Panasonic Leica 10-25mm f1.7 - The King of Micro Four Thirds Lenses - Full Review

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GH5 [4k60p, 4k 400Mbps 10bit 422, 1080p 180p, IBIS, m43, flipout screen]
amzn.to/3g6GrS2
Leica 10-25mm f1.7 amzn.to/2VBnr9N
Leica 12-60mm f2.8-4 amzn.to/3dUald1
Sigma 17-70mm f2.8-f4: amzn.to/2Jm516D
Sigma 10-20mm f3.5: amzn.to/3aRgTXG
Lumix GX80/GX85
amzn.to/32HKuzE
Sony A7SII [12MP, fullframe, 4k video, IBIS, lowlight king, 120p FullHD]
amzn.to/3DBMEky
Sony Zeiss 24-70 f4
amzn.to/3oZQLDj
Zhiyun crane m2
amzn.to/3FHoQ0u
Editing: Davinci Resolve Studio version; On1
0:00 intro
0:23 all about zoom range
3:53 all about aperture
4:58 physical features, MF/AF discussion
6:48 lens quality control issue
7:44 image quality = perfection
8:25 conclusion
music from epidemicsound.com

[@AiurMedia]

this lens sharpness peaks at f4(crazy sharp!) and gets softer beyond f4.5 which is weird? usually i shoot f5.6, guess i need to stick to f4, even f2.8 is sharper than f5.6, well, the f2.8 on this lens is really really sharp, i dont know why f5.6 is weak though, weird discovery!

[@Pachiscruz2]

This is the type of video where you find useful content and delightful shots. Thank you!

[@AiurMedia]

thank you! :)

[@SergeGolikov]

I had to send this lens back for a seized-up zoom ring. I suspect due to the same issue of the weather seal ring coming loose. Very poor QC for a lens of this price. It was just still under warranty, so I was pleased to learn today that Panasonic Australia are going to replace it.

[@GearSeekers]

Great video!!!! After watching this I am very tempted to pick this lens up!

[@laurentyarp514]

I have that lens for a couple of months now. It is really impressive, giving quality pictures and colors. I use it mainly for landscape photography so the lesser DOF is rather an advantage to me. It is well balanced, I barely notice the weight when using it. Because of the insane quality of M43 camera body stabilization the lack of stabilization is not an issue.. I am really happy with this lens.

[@AiurMedia]

couldn't agree more

[@themoonshell-F4LFJ]

This is for sure a nice lens, great for travel! I've the 12-35mm II since I purchased the GH5 in 2017, but I always find it too light and fragile. The 10-25mm, and the new 25-50mm looks so much better. This lens is in my basket! By the way, nice shot and colors!

[@AiurMedia]

pretty happy about how this video turned out, now i can finally delete the 46GB sample footage from my editing folder that's been there for months.

[@hankroest6836]

Now I really want that lens! And now even more I want to get home (2nd home) to Verona!

[@eddwingregg6999]

Good point about the price and convenience - a bunch of small prime lenses and continually swapping (possibly losing a shot) or just one lens that can zoom, stays at f/1.7, and be handheld for vlogging. IMO, the price kind of doesn’t matter. Sick review 👏🏾

[@AiurMedia]

thank you :)

[@scottfineshriber5051]

That huge bite of food alluded to the size of this lens! 😄 If I were a video shooter, I would probably own one. And I’d like a bite of the food, please.

[@kbruff2010]

1/12/2022 thank you for sharing this information

[@edjefferson9175]

There are simply no other lenses for any platform that can do what this lens does. Fast par-focal zoom with smooth step-less aperture ring so useful for video work. I made the choice to buy an S5 over purchasing this lens for my GH5 and think I made a mistake. This, the 25-50 and GH6 would be a monster kit. Two skilled people with two matching cameras and the f/1.7 twins would be unstoppable.

[@itwasme2435]

Any other constructor have 24-105mm F4 (which the 10-25 f1.7 = 20-50mm F3.5 equivalent), for far less than 2k dollars. So no, this lens is not unique, its a good lens but for that price ?? (I’m a gh5 user and FF canon too).

