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Category: Lenses

  • Lumix 100mm Macro f/2.8: tiny lens, stunning close-ups

    The verdict

    An excellent L-mount macro — genuinely sharp 1:1 close-ups, a constant f/2.8 that doubles nicely for portraits, and it’s astonishingly small for a 100mm.

    What’s good
    ✓  Constant f/2.8 — great for portraits as well as macro
    ✓  Crisp, sharp 1:1 close focusing
    ✓  Focus-limiter switch speeds up autofocus (close, medium-to-infinity, or full range)
    ✓  The best macro autofocus I’ve used, and tiny — the same size as the other S-primes
    Worth knowing
    ·  67mm filter thread; AF/MF switch on the barrel

    It works on any L-mount body, and honestly I don’t know how they made a 100mm this compact. If you want portraits and true macro from one lens, it’s a very easy recommendation.

    Where to buy

    Lumix S 100mm Macro f/2.8

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  • Lumix 24-60mm f/2.8: the talking-head zoom that earns its place

    The verdict

    For a talking-head YouTube setup, the Lumix 24-60mm f/2.8 is a compact, sharp, constant-aperture zoom that’s far easier to live with than a full 24-70 — as long as you’re fine giving up a little reach at the long end.

    What’s good
    ✓  Constant f/2.8 in a body noticeably smaller than a 24-70 f/2.8
    ✓  Sharp and compact — impressive from the first shot
    ✓  Fast, quiet, smooth autofocus on current bodies (S5 IIX, S1 II, S1 IIE, S1R II) with reliable face detect
    ✓  Zoom flexibility beats a prime when you need to reframe tighter or wider for a review
    Worth knowing
    ·  Price has crept up over the past year — it was the sub-$1,000 standout at launch
    ·  60mm isn’t as tight as a 70mm; takes a little getting used to
    ·  Not the pick on an S5 or S1H — those older AF systems hold it back
    ·  Extends a fair bit when zoomed in

    In practice most of the talking-head footage sits around 45mm, and the ability to nudge the framing without swapping a prime is the whole appeal. The autofocus motor is quiet enough that an on-camera mic won’t pick it up.

    Against the 20-60 it’s a touch larger with a bigger filter thread, but you gain the constant aperture; against the 24mm and 50mm primes you trade a stop of light for not having to switch lenses mid-shoot.

    A closer look at the lens itself

    A few hardware notes beyond the talking-head use: a 77mm front filter thread, a constant f/2.8 across the whole zoom range, a smooth zoom ring with an AF/MF switch, and a customizable function button you can program to trigger AF on face or eye detect. It does extend a little when you zoom in. As an L-mount lens it works on any L-mount body.

    Where to buy

    Lumix S 24-60mm f/2.8

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    Some links are affiliate links — if you buy through them we may earn a small commission, at no cost to you. It never changes what we recommend.