Kit lens: who makes/designed? Leica?

Ben_B

Ben_B

Veteran
I ran into some friends of my mom today, one of whom used to do some film SLR photography and I happened to have my GH1 with me and I showed it off. I was asked about whether or not Panasonic made the lens and I realized I didn't know!

I told them that my guess was despite the Panasonic/Lumix only branding it was probably a Leica lens because most/all of Panasonic and Lumix' other lenses are (usually when integrated with cameras; HVX, lumix P and S, etc....anybody know though?
 
It's a Panasonic lens without the Leica license, as opposed to a Panasonic lens with the Leica license.
 
I think the previous lenses were "Leica certified" or something along those lines. I don't think they were actually produced by Leica. I've heard on the GH1 that Leica wasn't onboard with the lenses because the GH1 does a significant amount of adjusting of the image post-lens before it is recorded. Leica seemed to have a philosophical issue with making glass that was known to be optically odd and correcting it with software.
 
The GH1 lens is like those modern military aircraft that, in theory, can't actually fly - but through the use of complex computerised control, they can. The GH1 lens can't, in theory, produce a good image, but through the use of complex computerised control (processing of the image), it does.
 
Lecia or not, we've seen some fantastic stuff from that kit lens. I can't help but think that Panasonic has learned a thing or 2 from Lecia after all these years, and it just goes to prove that IQ, not the name on the lens, is king! (Usual caveats apply...some manufacturers have larger variance between lenses, etc. etc. etc.)
 
admactanium said:
I think the previous lenses were "Leica certified" or something along those lines. I don't think they were actually produced by Leica. I've heard on the GH1 that Leica wasn't onboard with the lenses because the GH1 does a significant amount of adjusting of the image post-lens before it is recorded. Leica seemed to have a philosophical issue with making glass that was known to be optically odd and correcting it with software.
Click to expand...
Fuddy duddy Germans still counting on their mystique to sell their overpriced product, that's why!
 
I really love the above comparisson of the kit lens to a fighter jet. It's also slick as hell, like a fighter, don't forget that part lol.
 
It is but to me that that just makes the workmanship seem more solid. Also when you zoom int it doesn't seem so chubby anymore.

at f4-5.8 it's too slow to be a fighter jet...lol?
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top