Panasonic GF1 and slow M wide angles

[awilder]

Anyone know if the GF1 with Panasonic M adapter will allow correct focus with a CV 15/4.5 or ZM 21/4.5 to infinity? With a 2x crop factor, are they effectively f/9 lenses wide open or still f/4.5? Will these slow lenses allow focusing through the finder or will it be too dim?

 

[JoeV]

They still focus the same distance between the lens flange to the sensor, so an F/4.5 lens is still an F/4.5 lens, just with a smaller sensor that intercepts only the center portion of the image, giving you an angle of view equivalent to a lens of twice the focal length on a FF 35mm format camera.

This is assuming that your M/u43 adapter is machined to proper dimensions and tolerances. There have been some reports of issues with certain brands of adapters; you'll have to search this and other sites for info re: adapter brands.

Don't be surprised if you find the resulting images less than what you would otherwise expect; many of these wide angle RF lenses produce soft edges and corners on u/43, due to the sensor requiring a more telecentric lens design, such that the light strikes the pixels more directly. The Lumix 20-F1.7 lens outperforms many of these legacy lenses, albeit with software correction included.

~Joe

 

[squirrel$$$bandit]

They focus fine to infinity--a little past on most adapters, as they have a bit of wiggle room built in. They are still f/4.5, and you can focus pretty comfortably through the VF in good light. I wouldn't depend on manual focusing in, say, a bar at night, though.

EDIT--cross posted!