[@edjefferson9175]

@@itwasme2435 Your equivalency factor is only in regards to depth of field. Brightness is f/1.7 period. AND there are no other zoom lenses that have no-click aperture rings and auto/ manual focus clutch. So they are in fact unique and worth the cost.

[@jeffslade1892]

Alternatives - the G X 12-35 f/2.8 (and its sibling the G X 35-100 f/2.8). Both are "world class" (whatever that means) although getting elderly now and don't have as many features. Both are constant aperture and the 35-100 does not trombone, tbh the 12mm end doesn't get used much, the 35mm however is telephoto for portrait which 25mm doesn't do well. The "X" denotes a purpose built video lens just below the Leica badge in quality. For the fast prime the Leica 25mm f/1.4 which was just so sharp, but did not get used nearly as much as the pancake 20mm f/1.7 and got traded. When you've been collecting lenses long enough you don't automagically upgrade to the next and new thing. Only if it does something special that you cannot do already. f/1.7 is fast but when you normally shoot at f/5.6 to f/8 it's not a biggie. Not all that long ago "bokeh" was considered a fault not a feature.

[@DaveDwyer]

Great review. Thank you.

[@matthiasschluter3060]

Perfect Lens... I love it !!!!

[@ArnFilmmaker]

I love my lens so much.

[@professionalpotato4764]

This focal range is pretty much perfect for nearly everything. I honestly wish there was a similar lens in APS-C or FF.

[@sebfleebee]

Is the Canon 24-70 2.8 not equivalent?

[@professionalpotato4764]

@SB Films Yes and no. Having the ability to zoom out to 20mm is a game changer for some types of run and gun. On ff you must change lenses to get anything wider than a 24mm. You can replicate the 10-25 and 25-50kit with the 16-35 and 24-105f4 zooms, but i personally feel having a 20mm in a normal zoom lens is crazy good.

[@kkyeung2050]

There is a 20-60 zoom lens for l mount

[@professionalpotato4764]

@Kim Yeung It is not constant aperture sadly. I only use constant aperture zooms.

[@mariussocaci9554]

and now there is sony 20-70mm f4

[@tiziocaio8657]

L’obiettivo è bellissimo, piacevole da usare e tutto. Lo volevo comprare, ma prima di farlo lo provai usato in negozio, comparandoli con il Ona-Leica 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 che già avevo. Sinceramente questo aumento di qualità non lo vedevo, a parte l’apertura del diaframma maggiore e il lato grandangolare un po’ più spinto io, che sono abbastanza esigente riguardo alla qualità di immagine, lo ritengo che le differenze siano al limite dell’invisibile. Dopo aver constatato che nemmeno le migliori lenti che il micro 4/3 possa offrire erano abbastanza decisi di cambiare sistema. Di sicuro trovare una gfx50s usata ad un prezzo è ha aiutato. Tutta un’altra storia, la qualità è anni luce avanti in tutto, aggiungici che puoi usare degli obiettivi Leica veri fatti in Germania e non in Cina, pure vecchi come gli R è davvero impareggiabile. Mi sa proprio che il sensore più grande richieda obiettivi migliori per far esaltare le sue doti, mentre invece con il m4/3 già degli obiettivi modesti riescono a dare tanto, mentre gli obiettivi di fascia alta super costosi sono si migliori, ma davvero di poco.

[@MrJapanforce]

best lens. best system.

[@tiziocaio8657]

Fuji GFX: am I a joke to you?

[@Christiantheone]

Would you recommend for a main streaming camera? 1 - 1.5m distance. Will there be any bokeh at that range

[@AiurMedia]

yes there will be bokeh but it's a very subjective matter how much is enough bokeh, depends on the focal length and background setup it also look differently.

[@YAMIYAD]

The price of this lens is crazy XD. But i really love it!.

[@AiurMedia]

indeed very expensive!

[@evenaicantfigurethisout]

it's hard to choose between this and the olympus. the olympus is more travel friendly, and i really need that extra 2mm on the wide end for indoor architecture, landscape etc. ironically, i might discover f4 not enough to use indoors. f1.7 would be great for indoors, but i'm not sure if it'll be wide enough. maybe i'll just get the oly for outdoors and the laowa for indoors.

[@edwardlin2941]

Can consider getting Pana 9mm 1.7 for the wide end.

