Panasonic Goes Ultra-Wide with The Leica DG Summilux 9mm f/1.7 ASPH

Panasonic is launching its widest-angle prime rectilinear lens for Micro Four Thirds cameras in the form of the new Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 9mm f/1.7 ASPH with the 35mm equivalent field of view of an 18mm lens. This ultra-wide lens is also the widest Micro Four Thirds Panasonic prime optic to wear the Leica badge.

This new lens is designed to capture expansive vistas and is created for photographers and videographers who are looking for the unique perspective afforded by ultra-wide-angle lenses. The wide f/1.7 maximum aperture allows shallow-depth-of-field photography, even with its 100° angle of view. Panasonic designed the lens to create smooth bokeh with its 7-blade rounded aperture diaphragm. Adding to creative capture possibilities, the lens has a close-focusing capability of 0.31', allowing the camera to do half-size (1:2) macro photography.

The lens is designed to be friendly to videographers with smooth exposure changes courtesy of the lens's micro-step aperture control. The focus ring features non-linear and linear control and the lens also suppresses focus breathing. Focus-ring sensitivity can be adjusted in 30° increments from 90° to 360° on some cameras.

The ultra-wide-angle lens has 12 elements in 9 groups and includes two aspherical lenses, two ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) lenses, and one UHR (Ultra High Refractive Index) lens to suppress both axial chromatic aberration and chromatic aberration of magnification. Astigmatism is also corrected with the aspherical elements. The UHR element is designed to achieve uniform image quality from the center of the frame to the edges.

Rounding out the specs for this new Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 9mm f/1.7 is a fluorine coating that is splash, dust, and freeze resistant with an operating temperature range of 14-104°F. The lens's compact barrel and weatherproofing are designed to complement contemporary Micro Four Thirds cameras.

Are you ready to go ultra-wide with the Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 9mm f/1.7 ASPH? Let us know in the Comments section, below!