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Lumix DMC-G5, Zonlai Discover HD MC 25mm f/1.8

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Lumix DMC-G5, Zonlai Discover HD MC 25mm f/1.8

Cameras and Lenses: Image making with the Zonlai Discover HD MC 25mm f/1.8 mounted on a Lumix DMC-G5.

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I am back to the Zonlai Discover HD MC 25mm f/1.8, this time mounted on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5, for probably a couple of sessions (with a bit of heavy edits), before moving on again to the next lens on my list.

The Zonlai Discover HD MC 25mm f/1.8, a version of the compact and budget-friendly manual-focus prime lens designed for APS-C mirrorless camera systems, is also known as Perger, Kenro, Hengyijia, and maybe others.

The lens is representative of the value-focused end of the legacy and third-party lens market, with fast aperture performance available at a fraction of the cost of branded optics.

The all-metal and glass lens is a 7-element in 5 groups design with 12 aperture blades, a clickless aperture ring, a minimum focusing distance of 0.18 meters, takes 46mm filters, and weighs approximately 143 grams.

The lens is also known to exist in two iterations, the first with the aperture ring at the front, while the second generation (as the lens here is) has the aperture ring near the camera body. The clickless aperture makes the lens equally suitable for video making.

On the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5, the Zonlai Discover HD MC 25mm f/1.8 is equivalent to a standard normal 50mm lens on a full frame camera, taking in views that closely match human vision, almost without distortion for a natural perspective, ideal for use as a standard normal lens for street, portraits, travel, and documentary photography.

The focal length is approximately the diagonal of the image frame on a film frame.

The lens is quite sharp in the center when used wide open, with punchy contrast and unique character, excellent for low-lights, but soft with signs of vignetting at extreme corners. On MFT bodies, as seen here, close-ups and natural perspective are without distortion.

The lens, well-regarded as a budget option for street photography and general use, is praised for its solid, metal construction and decent image quality. Its clickless aperture and a very short focus throw, however, make manual focusing on the camera without focus peaking functions, rather challenging, more so when the shot is taken wide open.

On the Lumix DMC-G5, the aid to achieve critical focus is to use the jog dial - press it to magnify the view on the LCD or electronic viewfinder, and rotate it (left or right) to further adjust the magnification level.

Lumix DMC-G5, Zonlai Discover HD MC 25mm f/1.8

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5, a MFT (Micro Four Thirds) system camera with a 16MP Live MOS sensor and Panasonic's Venus Engine 7 FHD processor, was introduced in 2012. The camera excels in several areas, including excellent noise control at high ISO settings, responsive autofocus in good light, compact form factor with professional-style handling, strong video capabilities with a silent electronic shutter option, and a bright and clear EVF with eye-detection.

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Photo of the Day

Olympus VR-370

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Photo of the Day

Olympus VR-370

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Photo of the Day

Olympus VR-370

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Photo of the Day

Olympus VR-370

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Olympus VR-370, In The Morning Light

Compact Comeback: An early morning session with the 16MP CCD Olympus VR-370, a compact 12.5x optical zoom point-and-shoot digital superzoom released in 2013.

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An early morning 'compact comeback' session with the Olympus VR-370, a 12.5x optical zoom point-and-shoot digital superzoom released in 2013.

The camera combines a straightforward point-and-shoot functionality with a respectable zoom range and CCD imagery for enthusiasts of sensor legacy.

The VR-370 is fitted with a 16MP 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor paired with the TruePic III+ image processor.

Olympus retained the CCD lineage for this compact line to leverage the sensor's reputation for color accuracy and low noise characteristics typical of CCD technology.

The 12.5x optical zoom lens spans the 24 to 300mm 35mm equivalent zoom range, with a maximum aperture of f/3.0 (wide) to f/3.3 (telephoto). It features close-focusing capability, ranging from 20cm in macro mode to 1cm in super-macro mode. The camera has a shutter speed range from 4 to 1/2000 seconds.

The functionalities of the VR-370 are supported by a 460,000-dot 3.0-inch LCD for both recording and playback, along with video recordings at 720P (1280×720) and VGA (640×480) in either 30fps or 15fps, using AVI Motion JPEG files.

Exposure modes include Program Auto (P Mode), Intelligent Auto (M Mode), Beauty Mode, Scene Presets with 15 submodes, Magic Art Filters with 10 effects, and a Panorama Mode that captures up to 10 sequential frames for external edge-stitching.

The VR-370 also comes with three AF options: Face/iESP auto-detection recognizes human faces, displaying white frames around detected subjects which turns green upon focus lock; Spot AF that restricts focus to a center target mark; and AF Tracking that locks onto moving subjects like pets, children, or sports action.

Olympus VR-370

Image Stabilization is supported by the VR-370 with sensor-shift (mechanical) stabilization and intelligent high-ISO elevation, activated by either half-pressing (standard) or full depression (more aggressive) of the shutter button, and a dedicated 'Off ' setting for tripod work.

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