Panasonic-Leica 9mm f/1.7 review at Lenstip: “a perfect companion”

Preorders at 9mm lens at BHphoto. Adorama. Amazon. FotoKoch DE. FotoErhardt DE. WexUK.

Lenstip tested the Leica 9mm lens and concluded:

I admit the Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 9 mm f/1.7 ASPH appeals to me a lot. It is shapely, lightweight, fast, and optically good. What’s interesting, despite a ‘Leica’ inscription on its barrel, its price is also acceptable – you can buy it for a almost $500.
If I was inclined to pick holes in that picture I would start with the parameters of the tested model. After all we have an outstanding Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Summilux 10-25 mm f/1.7 ASPH that at 10 mm focal length is even sharper than the Panaleica, tested here. It seems these two Panasonic lenses are direct rivals – I suppose if you buy the 10-25 mm model you won’t even look at the 1.7/9 instrument. If Panasonic shortened the focal length to 7-8 mm or added a faster aperture, say an f/1.4, it would change. On the other hand such parameters as 7 mm and f/1.7 are much harder to correct – I guess such a lens wouldn’t be so shapely and lightweight anymore.

Anyway I am so happy that we’ve got such an interesting alternative in the system: if you don’t care so much about weight and dimensions you can have the PanaLeica 10-25 mm, a truly universal and optically brilliant instrument. If you want to take something small on a trip during which you plan to enjoy day or nighttime landscape photography, the shapely, fast, and optically good Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 9 mm f/1.7 ASPH will be a perfect companion without adding several kilograms of equipment to your back.