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Leica D VARIO-ELMARIT 14-50mm f2.8-3.5 lens review Gordon Laing, June 2007

More Results : Outdoor / Resolution / Corner sharpness / Fringe and macro / Geometry / Vignetting


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Click here for the Leica D 14-50mm video tour

Leica D 14-50mm wide-angle geometry comparison

Leica D 14-50mm wide-angle geometry  

To measure and compare the Leica D 14-50mm's geometric distortion we photographed a test chart consisting of a grid pattern, using it and a number of rival lenses.

Here are the results for each lens at its shortest focal length. The images were analysed with Imatest using 5th Order line calculation and the full areas presented here at a reduced resolution.

14-50mm at 14mm f8
Distortion: 2.80% barrel

 
The image above was taken with the Leica D 14-50mm lens zoomed-out to 14mm. Barrel distortion was measured at 2.80% which is superior to the other three lenses below, although the latest Olympus ED 14-42mm kit lens comes quite close.

Olympus ZD ED 14-42mm
with Olympus E-400
Olympus ZD 14-45mm
with Olympus E-500
Canon EF-S 18-55mm
with Canon 400D / XTi
Olympus ZD ED 14-42mm wide-angle geometry
Olympus ZD 14-45mm wide-angle geometry
Canon EF-S 18-55mm wide-angle geometry
14-42mm at 14mm f8
Distortion: 2.97% barrel
  14-45mm at 14mm f8
Distortion: 3.28% barrel
  18-55mm EF-S at 18mm f8
Distortion: 3.35% barrel



Leica D 14-50mm telephoto geometry comparison

Leica D 14-50mm telephoto geometry  

To measure and compare the Leica D 14-50mm's geometric distortion we photographed a test chart consisting of a grid pattern, using it and a number of rival lenses.

Here are the results for each lens at its longest focal length. The images were analysed with Imatest using 5th Order line calculation and the full areas presented here at a reduced resolution.

14-50mm at 50mm f8
Distortion: 0.14% barrel
 
The image above was taken with the Leica D 14-50mm lens zoomed-in to 50mm. Interestingly while most lenses of this focal range exhibit pincushion distortion when zoomed-in, the Leica D 14-50mm, like the latest Olympus ED 14-42mm kit lens, exhibits slight barrelling instead. In terms of the degree of distortion though, the Leica D 14-50mm is still the lowest here, although again the latest Olympus ED 14-42mm comes pretty close.

Olympus ZD ED 14-42mm
with Olympus E-400
Olympus ZD 14-45mm
with Olympus E-500
Canon EF-S 18-55mm
with Canon 400D / XTi
Olympus ZD ED 14-42mm telephoto geometry
Olympus ZD 14-45mm telephoto geometry
Canon EF-S 18-55mm telephoto geometry
14-42mm at 42mm f8
Distortion: 0.21% barrel
  14-45mm at 45mm f8
Distortion: 0.48% pincushion
  18-55mm EF-S at 55mm f8
Distortion: 0.389% pincushion

Leica D Vario Elmarit 14-50mm lens results continued...

Outdoor / Resolution / Corner sharpness / Fringe and macro / Geometry / Vignetting

All words, images, videos and layout, copyright 2005-2008 Gordon Laing. May not be used without permission.

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