@_gl
I don't doubt your knowledge and experience but bear with me for a moment.

Since the Panasonic lens requires digital correction to reduce its geometric and CA non-linearities, we can really only view its output in two states, uncorrected and corrected. My point earlier was that the rush to judgement seems to be that the uncorrected image is somehow "better" (obvious geometric/CA distortions aside), and that the corrected image's subtly increased contrast and sharpness are undesirable artifacts induced by secret in-body gain adjustments to the contrast and/or sharpness parameters.

I would argue that if Panasonic had chosen to go the Leica route and produced a lens where all the correction was purely optical without the need for any digital correction, the resulting image would look more like the corrected image in your comparison than the uncorrected version. I'm just not seeing "edge halos" per se in the corrected image, I'm seeing a more sharply resolved image vs. the subtle defocussed effect you get from geometric/CA smear.

Thing is, I can't stand edge halos - I'm one of those guys with the sharpness turned all the way off on his 1080p TV, who shoots GH2 with Sharpness -2 and doesn't unsharp mask in post because it looks plenty sharp already, etc. Edge halos are the devil, which is why I'd be the first one to jump on Panasonic's digital lens correction if it was somehow glazing up the image the way I see far too many Vimeo videos have been oversharpened by guys probably monitoring on old TN monitors with a fine layer of dust on the screen.

Question: what's your PNG export workflow? You're clearly a very smart guy but is it possible the export method you're using to generate these images has artifacts of its own?

Please add something :P

BTW, I should say I'm a programmer and I've been working on video processing a fair bit, including distortion correction and sharpening. Distorting an image (which is how you correct distortion) only softens it a little, it doesn't introduce any sharpening or contrast changes unless you deliberately add those.

I wouldn't object if the sharpening just compensated enough to make the image look like the uncorrected version again, but Panny have gone too far with it.

@Shaveblog
I was thinking the same thing the other day, but I wanted to do my own tests first before I post, and I don't own any Pany lenses.

From what I have read, both Panny and Olympus bodies will distortion-correct any native m43 (and maybe 43?) lens, unless I guess the lens is programmed not to be corrected, like the Leicas. The difference is that Panny bodies also correct for chromatic aberration, but Olympus don't.

It would be interesting to see if Olympus bodies also sharpen their correction. And also if other Panny bodies do it too (most likely).

@Psyco
I have both the Olympus 12mm F2 and 45mm F1.8. I have noticed the effect of excess edge sharpening identical to my Panasonic lenses. I do not notice this effect with my Voigtlander 25mm F0.95, incidentally.

So, how do you check for it? I have the Leica 25mm Summilux D 4/3 and Olympus adapter.

Great insights guys, thanks!

Has anybody tried Olympus 4/3 lenses with the Panasonic or Olympus adapter?

It would be interesting if the 14-35mm F2.0 with the adapter also triggers that sharpening. As far as I know there is no distortion correction with this lens, as it is optically corrected. It also has a manual fokus ring, only aperture is controlled electronically. So it might work even with the contacts taped (except aperture).

What about the GH1 - I would gess there is the same distortion correction and sharpening going on as with the GH2...right?

Red Epic vs GH2

RED Epic verus Panasonic GH2
If only that digital sharpening could be avoided...

Certainly explains some if not all of the weird look. Thanks for the insight.

@Elenion

> The real issue is that this ugly sharpening completely destroys the gentleness of the highlight roll off. Everything appears digital and videoish and the strobe effect is more evident.

Agreed on all counts, I think it's a big reason why people complain that the GH2 strobes (LCDs pixels hate switching quickly dark <-> bright).

@Ralph_B, it only works if you lock focus first, then remove the lens, cover the contacts, and attach it again all while the body is still powered. When the body powers up (or maybe when it powers down), it resets the focus. I used standard electrical insulation tape, the soft slightly stretchy stuff you get on small rolls in different colours (see pic). It has a very light adhesive that comes off easily & doesn't leave a residue behind. I cut it in a thin round shape so it just covered the contacts (on the lens) without getting in the way of the mount.

> It would be very useful to shut that off while still maintaining electronic aperture and focusing control over the lens.

@LPowell interesting, maybe someone else can have a go at that. It may not work, as the body might insist on communicating fully with the lens before it will control it (educated guess).

Yay _gl!!!

+1 LPowell idea.