Review: Panasonic Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 DG Nocticron OIS

Review: Panasonic Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 DG Nocticron OIS

LeVeque Tower - Panasonic Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 @ f/1.2
LeVeque Tower – Panasonic Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 @ f/1.2

Image Quality

Sharpness

To be blunt, the Panasonic Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 is simply brilliant when it comes to sharpness.  Images are very sharp right from f/1.2 over the majority of the frame, with just a little corner softening at wide apertures.  When stopped down, the lens becomes simply blisteringly sharp, with center resolution that almost certainly outresolves the sensor.  The edges and corners aren’t quite as sharp as the center, especially at closer focus distances, but they are more than good enough for any purpose.  Once you start focusing out at further focus distances, even the corners sharpen up nicely.

Quite simply, you won’t be disappointed, whether shooting at f/1.2 or f/8.  The image on the right is taken at f/1.2.  Click for the full size image and press the green arrow at the bottom of the screen to view at 100%.

Bokeh

With a large f/1.2 aperture and the short telephoto length, the Nocticron is a natural fit for portraiture, as well as other applications where shallow depth of field are desirable.   In what is actually rather unusual for a lens that is this sharp wide open, the Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 maintains very smooth pleasing bokeh.  Specular highlights are evenly illuminated, with no bright edges or onion ring artifacts.  Overall, even at a distance, bokeh remains relatively neutral.   There are some cases where the green fringing that can occur behind a subject can introduce some color artifacts in the bokeh, most notably in busy backgrounds such as sticks or shrubs.  All in all, the bokeh out of the Nocticron is excellent.

CoGo - Panasonic Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 @ f/1.2
CoGo – Panasonic Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 @ f/1.2

Color, Contrast and Chromatic Aberration

While the Panasonic Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 is certainly sharp and has very nice bokeh, perhaps the most remarkable thing about the lens is the very high level of contrast and rich color saturation the lens maintains even at maximum aperture.  Even the very best ultra-fast lenses generally have lowered contrast at the widest apertures, but the Leica here maintains high contrast and vibrant color even at f/1.2.  Images have a definite pop to them and this gives the 42.5mm a unique look among fast lenses.

One area where the Nocticron does stumble slightly with chromatic aberrations. While still relatively well controlled for a fast lens, the 42.5mm shows some minor lateral chromatic aberrations, but more noticeable longitudinal chromatic aberrations.  This can result in magenta and green fringing in front of and behind the point of focus.  Some purple fringing can also occur in certain circumstances.  It’s not a perfect performance here by any measure, but overall, these levels are still relatively low for a lens of this type.

Distortion, Flare, Vignetting and other Aberrations

The 42.5mm Nocticron has just a hint of barrel distortion, but nothing that will generally be visible in typical light.  I did not notice any issues with flare during my time shooting with the lens.  No real loss of contrast is evident in backlit situations and complex flare is kept under control

The lens does show notable corner shading at maximum aperture.  When used for portraits, I actually like a little bit of vignetting in a lens like this, so for me personally, I don’t mind vignetting at f/1.2. Stopping down to f/2 cuts down vignetting significantly.  Most fast telephoto lenses have some residual spherical aberration that shows as a light glow at wide apertures.  The Panasonic Leica 42.5mm, however, shows extremely low levels of spherical aberration even wide open.  This is a rather remarkable performance, especially considering how smooth the bokeh is.

Continue: Conclusion and Image Samples

Comments

20 responses to “Review: Panasonic Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 DG Nocticron OIS”

  1. Val Avatar
    Val

    Jordan – thank you for the review, pleasure reading it and only reinforces my initial perception about this lens!
    Quick question regarding your comment about the inability to use the E-M5 accessory grip. Can you please describe how or maybe provide a pic if possible? This could be a big concern for many especially since it’s not really that obvious when visually judging the HLD-6 with this lens mounted.

  2. […] Review: Panasonic Leica 42.5mm f/1.2 DG Nocticron OIS » […]

  3. Nobuyuki Sakamoto Avatar

    I’m glad to see that Panasonic has found its way back to Leica-branded lenses that seem very Leica-like.

