Panasonic 100mm f2.8 Macro Lens | More than a macro lens

As a huge fan of macro photography, you can imagine my delight when I heard the news of Panasonic's latest 100mm f2.8 Macro lens and that I was going to be able to get my hands on one.

Find out my thoughts in this video or keep reading!

Bokeh of Course

The lens is of course, perfect for Macro photography thanks to its fast f2.8 aperture, 1:1 magnification ratio and close focusing distance of just 20.4cm which is significantly more than its competitors. Add to this a 9-bladed diaphragm that produces beautiful bokeh and shallow depth of field and you have a lens that is also perfect for portraiture. I was truly impressed with the subject separation when using it as a portrait lens and it excels for macro work.

World's Smallest and Lightest*

One of the first things that I noticed was just how compact and lightweight the lens was. When paired with a camera such as the S5 II, as I did for this video, you have a setup that weighs just over a kg so that you can shoot one-handed. The lens is less than two-thirds the size and half the weight of its competition, measuring 73.6mm x 82mm and weighing just 298g.

The lens is so much smaller than other 100mm lenses that it was a little off-putting at first. Not because it was unpleasant to use but more of familiarity. Having a lens of this size and getting that 100mm perspective was quite an interesting experience. It weighs barely anything and takes up so little space that it was never fatiguing through all the time that I was using it.

*Among interchangeable lenses for AF-compatible full-frame mirrorless cameras, and macro lenses with a magnification ratio of 1:1 with a focal length of 90mm or more.

Every Detail Matters

Panasonic has gone out of their way with the details on this lens. The lettering is printed in grey to minimise reflections when shooting up close. The lens fits in perfectly with the rest of the LUMIX prime range thanks to its unified size, weight and filter size. This is especially useful when mounting on gimbals and/or drones as the centre of gravity balance reduces the time and effort required when changing lenses.

More Than a Macro Lens

The 100mm is an extremely versatile lens to use. Throughout the day I was able to capture many different perspectives from detailed macro shots to landscapes and portraits.

Auto-Focus and Focus Breathing

I found the focus to be fast and accurate and the Focus breathing was minimal which is great news for those looking to focus stack.

Focus point changed from front to back

Key Features

F/2.8 aperture
Closest focusing distance 20.4cm
Double focus
Dual-phase linear motor
Dust- splash- and freeze-resistant
Lightweight at 298g
Compact design
New high-res shot mode
Perfect for macro photography

Click here for full product specifications >

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By Ben Wright
8 Jan 2024