t have is wide fast ( <20mm, <F1.7 ) prime with AF ( for indoor and night shooting ) and I think the manufacturers should fill that gap first. The mentioned 25mm F1.2 with wide converter could do the job …

Very interested here. To those that say it is too close to the 20mm f/1.7, I disagree. The combination of longer focal length and bigger aperture will be different enough. I’d have to guess the 25mm wont be a pancake, and will be targeted as a high end lens and would therefore be more expensive than the 20mm. My only hope is that it comes with a short minimum focus distance so it’ll double as a makeshift macro too. At least 0.25x magnification.

And yes, I’d like a fast 12mm too, at least f/2.0 preferably f/1.4 but that could be dreaming…

The 20mm is a normal lens on MFT, which should be the simplest to design. If Panasonic couldn’t make it faster than f/1.7, I seriously doubt we’ll ever see an f/1.4 wide angle pancake. See for instance the upcoming 14mm f/2.5.

i love prime lenses… zoom just not my cup of tea..