Leica 25-50mm f1.7 - Definitive Review

[@DevotedGolfer]

And your comments about parfocal confirmed what I have seen and tested on this pair of lenses. At the extremes focus gets a little soft, but in the center of the zoom range, this is truly a parfocal lens that I have not seen many others comment on. The combination of constant aperture and parfocal makes this a killer lens at a truly affordable price compared to other full parfocal lenses. Many complain about the price without realizing this fact.

[@kamilrakowski23]

Great lens. I rented a 10-25 mm and will eventually buy a used one. But I still prefer primes. I love oly 17mm 1.2 (really perfect lens) and 45mm 1.2 (definitely better than panasonic 42.5 1.2, but not perfect). 12:50 When it comes to macro, the oly 12-40 2.8 has a minimum focus distance of 8 inches across the entire range!

[@DevotedGolfer]

I own both the 10-25 and 25-50 and have been using them on a GH6. I have had great auto focus on a RS3 Pro lidar equipped gimbal. The DJI software integrates GH6 focus control with the wheel on a Tilta pro ring. A great combination that we have used without the ring on a vehicle mounted camera. I recently purchased the lighter shorter 2.8 zoom the reduce the weight of the lens to the body. It will be interesting to test this combination with the improved autofocus on the GH7 I just purchased. We had to add a variable ND lens outdoors as the 10-25 can be too bright outdoors. Great overview, thanks for the ideas you brough up. Another GH7 body will be added soon for interview infomercial productions.

[@KairuinKorea]

I've been looking forward to this. I've watched every video on youtube about this (most being a bit dated) on the lead up to buying a GH6 along with the moster 1.7 lens combo at the end of the year (most likely) as my first proper camera. This video being uploaded when it was was a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.

[@JSBCINEMA]

Here before 100 views! We added this kit to our videography toolkit and (after adjusting the autofocus pulsing settings on the GH5) we are LOVING this. It lives on our gimble and we slapped a follow focus on the zoom ring to quickly zoom in and out (the gimble allows for hard digital hard stops so that it stops when you need it to). It's bigger but it's worth it and makes us look even more professional. Our last wedding film used this A LOT. Thanks for the review!

[@deanisplemoni]

Hey, what settings did you set on to avoid the pulsing?

[@JSBCINEMA]

@@deanisplemoni had to turn down the sensitivity and hunting to 0 or something like that, it's helped from the last two weddings!

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

100mm on a Gimbal in such a small relative package is really really handy!

[@marco_prolo]

Great video, m8. Leica nailed it with these lenses. I own both and love them on my G9II.

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Hows that AF workin on the G9ii with those lenses? They should probably be about the best you can get!

[@marco_prolo]

​@@RhettThompsonFilm AF is really good with this combo. 👌🏼Almost Sony territory. 😉 But IMO the G9II offers more flexibility than Sony in the same price range, especially for video.

[@fansofER]

Great review! Love my 25-50

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

It’s so good! Just what MFT needed

[@silverfascia]

This review was absolutely essential! Definitely appreciated the parfocal test as I'm going to use the 25-50 lens for documentary work. I'm going to be using it alongside a Black Magic 4k, so I may have my work cut out for me regarding focus capabilities. Hopefully, with an electric focus pull system and shoulder rig, I can zoom/focus without shaky footage.

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Do you use or own the 10-25 also or you prefer more range?

[@silverfascia]

@@RhettThompsonFilm I only own the 25-50 which will give me great portrait capability.

[@scottmorgason]

I got it , I love it…. Thanks for the review!

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

I still wonder if a 35-70 would have been better but honestly I can’t complain!

[@sebfleebee]

Great video and very in-depth! I'd love this lens, for my type of work it would really give me every focal length I'd need! The only issue with the Leica 1.7 lenses is they are so perfect and so sharp, they almost lack a bit of character. I use my sirui lenses far more than my 10-25 for that reason

[@slows728]

They have a lot of character, you should try them. The microcontrast is outstanding.

[@slows728]

Indeed the PL 42.5mm f1.2 and the 45mm Olympus pro have both better bokeh, especially the 45mm Pro. But this lens is in another league for micro contrast and colors. Simply the best M43 lens I have ever owned. And yes for the price, it is a steal because it can compete with very expensive Leica M and S lenses. I don't even use it for portrait, I have better lenses for that, I use it for everyday use (photos and videos) because I just love the rendering.

