SLRmagic reviews from the production version.
SLR Magic HyperPrime 12mm / F1.6 (black ring version) – short review from Hacky on Vimeo.
Helge Hackbarth form 3D-kraft sent me the link to his SLRmagic 12mm f/1.6 review. Why is it important? Unlike all other reviewers he tested the final production lens which is less affected by flare issues. YOu can read the full review at 3D-kraft. HIs conclusions are quite positive. This is definitely the first seriously good and interetsing SLR Magic lens!
P.S.: Ther eis one more review of the production version lens at theeditman.
Other SLRmagic lenses for Micro Four Thirds:
SLR Magic 12-36×50 ED Straight Spotting Scope lens (w/ hand grip) is now available on eBay (Click here).
SLR magic 11mm f/1.4 lens you can preorder on eBay (Click here).
Toy Lens 26mm f/1.4 lens on eBay (Click here).
SLR Magic 35mm f/1.7 MC lens on eBay (Click here).
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Recent comments
Comment from Ageha: Nice review!...
Comment from Nelson: Has anyone checked this video (shot with...
DonTom
7 months ago |It’s not getting easier to decide which WA to get. Have just got back from Athens: 14mm wasn’t wide enough, but fast prime or ultra wide zoom? AAGGH!
Brod1er
7 months ago |You have some interesting choices. A UWA zoom offers the greatest options IMO. The Panny 7-14 is not aperture fast but offers several lenses in one, focuses fast & close, exhibits virtually no flate, and the quality is excellent. Bright lenses are much less important at the ultrawide end, although ultimately it depends on your needs.
frank
7 months ago |I agree with what you say about the 7-14/4. It is a very very nice lens.
DonTom
7 months ago |I am tending to agree with you both, although I may go with the Olly 9-18. I do like to take pics in church interiors though, but I feel that a 12mm will still not be wide enough. So I may just have to use higher ISO than normal. Or start using a tripod more……
frank
7 months ago |just remember there is quite a big difference between 9mm and 7mm, I once saw a nice comparison. Ah here it is:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/dvr01/oly-fov3.jpg
bean5y
7 months ago |That image seems a bit off, is that 7mm on m43 (14mm equivalent)? Even if that’s so, it doesn’t look wide enough. Check this page out, it doesn’t go into much detail around the lower focal lengths but gives a good comparison of focal lengths on m43.
http://www.biofos.com/cornucop/omz_ep1.html
frank
7 months ago |I don’t think that site gives a good comparison. The widest is 8 and then 16, so nothing in between. And then the 8mm he uses is a fisheye which does not compare to a rectilineair ultra wide angle we are talking about here.
Colorado
7 months ago |OK, here is a better way to compare 7mm (14mm equiv.) to 9mm (18mm equiv.) angle of view. Have to select FX format in both lens and body options. Big difference, but not huge. http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/simulator/index.htm
Ageha
7 months ago |1+
Mar
7 months ago |UWA is good, but most of the time it just creates too much perspective distortion as you tilt it upwards.
That’s why I prefer more normal wide lenses in 10-14mm for architecture, or better yet TS lenses.
Sure, you can use software to adjust perspective, but you lose a lot of image that way.
It’s best to stitch few verticals from a decent wide angle.
Panasonic is also 2 stops slower and doesn’t take filters. One can always use panasonic lx3 wide angle adaptor for 12mm f2 to get a 9mm f2 lens.
Mr. Reeee
7 months ago |Distorted perspective is a FEATURE. It’s a matter of learning how to use it, to work with it as an advantage, not as an imagined handicap or limitation. And also to enjoy it.
TWO lenses I would NOT give up are the 7-14mm and Nokton 25mm. Those are M4/3 system defining lenses.
Mar
7 months ago |So you’re saying that converging verticals on buildings are a good thing?
