Leica 10-25mm vs Leica 8-18mm -which one to get?

[@MarkoKoskenoja]

Thanks for posting your comprehensive comparison of these 2 fine lenses. I have the 8-18 and was not sure how much I would use it but I use it a lot and love it. The small size and weight along with the weather-sealing make it perfect for my needs - exactly the reasons you suggested 👍

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks, Marko!

[@Paul_anderson_creative]

I chose the 7-14 f4, no filter needed by me and so sharp and great for my internal Architecture shots... Thanks.

[@mattisulanto]

Also a good choice. Thanks for sharing.

[@chuchinette]

Hi Matti, following your advices and a 25% discount in Panasonic Italy I 've finally have ordered the Leica 10-25 f 1,7nd look forward to receive it in about one week I guess... Thanks so much for the nice and comprehensive videos you're making ...Of course, I'll will paired it with the NISI 1,5 stops filter...Warm hello from Italy where there is sunshine and unfortunately still Covid Enjoy life

[@mattisulanto]

I hope you'll be happy with your new lens.

[@chuchinette]

@@mattisulanto It will arrive tomorrow and surely let you know once I will have tamed the beast...

[@slows728]

@@chuchinette Do you like the lens ?

[@chuchinette]

@@slows728 absolutely, the 10-25 is stunning...glad to have bought it...

[@slows728]

​@@chuchinette Great ! Can you tell me if your 10-25mm makes the same noise as mine in continuous autofocus ? : kzbin.info/www/bejne/oIiZnpmkp5mkbs0 I thought i had a bad sample but I found some videos where I can hear the same noise : kzbin.info/www/bejne/ap-4dHaAlrGAkJY kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2PUi4SInteFnKc (Gordon Laing) Thank you.

[@ImaGil]

Hi, Thank's for your help, my choice is the Leica 10-25 , the best for like you said for vidéo

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks! Sure, if you mainly shoot video and can cough up the money, the 10-25mm is your lens.

[@kungula]

As I need a wide angle of at least 8 mm I would always choose the Leica 8-18 F2.8-4 over the 10-25- But it obviously depends what other lenses you own and of the price of course. I am actually quite happy with the 8-18 which replaces the manual Laowa 7.5 f 2.

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks for sharing.

[@1979PK]

One is a premium zoom, but the other is a masterpiece...

[@kemerthomson]

Excellent perspective; your classifying the 8-18mm as a “wide zoom” and the 10-25mm as a “standard zoom” clearly differentiates them. I might also describe them as a “moderately expensively zoom” and a “really expensive zoom.” I have the 8-18mm and also like the fact that in addition to being relatively light and compact, it doesn’t telescope out as I zoom. It balances nicely with the G9, or even my old GX8. Your final recommendation especially makes sense for the (serious, given the 10-25mm price) videographer.

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks!

[@IvyCottageIndustries]

I'm interested in a wider range lens for my bmpcc4k so I thank you very much for this.

[@allanosantiago5955]

Hi Matti, I was contemplating the difference of these 2 lenses. Really appreciate you defining the use and strength of both lens. I signed up on your newsletter. More power.

[@mattisulanto]

Thank you.

[@SupremelySimple]

Barely had any use for the 8-18 with owning the 12-35 mii and lawoa 7.5. Ditched it and got the 35-100 mii and am thrilled with the decision.

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks for sharing.

[@garybrown9719]

I have these primes laowa 7.5mm, leica 12mm,42.5mm, 55mm f1.1 om125mm f2.8 I was thinking of ditching the 12-35mm and 35-100m for the 12-100mm

[@protestagain]

There is a very big difference between those to lenses when you live as far north as I do. Here we have the Aurora Borealis in the winter time, and the Pana Leica 10-25 gives possibility for handheld shooting with ISO 3200. If it's -40 celcius, you don't like to struggle with a tripod. It's either get a picture or let it be.

[@protestagain]

But my goal is to shoot Aurora Borealis with 4X5 large format and black and white film. It's been done before, but I wanna do it by my self. But at first, I need to find a fast lens for LF. Some of them costs about $ 3500, but there is one with a more reasonable prize.

