Panasonic LUMIX S 24mm f/1.8 Lens (S-S24E)

Lens Design and Compatibility

The Panasonic LUMIX S 24mm F1.8 (S-S24) is part of a series of four large-aperture F1.8 prime lenses designed for the L-Mount system. This series includes the 85mm (S-S85), 50mm (S-S50), and 24mm (S-S24) lenses, all sharing a common size and control layout. This uniformity provides practical advantages such as consistent center of gravity, facilitating quick lens changes with minimal balance adjustment when mounted on a gimbal. The lenses also share a uniform diameter, allowing the use of common filters and consistent descriptive performance across the series.

Optical Construction

The LUMIX S 24mm F1.8 lens consists of twelve elements arranged in eleven groups. It incorporates three aspherical lenses, three Extra-Low Dispersion (ED) lenses, and one Ultra Extra-Low Dispersion (UED) lens. The aspherical elements contribute to high image quality and smooth, attractive bokeh, a hallmark of the F1.8 series. The ED and UED lenses effectively reduce chromatic aberrations, enhancing image clarity and color fidelity. This optical design makes the lens versatile for a wide range of applications, from landscape photography to casual snapshots, leveraging its wide-angle field of view.

Autofocus and Video Performance

The lens supports smooth and silent autofocus operation, optimized for use with the camera's high-speed, high-precision contrast-detection AF system capable of sensor drive speeds up to 240 frames per second. It offers two focus ring response modes: a non-linear setting where focus shift varies with the rotation speed of the focus ring, and a linear setting where focus shift corresponds directly to the rotation amount. Sensitivity can be adjusted in 30-degree increments from 90 to 360 degrees to suit user preference.

For video recording, the lens features a mechanism to suppress focus breathing, a common issue in lenses designed primarily for still photography. Additionally, it includes micro-step aperture control for smooth exposure transitions, enabling professional-quality video capture.

Build and Handling

Weighing approximately 310 grams, the LUMIX S 24mm F1.8 is compact and lightweight, complementing the Panasonic S5, the smallest full-frame camera in the LUMIX lineup. The lens is built with a rugged dust- and splash-resistant design, capable of operating in harsh conditions down to -10 degrees Celsius. It has a filter thread diameter of 67 mm and features a 9-blade circular aperture diaphragm for pleasing out-of-focus rendering.