Mr. Reeee
7 months ago |Okay, I was being mildly facetious, but you learn to work with it. I’ll pick a line to use as a ledger line… maybe a horizontal or a vertical, along one side or closer to the center. Or a strong diagonal coming from a corner, or several. It depends.
The composition can change dramatically with subtle shifts. It can look like everything is collapsing or exploding. It’s also possible (and surprisingly easy
) to make some incredibly dull and static images.
It’s about the only time I’ll use the on-screen grid lines.
Surefoot
7 months ago |Yes totally:
http://zoom.smugmug.com/StreetandArchitecture/Lyon-Croix-Rousse-2011-03-06/16091148_5t6McB#1207843436_83UpQ-A-LB
Helge Hackbarth
7 months ago |These are quite different application areas. The 7-14 and 9-18 are more flexible but nearly unusable for moving objects at (low) available light and can produce nearly no DOF effects. The 12/1.6 is more specialized but opens application areas that were unreachable for m4/3 so far.
frank
7 months ago |well, there is the 12/2 from olympus, so “unreachable” is a bit of a strong term as this lens has been available for a few months
Helge Hackbarth
7 months ago |You are right. “unreachable” was ment towards the UWW Zooms.
Brod1er
7 months ago |Trust me at 7mm with the subject 2cm from the front of the lens, you can easily get DOF effects! Being able to go so wide (there is a world of difference between 7mm and 12mm) meas you can get really close to subjects and push backgrounds right back. Mar is right about distortion though. If you want undistorted architecture shots, you may be better off with TS or stitching. The Oly 9-18 is a nice lens too. Not as optically good but very compact, cheaper, more general purpose and takes filters.
Tom
7 months ago |Fast aperture is really important for my work. I do not have the choice for extra lighting and the extra stop means lower iso and less noise. Maybe no help for shallow DOF but it means getting the image or not getting anything
Olympius
7 months ago |It’s lenses like these and the Nokton 25mm that make me very happy to be a micro 4/3 user, and keeps me from defecting to Sony or Nikon. The 4/3 sensor is perfect compromise in size and performance between full frame and point & shoot sensors, small enough to provide outstanding edge-to-edge sharpness when used with the right lenses, but not so small that you can’t get some nice bokeh when you need it (unlike Nikon’s offerings.)
I used to absolutely love the 24mm focal length when I was a 35mm film shooter, and would love a lens like this SLR Magic 12mm. They’ve done a great job here, and I hope the big American resellers, like B&H and Adorama, carry this lenes.
The design of this lens reminds me a lot of the old Vivitar wide-angles from the 70′s, which were outstanding lenses in their day, and still do a great job.
- Olympius
Gabi
7 months ago |The 12/1.6 looks very interesting, however, it seems prone to vignetting. You can easily see that in the Architecture shot (under “sharpness”). Else, this seems to be a fine lens.
Stefan K.
7 months ago |Is it just me, or is the bokeh more in the fugly departement. When I compare it ton my Pany 20mm for example it seems way noisy… I am dissapointed
bitcrusher
7 months ago |I will wait until they are $200-$250 bucks. I am not convinced that this is a well built lens. I could be totally wrong. We will see.
I think it could come in handy for low-light but you can get a tonkina 11-16 for $600. Which is only a $100 more then list for this guy.
GH2 ex
7 months ago |yeah some have come back saying the mount becomes loose. Doesnt suprise me anyway as SLRMagic sell modified inexpensive machine vision/cctv lenses at a hiked up price.
Least with tokina and olympus you get a solid lens.
jonnymedia
7 months ago |Hi everyone! I’ve put together my review of the SLR Magic HyperPrime 12mm f1.6.
Enjoy!
http://www.jonnymedia.com/2011/11/12/review-slr-magic-hyperprime-12mm-f1-6/
Ageha
7 months ago |Nice review!
Nelson
7 months ago |Has anyone checked this video (shot with 12mm 1.6 and 25mm 0.95)
http://vimeo.com/31256823
totally blow me away!
Ageha
7 months ago |Very nice!