Panasonic Leica 9mm F1.7 Prime Lens Review
This is my hands-on review of the Panasonic Leica 9mm f1.7 prime for Micro Four Thirds.
Micro Four Thirds Done Correctly!
This Lens is what Micro Four Thirds is all about. The Panasonic Leica 9mm f1.7 is small, light, and optically great. Coming in at only 130 grams, it’s a no-brainer for travel photography or videography. This is the most fun I’ve had shooting with Micro Four Thirds in a while!
About the Panasonic Leica 9mm f1.7
Welcome to the website, folks; my name’s Shane. In today’s review, we check out the Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 9mm f1.7 prime. This came out roughly a year before posting this review and is one of the latest Micro Four Thirds lenses, along with version 3 of the Panasonic Leica 12-35mm f2.8 (my review).
This super-wide 9mm field of view gives us the equivalent of an 18mm in full-frame terms while keeping the size and weight down compared with most full-frame alternatives.
Ethics Disclaimer
A huge thanks to Panasonic for the loan of this Lens. I don’t get to keep it, no money has changed hands, and all thoughts about this Lens are my own. I am not a brand ambassador, but Panasonic allows me to borrow gear to showcase on my YouTube channel and website. Watch my full video review on YouTube below.
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Field of View
Let’s look at the 9mm field of view versus the 12-35mm f2.8 at 2.8 to kick things off. Here we have the 12mm at f2.8 on a tripod, and as you can see in my photo (below), Rhyannon is framed in the center. You can see the second tree on the right and a little bit of grass on the left of the screen.
Now over to the 9mm at f1.7. Not only is there some nice-looking subject separation we can now see a lot more on the right of the frame and way more grass to the left. Again, the field of view is wide and distortion-free, thanks to the rectilinear design.
Here’s a photo of the 12-35mm at 12mm f2.8 versus the 9mm side by side so you can get a good sense of how much wider the 9mm is. On this side-by-side, you can see how much more contrast is on the 9mm f1.7. It looks great.
Autofocus
Let’s look at the Pansonic Leica 9mm f1.7 for continuous autofocus performance for video. All these samples were shot at the PAL frame rate of 25 frames per second on the GH6. This first test was at f1.7 using one area plus mode with body detection on, with no custom settings, and it performed well.
It did take a moment to catch up to Rhyannon as she got up close, but the transition was smooth. So I would consider this completely usable. Check out the dedicated autofocus video below.
The second test was the full area tracking mode. This performed quite well at f1.7 and is a good choice for letting the camera do the work if you don’t want to use a zone mode. I then bumped the speed up to +2, and while the autofocus was faster, it was also at the expense of more pulsing.
Start with the AF settings at default, and you should get the best results with minimal issues. You can see with +2; the background is fluttering, so avoid setting the speed too high.
When shooting at 100 frames per second. I used one area mode, and it worked quite well. There were occasions when the AF would jitter, but I found it performed better than expected.
Future Panasonic Phase Detection Autofocus Performance
When and if Panasonic eventually releases a Phase Detection Micro Four Thirds camera, this 9mm will perform even better than you’ve seen with the contrast DFD on the GH6.
The motors in the 9mm are fast and snappy, and I can’t wait to see how this performs on a future camera. Capturing photos and adjusting focus from minimum to infinity is quick and responsive, thanks to the high-speed motors.
Focus Breathing
Like, Let’s talk about focus breathing or the lack thereof. This Lens exhibits next to zero focus breathing. Pulling focus manually from the background to the foreground, the frame barely moves. Low-focus breathing is what you want when shooting video, as the frame won’t zoom in and out, being distracting.
Minimum Focusing Distance
With a minimum Focusing Distance of 9.5cm, you can get some amazing close-up photography, and even at f1.7, the image is nice and harp.
Stabilization
Let’s cover handheld video performance. Pairing this 9mm f1.7 with the GH6 allowed me great handheld results. In this sample clip, I am walking backward, and while I struggled to keep balanced on this cement structure, the results were quite good, with only minimal warping in the corners.
Vlogging Field of View
Regarding Vlogging, 9mm is a great field of view, but you will see some noticeable warping in the corners of the frame. When I compare this to my 12-35mm version 2 at 12mm, I prefer the stabilization of the 12, but the image on the 9 is better.
This 9mm prime looks premium, and the subject separation looks great. You will get more stabilized results with the 12-35mm f2.8 than the 9mm f1.7. If you don’t plan on doing a lot of walking and talking, the 9mm will be a great choice.
Gimbal Shooters
Gimbal shooters will appreciate this 9mm field of view for capturing a scene. This Lens is made for wide-follow shots or capturing a unique perspective compared to the 12 or 15-mm field of view. The 9mm does something special at capturing a scene that your standard 12mm can’t do. The wider field of view paired with the GH6 is a lot of fun, and I love the results when shooting 4k120p
Build Quality
Let’s cover build quality, size, and weight. I am very impressed with how this Lens feels in the hand. While the build quality on the surface looks much like the budget 25mm f1.7, the Lens feels nicer. There are no bells and whistles on this Lens. We only get a focusing ring, which feels fluid and smooth in the hand with the right amount of tension.
While the Lens’s exterior is plastic, we still get full dust, splash, and freeze resistance making it a good allrounder for challenging shooting environments. Additionally, the Lens is light at only 130 grams, we get a 55mm filter thread, and it comes with a nice plastic hood. The mounting ring is metal, and the construction feels solid in the hand.
While the 9mm lens differs greatly from the 15mm f1.7 regarding features and build quality, I hope Panasonic uses this Lens as a template. The compact size and great optics make this a great choice for future lens designs.
Sunstars and Flaring
When it comes to Sunstars, I was quite impressed at what I could achieve by stopping down. The sun stars, for the most part, looked sharp and clear to my eye. Of course, this 9mm is susceptible to flaring, but the times when it did flare, it looked kind of cool.
This was evident when shooting close up on reflective surfaces and almost directly into the sun. Most lenses would flare in these situations; overall, it is not a problem. The great news is there was no loss of contrast to the result, which is awesome.
Final Thoughts:
This Panasonic Leica 9mm lens is a great choice for someone wanting a super-wide field of view with excellent optical performance. I can see this Lens being used for video, gimbal use, travel photography, and anytime you need a super-wide field of view without the fish-eye look.
This is a fun lens to get creative and unique perspectives for both video and photography. While there are no bells and whistles on this prime like an aperture ring or AF/MF switch, the result is excellent, and it’s been a lot of fun to use.
Check it out using the links below and drop a thumbs up if you’d like to see more Micro Four Third lens reviews in the future. Catch you soon, see you.
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Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 9mm F/1.7 Specs
Below is a list of the official specifications for the Panasonic Leica 9mm f1.7 prime lens.
Focal Length: | 9mm |
Maximum Aperture: | f/1.7 |
Minimum Aperture: | f/16 |
Lens Mount: | Micro Four Thirds |
Lens Format Coverage: | Micro Four Thirds |
Angle of View: | 100° |
Minimum Focus Distance: | 3.7″ / 9.5 cm |
Maximum Magnification: | 0.25x |
Optical Design: | 12 Elements in 9 Groups |
Diaphragm Blades: | 7, Rounded |
Focus Type: | Autofocus |
Image Stabilization: | No |
Filter Size: | 55 mm (Front) |
Dimensions: (ø x L) | 2.4 x 2″ / 60.8 x 52 mm |
Weight: | 4.6 oz / 130 g |
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