There is no lack of choice when it comes to quality wide-angle zoom lenses for micro four thirds. Some are a bit wider, others have a faster aperture, and others focus on versatility. The “Leica branded” Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4, released in 2018, makes a strong case for itself and is, …
Over the past few years, Panasonic and Olympus have put in considerable effort to build a reliable and versatile system for wildlife photography. Today users have access a good range of products when it comes to both cameras and lenses.
Up until now, the two companies have managed to release lenses that complement one another without competing directly in terms of focal length, aperture and size. For example, Lumix has a 200mm 2.8 whereas Olympus went for a 300mm f/4.
Small and portable fast aperture primes are abundant within the Micro Four Thirds lens range, with two of the most alluring being the Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 15mm f/1.7 and the Olympus M.Zuiko 17mm f/1.8 for those who love moderate-wide photography.
Two of the most logical competitors within the Micro Four Thirds lens range are the Olympus M.Zuiko 12mm f/2 and Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 12mm f/1.4 due to the fact that they share the exact same field of view. The former, released in 2011, has been around almost as long as the system itself whereas the latter arrived on the market in mid-2016.
Although we had plenty of experience with both lenses in the past, we never had the chance to test them side by side until now. Of course, the question on all of our minds is: does the larger and more expensive Leica 12mm provide superior optical quality in comparison to its Olympus counterpart, and if so, is it worth the extra money? It’s time to find out!
The Lumix G 14mm and Leica DG 15mm are both wide-angle primes from Panasonic. In addition to having a similar field of view, they both offer a relatively bright maximum aperture in a compact lens body. There are, however, quite a few differences that set them apart, starting with the ‘Leica’ designation of the latter and of course, the price. In fact, the 15mm is approximately twice as expensive as the 14mm at the time of writing.
In this comparison, we’re going to be looking at how these two primes compare, and more importantly, whether the 15mm is worth the extra investment. Let’s get started!
