Panasonic Lumix S 85 mm f/1.8 review - Vignetting

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Panasonic Lumix S 85 mm f/1.8

11 October 2025

Maciej Latałło

8. Vignetting

In case of full frame systems we have showed vignetting results both for the smaller APS-C sensor and full frame. Why? The systems of Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony, or Sigma have one mount that allows to attach full frame lenses both to full frame cameras and to cameras that are equipped with the APS-C/DX sensor. That's why information about vignetting or distortion on the second, smaller detector, is very important for some users. Panasonic also have been developing two systems, the L-mount and the Micro 4/3, but they are not compatible with each other – the Micro 4/3 lenses cannot be attached directly to Lumix S system cameras. In such a situation we have to base our vignetting (but also distortion) test only on a full frame detector.

As you could notice in the previous chapters, the data on the edge of the APS-C/DX sensor were left for measurements of resolution and chromatic aberration. In these cases it was important because it provided additional information about the resolution and chromatic aberration spread across the frame.

First let's deal with vignetting observed on uncorrected JPEG files – let's remind here that in this case you deal with an image practically distortion-free and its field of view amounts to almost 29 deg.

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S1R II, FF, JPEG, f/1.8	S1R II, FF, JPEG, f/2.0

S1R II, FF, JPEG, f/2.8	S1R II, FF, JPEG, f/4.0

At the maximum relative aperture the brightness loss in the very corner of the frame amounts to 42% (-1.58 EV). For comparison the Sony FE 85 mm f/1.8 had a result of 58% and the result of the more expensive Nikkor Z 85 mm f/1.8 S amounted to 43%. As you see the Panasonic fares the best in this group; of course, within the margin of error, its result is practically the same as the result of the Nikkor.

According to our expectations, stopping down of the aperture manages to limit this aberration quite efficiently. By f/2.0 you deal with 37% (-1.32 EV), by f/2.8 and f/4.0 vignetting becomes not especially bothersome, with results, respectively, of: 20% (-0.66 EV) and 14% (-0.44 EV). All problems end completely by f/5.6 and f/8.0 where this aberration reaches 9% (-0.28 EV) and 4% (-0.13 EV).

As a kind of bonus we also check the vignetting levels for RAW files that are not distortion corrected. Let's remind here that in this case you get a tad wider field of view and slight pincushion distortion.

S1R II, FF, RAW, f/1.8	S1R II, FF, RAW, f/2.0

S1R II, FF, RAW, f/2.8	S1R II, FF, RAW, f/4.0

In this case, at the maximum relative aperture, brightness loss in frame corners reaches 45% (-1.75 EV) and it decreases to 41% (-1.53 EV) on stopping down the aperture to f/2.0. Applying f/2.8 aperture reduces this aberration to a slight value of 26% (-0.84 EV) and the majority of problems ends by f/4.0 and f/5.6 where we got, respectively, 18% (-0.59 EV) and 12% (-0.37 EV).

Panasonic S1R II, JPEG, 85 mm, f/1.8