[@gravybags7965]

Came here from Reddit gh5 subreddit. Thank you for your superb review. My go-to lens is currently the Lumix 12-35 mk1 if you have owned at one point? How does it compare?

[@AiurMedia]

Hi thank you! I have never owned the 12-35 lens, I chosen 12-60 instead, but i believe it's a lovely lens! The differences are pretty obvious on paper, the leica 10-25 has a wide angle advantage, lowlight advantage, better bokeh up to 25mm range, superior manual focus experience etc, but it's big, chunky and heavy, also doesn't have lens stabilization, if I had both lenses, i would go on difficult trips with the lighter 12-35 lens so that i doesn't weigh me down, like you could handhold it on a bike, but not with the leica. Using a smaller lens is also simply more convenient in many occasions, I would feel much more comfortable shooting street photography with small inconspicuous lens. Otherwise i'd always pick the 10-25.

[@gravybags7965]

@@AiurMedia thanks for the thoughtful response.

[@JeremyHalterman]

When I got the 10-25mm f/1.7, I expected to get rid of my 12-35mm f/2.8 II. Now I have the 25-50mm as well but still can’t bring myself to part with the 12-35mm-the size, weight, zoom range, and Dual I.S.2 capability (Dual I.S. in your mk1 is great too) make it perfect for vlogging. If I ever needed money in a pinch, the 12-35mm would certainly be the first of these to go, but the f/1.7 zooms don’t make the 12-35mm obsolete by any means. That said, the 10-25mm is my desert island lens.

[@AiurMedia]

@@JeremyHalterman well said

[@LordHostis]

Using that lens and the gh5, does the continuous autofocus generate a lot of vibrations or noise when using an external microphone on top of the camera?

[@AiurMedia]

yes there is some vibration and noise, also i just tested the leica 12-60 as well which is pretty much silent in comparison. The noise does get picked up by external mic on top of camera, just tested it, in very quiet environment, actually i never noticed this issue before but honestly i dont think it's a problem, any action of touching and rotating zoom ring will make more noise than the AF noise, in day to day usage the noise is probably gonna be suppressed by whatever you are recording so I'm not worried.

[@LordHostis]

@@AiurMedia Thanks for the information. I guess there may be something wrong with my copy, as the autofocus is as loud as a drill in the background, far louder than the zoom ring.

[@AiurMedia]

@@LordHostis that's really unfortunate, sorry to hear that, hopefully they can get it fixed/changed under guaranty

[@jackymo820]

I still can't decide between this lens and the olympus 8-25. F4 seems slow but it is good enough for daylight shooting.

[@AiurMedia]

depends on how much do you need the shallow depth of field, the olympus seems a better choice if you do street and landscape where you don't need f1.7 most of the time and it's more compact and even wider.

[@mariussocaci9554]

it's not about the shallow dof but the optical design of the 1.7 lens that is much better than the f4 one

[@doscheid]

The king that makes no sense. Being that size and weight kind of defeats the main advantage of MFT. I would love to have this focal lenght in a zoom lens if it was a proper MFT lens. Light and small. Perhaps a colapsible 10-25 f4-5.6 (like the 12-32), if physics allows.

[@AiurMedia]

olympus 8-25mm perhaps fits perfectly for what you need, it's even wider

[@AiurMedia]

wow I got featured on m43 rumor site: www.43rumors.com/a-bit-of-everything-1454/ much honored, much appreciated!

[@laurentyarp514]

Came here from that link.

[@qualbuonveneto]

Ciao... Ci siamo conosciuti oggi 👍😉

[@AiurMedia]

Ciao! Grazie mille per tutto aiuto oggi, ci vediamo fra qualche giorni!

[@qualbuonveneto]

@@AiurMedia ti è arrivata la bici?

[@qualbuonveneto]

@@AiurMedia ovviamente, se vendi questo meraviglioso obiettivo, dimmi 😉

[@AiurMedia]

@@qualbuonveneto arrivato! È un fantastico bici, grazie mille! :)

[@AiurMedia]

@@qualbuonveneto hahaha sii

[@kanohane]

Can somebody please explain what situations to use the 10-25 in vs the 25-50....? I don't understand lensed :(

[@andretim75]

HAHA-- quality control made in China 😆🤣😂