    It’s interesting that this Nocticron is larger than the Leica/Panasonic 25mm f/1.4 for Four-Thirds. It only uses a 62mm filter. I use it on my GH3 and the GH3 doesn’t sit flat, so I can imagine how the 42.5mm lens changes things. The images are so good with the Four-Thirds lens that I was surprised when Panasonic decided to go so small with the micro Four-Thirds version of the 25mm lens.

    I hope that every one of the 42.5mm lenses is incredibly good. I expect a lot of wedding photographers would buy one in an instant.

  4. Stéphane Avatar
    Stéphane

    I must say that I’m very tempted by this lens but, like Val, I’m really concerned by the hld-6 issue. The only lens I feel happy using without the extra grip is my tiny Pana 20/1.7, so a couple of pics with the camera, with grip and lens in hand would be great.

    While I’m not sure I can justify the price tag of this lens I’m also looking into replacing (or ideally complementing) my E-M5 with the E-M1 (or it’s successor if I can/have to wait) so any insights on this lens fitting comfortably on that camera would be wonderful too.

    1. Jordan Steele Avatar

      I don’t have the lens any more. I had it for a week for review and that’s it, so I can’t provide a picture. To describe, with the HLD-6 mounted, there is only about a quarter inch of clearance between the lens and the inside of the grip. I CAN fit my fingers into that gap, but it’s not comfortable at all, as I need to actually wedge them in….it’s somewhat painful. It shouldn’t be an issue on a camera like the E-M1 or GH3.

      1. Chris Avatar
        Chris

        I can confirm there isn’t any issue with em-1 and this lens, with or without the grip. And I have large hands.

  5. Steve Avatar

    So glad to have this real world review!! Also, thanks to the commenters as I have an EM1 and got my question answered about the grip.

  6. […] Added on 3/21/2014: https://admiringlight.com/blog/review-panasonic-leica-42-5mm-f1-2-dg-nocticron-ois/ […]

  7. Max Avatar
    Max

    Thank You for this review! I have one specific question. In your review of the voigtlander 42,5mm f/0.95 you observed a “busy” bokeh at longer distances. How does the bokeh of the Leica look compared to the Voigtlander at longer distances?

  8. Dale Avatar
    Dale

    Thanks for another wonderful review. I have the Voigtlander 17.5mm and 25mm and have been contemplating a 42.5mm to use with my E-M1 and at present my GH3 (although I may upgrade that to the GH4 at the end of the year). Fortunately, the MFT community have three really outstanding lens in the 42.5mm to 45mm category to choose from and use. I presently own the Olympus 45mm, but have been eyeing the Voigtlander 42.5mm and this new Panasonic Noctigon. Both outstanding, but both also very different along with of course, a meaningful cost factor too. Although I thoroughly enjoy my current Voigtlander lenses, I am surprisingly being more attracted to the Panasonic 42.5mm lens. Much like the Olympus 75mm, everything I see and read about the lens is nothing short of a great great lens to shoot with and own. In your opinion, when you compare the pros and cons of each of these two lenses, am I crazy not to just buy the Voigtlander 42.5mm and enjoy it and my $600 savings, or crazier not to go for the automatic focus, the stabilization and what seems like overall a slightly better lens for the extra money it costs? You have used both lenses, how would you decide on a decision to buy either lens weighing the pros and cons of each? Several of my friends have the Voigtlander 42.5mm and are encouraging me to go the same way and enjoy the Voigtlander lens and the savings, but I quite frankly presently lean a little more closely towards the Panasonic.

    Any more thoughts you have regarding choosing between the two lenses? Appreciate your input.

