Panasonic Lumix S 20mm F2.5 Hands-On Review

Panasonic has released the Lumix S 20mm F2.5, a compact full-frame prime lens for its L-mount cameras. DPReview has published a sample gallery and hands-on impressions after testing the lens in various conditions.

The lens is designed to be small and lightweight. It adds only a bit of depth compared to a camera's grip, making it easy to slip into a bag for everyday use. The build feels relatively well-constructed with pleasing tactile controls.

Optical Performance and Characteristics

Vignetting is well-controlled, with a bit present from F2.5 through F4, but not enough to be distracting. This is reportedly around what is expected for a lens prioritizing a small size over extreme speed. To achieve super-sharp edges and corners, the reviewer typically had to stop down a bit further, as they were a bit soft below around F5.6.

Panasonic, like other makers of modern mirrorless lenses, uses software geometric correction. Without this correction, the lens exhibits substantial pincushion distortion and occasional corner darkness. The profile corrects a large amount of barrel distortion, which DPReview considers an essential part of the lens's optical design.

The lens can be susceptible to flare under very harsh conditions. During testing, some photos taken in the general direction of the afternoon sun showed large purple flares. When deliberately trying to produce sunstars, the lens also produced a lot of ghosting. This wasn't a major issue in the test, but DPReview suggests those who frequently shoot in the brightest light may want to use a lens hood, which is not included. In shots where the sun was fully within the frame, the lens did a very good job of retaining contrast.

Handling and Autofocus

Autofocus performance was very responsive. Used with the S1RII and original S1R, the lens's motors never felt like a bottleneck. It could snap quickly from its closest focusing distance of 0.18 meters to objects far away. The reviewer noted it was a nice change from many pancake lenses, as this one focuses internally.

Overall Assessment

DPReview concludes the lens is a nice addition to Panasonic's lineup, especially for ultrawide shooters. While there are technical drawbacks inherent to such a small design, the reviewer was overall quite pleased with the resulting images. For those who prefer this field of view for everyday shooting, or videographers wanting to film themselves, it is presented as an easy option to carry around when paired with a suitable camera body.