To compare the purple fringing of the Leica D 14-50mm we photographed a test chart with areas of very high contrast using it and a variety of other lenses at their widest and longest focal lengths and
with their apertures wide open. The crops are taken
from the upper left corner of the chart and presented here at 100%.
All four lenses below exhibit purple fringing at wide angle, and much less when zoomed-in to their telephoto end, although the Leica D arguably shows less than the others - and remember it also has a faster focal ratio.
Leica D 14-50mm
with Panasonic L1
Olympus ZD ED 14-42mm
with Olympus E-400
Olympus
ZD 14-45mm
with Olympus E-500
Canon
EF-S 18-55mm
with Canon 400X / XTi
14-50mm at 14mm f2.8
14-42mm at 14mm f3.5
14-45mm at 14mm f3.5
18-55mm EF-S at 18mm f3.5
14-50mm at 50mm f3.5
14-42mm at 42mm f5.6
14-45mm at 45mm f5.6
18-55mm EF-S at 55mm f5.6
Leica D 14-50mm macro comparison
To measure and compare the Leica D 14-50mm's macro performance we photographed
a custom chart using it and a number of rival lenses.
Each camera was positioned at a distance and set to a focal length which
delivered the maximum possible reproduction.
The dark lines are 10mm apart and the result is not cropped. Smaller areas
are preferred in this test.
The image left was taken with the Leica D 14-50mm.
14-50mm at 50mm f8
Max area of 108x80mm
Like most DSLR lenses, the greatest macro reproduction was achieved with the lens zoomed-in to telephoto. There the Leica D 14-50mm captured an area measuring 108x80mm, which is comfortably beaten by both Canon's EF-S 18-55mm kit lens and the latest Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 14-42mm. So the Leica D 14-50mm isn't particularly ideal for large reproductions of small subjects.
If you want superior macro performance on a Four Thirds body, you should consider the Olympus Zuiko Digital 50mm.
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
14-42mm at 42mm f8
Max area of 68x50mm
14-45mm at 45mm f8
Max area of 112x84mm
18-55mm EF-S at 55mm f8
Max area of 66x44mm
Leica D Vario Elmarit 14-50mm lens results continued...