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

If I could afford the Leica 42.5 and the Leica 25-50 I would be for me the 25-50 is the more versatile

[@sybarix]

Have you had the chance to find out more about the clicked aperture in photography mode? Is it toggleable, and have you tested it on an Olympus body?

[@AndrewKuttor]

Such a fantastic lens.,

[@RedFrameTech]

Great extensive review of a lens I’d like to own 😅 i can see the benefits of having that lens along with the 10-25, which I’d also like to own.. Anyway, I think those lenses are some of the best mft zoom lenses out there

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

They’re expensive but if you know you need them it’s hard to ignore them haha, that being said prime lenses will get you similar results but they’ll make you work just a bit harder for it

[@fellowcitizen]

Excellent informative voyage -- thanks!💎

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it to test things so thoroughly but no one else has!

[@fellowcitizen]

@@RhettThompsonFilm I greatly appreciate it! Here is a fortune cookie and a Martini: 🥠🍸

[@AlpacoFilms]

easily the best lens to come out for the MFT system! Period with exclamation points!

[@slows728]

I agree. Micro contrast is better than any Panasonic S Pro or GM lenses (I have most of them).

[@CanuckQuest]

That 10-25, 50-200, and 42.5 are all sublime too

[@andrewp1513]

Between the 10-25, 42.5, and 50-200…I find the 25-50 hardest to justify

[@slows728]

@@andrewp1513 The 25-50mm is the lens I prefer betwem them.

[@andrewp1513]

@@slows728 Thanks for letting me know. What kind of work do you you do with it? What makes it so great?

[@mitchcaluori]

I'm going to be using this for mainly music videos and music covers shot indoors for my social media... Would you lean more towards the 25-50mm or the 10-25mm? I just love the compression that the 25mm-50mm gives but I'm worried it may be too zoomed. What lens did you use for your indoor shots? Thanks!

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

He main to camera shot war the 10-25. It’s a lot more versatile to be honest. Maybe to start the 10-25 1.7 and the budget 42.5 1.7 Lumix would be solid and move up the the 25-50 eventually?

[@AlexanderHaibel]

26:45 was pretty good not gonna lie

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Haha I’m glad you appreciated that

[@sirzacketan]

This is an awesome overview :) thank you so much! Would you be able to do a detailed comparison of more sample images between the 25-50 and the Nocticron? I have the nocticron and despite its flaws, it makes such amazing portraits and is one of the fast lenses that can give our m4/3 system that nice shallow depth of field. But I’m tempted by the versatility of the 25-50, but also want to squeeze out as much shallow depth of field as possible… so I’m mainly looking forwards to comparisons (there’s not many out there) of portrait images done at 50mm f1.7 from the 25-50 And 42.5 f1.2 from the nocticron. I understand realistically the f1.7 vs f1.2 isn’t THAT much of a difference, but going by the full frame dof conversion, that’s a f3.4 vs f2.4, which seems like a huge difference considering how the gold standard for extreme bokeh is f2.8. I’m torn, I already have the 10-25 for establishing shots/group shots, Then it’s either the Nocticron or the 25-50 for the “killer portraits” where I really want to isolate the subject and get nice compression And for the longer end I travel with a 50-200 (which I personally found more useful and versatile than the 100-400). Being able to go from 10mm - 200mm with 3 lenses is pretty dope 😁

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

That’s tough for me. Personally, I think the biggest strength of the 25-50 is the additional sharpness which I realize can be a negative and some shooting situations but can be always be toned back, the ability to match a 10-25 in video and photo series shots and it’s epic minimum focus distance. The image is just a little technically better on the zoom. I think the blur with 42.5 1.2 and 50mm 1.7 would be fairly similar but idk for sure. The 42.5 is a little more forgiving on people but still super sharp, has a little more CA But the focus transition and out of focus areas are definitely softer. I hope I have enough images for a comparison because that’s a very good idea!

[@sirzacketan]

@@RhettThompsonFilm thanks for the thorough reply! Yeah I’ve been playing with the Nocticron taking images at f1.2 and f1.8 (closest to 1.7 I can get on that lens) and the difference in background blur and bokeh is more noticeable in certain situations and barely noticeable in others (depending on background lighting and distance) But you’re right on the softness of the 42.5, it’s pretty great and flattering for portraits of people which is the main use case for me, saves time with post processing of shooting at f1.2. But the 25-50’s versatility is really epic, it’s like a single lens for portrait shoots.. decisions decisions

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

@@sirzacketan personally I do more video so I went for the zoom, but I think the prime might be best for photography but it’s really close.

