Introduction
The newest addition to the L-Mount vary of full-frame lenses comes within the form of the Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 (S-R1840E). This can be a versatile, weather-resistant super-wide-angle to straightforward zoom lens for the Panasonic, Sigma and Leica “L-mount” full-frame mirrorless digital camera system.On the time of writing, it’s formally the World’s smallest and lightest full-frame mirrorless zoom lens.This lens encompasses a variable most aperture of f/4.5-f/6.3 and has 7 rounded diaphragm blades. It’s comprised of 8 parts in 7 teams, together with three aspherical lenses, two ED (Additional-Low Dispersion) lenses and one UHR (Extremely Excessive Refractive Index) component.The Panasonic 18-40mm has a closest focusing distance of 0.15m/0.49ft and a most magnification of 0.28x.It boasts a mud, splash and freeze resistant design that may function at 10 levels beneath zero and it has a flourine coating on the entrance component.For video, the ultra-wide 18mm angle is especially useful in tight areas, plus it’s paired with a flexible minimal focus distance of simply 0.15m. Panasonic additionally claims that the lens suppresses focus respiration and it has a quick and silent focusing motor. The Lumix S 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 is accessible now priced at £519.99 / €579.99 / $499.99 within the UK, Europe and the USA respectively.
Ease of Use
The Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 is an extremely small, compact and really mild super-wide-to-standard zoom lens, measuring 4.09cm / 1.61inch in size, 6.79cm / 2.67inch inch in diameter and weighing in at simply 155g / 0.34lb.In comparison with many of the different lenses within the vary, it’s positively miniscule. When mounted on the Lumix S5II mirrorless digital camera that Panasonic despatched us for testing, the Lumix S 18-40mm lens feels extraordinarily well-balanced and appropriate for each one-handed in addition to two-handed use.This lens’ foremost rival, the Lumix S 20-60mm f/3.5-5.6, provides higher attain and barely sooner most apertures, however it measures 8.72cm in size and weighs 350g, over double the load and size of the 18-40mm.Construct high quality impresses too. Regardless of its diminutive measurement and weight, it nonetheless has the identical weather-resistant steel barrel as Panasonic’s S PRO lenses, that are considerably dearer.One function that differs from many of the different L-Mount lenses is the MF/AF swap for focusing modes – it is the one swap on the barrel. Different S PRO lenses function a (fantastic) handbook focus clutch as an alternative. By default, handbook focus distances are noticed on-screen as you make adjustments. We love how the main target vary (depth of subject) can be displayed (in inexperienced on the vary slider), so you’ll be able to respect the affect of aperture on the main target vary. Focus peaking offers an extra handbook focus help.Whereas not billed as a macro lens, the Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm F4.5-6.3’s minimal shut focusing distance of 15cm / 0.49ft and most magnification of 0.28x permits shut up work.The one factor to remember is that these finest specs are solely accessible on the 21mm focal size, not all through your entire zoom vary – zooming in to 40mm truly reduces the shut focusing distance considerably to 0.35m/1.15ft, so you will truly get higher macro photographs at 18-21mm.There’s a mechanism throughout the lens that suppresses focus respiration. We mounted the digital camera and lens to a tripod and manually targeted your entire focus vary at varied focal lengths to verify how nicely the mechanism works. There’s nonetheless focus respiration, however it’s stored to a naked minimal. Spectacular.Focal lengths are marked on the zoom ring (18, 20, 24, 28, 35 and 40mm) and it is a simple quarter flip to transition between the collapsed place and the 40mm telephoto setting.Sure, that is the one Lumix S collection lens to function a collapsible design with a purpose to make it so small. The lens is shortest when collapsed and longest at 18mm, extending out by an extra 3cms to round 7cms in whole roughly, with the 40mm focal size being ever so barely shorter.The slim zoom ring is nicely dampened, enabling clean zooms. By default the focal size is displayed on display whereas any adjustments are made, plus it is simple to make exact adjustments to the closest 1mm.Just like the zoom ring, the focusing ring handles nicely regardless of being so slim. Tiny focus adjustments are doable and quick transitions are clean. Each ridged rings really feel nice within the hand and we might count on them to face the take a look at of time. They’re in good proportion for a lens of this measurement, plus positioned intuitively with the main target ring on the finish of the barrel and the bigger zoom ring nearer to the digital camera.When used with the S5II for pictures, the autofocus of the Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 lens is pleasingly speedy, plus it is silent, which is appreciated much more for video. What we particularly love is the behaviour of autofocus for video, the place it’s geared in another way to the picture mode.Picture stabilisation doesn’t function throughout the lens, which signifies that you are counting on the digital camera’s in-body stabilisation as an alternative. No drawback, the S5 II used for this take a look at has 5-stops of picture stabilisation system when used with a non-stabilised lens just like the 18-40mm, so that you’re in good arms.For video there are extra ‘e-stablization’, ‘lively’ and ‘increase I.S’ choices and with every part activated, clean and regular handheld movies are solely doable.Construct high quality is superb. This lens feels stable sufficient in your hand, even whether it is largely made out of plastic, with a steel lens mount.It is also weather-proof, being each mud and splash resistant and dealing all the way in which right down to -10 levels. We efficiently used it in additional inclement situations with no hostile results.There’s additionally a a fluorine coating on the entrance lens component to assist repel water, oil, and some other contaminants, in addition to making it simpler to scrub.The lens ships with entrance and rear lens caps, however there is no lens hood or case included within the field.From its light-weight but surprisingly stable construct high quality to straightforward dealing with and spectacular focusing efficiency, the Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 proved to be a breeze to make use of.
Focal RangeAt the 18mm focal size the angle of view is 100 levels.18mmAt the 40mm focal size the angle of view is 57 levels.40mm
Chromatic AberrationsChromatic aberrations, sometimes seen as blue or purple fringes alongside contrasty edges, weren’t very obvious in our take a look at photographs, solely showing in very excessive distinction areas.18mm40mm
VignettingWith the lens set to its most apertures, there may be some apparent mild fall-off within the corners, particularly on the extensive finish of the zoom vary, requiring you to cease down by 3 f-stops to utterly forestall it.18mm40mm
DistortionThe Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 displays some delicate barrel and pincushion distortion within the JPEG information, as you’ll be able to see within the images beneath, which can you should appropriate in post-processing.There’s a big quantity of distortion current for those who open the RAW information in software program that does not have the right lens profile chosen, particularly on the extensive finish of the zoom vary.18mm / JPEG40mm / Raw40mm / JPEG40mm / Uncooked
SunstarsThe Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 produces pretty good sunstars when stopped-down to f/22-f/32, as proven beneath, and flare is nicely managed even when capturing straight into the solar.18mm40mm
MacroThe Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 provides a minimal focusing distance of 0.15m/0.49ft at focal size 18-21mm and 0.35m/1.15ft at focal size 40mm, with a most replica ratio of 0.28x at focal size 21mm.18mm40mm18mm40mm18mm40mm
BokehBokeh is a phrase used for the out-of-focus areas of {a photograph}, and is often described in qualitative phrases, reminiscent of clean / creamy / harsh and so forth.Within the Lumix S 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 lens, Panasonic employed an iris diaphragm with 7 rounded blades, which has resulted in pretty interesting bokeh.We do realise, nonetheless, that bokeh analysis is subjective, so we have included a number of examples on your perusal.18mm40mm18mm18mm18mm18mm40mm40mm
SharpnessIn order to point out you ways sharp the Panasonic Lumix S 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 lens is, we’re offering 100% crops on the next pages.