Regular photographers are used to cameras with viewfinders, but vlogging and filmmaking are very different disciplines, and many creators stepping up from a smartphone to a full size camera are used to doing everything on a touchscreen, so for them the lack of a viewfinder isn’t an issue – what they want is a compact, powerful hybrid camera that’s easy to handle and pack away but is a big step up in quality and potential.
The Lumix S9 has pretty much everything that content creators could ask for, including in-body stabilization, built-in LUTs for creative looks, and compatibility with a larger and growing range of L-mount lenses. Making this one of the best hybrid cameras or best cameras for vlogging you can get today.
The Lumix S9 is a very small camera, but full-frame lenses typically are not. This does rule out some of the best L-mount lenses, so I’ve kept this list to more compact zooms and prime lenses where possible – I’ve included a couple of zooms, however, for users who don’t mind bigger lenses and want the flexibility they bring.
Best lenses for the Panasonic Lumix S9
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Compact kit lens
The Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3 is an unfeasibly compact and lightweight wide-angle zoom lens. It stands out as a mini marvel with a space-saving retractable design, measuring just 2.7 by 1.6 inches and weighing a mere 5.5 ounces. This makes it an ideal travel-friendly kit pairing for a slimline full-frame camera body like the Lumix S9.
The unique selling point here is its expansive 100-degree viewing angle at the 18mm short end. I found this generous wide-angle coverage perfectly suited for vlogging, landscapes, cityscapes, architectural interiors, and real estate. Despite its budget-friendly price tag and featherweight build, it boasts solid weather resistance against dust and splashes, alongside a protective fluorine coating on the front element. Autofocus via the linear stepping motor is quick and near-silent, and I appreciate the convenience of the physical AF/MF switch.
On the downside, edge and corner sharpness are somewhat mediocre compared to the very good center sharpness. The variable f/4.5-6.3 aperture is rather slow for low-light or astrophotography, the zoom range is modest, and it notably lacks an included lens hood.
Read our full Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3 review
Features ★★★★☆ | The fairly typical range of features stretches to a stepping motor-based autofocus system and an AF/MF switch, but there’s no lens hood nor a function button. |
Design ★★★★½ | The lens is amazingly compact and lightweight with its retractable design, but still robust and well built. |
Performance ★★★★☆ | Like most compact lenses for mirrorless cameras, this one relies heavily on automatic in-camera corrections, but the end results are impressive. |
Value ★★★★½ | You get a lot of bang for your buck with this zoom lens, whether you’re buying it as part of a camera kit or in its own right. |
Best standard zoom
The Panasonic Lumix S 24-60mm f/2.8 brings a constant bright aperture to the S-series standard zoom class in a package that balances performance with portability. Unlike slower kit-style zooms, its f/2.8 maximum aperture remains consistent across the zoom range, giving you more flexibility in low light and cleaner background separation, whether you’re shooting stills or video.
At roughly 544 g and with a 24–60 mm focal range, it’s notably more compact and lighter than many traditional 24–70 mm f/2.8 zooms, making it a good match for the compact Lumix S9 body without sacrificing handling. Build quality is solid, and the inclusion of Panasonic’s Dual Phase Linear Motor means autofocus is responsive and unobtrusive.
While it does trade off some telephoto reach compared with longer zooms, the combination of a useful everyday focal range, constant f/2.8 brightness, and strong overall performance makes the 24-60 mm a versatile everyday zoom option for hybrid shooters who want more than a kit lens without lugging around larger pro-class glass.