[@mattisulanto]

Sounds like an interesting project. Let us know when we can see some results😀 I used a 4x5 a lot back in the days for commercial work.

[@protestagain]

@@mattisulanto I have a Carbon Infinity 4x5 www.galerie-photo.com/carbon-infinity.html The only one sold new i Norway, and I'm the second owner. They were outrageously expensive and only 70-80 of them were made. Think I have 10-12 lens boards made of titanium. (That one on the page isn't mine)

[@protestagain]

@@mattisulanto A friend of mine had the biggest camera in the Nordic countries. A caravan that was converted into a camera, but now it is delivered for recycling. Possibly we are building a "light" version of it, on something called Combi-Camp. (A folding tent on a car trailer)

[@walkonearthofficial]

Thanks a lot! This was extremely useful

[@MrFirstdance2000]

Fantastic choice for comparison...and I just happen to be looking at both for Christmas...and the cost difference is substantial. You've help me make up my mind though. Now I"m going to your website for that 25% off coupon :) Thanks so much fo your assistance, hard work and inspiring me to be a better photographer! Merry Christmas to you and your family!

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks! Happy to be able to help. Merry Christmas to you too.

[@aengusmacnaughton1375]

Sounded pretty good until you got to price! Yikes -- the cost of the 8-18mm is about the same as my G85 cost me!!! And the 10-25mm is double the price! They sound very good and flexible, but a bit out of my price range! Thanks Matti!

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks! Yeah, the 10-25mm is not cheap, but I guess the target groups is not the average Sunday shooter. I'm not trying to say you are an average Sunday shooter, though😀 Just saying in general.

[@aengusmacnaughton1375]

@@mattisulanto -- I'm an average Sunday-through-Saturday shooter! I make do with what I can afford -- a small cadre of Lumix (not Leica) lenses and a bunch (too many!) vintage lenses adapted to micro-four-thirds. And I do like the kit lens -- the 12-60mm f3.5-5.6 -- even with the not-so-wide aperture. I would love to have the flexibility of a wide zoom (10mm or wider on the wide end) and wider aperture -- but it's just too expensive for me right now.

[@rudolfabelin383]

There is a budget alternative for MFT. Check out Ebay for a used Olympus M.Zuiko 9-18mm f/4.0-5.6.

[@cxociety6983]

I read your suggesting to pick the 10-25mm over the 8-18mm. As I already have the Olympus 12-40mm 2.8 Pro, would not the 8-18mm be a better option?

[@taikang]

Very good in depth comparison! Thank you.

[@mattisulanto]

Thank you.

[@protestagain]

Again a funny lens combination. I have an old Sigma 10-20 for Nikon, and Metabones Speedbooster to m43. That gives you a 7-14 mm and works pretty good. A little bit dark in the corners at the widest, but it actually performs better with m43 than with Nikon, and of course one stop more light. By the way. Nikkor 18-200 is also a good performer with Metabones Speedbooster. Dark corners at the widest, and much better than on Nikon in the tele end. It gives 12,7-142 mm with m43.

[@mattisulanto]

Interesting, indeed.

[@dublbude]

Great comparison, thanks. In my opinion, the focal length output say 10mm to 10mm being different is actually to do with the front of the lens..... The front of the lens moves, so you are actually a different distance away.

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks! I don't think that couple of cm matters much, unless you are very close to your subject.

[@mjpm7888]

Nice review mate

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks 👍

[@adrianwhareham8921]

Hi Matti thank for the video interesting as all ways , neither lens for me I would go for the 12-60 f2.8 not to wide or to short and not to big , that would be my choice .

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks!

[@garybrown9719]

I had the Olympus 12-60mm Best lens ever

[@bkaustav]

Thanks Matti. Nice video. I believe Pana lenses works better on Pana bodies. Didn't understand why G9 doesn't sell good in USA. However I am looking for a video with 10-25 f1.7 with Olympus EM1 Mk 3 and the Olympus 17 f 1.2 on G9... You know whom you want for both.... 😁👍

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks! The 10-25mm is a fantastic video lens, my favorite hands down.

[@karlklabuster7216]

Hey, excellent review, as always. They say the 10-25mm would not be parfocal. Can you confirm this? Elsewise, superb Lense, agreed.

