Bokeh Comparison - ZD 14-54mm vs Leica 14-50mm vs ZD 50mm

[tomcat]

This is a simple comparison of the bokeh created by these lenses wide-open at 50mm focal length. They were all shot handheld with the Panasonic L1.

#1

Zukio Digital 14-54mm at 50mm f/3.5

#2

Leica D-Vario Elmarit 14-50mm at 50mm f/3.5

#3

Zukio Digital 50mm Macro at f/3.5

#4

Zukio Digital 50mm Macro at f/2.0

Comments from bokeh aficionados are welcome as I know 'nuts' about what is good or bad bokeh.

[ExplorerZ]

i newb at bokeh as well... but pretty obvious the macro lens did the best due to its f2. @ f3.5, my personal preference would me the zuiko macro, follow by leica and zuiko again.
but again this is just my personal preference.

[Mikefellh]

You should try darkening the background highlights, the eye keeps getting drawn to them, away from the subject...blurriness is not enough.

[ExplorerZ]

Originally Posted by Mikefellh You should try darkening the background highlights, the eye keeps getting drawn to them, away from the subject...blurriness is not enough.

erm, guess he is trying to show the quality bokeh done by different lens, rather than how blur he can get...

[tomcat]

Yes, I was trying to compare the quality of the bokeh from the ZD 14-54mm and the Leica 14-50mm with the ZD 50mm thrown in for reference. The foreground subject in these shots was actually of no significance for this comparison apart from acting as a check that the camera was properly focussed for each shot.

The Leica 14-50mm with OIS is a very real and and viable alternative to the ZD 14-54mm and I am thinking that many Oly users might be interested to see how the Leica stacks up against this Oly lens as far as optical/image quality is concerned. Hence this comparison test and others that I would be posting in the immediate future.

[microcosm]

Originally Posted by tomcat Left Zuiko Digital 14-54mm - Right Leica 14-50mm

you bought the L1? How is the ergonomics of the camera?

[microcosm]

The colours seems slightly deeper and pronounced with the Leica lens. What you feel about the lens? Can you try shooting at low light and see how the Leica performs? I am thinking about picking up a L1 just for the lens and keeping the L1 as a spare body because the shape of the body takes up very little space in the bag.

[nightpiper]

wow, the prime lens can really do bokeh!! very nice!! to my aging eyes, the Oly kit lens & leica kit lens doesn't have much significant diff in terms of colour & contrast. the Leica is slightly warmer... i do believe the leica has more details thou. care to do a resolution test with both kit lens?

thx for the comparison... u r tempting many people... of cos u knew that already.

[Hacker]

Originally Posted by nightpiper wow, the prime lens can really do bokeh!! very nice!! to my aging eyes, the Oly kit lens & leica kit lens doesn't have much significant diff in terms of colour & contrast. the Leica is slightly warmer... i do believe the leica has more details thou. care to do a resolution test with both kit lens? thx for the comparison... u r tempting many people... of cos u knew that already.

I don't see much difference in terms of bokeh. However, I would be interested to see the shots in a more contrasty situation. Curious about the Leica's color and contrast.

[cire07]

Sorry ah guys...

But what's the term "bokeh" mean?

[nightpiper]

Originally Posted by Hacker I don't see much difference in terms of bokeh. However, I would be interested to see the shots in a more contrasty situation. Curious about the Leica's color and contrast.

ya, only the prime lens showed great bokeh. the 2 kit lens r similar. is the leica worth the extra premium? i guess not since performance is very close, but perhaps the resale value of a Leica is better.

Quote: Sorry ah guys... But what's the term "bokeh" mean?

its a japanese term but spelled wrongly. refers to the background blur or how well the lens blur out the bkgnd.

[cire07]

Originally Posted by nightpiper ya, only the prime lens showed great bokeh. the 2 kit lens r similar. is the leica worth the extra premium? i guess not since performance is very close, but perhaps the resale value of a Leica is better. its a japanese term but spelled wrongly. refers to the background blur or how well the lens blur out the bkgnd.

Thanks mate!

In that case can enlighten the correct Jap term/spelling? Just for my own curiousity...

[tomcat]

Originally Posted by microcosm you bought the L1? How is the ergonomics of the camera?

