It isn't very often that a camera system comes along that supercedes technical specifications. In this age of "melted blobs" all looking the same with the name-tag being the only significant difference, a classic-shape camera will stand out among the rest. But the question is whether being different is enough or will other design flaws cause it to be nothing more than a foot-note in photographic equipment history. Click on "Read More" to see the full article.

Panasonic DMC-L1 with the Leica 14-50 Zoom Lens - Front View

I won't get into specification and image comparisons. DPReview and other sites have done an excellent job of producing those tests and a few minutes spent there will reveal all you want to know how any camera stacks up against its competition. The question which I am going to address is the usability of this camera and how well it handles. The Panasonic DMC-L1 is perfectly adequate in the image-quality department to be a non-issue for most purposes.

The Panasonic stands alone as the only DSLR designed without the PASM modal system. This camera uses dedicated aperture and shutter-speed dials in the traditional positions of non-PASM cameras. PASM is the modal dial allowing the photographer to select from Program, Aperture-Priority, Shutter-Priority or Manual exposure modes. With the L1, each of the two controls have an "A" position for auto. If you want to automate the shutter speed, just place that control in A. If you want to automate the aperture, just place that control in A. If you want to automate both, just place both in A. Easy as that. Very intuitive, very simple and most importantly, completely tactile.

The Lens

Before I get too far, let me talk about the kit lens that came with the L1, the Leica D Vario-Elmarit 1:2.8-3.5 14-50 ASPH. This lens contains image-stabilization optics and is unique in having the aperture control ring which works when mounted on the L1, but won't on other Four-Thirds cameras. On other cameras, the aperture is controlled using the standard modal controls as with any other Four-Thirds lens.

Much has been said about this lens, and I'll state that it has far exceeded my expectations and is capable of producing extremely sharp images with amazing contrast, clarity and gradients not normally seen with Four-Thirds lenses. This isn't to say that the Olympus lenses are bad--far from it, but what I am saying is that this Leica lens "draws" the pictures differently. Other than a tiny amount of vignetting at the widest focal-length, wide-open, there is no visible darkening towards the corners. In fact, almost without exception, the image-quality in the corners is the same as it is in the center of the image. No distortion, no CA, no vignetting, just a very consistent image from corner-to-corner. The design of this Leica lens favors the wider apertures, and the lens is pretty much at its sharpest wide-open and doesn't really drop off until diffraction limits are reached. I do not hesitate to shoot at the brightest apertures as long as my DoF is adequate. If I were to pick any one aperture as being the "best", I'd say F4.5, but that's really picking nits.

Not all is perfect with the Leica lens, however. The zoom and aperture controls operate in the opposite direction of Olympus lenses. It will probably take me a few years to deprogram myself from using the Olympus 14-54 zoom lens. Another design flaw is the position and size of the focus ring. It is very narrow and is behind the zoom ring. I would have preferred the zoom and focus rings to be reverse positioned and the size of both to be equal.

The Leica lens lacks the weather sealing of the Olympus high grade lenses, but that doesn't mean that you can't take it out in the wet. Just treat it like you treat most lenses not of the reputation of the higher-grade Zuikos. The Leica also does not have the O-Ring at the lens-mount for body sealing.

The lens is image-stabilized, but I'm less impressed with the performance of this feature. The range of correction is limited and it doesn't take much camera movement to "hit the walls". I wouldn't select this lens for this feature, but having it built-in isn't a bad thing either. If mounted on a camera with sensor-shift stabilization, choose the sensor-shift over the in-lens correction.

As large as the lens is in outer dimensions, it feels light. The Olympus 14-54 feels heavier, but is a smaller lens. Each of these two lenses have distinct advantages over the other, but in end I decided to sell the Olympus lens and keep the Leica.

Shooting directly into bright lights or the setting sun is very convincing. The Leica 14-50 is as flare-controlled as I've ever experienced. This lens is "reference material" good.

The 14-50 is a lens with attitude. 44mm (88mm equiv), at F5.6. In-camera JPEG, resized in post.