Panasonic Lumix S 100 mm f/2.8 Macro
11. Summary
Pros:
- solid, weather-sealed construction,
- the smallest dimensions and lowest weight in this class of equipment,
- good image quality in the centre of the frame,
- reasonable image quality at the APS-C sensor edge,
- decent image quality at the full-frame edge,
- negligible longitudinal chromatic aberration,
- low lateral chromatic aberration,
- no problems with spherical aberration,
- moderate coma,
- low astigmatism,
- fast, accurate and quiet autofocus.
Cons:
- more pronounced distortion than its competitors,
- noticeable vignetting on full-frame sensors,
- poor performance against bright light,
- significant focus breathing (although still less than that of most competitors).
I have mixed feelings when writing the conclusion to this review of the Lumix S 100 mm f/2.8 Macro. On the one hand, Panasonic has shown that it is possible to make a genuinely small and compact macro lens that is 2–3 times lighter and noticeably smaller than all other lenses in this class currently on the market. On the other hand, it has also demonstrated that the laws of physics cannot be cheated. The severe constraints imposed by such small dimensions and low weight have inevitably taken their toll on optical performance.
Please Support UsIf you enjoy our reviews and articles, and you want us to continue our work please, support our website by donating through PayPal. The funds are going to be used for paying our editorial team, renting servers, and equipping our testing studio; only that way we will be able to continue providing you interesting content for free. |
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It is worth adding that the manufacturer has not overdone the pricing, as the lens under review can be purchased for around $950. This is slightly more than we have to pay for the Sigma and Nikkor, but still considerably less than the Canon and Sony models, which cost $1350-1500. Not to mention the price of $2700 for the Leica APO-Macro-Elmarit-SL.
Ultimately, the assessment of this lens will depend on the user's needs. If we genuinely require a small macro lens with a focal length of around 100 mm, the Panasonic will have no competition. However, if we are looking for uncompromising optical performance of the kind typically offered by macro lenses, we will have to look elsewhere. This is where the Sigma A 105 mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro comes into play. It currently costs $850, is available in the L-mount version and delivers better optical performance than the Panasonic in practically every respect.