Read our full Panasonic Lumix S 24-60mm f/2.8 review
Features ★★★★★ | Attractive features include the constant f/2.8 aperture, advanced autofocus system, customizable control ring and function button. |
Design ★★★★★ | Build quality feels typically solid for a Panasonic lens and although it’s refreshingly compact and lightweight, it’s weather-sealed. |
Performance ★★★★☆ | Typical of ‘compact’ lenses for mirrorless cameras, it relies on automatic in-camera corrections but to very good effect. |
Value ★★★★☆ | It’s a bit pricier than some competitors but very good value, all things considered. |
Best superzoom
For a superzoom ‘travel’ lens, the Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 Macro O.I.S. is remarkably compact. Lenses of this type are typically quite big and heavy, but this one definitely bucks the trend. It’s still fairly hefty mounted on the front of the Lumix S9, but it covers a very wide range of focal lengths and might be the only lens you need to take with you on your travels – provided you feel the 28mm minimum focal length is wide enough for narrow streets, interiors and landscapes. The 7x zoom range is not as long as the 10x range of most superzoom lenses, but the payback is a smaller, lighter lens, plus good, consistent image quality across the focal range.
Read our full Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 review
Features ★★★★☆ | It’s pretty basic but the lens does feature AF/MF and OIS on/off switches. |
Design ★★★★★ | Panasonic has done well to pack such a generous zoom range into such a compact lens. |
Performance ★★★★☆ | Performance is very impressive for a superzoom lens although edge-sharpness could be better. |
Value ★★★★★ | It’s great value at the price, especially as it can act as a substitute for two regular zoom lenses. |
Best wide prime
The size of the Lumix S9 makes it a perfect match for Panasonic’s compact f/1.8 prime lenses, and primes are also increasingly popular amongst creators and gimbal users. The Lumix S 24mm f/1.8 has pretty ordinary specifications by today’s standards, but it’s one of a set of plain but effective f/1.8 primes from the Lumix S stable that have more in common than you might think – they are all more or less the same size and share the same 67mm filter size. In fact, many Panasonic lenses share this 67mm filter mount, which might prove a big advantage. This 24mm prime is a good performer, though we would have liked slightly better edge definition. The AF, though, is silent, fast and just want you need for filmmaking.
Read our full Panasonic Lumix S 24mm f/1.8 review
Features ★★★★★ | The extensive zoom range and optical image stabilization are top features for travel photography. |
Design ★★★★★ | The design is fairly compact and lightweight, and includes extensive weather-seals, adding further travel credentials. |
Performance ★★★★☆ | It’s not the sharpest tool in Panasonic’s box but image quality and overall performance is good for a ‘superzoom’ lens. |
Value ★★★★☆ | All things considered, the lens is good value for such a versatile zoom. |
Best street lens
We might complain that f/1.8 is a pretty average sort of maximum aperture, but let’s put this into context – the best professional 35mm f/1.4 lenses are less than one f-stop faster but come with a huge leap in price and weight, and that won’t be worth it for a lot of folk. The fact is, the Lumix S 35mm f/1.8 delivers very good optical performance in a light, practical lens with no frills but lots of finesse, including fast, silent autofocus. It also includes focus breathing suppression – an annoying anomaly where objects can appear to change in size as they go in and out of focus – making this a great lens for videography. At the same time, that 35mm focal length also makes this a classic choice for street photographers.
See our full Panasonic Lumix S 35mm f/1.8 review
Features ★★★★★ | The 35mm focal length is a classic for street photography and the f/1.8 aperture should prove sufficiently fast. |
Design ★★★★★ | It’s not as fast as an f/1.4 or f/1.2 lens but the trade-off is a compact, lightweight and easily manageable build. |
Performance ★★★★★ | Snappy autofocus helps you react quickly to unfolding events and image quality is gorgeous. |
Value ★★★★☆ | It’s certainly not cheap for an f/1.8 prime but the lens is good value considering the features and performance. |
Best standard prime
The Panasonic Lumix S 40mm f/2 is a downsized standard prime delight that sets a high standard for featherweight compactness. Weighing a mere 5.1 ounces and measuring just 2.6 by 1.6 inches, this exceptionally small full-frame L-mount lens feels right at home on slim bodies like the Lumix S9.
The unique selling point of this prime is its versatile 40mm focal length, which provides a natural perspective that beautifully bridges the gap between a 35mm and a 50mm lens. Coupled with a fairly fast f/2 aperture, it makes isolating subjects with smooth, soft bokeh effortless. Despite its low-cost and lightweight frame, I was highly impressed by its solid, robust build, featuring dust, splash, and freeze resistance, alongside a protective fluorine coating. Its linear stepping motor delivers snappy, quiet autofocus, and handling is elevated by a physical AF/MF switch and a customizable Focus Button.
