Panasonic announces its 18mm F/1.8 L Mount Lens

[Planetwide]

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Here it is, and it looks good!

https://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/cameras-camcorders/lumix-camera-lenses/lumix-s-lenses/s-s18.html

 

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Edited September 7, 2022 by Planetwide

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[jaapv]

Not really a lens to use wide open, I suppose.

[scrollt]

This or the new Sigma 20mm f1.4... hmmm. Guess I'll have to wait and see how the Panasonic performs, especially for Astro. 

[BernardC]

11 hours ago, jaapv said:

Not really a lens to use wide open, I suppose.

Astro-photographers will prefer the new Sigmas, but it should be OK for most other users. That MTF is similar to every 20th-Century Summicron: sharp in the center wide-open, but you need to stop-down a bit to get the edges to match.

[Ivar B]

Looks like a very interesting lens, but I don`t like the plastic feeling of these Panasonic lenses. The S Pro lensea are  completely different ball game. I guess it keeps costs and weight down, but in my opinion the Sigma lenses give a much more solid impression. 

[oldwino]

Looks like it will be pretty nice on APS-C. But a big size penalty over the Elmarit-T 18mm.

[jdlaing]

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7 hours ago, oldwino said:

Looks like it will be pretty nice on APS-C. But a big size penalty over the Elmarit-T 18mm.

As a full frame lens it should be a size penalty over an APS-C. 

[tom.w.bn]

Am 10.9.2022 um 11:18 schrieb Ivar B:

Looks like a very interesting lens, but I don`t like the plastic feeling of these Panasonic lenses. The S Pro lensea are  completely different ball game. I guess it keeps costs and weight down, but in my opinion the Sigma lenses give a much more solid impression. 

The solid feel of Sigma lenses has two sides. I had the Sigma 35mm/f2 DG DN that was nice at first. While shooting, I found the very rough metal edges irritating for the fingers and in the cold the lens was just super cold... pure metal feeling. Sold it. I really like the rubber ring on the Panasonic lenses and can't confirm that the non-S-pro lenses feel cheap (have the S-Pro 16-35 here as comparison).

[Ivar B]

14 hours ago, tom.w.bn said:

The solid feel of Sigma lenses has two sides. I had the Sigma 35mm/f2 DG DN that was nice at first. While shooting, I found the very rough metal edges irritating for the fingers and in the cold the lens was just super cold... pure metal feeling. Sold it. I really like the rubber ring on the Panasonic lenses and can't confirm that the non-S-pro lenses feel cheap (have the S-Pro 16-35 here as comparison).

You may very well be right here. I have no experience with shooting in such conditions (even if I am Norwegian). Probably the Panasonic lenses will last for long as well. I have the Panasonic 1.4/50 which is built like a tank and in addition offers optical performance second to none. Apparently though, the 1.8/50 is not far behind stopped down a little. 

[scrollt]

I own the 50 and 85mm and it’s really nice that they are all pretty much identical und size and use the same filter size. It’s not very exciting to hold and use them but they deliver quality wise. I guess it won’t be any different with this new 18mm. 
 

I’ll probably get the Sigma for the additional features though, as I want to use it for astrophotography

[SrMi]

Here is a review:

https://www.ephotozine.com/article/panasonic-lumix-s-18mm-f-1-8-lens-review-36161/performance

It seems weaker than Sigma 16-28/2.8 (link).

[Paul2660]

The Sigma 20mm 1.4 is the first 1.4 to 1.8 lens I have used for Astro work that has almost no coma.  I have used some of the best Nikkor, glass and not found a wide lens without coma.  The lens is light, sharp and works very well with the SL2, S and the FP-L.  Corners are soft wide open, (I have yet to find any fast wide with sharp corners wide open), and CA is nominal to none.  I have not used it in situation where flare would be a consideration, (sunrise, set), but hope it does better that the Leica 16-35 @ 16mm which has some of the worse flare I have ever seen. 

 

 

Paul