Go Extensive! A have a look at 4 high ultra-wide primes for Micro 4 Thirds: Digital Pictures Evaluate

One of many nice issues in regards to the Micro 4 Thirds system is that it is simple to discover a good lengthy lens – together with those you used to make use of in your DSLR (keep in mind these?). With its quarter-size sensor the system offers us the attain of a 400mm lens once we’ve solely mounted a 200mm. The draw back in fact comes once we need a huge angle view, because the 2x crop issue means we want a 10mm lens to get the identical view we’d obtain with a 20mm on a full-frame digital camera.

Luckily although, we now have a reasonably first rate array of maximum wide-angle choices for the system (together with fairly a number of zooms). For this text I’ve restricted myself to prime lenses, and have nonetheless put collectively a superb little assortment to match. The concept is each to display what’s out there and to indicate what affect slight variations in focal size have on the angle of view of the lens. I’ve picked 4 lenses of about the identical focal size and inside a decent worth vary, however which have quite a lot of traits that lend every a definite id. The lenses going head-to-head are:

• Laowa 7.5mm F2 MFT $499/£460
• Meike 8mm F2.8 $399/£267
• Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 9mm F1.7 ASPH $498/£449
• Samyang 10mm F2.8 ED AS NCS CS $430/£429

As is commonly the case now, these in search of ultra-wide choices, particularly at an reasonably priced worth, ought to contemplate the numerous handbook focus lenses available on the market. Thus just one lens on this comparability affords autofocus and comes from a mainstream Micro 4 Thirds producer. I’ll be wanting on the bodily traits of the lenses, their protection, how good they’re to make use of in addition to the standard of picture they produce.

In all the next photographs taken with these lenses, the aperture was set to F8 to assist eradicate vignetting as a lot as potential. All samples had been made with a Panasonic Lumix G9. We’re together with the angle of view within the specs so you will get a greater thought of how a lot of a scene you may see, one thing not at all times precisely mirrored by the focal size in millimeters.

Laowa 7.5mm F2 MFT

www.venuslens.internet

Fast specs:

• Angle of view: 110°
• Codecs: MFT
• Aperture blades: 7
• Min distance: 12cm (4.7″)
• Filter: 46mm
• Dimension: 50x55mm
• Weight: 170g

If you’re in search of huge, why not go entire hog? Venus Optics claims that is the world’s widest rectilinear (non-fisheye) lens available on the market for the Micro 4 Thirds system. It should be one of many smallest too; at the least it is the smallest of this group by far.

Its dimension makes it simple to hold round, however these with bigger fingers would possibly discover the thin aperture ring a bit fiddly – it additionally sits very near the physique of the digital camera and the aperture markings are actually very small and troublesome to learn. It takes solely 1 / 4 flip of the fairly easy focus ring to take us from 12cm to infinity, so correct focusing at huge apertures in close-up conditions may be difficult. The lens may be very nicely made although, with a stable really feel, and it comes with a well-made lens hood that detaches to permit you to match screw-in filters – the power to make use of filters can’t be taken as a right on lenses as huge as this.

The model reviewed right here doesn’t have body-controlled apertures, however a premium model does at extra price. The copy seen right here has a vinyl wrap on it, which is why it seems completely different from the model you may even see on-line.

Optical Qualities

I suppose it would make sense that the lens with each the widest focal size and the smallest physique struggles to keep up high-end optical efficiency. Fairly heavy nook shading is a characteristic in any respect aperture settings, nevertheless it’s significantly heavy when the lens is used huge open. Barrel distortion can be very noticeable, even in straight strains nicely away from the sides of the body. These in search of one of the best decision will discover it at round F5.6, although the widest aperture additionally affords cheap element. If sharpness is a precedence it’s best to most likely keep away from closing past F8; decision turns into poor by F16 because of diffraction.

Takeaways

This can be a properly made, very small lens that can swimsuit these making an attempt to maintain their package compact, and who like a extremely excessive huge angle of view. The draw back is that it may be fiddly to make use of and its tiny dimensions appear to compromise its picture high quality.