On the downside, I noticed extreme edge and corner sharpness are a bit lackluster when shooting wide open at f/2. However, stopping down to f/4 cleanly resolves this.
See our full Panasonic Lumix S 40mm f/2 review
Features ★★★★½ | Smart features include a fairly fast f/2 aperture rating, a customizable multi-function/manual focus ring, an AF/MF switch and a customizable AF-Hold/multi-function button. |
Design ★★★★½ | The design packs a lot into a really compact, lightweight build, while build quality itself is reassuringly robust with weather-seals and a sturdy metal mounting plate. |
Performance ★★★★½ | Snappy autofocus helps you react quickly to unfolding events and image quality is gorgeous. |
Value ★★★★½ | The lens is excellent value at the price. Sure, it’s not one of the ‘cheapest’ lenses on the market but you get a lot for a modest outlay. |
Best nifty fifty
The Panasonic Lumix S 50mm f/1.8 is a tough, functional, and highly approachable "nifty fifty" standard prime lens. Unlike cheaper entry-level options from other brands, its premium S-line construction feels robust and substantial. The body features an excellent metal lens mount and a full-time manual focus ring with satisfying, smooth resistance. Plus, its dust, moisture, and freeze resistance give it a solid, balanced feel when paired with pro-grade Lumix camera bodies in the rain.
The primary selling point is its exceptional image quality and sharpness. It captures an immense amount of fine detail across the frame, maintaining high sharpness all the way to the very edges, even when shooting wide open at f/1.8. Autofocus is impressively quick, silent, and seamless, which is a major benefit for video shooters looking to minimize focus hunting or focus breathing.
On the downside, I noticed some "cat's eye" compression towards the edges, meaning out-of-focus highlights take on a squashed, elliptical shape rather than staying perfectly round. It also lacks integrated optical stabilization, and it is quite expensive compared to other brand alternatives.
See our full Panasonic Lumix S 50mm f/1.8 review
Features ★★★★☆ | Offers rapid, silent autofocus with minimized focus breathing, but lacks integrated optical image stabilization. |
Design ★★★★☆ | A robust S-line build featuring weather-sealing, a metal mount, and a smooth manual focus ring. |
Performance ★★★★☆ | Delivers excellent sharpness and contrast across the frame, though out-of-focus edge highlights suffer from elliptical compression. |
Value ★★★☆☆ | It feels quite expensive relative to competing entry-level standard prime options on the market. |
Lab data and comparisons
The graphs below show the comparative performance of the lenses in this guide, based on our in-house lab tests. All of the lenses in the group are nice and sharp, which is impressive as they tend to be highly compact and lightweight. Color fringing is quite minimal but the distortion scores for the zoom lenses are flattered by being averaged out across the whole zoom range.
Scores for sharpness and color fringing are averaged from data taken across the entire image frame, from the center to the edges and corners, throughout the aperture range. For zoom lenses, the scores are also averaged from data measured at all marked focal lengths, and the same applies to distortion. Bear in mind that these average values don't fully reflect specific areas of performance. For example, a zoom lens might have noticeable barrel and pincushion distortion at its shortest and longest focal lengths respectively, which tends to average out when looking at the data overall. For more detailed graphs of each lens's performance, which give the full picture, check out the graphs in our full standalone lens reviews.
How we test lenses
The lens experts in our testing lab run a range of tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.
We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the centre of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths.
There's more to it than just the technical side, though! Beyond the lab, our reviewers test lenses in real-world environments – and sometimes on professional shoots! We work with lenses both indoors and outdoors, in studio conditions and in natural light, with as many different subjects as is possible (or appropriate – there's no point testing a landscape lens' ability to shoot a portrait!).
We take into account everything from handling and ease of use to speed of autofocus and the overall quality of the images produced.
Find out more about how we test and review on Digital Camera World
