A 26mm pancake lens, followed by an 18-40mm lens later in the year, will give the Lumix S9 some more practical options
(Image credit: Panasonic)
Panasonic has just announced the brand new Lumix S9 camera, now the smallest and lightest full-frame body in the Lumix lineup. The camera is impressively small, but the downside of such a pint-sized camera is that there aren’t a lot of Lumix lenses that perfectly match the petite S9 body.
Never fear, though, as the manufacturer has a solution, announcing two lenses that are a much more practical size for the Panasonic Lumix S9.
Panasonic Lumix S 26mm f/8
First up is the Panasonic Lumix S 26mm f/8, which becomes the first and currently only pancake lens from the L-Mount Alliance. Incredibly portable, the lens is an impressive 18.1mm / 0.71in in length and weighs a minuscule 58g / 0.13lbs. The 26mm focal length is a great angle for spontaneously capturing the world around you, perfect for street and travel photography.
However, the emphasis here is definitely on portability over function, as the lens has a fixed aperture of f/8 (fixed, not minimum) and is manual focus only – which does limit its usefulness somewhat, especially when it comes to the hybrid nature of the Lumix S9 camera, with manual focus in video taking a bit of skill and patience.
The Panasonic Lumix S 26mm f/8 is a super slim pancake lens, but has a fixed f/8 aperture and is manual focus only (Image credit: Panasonic)
Interestingly, Panasonic notes that some manual focus assist functions can’t be used with this lens. I am not sure exactly what the Lumix S 26mm misses out on but, when I tested it, focus highlight peaking worked fine. The lens also doesn’t have an adapter ring, so lens filters can’t be attached.
However, the £219.99 / AU$349 price (US price to be confirmed) does make it tempting as an affordable option to leave on the camera for moving around, and it might even slip into a (large) pocket. The Lumix S 26mm f/8 will be available at the end of June.
Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3
Later in the year, Panasonic will also be introducing a new compact wide zoom lens with the Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3.
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We don’t quite have all the final details yet from Panasonic, and I haven't seen the lens in person, but it looks quite compact in marketing images. Panasonic is promising a versatile zoom lens intended for daily use. The 18-40mm range is perfect for covering a range of subjects including landscapes, travel, street photography and some environmental portraiture. For close-up work, the lens will have a minimum focus distance of 0.15m / 0.49ft.
Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3 (Image credit: Panasonic)
For more lens options for your Panasonic camera check out our top picks for the best L-Mount lenses – and if skinny glass is your thing, check out the best pancake lenses.
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Gareth is a photographer based in London, working as a freelance photographer and videographer for the past several years, having the privilege to shoot for some household names. With work focusing on fashion, portrait and lifestyle content creation, he has developed a range of skills covering everything from editorial shoots to social media videos. Outside of work, he has a personal passion for travel and nature photography, with a devotion to sustainability and environmental causes.