For

• Actually small
• Very light-weight

In opposition to

• Numerous vignetting
• Its dimension could make it exhausting to make use of

Meike 8mm F2.8

www.meikeglobal.com

Fast specs:

• Angle of view: 109°
• Codecs: MFT
• Aperture blades: 10
• Min distance: 25cm (9.8″)
• Filter: 77mm
• Dimension: 80x82mm
• Weight: 480g

This can be a stable little lens that carries a bit extra weight than its dimension would possibly counsel, nevertheless it has that all-metal no-nonsense development so typically seen in lower-cost Chinese language designs. Notable bodily traits embody a dramatically bulbous ahead factor and a dynamic broadening of the barrel on the entrance finish the place that factor is housed. The steel petal-shaped lens hood isn’t removable, and is fitted with a screw thread for 77mm filters – although microscopically skinny filters can be wanted to keep away from the sides showing in your footage.

The main focus ring is broad, steel and closely textured to permit glorious buy with chilly fingers or gloves, and it turns properly. Once more the rotation from 25cm to infinity is a moderately brief 90°, however the properly proportioned depth-of-field scale informs us that even at F2.8 every part from two and half ft to infinity can be acceptably sharp.

Potential consumers ought to be aware that the aperture ring is clickless – which filmmakers will love and a few stills photographers won’t. But it surely’s an efficient ring with sufficient area to permit us to pick out the wanted aperture shortly and precisely.

Optical Qualities

I’ve been stunned by the optical traits of this Meike lens, because it produces fairly good decision huge open and barely higher element closed to the center apertures – although it drops off fairly shortly in direction of F16. Vignetting can be okay – being worst at F2.8, higher at F5.6 and about the identical at F16, however by no means horrible. Meike has managed to regulate curvilinear distortion remarkably nicely and, whereas barreling is clear from the middle of the body outwards, the impact is slight and of the type that’s simple to repair in software program.

Takeaways

You get a variety of lens for the cash right here: regardless of the low price, picture high quality is basically fairly good. A draw back for some would be the impossible-to-use filter thread – I couldn’t even use a 77-82mm adapter ring with out nook cut-off. Past this subject, although, that is an exceptionally good worth piece of package.

For

• Low price
• Remarkably good picture high quality

In opposition to

• Not possible to make use of filters
• Fairly large on the entrance

Panasonic Lumix Leica DG Summilux 9mm F1.7 ASPH.

www.panasonic.com

Fast specs:

• Angle of view: 100°
• Codecs: MFT
• Aperture blades: 7
• Min distance: 9.5cm (3.8″)
• Filter: 55mm
• Dimension: 60.8x52mm
• Weight: 130g

We’re used to Panasonic’s premium Leica DG lenses having a steel physique, so it may be fairly a shock to some to seek out a lot polycarbonate on this mannequin – it’s actually fairly completely different in development to their 15mm, 25mm, 42.5mm and different small primes. Nevertheless, this can be very light-weight consequently; in truth it is the lightest of the lenses right here regardless of not being the smallest.

In comparison with the opposite lenses additionally it is fairly minimalist in design, because it doesn’t have an aperture ring and has no markings aside from its title, rank and quantity. Its nice benefit over the others is that it brings autofocus; due to that, nonetheless, the rotation of the main target ring is barely fluid. Alternatively, in lots of Lumix cameras you may customise the ring in keeping with the necessities of the event. It has an distinctive shut focusing distance of 9.5mm.

The plastic petal-shaded hood comes off, however even with it in place we will screw in 55mm filters – or take away the hood for bigger filters through an adapter.

Optical Qualities

Communication between this lens and the Lumix G9 that I used to check this group creates one thing of an unfair benefit right here, because the digital camera is programmed to repair among the extra apparent aberrations.

If you’re solely involved with the tip consequence, although, you’ll discover that RAW and JPEG information provide solely slight vignetting at F1.7, which clears up shortly to the purpose the place there’s none to talk of by F5.6. Barrel distortion can be notably absent, and even huge open at F1.7 the decision beats, by some appreciable distance, one of the best efforts of any of the opposite lenses at their optimum mid-range apertures.

