New compact and lightweight Ultra Wide-Angle Zoom Lens with Macro capability: LUMIX S 14-28mm F4-5.6 MACRO (S-R1428GC)

Panasonic has announced the LUMIX S 14-28mm F4-5.6 MACRO, a new lightweight ultra wide-angle zoom lens to further grow the LUMIX S Series line-up.

The new lens joins the family of compact zoom lenses for the L-Mount system. They cover 14mm ultra wide-angle to 300mm telephoto for high performance video and stills shooting. The current range also includes the LUMIX S 14-28mm F4-5.6 MACRO (S-R1428), LUMIX S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 (S-R2060) and the LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 MACRO O.I.S. (S-R70300).

The LUMIX S 14-28mm F4-5.6 MACRO weighs in at a compact 345 grams, while boasting impressive macro capability with a magnification of 0.25x (at 14mm) – 0.5x (at 28mm). The wide angle of view supports landscape shots and is also suitable for solo content creators filming themselves at arm’s length. A rugged dust/splash-resistant[i] design ensures reliable field use in challenging conditions and temperatures down to -10 degrees Celsius. In addition, the front lens element has a fluorine coating to repel liquids such as water or oil. An ND/PL filter with 77mm diameter can be attached.

The new lens and the LUMIX S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 lens feature a common overall length and positioning of controls. The similar size and centre of gravity makes it simple to switch between them when an S Series camera is mounted on a gimbal, for example.

The LUMIX S 14-28mm F4-5.6 MACRO is comprised of fourteen lens elements in ten groups including one aspherical ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) lens, one aspherical lens, three ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) lenses and one UHR (Ultra High Refractive Index) lens. The use of aspherical lenses realises beautiful bokeh, while the ED lenses effectively suppress chromatic aberration.

The lens offers silent, high precision autofocus. For the non-linear setting, focus is shifted with a variable amount according to the rotation speed of the focus ring; while for linear setting focus is shifted with a designated amount according to the rotational quantum of the focus ring. Sensitivity (the amount of focus shift per rotational quantum) can be selected from 90 to 360 degrees[ii]. The lens also incorporates a mechanism that suppresses focus breathing, and micro-step aperture control for smooth exposure changes during recording. These features make it suitable for video production as well as still photography.

The lens will be available in mid-February 2023 from leading photographic specialists.

LUMIX S 14-28mm F4-5.6 MACRO (S-R1428GC): RRP $1499

The Panasonic and L-Mount system alliance is committed to the development of L-Mount lenses for the further expansion of its lineup, fulfilling the needs of customers.

For further information, please visit www.panasonic.com.au or call 132 600.

• L-Mount is a trademark or registered trademark of Leica Camera AG.
• Design and specifications are subject to change without notice.

[i] Dust and Splash Resistant does not guarantee that damage will not occur if this lens is subjected to direct contact with dust and water. To avoid damage when using the camera under these conditions, it must be used in accordance with associated instructions in the manual.

[ii] The maximum sensitivity differs by camera model, up to 1080 degrees on S5II, S5IIX and BS1H (as of January 2023).