It's tough being an S9 owner. Panasonic proudly announced an ultra-small full-frame camera that's about the same size as a Fujifilm X100VI – but the only ultra-small lens available for it was barely fit for purpose, and every other L-Mount lens was comedically oversized on the camera.
Since then, even the so-called small Lumix S 40mm f/2 and TTArtisan 40mm f/2 are too chunky for my taste. But thankfully, mercifully, Viltrox has come to the rescue with an ultra-small lens that the Lumix S9 has been screaming out for.
Already available for Sony E, Nikon Z and Fujifilm X mounts, the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 has just been launched for L-Mount. It's a super-thin pancake lens that's just 15mm thick, making it a perfect pairing for the svelte S9.
I wish this lens was available for the S9 at launch, as I think it would have utterly transformed the reception that greeted the camera. Instead of Panasonic's poorly-received, manual focus, fixed-f/8 26mm pancake, this is the proof-of-concept optic that the Lumix deserved.
As it is, the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 – which my colleague Matt Richards awarded four stars in his review – offers silent and snappy autofocus, a faster (but still fixed) f/4.5 aperture and tasty central sharpness (even if it gets choppier towards the edges of frame). Heck, it even has a built-in lens cap that can be engaged with the flick of a slider switch!
All that tech and it's still slimmer than Lumix's 18.1mm-thick pancake – and only a shade heavier, too, at just 60g (compared to 58g).
And while I've been moaning about the S9, the L-Mount version of this lens obviously fits any camera using the mount – it's equally at home on the similarly small Sigma BF, chunkier bodies like the Lumix S1IIE or even a Red Dot camera like the Leica SL3. But we all know that it's meant for the S9.
"I feel that the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 is the last word in convenience and portability, thanks to its incredibly small and lightweight build," Matt said in his Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 review. "I really like using it for street photography and for walkabout/travel shooting, as it keeps size and weight to an absolute minimum."
He does note that the fixed aperture can prove tricky (though nothing that isn't remedied by nudging your ISO) and found that flaring can be an issue, but otherwise concluded that "it's a fun lens that keeps things simple." Which is exactly what I want from my S9 – and is exactly what the 26mm f/8 failed to deliver.
Anyway, S9 users like me can finally shut up as we've got the lens we always wanted. It's available now for $99 / £90 (Australian price to be confirmed). Now, if only Samyang can be persuaded to bring the Remaster Slim to the L-Mount as well…
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