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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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Leica D 14-50mm purple fringing comparison

  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
Leica D 14-50mm at 14mm f2.8
Olympus ZD ED 14-42mm at 14mm f3.5
Olympus ZD 14-45mm at 14mm f3.5
Canon EF-S 18-55mm at 18mm f3.5
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
Leica D 14-50mm at 50mm f3.5
Olympus ZD ED 14-42mm at 42mm f5.6
Olympus ZD 14-45mm at 45mm f5.6
Canon EF-S 18-55mm at 55mm f5.6
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

Leica D 14-50mm macro  

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
Olympus ZD ED 14-42mm macro
Olympus ZD 14-45mm macro
Canon EF-S 18-55mm macro
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...

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

All words, images, videos and layout, copyright 2005-2013 Gordon Laing. May not be used without permission.

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