I was hoping the Leica 12-60 would be usable for indoor sports photography, but alas, I proved myself wrong. Shots at 1/1000 came out quite grainy, and f/2.8 just doesn’t cut it indoors. I also have the Lumix 25mm, but it’s slightly too tight to shoot comfortably. I often find myself having to sit in the middle of the next court, which is a no-go at busy tournaments. I considered the Lumix 20mm, but I ended up deciding against it due to its reputation for lackluster AF. The next logical step was the Leica 15mm. It’s a bit more expensive, but it offers good AF performance and is quite sharp indeed.

Initially, I was interested in the Lumix version of the 42.5mm, which is much smaller, lighter, and cheaper. However, if the internet is to be trusted, the Leica variant of the 42.5mm is one of the sharpest M4/3 lenses, period. After missing out on a few used Lumix 42.5s, I figured I’d pull the trigger on the Leica variant to test it out. Worst case, I could sell it for a decent return if it didn’t meet my expectations.

I then spotted a killer deal on Facebook Marketplace for a Panasonic Leica 15mm and 42.5mm (the aforementioned Nocticron). The only issue was that the seller was in Brooklyn, so we agreed to meet halfway in Jersey City. Cue the hour-long drive straight from work.

To make the trek more worthwhile, I decided to grab a few pictures of the NYC skyline from Liberty State Park before heading back. I just barely managed to escape the thunderstorm—it was a wet drive home, to say the least. Photos are below.