[Klaus]

The Kowa gang is the last one tested on the GX-1.

 

Not bad but not breathtaking either.

 

http://www.opticallimits.com/m43/946-kowa85f28

 

[Rover]

This is so left field, though you're not alone - EPhotoZine has recently dug up an obscure Kaili 85/1.8 lens, from a chinese manufacturer I never heard of. At least Kowa is a known name in the industry.

 

This lens is so odd that it looks likeable.

[toni-a]

Makes me wonder who would be interested in such a lens. Heavy, expensive, at least 1 EV vignetting no exif, no aperture coupling and manual focus.

[Klaus]

Makes me wonder who would be interested in such a lens. Heavy, expensive, at least 1 EV vignetting no exif, no aperture coupling and manual focus.

 

Nice for movies. Apparently that's a large market. You won't take an AF lens or a lens with stepped apertures for this.

[longbowswift]

Makes me wonder who would be interested in such a lens. Heavy, expensive, at least 1 EV vignetting no exif, no aperture coupling and manual focus.

first 17mm equivalent Ultra-wide len on MFT system, any scenery amateur will like this len. the Optic seems same like Touit 12 on E system and the distortion is sensationally small.   Here in China this len has same price with Touit 12

[Dynszis]

Thank you so much for this review. I had this lens in my sights for some time now, and my wallet is very grateful for the sobering test results.

This lens has an obvious C-mount sibling in Kowa's LM8XC for industrial applications, which is rated at 160lp/mm in the center.

At 13mm sensor height, this would amount to 4160 lw/ph. I'm wondering: Is it possible that the industrial precursor was designed for a different sensor stack, and Kowa simply re-housed that lens instead of adapting the optical design for MFT consumer cameras?

[Klaus]

Thank you so much for this review. I had this lens in my sights for some time now, and my wallet is very grateful for the sobering test results.


This lens has an obvious C-mount sibling in Kowa's LM8XC for industrial applications, which is rated at 160lp/mm in the center.


At 13mm sensor height, this would amount to 4160 lw/ph. I'm wondering: Is it possible that the industrial precursor was designed for a different sensor stack, and Kowa simply re-housed that lens instead of adapting the optical design for MFT consumer cameras?

 

Unlikely IMHO. I have never seen a 1:1 adoption on a different format but then I am not a lens designer.