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks. Because I'm not a Lumix ambassador any more and I don't have that lens any more I can't double check this, but I remember it was not parfocal per se. However, the AF kept the focus during zooming, so it was in most situations as good as real parfocal.

[@wcbibb]

I have the 8-18mm. It would be nice to have the 10-25mm. For video, I would choose the 10-25mm.

[@mattisulanto]

That's my choice also.

[@psysword]

Too heavy

[@Made2Trip]

What’s the name of the gimbal you showed?

[@mattisulanto]

It must have been the Zhiyun Weebill-S. This is an old video and I don't have the gimbal any more.

[@evenaicantfigurethisout]

You mentioned you choose the 8-18 for indoors. Do you mean for photos only? Because I've used f2.8 indoors for video I just find I have to boost the ISO too high .

[@mattisulanto]

I'm talking about photos.

[@wilbuzllf5057]

Thanks for the comparison, well done! Been thinking about both and decided on and off on both ones. Seeing your comparison shot between 8 and 10mm makes it easier as I've been wanting a super wide for quite some time now, and I already have the amazing PL 25/1.4. Also, the 8-18 would make for a superb street shooting lens where I pretty much always stop down to F4-F5.6 anyway in order to get more in focus... unless it's dark of course but that's when the PL 25 can shine instead, or the 12/1.4 which is also on the long list of lenses to get :D /Rasmus

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks! Like I said, the 8-18mm is better general purpose lens for most.

[@cobymarcum1442]

Superb review 👍👍👍

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks 🤗

[@RunaReturnee]

I wonder there is no bright wide-angle and non-fisheye prime lens for MFT (except some 8mm fisheyes and 7.5mm manual Laowa). It would be awesome to have small&light 8, 9 or even 10 mm / F1.7. But the only choice is big&heavy zoom (Pana 8-18 or Oly 7-14). 😥

[@mattisulanto]

That would definitely be something useful and awesome.

[@רוןמאוטנר]

hi have both!

[@ekjellgren]

Please do a 35-100 vs 50-200 (vs tiny 35-100?)

[@ekjellgren]

Perhaps a shoot out at 70mm and throw in the Oly 70.

[@mattisulanto]

I promise to think about that😀

[@themanfromgoteborg]

+1

[@p.rautio]

It would be interesting if you could compare Panasonic / Leica 10-25mm and Olympus 12-40mm with each other.

[@mattisulanto]

Maybe some day.

[@joerg7327]

Thank you, nice video!

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks!

[@rosswaugh1254]

Thank you Matti, really helpful information

[@AmazingKitchen]

I just pick up for myself a Leica 10-25mm F1.7 for my GH5 but I noticed it is not parfocal like the one you tested. Is there anyway to adjust or get it more parfocal? Do you think I got a bad lens?

[@mattisulanto]

It's hard for me to say without seeing the lens. However, if you are sure the lens doesn't do what it's supposed to do, take it back.

[@slows728]

Some sample are parfocal and other samples are close to be parfocal, like the PL 12-60mm. My first sample was almost parfocal, my second sample is absolutely not parfocal. You can still try to return the lens for a new one but you have no warranty to get a close to be parfocal lens, and you can still get a new sample with other problem like decentering, lower sharpness etc etc ...

[@bryce99999]

Do you have any recommendations on lenses for video?

[@mattisulanto]

In this video I recommend the 10-25mm F1.7.

[@micgent]

Olympus 8-25mm f4 plus a non OEM prime for fast aperture. Smaller lighter cheaper ( hopefully)

[@evanmcknight2566]

The 8-25 f4 is not smaller or lighter or cheaper. Glad to know I was not the only one expecting the Olympus 8-25 to be at least smaller and lighter than the 8-18 Panasonic.

[@MANaboutTOOLS]

Well done! What lens and camera did you shoot this video with?

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks! I used the Lumix GH5s and I think the lens was the Leica 12-60mm F2.8-4.

[@nore8141]

Great video and commentary. To expensive for me....

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks!