Conclusion

It’s exhausting to disregard simply how helpful AF is even in an ultra-wideangle lens, plus customizable handbook focus for MF customers. These benefits, in addition to the shut focus functionality and the distinctive picture high quality, make the Panasonic a really troublesome lens to beat regardless of its slight extra price.

For

• AF and EXIF knowledge
• Excellent picture high quality

In opposition to

• Not fairly the identical construct as different Panasonic Leica lenses
• Some will miss an aperture ring/depth-of-field scale

Samyang 10mm F2.8 ED AS NCS CS

Fast spec:

• Angle of view: 93.4°
• Codecs: MFT/APS-C
• Aperture blades: 6
• Min distance: 24cm (9.4″)
• Filter: NA
• Dimension: 87×130.9mm
• Weight: 620g

That is by some margin the biggest of the lenses I attempted, which is probably going defined by its APS-C-friendly optical design meant for DSLRs – the MFT model is particularly lengthy because it wants extra distance between the rear factor and the mount. It is usually the heaviest of the group, however that mass is distributed nicely so it doesn’t really feel too weighty.

Since this lens was designed for DSLRs, it has a really broad rubberized focusing ring and a thicker aperture ring. Of the handbook focus lenses, that is the one one to have evenly-spaced aperture settings. It additionally has a properly readable depth-of-field scale, however solely affords measurements for apertures of F5.6 and wider, which appears an odd selection given the wants of panorama and architectural images.

The substantial lens hood is completely hooked up to the barrel so there isn’t a alternative to mount filters or a filter system from the entrance. A six-bladed iris feels somewhat primitive on this area, however there are a variety of anti-reflective coatings talked about within the title, which the producer claims enhance distinction and assist to keep away from flare.

Optical Qualities

This large lens, with its not-especially-fast most aperture, its comparatively slender angle-of-view and its huge protecting circle, ought to actually have all the benefits. Nevertheless, barrel distortion is kind of current and vignetting is basically noticeable on the wider apertures – although a lot improved at F5.6. Its finest decision comes on the wider aperture settings – I’m not satisfied we get extra element at F5.6 – and it’s clearly much less sharp when closed to F16.

Takeaways

I had hoped for barely higher issues from this large Samyang lens. Greater, on this case, is not higher. Merely put, there’s extra vignetting and barrel distortion than there ought to be.

For

• The scale makes dealing with snug
• Evenly spaced aperture markings

In opposition to

• It’s large
• Picture high quality is fairly underwhelming

Spherical-up: which prime is price your dime?

All of those lenses are fairly usable and, as long as you’re ready to work in your post-capture software program abilities, all will provide a good sufficient consequence if nobody seems too carefully. I’ve had nice experiences with Laowa lenses previously, however sadly this 7.5mm isn’t pretty much as good as I’d hoped, and I believe comes final within the group. The Samyang 10mm is available in simply forward of it, and the Meike 8mm a great way forward of that. I’ve been shocked by how good the Meike lens is, particularly contemplating how a lot much less it prices. On the high I place the Lumix 9mm.

These photographs display the diploma of vignetting and curvilinear distortion you may anticipate from every of the lenses. Every was examined at its respective widest aperture setting, at F5.6 and at an aperture one cease down from the smallest on provide – some go to F22 and others to F16. The photographs had been taken from a distance of 1m (39″).

Whereas costlier lenses don’t at all times win group assessments, I suppose it’s somewhat predictable that the Panasonic Leica 9mm F1.7 would come out on high – nevertheless it does so in fairly dramatic model. It performs nicely forward of the others in picture high quality, and affords autofocus, a really huge most aperture, excessive shut focusing and EXIF knowledge in addition.

I suppose the shortage of the standard premium Panasonic/Leica touches like a steel barrel hold it mild and in addition hold the worth down, which means it compares properly even there with the remainder of the group. The Leica-approved optics inside give optical traits nicely forward of the pack and make it an distinctive lens.