Panasonic has introduced the Lumix S 100mm F2.Eight Macro, the world’s smallest and lightest lens of its sort. The brand new lens is the primary to characteristic the corporate’s patented ‘twin section linear motor’ focus system, which allows it to create a lot smaller lenses than had been beforehand doable.

The tiny Lumix S100mm Macro is a twist on the basic full-frame 100mm macro lens with 1x most magnification, which is a super-popular cross-brand lens. I obtained to strive the brand new lens out forward of its announcement, and it is barely a handful.

Lined up in opposition to different common macro fashions such because the Sigma 105mm f/2.Eight DG DN (additionally L-Mount), Sony FE 90mm f/2.Eight G OSS, Nikon Z MC 105mm f/2.Eight VR S and Canon RF 100mm f/2.Eight L Macro IS USM, Panasonic’s lens is round two-thirds the scale and fewer than half the burden, although Canon’s lens boasts a 1.4x magnification.

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Panasonic’s new L-mount macro lens weighs simply 10.5oz / 300g and is simply 3.23 inches / 82mm in size, the place different fashions typical weigh 20-25oz / 600-700g and are over 5.1 inches / 130mm. So it is not simply the smallest and lightest 100mm macro lens by a whisker – the Lumix S 100mm is in an entire different league.

What’s additionally neat concerning the Lumix S100mm lens is that there are 5 current Panasonic f/1.Eight prime lenses, additionally for the full-frame L-mount, which are primarily the identical dimension and weight, which makes fast swaps between these lenses and the brand new macro mannequin, together with on gimbals, all the simpler.

Past the way it measures up, the brand new 100mm macro is constructed to excessive requirements, with a metallic rear mount, and mud and splash resistance; and, not like rival fashions, it is formally freeze-resistant, all the way down to -10C / 14F.

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The lens has 9 aperture blades to provide rounded bokeh at f/2.8, making it nicely suited to portraiture. There are 13 lens components in 11 teams, together with three aspherical components; whereas this lens could also be smaller and lighter than others, there isn’t any compromise on high quality.

Panasonic says the optically stabilized lens may even work with the high-res shot modes in suitable cameras just like the S5 II, which might produce a 96MP picture from its 24MP sensor by combining a number of frames, although after all that can solely work for static topics.

The minimal focus distance of the Lumix S 100mm f/2.Eight Macro is simply 8.03 inches / 20.4cm, which is an effective 30% nearer than rival lenses. Presumably it’s because at 3.23 inches / 82mm it is a lot shorter than these lenses, but remains to be the identical full-frame sensor format. 

Evaluation: does dimension matter? 

Whereas the numbers stack up in favor of Panasonic’s new lens when it comes to dimension, weight and close-focusing functionality, what does that imply in actuality? 

Personally I desire lenses that may be additional away from dwelling macro topics and never nearer to them – you’ll want to use the lens’ minimal focus distance to achieve the utmost 1x magnification, and butterflies and bugs are simply scared away for those who get too shut. 

I personal a Sigma 105mm f/2.Eight macro lens that is greater than twice as heavy and a 3rd longer than the brand new Panasonic mannequin, and I’ve no complaints with it. Of any lens kind, arguably a macro lens is okay simply as it’s – a barely chunky hunk of glass. 

Nonetheless, kudos to Panasonic for creating one thing that is so completely different from the norm, whereas sustaining the type of optical excellence one would count on from a $1,000 / £1,100 lens.

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