[@Tom-Tenerife]

Zuiko 8-25 or Laowa 6mm like prime (it's incredible)

[@rendermanpro]

"which *one* to get" - just because you can live with one kidney, but can't without both? :D

[@vyachkrivolutskiy11]

Хороший объектив, но цена и его размер пугают )) Буду и дальше снимать 12-35/2.8.

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks!

[@TheGuggo]

Thanks for your detailed video But did you mention it is made in China? I just received it and I felt chills is in my bones when I saw “Made in China”. German / Japanese price (2,100 Euro) for a product made in China. Having lived and worked in industrial manufacturing for over 12 years for a German company and this after 10 years in Japan, I don’t trust the price / quality ratio will be on the consumer’s side. While I don’t doubt it can be a decent lens quality wise, I am sure this product is generating impressive margins for Leica and Panasonic while not providing their top quality to the customers. I will use this lens as I need it but I totally lost my trust in Leica and Panasonic.

[@mattisulanto]

You must have totally lost your trust in quite a few brands then?

[@TheGuggo]

Yes. Indeed. Apple first of all. Workers there receive salaries for 60-70 working hours weeks worth less than a single iPhone they make and are charged for defective products they made during insane working hours. In the meantime Apple has gathered a gigantic mass of cash with which it could buy the top 3 car makers in the world without asking any money to the banks. That’s how companies make money charging “Designed in Cupertino” - style prices and paying peanuts to workers. Do you expect great quality for price coming out of these conditions?

[@Marticulate]

I've used the 8-18mm extensively for architectural work and interior commercial jobs with strobes and I can honestly say it's a bit of a disappointment. It's not very sharp and tends to smear facial features. It's also got more barrel distortion than the 7-14mm and flares poorly with led ceiling lights. For travel it's lightweight and decent but not great for critical work.

[@mattisulanto]

Are you sure your lens is not broken? I'm asking, because mine can't be interpreted not sharp no matter how I look at the photos.

[@stevocem]

@@mattisulanto There have been issues with many bad copies… If you get lucky, you get the good one. That’s a bit frustrating.

[@psysword]

Mine is razor sharp. No complaints. Doing video work with it and love the wide angle for movie making. The low weight helps in run and gun.

[@SashaPoberailo]

thanks for review)) i have 8-18. the internal zoom is the plus of this lens too))) 10-25mm has the only one minus - it's price.. it's price of good FF lens, like 24-70mm for example

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks! It's pricey, but I guess those who need it are willing to pay.

[@rendermanpro]

Would be so nice to have speedbooster for L-Mount > MFT :)

[@mattisulanto]

I think it's just a matter of demand.

[@aldolega]

Not possible, you can only speedboost lenses made for long mounts onto cameras with short mounts.

[@gunawang9oods888]

Ya mostly I liked Panasonic Leica 12-60 mm F2.8-4

[@mattisulanto]

That's also a very good lens and I use it often too.

[@oneeyedphotographer]

One is too expensive, the other has a varying max aperture. I have been wondering about 7-14 lenses.

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

7-14 is also totally fine. I actually think the 10-25mm is actually pretty cheap.

[@jillianangell2570]

@@RhettThompsonFilm given the build quality and unmatched focal length the price is reasonable-you can buy the top-of-the-line g9 or a crummy entry-level full frame camera for the SAME PRICE

[@RhettThompsonFilm]

@@jillianangell2570 not sure what your point is

[@BarryMaskell]

8-18 has the same filter size as the 42.5 f1.2

[@mattisulanto]

I can't verify that right now, because I'm out of office, and you can probably google it as fast as I can😀

[@MichaelDemetriusGR]

Yes it has

[@chihsuan1020]

Why not both?

[@mattisulanto]

Of course you can buy as many lenses as you wish.

[@slows728]

I had this lens for two weeks, the sharpness is very good and the rendering is great, pictures really pop, almost like true Leica lenses. However 1700€ is a bit too high because this is the almost the price of very good FF zoom lenses and even if the autofocus is really fast, it is also noisy in video. The Leica 12-60mm and 100-400mm are silent. For now I will stay with the 12-60mm, 45mm pro and 100-400mm for the M43, maybe I will get this lens again if the GH6 comes out.

[@mattisulanto]

Thanks for sharing. I've never had any problems with the AF of this lens, it doesn't make any audible sound.

