Comparison Test: Leica D Vario-Elmarit 14-50mm f/2.8-3.5 vs ZD 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5

[tomcat]

Here are the results of the comparison test between the Leica D Vario-Elmarit 14-50mm and the Zukio Digital 14-54mm which was kindly loaned to me by chancy for this purpose.

The 2 lenses were compared at focal lengths of 14mm, 35mm and 50mm and at apertures of 2.8 (at 14mm), 3.5 (at 35mm & 50mm), 8 and 16. All were shot in RAW by the L1 which was mounted on a tripod, using timer mode and converted using SilkyPix, all with the same parameter settings.

This set comprised of 100% crops from the centre of the target as shown.



#1 Focal Length 14mm


#2 Focal Length 35mm


#3 Focal Length 50mm

[ricohflex]

tomcat

thank you for an outstanding test

and no need to say much

let people decide on their own

[tomcat]

For those who are interested in how these 2 lenses performed near the edge of the image, the rest of the comparison results covering this aspect had been posted here:
http://www.mytikas.org/portal/viewtopic.php?t=530

[say123]

Correct me if i am wrong,

i remember that there is Venus III engine built in for the Leica Lens?


seems to me that Leica is much shaper at all f2.8

[say123]

forgot to add, thanks for all the effort Tomcat!

now the decision...

Leica or Oly one? $$$$$ or $$$?

[tomcat]

Originally Posted by say123 Correct me if i am wrong, i remember that there is Venus III engine built in for the Leica Lens? seems to me that Leica is much shaper at all f2.8

The Venus III engine is in the camera body and is only applicable to the processing of the in-camera jpeg images. RAW files are not processed by the Venus III engine at all.

[say123]

Originally Posted by tomcat The Venus III engine is in the camera body and is only applicable to the processing of the in-camera jpeg images. RAW files are not processed by the Venus III engine at all.

check out here...

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0602/06...ica14-50mm.asp

copied from dpreview website. 4th para.

For use in Panasonic's LUMIX cameras, the LEICA D VARIO-ELMARIT 14-50mm/F2.8-3.5 ASPH lens incorporates MEGA O.I.S. Developed entirely by Panasonic, this advanced optical image stabilization system makes it possible – without using a tripod – to capture clear, beautiful images even in macro shooting or low-lit situations, giving users more shooting flexibility. And to assure precise control over the MEGA O.I.S., the Venus Engine is integrated into the lens unit. Together with the full-time Live View function, these two important features make the DMC-L1 (also being introduced) a digital SLR camera that offers an entirely new kind of photographic experience.

if this is true, has the Leica Lens got to be used with the L1 for the Venus III to work? or does it function by itself even when coupled with a oly body?

guess we need a comparison again to investigate this.

[microcosm]

I have a curious question... obviously these were shot on the L1. What about switching camera body? Use a Olympus camera instead?

[tomcat]

Originally Posted by say123 check out here... http://www.dpreview.com/news/0602/06...ica14-50mm.asp copied from dpreview website. 4th para. For use in Panasonic's LUMIX cameras, the LEICA D VARIO-ELMARIT 14-50mm/F2.8-3.5 ASPH lens incorporates MEGA O.I.S. Developed entirely by Panasonic, this advanced optical image stabilization system makes it possible – without using a tripod – to capture clear, beautiful images even in macro shooting or low-lit situations, giving users more shooting flexibility. And to assure precise control over the MEGA O.I.S., the Venus Engine is integrated into the lens unit. Together with the full-time Live View function, these two important features make the DMC-L1 (also being introduced) a digital SLR camera that offers an entirely new kind of photographic experience. if this is true, has the Leica Lens got to be used with the L1 for the Venus III to work? or does it function by itself even when coupled with a oly body? guess we need a comparison again to investigate this.