    Dale

    1. David Shapiro Avatar

      HI Dale. ‘m making the same choice between Voigt and PL 42.5s for use with E-M1 alongside the Oly 75 and the Voigt 25 (which I’ve recently bought, and love). Did you decide? Any further comment? I suspect I’d benefit from consistency of handling as well as results between the two Voigt lenses, but the PL does seem technically superior as well as bringing AF. The redundancy of the focus ring with Oly body would I guess be a trivial irritant. Thanks, David

      1. Dale Avatar
        Dale

        No final decision as of yet, but as much as I like and enjoy my 3 Voigtlander lenses (17.5mm, 25mm, & 75mm), I am leaning more towards the Pany Noctigon for the slightly superior qualities and advantages it will provide (automatic focus, stabilization which would be good if used on my GH3 or another Panasonic body, and I suspect just a tad sharper across the range of settings than the impressive Voigtlander 42.5mm).

        Voigtlander also threw a monkey wrench into the mix with their recent announcement of a new 10.5mm F0.95 lens that also has more than perked some interest on my part. Quite frankly, this new lens announcement caught me (and others I’m sure) so once I am ready to buy another lens for my system, there will be another lens that might create the GAS fever too. Never a dull moment in the camera/lens world these days.
        Dale

  9. […] Leica 15mm f/1.7 takes its exterior design cues from its older brother, the 42.5mm f/1.2 Nocticron (reviewed here), as well as more recent Leica M mount lenses.  The result is a very attractive little lens, that […]

  10. Gonzalo Broto Avatar

    It took me a few months of ‘yes vs. no’ (I already had the Olympus M Zuiko 45, after all, and didn’t use it that much), but in the end, a hot deal in the camera store where I usually buy made me jump and buy it. All I can say is: it was definitely worth the wait, and the price!
    This lens is, simply put, at the top of the class in the m4/3 world, no doubt about it, and the images it can produce are full of character. I have used my GH3 again a lot since I bought this lens, after months neglected at home, as I used the easy-to-carry GM1 wherever I went. Not so anymore!
    You can read my full impressions and see plenty of images I captured in Bangkok at my blog:
    http://gonzalobroto.blogspot.com/2014/12/a-friend-nobody-called-review-of.html

  11. Harold House Avatar
    Harold House

    Sharpness. I really like it sharp for my insect and bird photo hobby. It can’t be too sharp so lenses like the one you reviewed here and my Oly 60mm Macro really appeal to me. Which leads me to this perhaps odd question. If you took some Nocticron pics back in time, say the early 1970s, and showed them to that time’s professionals, what do you think they would say about that level of sharpness? Would they want it? Would they be put off by it? …just curious what their reaction would be. Thanks for the reviews.

    Harold House

    1. Jordan Steele Avatar

      Well, I think you’re assuming that lenses this sharp didn’t exist then. And in a way, that’s correct. f/1.2 lenses that were this sharp didn’t happen back then, but there were plenty of optics out there with insane levels of resolution. Also, in the early 1970s, a lot of working pros were still using medium format cameras as their daily driver, and there is some incredible glass (and crazy resolution in medium format film that is only just recently being pushed by digital cameras) that, at say, f/4, would easily produce the level of detail and sharpness that the Nocticron produces. Even if you restrict it to 35mm film, A 70s Leica 50mm Summicron as well as the Contax/Yashica 50mm planar lenses are up to snuff at fairly wide apertures.

      Needless to say, I think most professionals of the day would be very impressed by the lens, especially with such great resolution at f/1.2. Great sharpness at extremely wide apertures is a very recent phenomenon, really only taking hold in the past decade or so, but it’s not AS far off as you might think. My Canon FL 55mm f/1.2, which is from 1968 or so, is surprisingly good wide open…providing quite good resolution at f/1.2, even on a modern digital camera sensor. It’s not as sharp as the Nocticron at f/1.2, but it’s not like it’s light years behind. Modern lenses are great, but there is some REALLY impressive glass from the film era that still holds up. I still use a fair bit of it today. I have a lot of Canon FD lenses that I use, a Contax G 90mm f/2.8 (Which is simply brilliantly sharp, even on a 24 megapixel APS-C or FF sensor), and others. It’s really remarkable how good a lot of the old designs are. The biggest improvements have come in chromatic aberration and spherical aberration correction.

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