How's the ergonomics? It would depend on the user, I think.

If you are an 'old foggy' like me who started on the road to photography with traditional film SLRs, then it would be like a nostalgic homecoming when you first hold the L1 in your hand and start using it. Almost all the controls that are normally relegated to a menu/sub-menu system in current DSLRs are now hard-switchable on the camera body. The way Panasonic implement the shooting mode (P,A,S,M) in the L1 is quite innovative though not exactly new since it was already used in the LC1. But all the important buttons and switches are either in the right place or are easily accessible once you familiarise yourself with the layout of the camera.

If you are too young to have used a film SLR, then there would be a learning curve to overcome as you might have to unlearn the way functions in a normal DSLR is operated and then you might conclude that the L1 is at all 'ergonomic'.

Despite the lack of a large grip, I did not find the L1 hard to hold at all. Personally, I prefer the camera body to be larger instead of those teeny-weeny bodies of some of the DSLRs available nowadays which always inspire a subconscious fear of in me of dropping them, so much so that I tend to instinctively grip onto them more tightly than necessary which could be tiring after a long day of shooting.

[tomcat]

Originally Posted by nightpiper ya, only the prime lens showed great bokeh. the 2 kit lens r similar. is the leica worth the extra premium? i guess not since performance is very close, but perhaps the resale value of a Leica is better.

That could be true if you are contemplating buying the lens based only on the quality of its bokeh. I have already done all the comparison shots between these 2 lenses like those in my earlier post comparing the Leica to the Olympus 50mm macro prime lens and will be posting the results real soon.

Oh, and the price of the L1 has dropped to <$3k already making it really attractive given the quality of the kit lens that it comes with. This is really depressing for early-adopters like me.

[microcosm]

Originally Posted by tomcat How's the ergonomics? It would depend on the user, I think. If you are an 'old foggy' like me who started on the road to photography with traditional film SLRs, then it would be like a nostalgic homecoming when you first hold the L1 in your hand and start using it. Almost all the controls that are normally relegated to a menu/sub-menu system in current DSLRs are now hard-switchable on the camera body. The way Panasonic implement the shooting mode (P,A,S,M) in the L1 is quite innovative though not exactly new since it was already used in the LC1. But all the important buttons and switches are either in the right place or are easily accessible once you familiarise yourself with the layout of the camera. If you are too young to have used a film SLR, then there would be a learning curve to overcome as you might have to unlearn the way functions in a normal DSLR is operated and then you might conclude that the L1 is at all 'ergonomic'. Despite the lack of a large grip, I did not find the L1 hard to hold at all. Personally, I prefer the camera body to be larger instead of those teeny-weeny bodies of some of the DSLRs available nowadays which always inspire a subconscious fear of in me of dropping them, so much so that I tend to instinctively grip onto them more tightly than necessary which could be tiring after a long day of shooting.

Forgive me, but it does reminds me of my old FM2 in terms of shape. Except I would have preferred the shutter button to be slightly more protruded. Any comments on the shutter button? I am very close to buying the L1. I like to be able to adjust the aperture using the aperture ring, and shutter speed on the dial, like in the good old film days...

In fact, I am toying with the novelty idea of buying the Leica branded version. But that depends on how much more is the novelty idea going to cost me. But that said, this is still going to be my spare body. Its meant to last me until end of 2007/early 2008 when I retire the E-1 for the sucessor. (waiting for the Rev B/C to be released, I am not the early adopter kind).

[tao]

Originally Posted by microcosm (waiting for the Rev B/C to be released, I am not the early adopter kind).

you must be a Mac user too.

[microcosm]

Originally Posted by tao you must be a Mac user too.

How did you guess?

[tao]

Originally Posted by microcosm How did you guess?

Us folks always use terms like RevA, RevB, RevC, etc for hardware.

I agree, if I can help it, I will not buy RevA unless if it is proven by endusers to be stable.

[microcosm]

Yup. That I agree...

[cherps]

Yup yup the old school controls of the L1 are the main charms of the camera.. but there is one thing that keeps L1 from imbo, perfection. and that is, an old school viewfinder-- large, bright, and a joy to use.

back to topic!: yes i like the macro bokeh, but the zoom lens bokehs r still very usable.