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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 wide-angle uniformity comparison

Leica D 14-50mm wide-angle uniformity  

To measure and compare the Leica D 14-50mm's vignetting and light fall-off we photographed a white target with a highly diffused custom filter using it and a number of rival lenses.

Here are the results for each lens set to its widest focal length, with the aperture fully open and the focus set to infinity.

The images were analysed with Imatest and the full areas presented here at a reduced resolution. Bigger percentages are better.

14-50mm at 14mm f2.8
Mean corner fall-off: 66%
 
The image above was taken with the Leica D 14-50mm lens zoomed-out to 14mm with its aperture wide open. Here the light falls off in the corners to an average of 66% of the centre measurement. This is roughly similar to the Canon and latest Olympus kit lenses, but beaten by the older Olympus 14-45mm kit lens.

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 uniformity
Olympus ZD 14-45mm wide angle uniformity
Canon EF-S 18-55mm wide angle uniformity
14-42mm at 14mm f3.5
Mean corner fall-off: 63.6%
  14-45mm at 14mm f3.5
Mean corner fall-off: 74.1%
  18-55mm EF-S at 18mm f3.5
Mean corner fall-off: 68.8%



Leica D 14-50mm telephoto uniformity comparison

Leica D 14-50mm telephoto uniformity  

To measure and compare the Leica D 14-50mm's vignetting and light fall-off we photographed a white target with a highly diffused custom filter using it and a number of rival lenses.

Here are the results for each lens set to its longest focal length, with the aperture fully open and the focus set to infinity.

The images were analysed with Imatest and the full areas presented here at a reduced resolution. Bigger percentages are better.

14-50mm at 50mm f3.5
Mean corner fall-off: 72.5%
 

The image above was taken with the Leica D 14-50mm lens zoomed-in to 50mm with its aperture wide open. Here the light falls off in the corners to an average of 72.5% of the centre measurement, which while roughly similar to the old Olympus kit lens, is beaten by both the new Olympus kit lens and Canon's EF-S 18-55mm.


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 angle uniformity
Olympus ZD 14-45mm telephoto uniformity
Canon EF-S 18-55mm telephoto uniformity
14-42mm at 42mm f5.6
Mean corner fall-off: 85.7%
  14-45mm at 45mm f5.6
Mean corner fall-off: 71.3%
  18-55mm EF-S at 55mm f5.6
Mean corner fall-off: 83.8%

Leica D Vario Elmarit 14-50mm lens results

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

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