Lumix S 85mm f/1.8 launches

Launched late in 2020, Panasonic’s Lumix S 85mm f/1.8, priced at £599, is the first of four fast aperture f/1.8 lenses to be unveiled by the brand. Each one is set to feature common design points, including size, filter thread diameter and physical controls. A 70-300mm telephoto zoom is also in development.

The Lumix S 85mm f/1.8 itself consists of nine elements in eight groups, with two special extra-low dispersion lenses to help produce a fine image. The lens also promises smooth bokeh and extremely minimal vignetting.

Users making the most of the S Series’ impressive video specs will be pleased to hear that features, such as suppressed focus breathing, are present on the 85mm, with its fairly light 355g body making handheld shooting and gimbal balancing all the easier.

The lens is rounded out with dust and splash resistance, capable of functioning down to -10°C.

In other Lumix news, firmware updates for S1H, S1R, S1, S5, as well as G100 bodies, are available, and more will follow in the first half of 2021. The older S models can inherit the improved autofocus capabilities of the newer S5, with improvements in AF-C tracking performance as well as other areas.

Other updates include:

• [AF+MF] mode during video recording
• Improved AF during V-Log recording
• Vertical video playback
• 4K video files can be transferred to a smartphone via Wi-Fi
• 5K in-camera, 10-bit HDR in-camera and 4K 60P/50P 4:2:2 10-bit video output over HDMI added to S1R
• C4K, vector scope display and master pedestal level added to S5

The G100 will adopt Lumix Webcam Software compatibility and gain the ability to display flipped images when the free-angle LCD is rotated.

For more information, please visit the Panasonic website.