Zeiss 18mm on Panasonic G1

[Martin]

I'm seriously thinking about this combination after I receive the m4/3 to Leica M adapter from S. Gandy.

Any thoughts, or comments, or criticisms from Zeiss 18mm owners??

Martin

[Amin Sabet]

Hi Martin,

I don't have the Zeiss 18mm but will comment anyway :).

I can see the appeal of that combination. However, as someone who has used small manual focus primes on an E-420, I'm not sure I would go the G1/ZM18 route unless you also have a use for the ZM lens on an M mount camera.

On a G1, the 18/4 will give you the same field of view and depth of field as a 36mm f/8 lens in 35mm terms. Not very practical IMO. When it becomes available, the Panasonic 20/1.7 will be smaller, lighter, and much more versatile if you can live with the difference in focal length.

[volkerhopf]

Hi Martin,

I don't have the Zeiss 18mm but will comment anyway :).

I can see the appeal of that combination. However, as someone who has used small manual focus primes on an E-420, I'm not sure I would go the G1/ZM18 route unless you also have a use for the ZM lens on an M mount camera.

On a G1, the 18/4 will give you the same field of view and depth of field as a 36mm f/8 lens in 35mm terms. Not very practical IMO. When it becomes available, the Panasonic 20/1.7 will be smaller, lighter, and much more versatile if you can live with the difference in focal length.
Hi,
Can you perhaps explain why the Distagon becomes an f8 lens on the G1? I did never have this effect using full frame lenses on a Canon crop camera.
Regards
Volker

[Amin Sabet]

Hi Volker,

It doesn't become an f8 lens. The lens has a focal length of 18mm and effective aperture of 4.5mm regardless of the body on which you mount it, so the f-number remains 18/4.5 = 4.

However, if you frame a photo with the Zeiss 18/4 mounted on a G1 and compare that to a photo with the same framing using a 36mm lens on a 35mm film camera, you will need to set the lens to twice the f-number on the 35mm camera to get the same depth of field on the two systems.

Likewise, to get the same DOF on a 1.6x crop Canon as with a full frame Canon, assuming the same perspective, framing, and output size, you would shoot the full frame system at 1 and 1/3 stops higher f-number. I blogged some examples using Canon crop and full frame systems here (http://www.seriouscompacts.com/2007/12/canon-lenses-on-full-frame-vs-crop.html). An example of a Four Thirds system compared to Canon full frame is here (http://www.seriouscompacts.com/2008/06/bokeh-test-olympus-zd-25mm-f28-vs-canon.html).

[volkerhopf]

Hi Volker,

It doesn't become an f8 lens. The lens has a focal length of 18mm and effective aperture of 4.5mm regardless of the body on which you mount it, so the f-number remains 18/4.5 = 4.

However, if you frame a photo with the Zeiss 18/4 mounted on a G1 and compare that to a photo with the same framing using a 36mm lens on a 35mm film camera, you will need to set the lens to twice the f-number on the 35mm camera to get the same depth of field on the two systems.

Likewise, to get the same DOF on a 1.6x crop Canon as with a full frame Canon, assuming the same perspective, framing, and output size, you would shoot the full frame system at 1 and 1/3 stops higher f-number. I blogged some examples using Canon crop and full frame systems here (http://www.seriouscompacts.com/2007/12/canon-lenses-on-full-frame-vs-crop.html). An example of a Four Thirds system compared to Canon full frame is here (http://www.seriouscompacts.com/2008/06/bokeh-test-olympus-zd-25mm-f28-vs-canon.html).

Sorry Amin, I did'nt read your first response properly (getting old). Now I am with you.