I believe that to be erroneous. Venus III engine is Panasonic's image processor just as TruePic TURBO is that of Olympus' image processor. And it is in the specifications of the L1 in dpreview's own hands-on review of the L1 as well.
http://www.dpreview.com/articles/pan...mcl1/page2.asp

And this is from Panasonic themselves about the Venus Engine:
http://www.panasonic.ca/english/audi...s_I_II_III.pdf

If the Leica lens has a Venus engine built-in, then it would not work on other Olympus DSLRs which use TruePic TURBO for image processing but it does work on my E-330. Conversely, if the Venus engine is actually in the Leica lens, then other Olympus lenses would not work on the L1 since there would be no image processing capabilities left in the L1 without the Leica lens. Again, all my Olympus lenses work perfectly on the L1. Therefore, no need to do another comparison test to check this out... already done that first thing when I got the L1.... although I do plan to try out the Leica lens on both cameras to see how differently the E-330 and L1 interpret and process the image data they receive from the lens.

[say123]

well, both pana and oly uses different image processing tech...

leica lens and the oly lens are firmware upgradable. So i am wondering if the leica lens will auto OFF the VIII when coupled to a oly body. (assuming it does have VIII on len).

[say123]

Originally Posted by tomcat .... although I do plan to try out the Leica lens on both cameras to see how differently the E-330 and L1 interpret and process the image data they receive from the lens.

i think its worthwhile to compare how a 14-54 and the leica len performed on the e330 and L1 since they use the same sensor. if there are any differences, could it be due to the venus III or the true pic turbo?

[tomcat]

Originally Posted by say123 well, both pana and oly uses different image processing tech... leica lens and the oly lens are firmware upgradable. So i am wondering if the leica lens will auto OFF the VIII when coupled to a oly body. (assuming it does have VIII on len).

There is nothing to switch off since the Venus Engine III LSI is in the L1 body and not in the lens. In all official documentations from Panasonic on the L1, it is always stated that the L1 has the Venus Engine III LSI and not that the Leica kit lens has the Venus Engine III LSI. For example, look at pg 11 of this brochure from Panasonic...
http://www.panasonic.co.uk/images04/...tech/l1pdf.pdf
There is a photo of the Venus Engine III LSI on the motherboard. How on earth would that be possible to mount the LSI and motherboard into a lens, I wonder.

[ykkok]

The Venus Engine and the Truepic Turbo are the processors (DSP) found in the bodies of the Panasonic and Olympus DSLR, not the lenses.

I am quite sure that tomcat did some very fair and well tests.

[drakon09]

It looks like the Leica *slightly* outperforms the Zuiko, but we do have to take note the individual price points; if the Leica is twice the price of the Zuiko...

[nightpiper]

Originally Posted by drakon09 It looks like the Leica *slightly* outperforms the Zuiko, but we do have to take note the individual price points; if the Leica is twice the price of the Zuiko...

for that i conclude............ tomcat is one very rich cat!!

[tomcat]

Originally Posted by nightpiper for that i conclude............ tomcat is one very rich cat!!

.....actually a very poor one now

[lim8395]

Originally Posted by tomcat .....actually a very poor one now

haha, the rich cat.

so wat u gona do with ure lumix LC1?

[Hacker]

Originally Posted by say123 Correct me if i am wrong, i remember that there is Venus III engine built in for the Leica Lens? seems to me that Leica is much shaper at all f2.8

This is a pix of the Lecia lens with the Venus engine:


In the Oly 90-250mm lens, there is a chip that transmits the focal length and other information to the body for processing and further image correction.

[say123]

Originally Posted by Hacker This is a pix of the Lecia lens with the Venus engine: In the Oly 90-250mm lens, there is a chip that transmits the focal length and other information to the body for processing and further image correction.

actally i saw this pic in the previous link tomcat had posted. page 5 of 16 in the pdf.
but do not know if the VIII is integrated on the circuit.

[hammer_400]

Leica vs Zuiko : revisited

there's another comparative test here

http://www.dslrmagazine.com/pruebas/...e-a-leica.html