[@sirzacketan]

@@RhettThompsonFilm the weatherproofing also makes it enticing, unlocks portraits in the rain and other hazardous type shoots.. Haha I think I gotta cool it on the gear acquisition at this point, I took a pause from creative work when I jumped career industries into data/tech but deep down I’m still a kid trying to get my hands on the coolest creative gear. One of these days I’m gonna get back into creating stuff :) Thanks for your insight! Looking forwards to more deep dive videos from you

[@sirzacketan]

@@RhettThompsonFilm finally got a chance to go out to the mountains and take some gear for shooting! I realize the extra stabilization on the 42.5 is really handy for video when working with minimal gear handheld, but I wonder how it compares to just in body stabilization with the 25-50, since the 42.5 on the GH6 can only be Dual IS on, or ALL IS Off, I can’t get an accurate idea of what the built in stabilization alone with the 25-50 would look like. I can say though that the 10-25 is definitely my favorite wife-standard lens ever! It’s giant but great for hiking

[@freddiecauseyii9419]

I agree with you that the 70-200 range is essential in weddings and commercial shooting. I hope they do maybe a 75-100 f1.7.

[@kayodeolaosebikan7462]

I would prefer 50-100mm f1.7

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Someone else commended the 50-100 but that would be a big boy lens!

[@BrentODell]

@@RhettThompsonFilm Sigma has that 50-100/1.8 APS-C DSLR lens, and yeah, it's pretty big. Still, it can clearly be done.

[@overnightdelivery]

As a photographer wanting to have a couple of lenses that fit in my camera bag that cover a wide range of everything AND good video. I was initially excited about a lens like this because I think the 10-25mm f1.7 is the greatest wide to normal lens for the M43 system if you have a big body like the G9. But 25-50 is basically just portrait range. A little long for normal use but too short for sporting events. I ended up going with the 50-200mm f2.8-4 to pair with the 10-25 for me. Of course the 50-200 is not a constant huge aperture but it is more practical and useful to me for every type of photography. Of course most people using the 25-50 likely shoot video... and that is whole different animal. I can see shooting films you may not need any fairly long focal lengths. Also if you used this lens in tandem with the 10-25 when shooting a film, it would be pretty awesome. I've also heard that this lens is as good or even sharper than the Nocticron at all apertures. Which is pretty amazing. Maybe Panasonic will make a 50-100 as well. They have shown that they are not beyond releasing any type of lens.

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

They really cover a lot but it is a shame we need the 35-100 or 50-200 to cover the final frontier of the ranges most people will use. A 50-100 1.7 would need to be bigger but it would be worth it!

[@eqrodriguez]

Great video. Liked and subscribed. Thanks

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Thank you! Look forward to seeing you around in the future!

[@andersistbesser]

Your sanple videos have fantasic picture quality and colors. Is it done with the gh5?

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

Hmmm yea I think the GH5 or mkii for the vast majority if not all

[@andersistbesser]

@@RhettThompsonFilm i own a gh5 and i love it. Seeing what great quality you get out of it makes me love it even more🍀

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

@@andersistbesser it’s a steal right now too! Getting a used GH5 or mkii other than a GH6

Gracias, me encantaría tener este lente. Pero creo que el precio es muy alto.

[@candyartstv]

Voigtlander 42.5 has a focus distance of 9inches.

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

This is true! The close focus is pretty rough in terms of IQ tho but it is very impressive it can focus that close

[@truliapro7112]

Is it good for macro photography?

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

It’s not technically macro but it’s very close! Some Meike macro tubes will get you there if this isn’t enough. I believe I shared some examples in the video!

[@kamilrakowski23]

If you want a macro, just buy a macro. You have super cheap oly 30mm 3.5, panasonic 30mm with ois, oly 60mm, etc. If you are thinking about semi macro video, the oly 12-40 2.8 pro is much better option. Maybe oly 12-100mm f4. 12-100 has ois and 0,6 max magnification at 100mm. Btw. If you're really interested in macro, buy a cheap used lens and wait. In the middle of next year, om system will present the most anticipated lens in the world of macro photography. 90mm 3.5 with stabilization and 4:1 magnification.

[@spacelord1913]

Still a bit expensive for me to realistically consider.

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

You can definitely get similar results with lenses the fraction of the price, they just might make you work a little harder then this

[@WIMAG-GO]

Aparat którym robisz ten film bardzo wolno łapie ostrość, ten obiektyw to nie dla niego...