[@slows728]

​@@mattisulanto Sadly the lens makes an audible sound in continuous autofocus in video (CAF). I thought I had a bad sample but Gordon Laing found the same issue on his sample in this video (19m35s) : kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2PUi4SInteFnKcm34s

[@stevenbridgland3727]

These are micro four-thirds specific lenses, no ?

[@mattisulanto]

Yes. What other system do you think they would be?

[@stevenbridgland3727]

@@mattisulanto I'm not a Lumix user and know nothing about them but I assume that is the clue they are lenses for micro 4/3rds because there is nothing in your title or audio about this - so not unreasonable for someone unfamiliar with that system to ask that question. They are certainly not Leica lenses though. Yes I know about the alliance, but that does not make them Leica lenses.

[@mattisulanto]

@@stevenbridgland3727 Good point, I should have mentioned that for the possible new viewers. Have to remember that in the future.

[@birdingbilly]

With lenses like the 10-25 you may as well shoot full frame - just goes against the whole ethos of M43

[@veganpotterthevegan]

If you want those focal lengths with FF and fast speed, the size is worse. For me, it's about the overall size for all the lenses I use. I'd carry any of these lenses on a hike for 5+ hours. I wouldn't want to do that with FF unless I went with a slow kit lens.

[@birdingbilly]

@@veganpotterthevegan If is was going to hike for 5 hours I would take my Oly 17mm (120g) thats the strength of M43

[@veganpotterthevegan]

@@birdingbilly I'm taking landscapes, and photos of my dogs and wildlife. A single prime wouldn't cut it for me without FF and TONS of cropping. I sometimes even bring my G9 with 35-100 f2.8 AND my GX85 with a 20mm prime. I couldn't fathom carrying 2 FF cameras with me.

[@mattisulanto]

You are kind of right, but then again, this in one lens and if you already have MTF system, this makes sense for some special use, like video.

[@MarkoKoskenoja]

@@veganpotterthevegan - that's my use for my cameras and lenses as well - exactly why I went to M43.

[@kamilrakowski23]

10-25 is expensive, but you get 12mm, 17mm and 25mm in one lens and in great build quality. I think 1200 would be ok, but 1800 is still too much for me. And of course, using it every day is difficult because of the size. It will not make you sell your primes. Some may say that Oly 7-14 with fixed 2.8 aperture is a better choice then 8-18 but 7-14 has problem with filters. The same with Panasonic 7-14 2.8-4. 7-14 Panasonic and 7-14 Oly has a huge problem with flaring.I mean really huge problem with flaring.I've seen a few pictures at different apertures and it's really bad.

[@mattisulanto]

No lens or any gear is perfect. The 8-18mm F2.8-4 is weather sealed, by the way.

[@kamilrakowski23]

@@mattisulanto Thanks a lot and sorry for the mistake. I'm just looking for a wide lens. I almost bought Oly 8mm. I don't know why my seller said it was not sealed.They had the same information on the website.In that case I have to check this lens again.It seems to me that there is no such problem with flaring. Is it true? Of course, no lens is perfect, that's why we have so many of them.

[@stevenbridgland3727]

they are both wide zooms - 10-25 does not qualify as a standard zoom at all.

[@mattisulanto]

Like I said in the video, it's my opinion and I'm trying to somehow separate these from each other. But, if you think it's a wide zoom, that's fine too. Freedom of speech and opinion.

[@stevenbridgland3727]

@@mattisulanto Thanks - no criticism intended. Good review.

[@momchilminkov5722]

Get the 7-14 by Olympus. When you need wide lens, 7 is noticeably better than 8. And it's constant 2.8

[@mattisulanto]

There are other choices, of course, and I'm sure you won't be the only one to bring up the Zuiko, but in this video I wanted to talk about these two lenses.

[@birdingbilly]

The problem with the Oly is that it is difficult to use filters which for landscape shooters is a big issue - no such problems with the PL 8-18 and f/2.8 is irrelevant for landscape.

[@anniethin5412]

Is it a big difference that the 8-18mm len is a M43, not a full frame. M43 is supposed to be smaller than the full frame. Does it matter?