Panasonic’s entry into the 35mm
full-frame mirrorless market with the
high-end S1 series has meant there’s
a need to match the cameras with premium-
quality lenses. And that’s the case here. As
the first prime in the range there’s a no holds
barred attitude evident in the design.
It’s another huge lens, and while it’s also
quite weighty it feels right at home on the
large S1R body. Build quality is excellent too.
The focus and aperture rings are silky smooth
and nothing rattles or moves that shouldn’t.
There’s even a well-made hood with a decent
locking mechanism – something a lot of
manufacturers overlook.
There are other signs of quality as well.
Focussing, achieved by two motors rather
than just one, is very quick and smooth given
the sheer size of the lens, and its all-important
accuracy and repeatability on the pixel-dense
Lumix S1R is impressive at wider apertures.
Like many modern designs, it’s also a very
sharp lens from the initial aperture onwards.
Nevertheless, it eschews the trend for that
hard, contrasty sharpness favoured by most
Japanese rivals for a far more delicate and
smoother look that’s virtually free of fringing.
Like most manufacturers, Panasonic has
employed a built-in profile to address some
shortcomings, notably a bit of barrel distortion
and some vignetting, but overall the result is a
wonderfully sharp and well-behaved lens with
a hugely appealing drawing style.PRICE: £2,299 / $2,298
Panasonic has introduced this first prime for its new full-frame cameras
Panasonic Lumix
S Pro 50mm f/1.4
The Panasonic Lumix S Pro 50mm f/1.4
delivers excellent results, and while it’s not
cheap, it is pitched at enthusiasts and pros
who demand and appreciate quality.Overall
Left
Fringing
When looking at the way a lens renders, any
fringing is a real distraction. Fortunately
this lens is well-corrected and it has very
attractive bokeh
Below
Distortion
This lens is additionally corrected by a built-
in profile, but even if it’s not supported, all
you’ll see is a little barrel distortion and some
vignetting in the cornersTechnical specs
Manufacturer^ Panasonic
Model^ Lumix PRO 50mm f/1.4 (S-X50)
Web^ panasonic.com
Elements/construction^ 13/11
Angle of view^ 47 degrees (diagonal)
Max aperture^ f/1.4
Min aperture^ f/16
Min focus distance^ 0.44 m
Mount^ L- M o u n t
Filter size^ 77mm
Length^ 130mm
Diameter^ 90mm / 3.54-in
Weight^ 955g / 2.15 lbREVIEWS
bit.ly/DP-220DOWNLOAD THE
TEST SHOTSPanasonic’sentryintothe35mm
full-framemirrorlessmarketwiththe
high-endS1serieshasmeantthere’s
a needtomatchthecameraswithpremium-
qualitylenses.Andthat’sthecasehere.As
thefirstprimeintherangethere’sa noholds
barredattitudeevidentinthedesign.
It’sanotherhugelens,andwhileit’salso
quiteweightyit feelsrightathomeonthe
largeS1Rbody.Buildqualityisexcellenttoo.
Thefocusandapertureringsaresilkysmooth
andnothingrattlesormovesthatshouldn’t.
There’sevena well-madehoodwitha decent
lockingmechanism– somethinga lotof
manufacturersoverlook.
Thereareothersignsofqualityaswell.
Focussing,achievedbytwomotorsrather
thanjustone,isveryquickandsmoothgiven
thesheersizeofthelens,anditsall-important
accuracyandrepeatabilityonthepixel-dense
LumixS1Risimpressiveatwiderapertures.
Likemanymoderndesigns,it’salsoa very
sharplensfromtheinitialapertureonwards.
Nevertheless,it eschewsthetrendforthat
hard,contrastysharpnessfavouredbymost
Japaneserivalsfora farmoredelicateand
smootherlookthat’svirtuallyfreeoffringing.
Likemostmanufacturers,Panasonichas
employeda built-inprofiletoaddresssome
shortcomings,notablya bitofbarreldistortion
andsomevignetting,butoveralltheresultisa
wonderfullysharpandwell-behavedlenswith
a hugelyappealingdrawingstyle.PRICE:£2,299/ $2,298
Panasonichasintroducedthisfirstprimeforitsnewfull-framecameras
Panasonic Lumix
S Pro 50mm f/1.4
ThePanasonicLumixS Pro50mmf/1.4
deliversexcellentresults,andwhileit’snot
cheap,it ispitchedatenthusiastsandpros
whodemandandappreciatequality.Overall
Left
Fringing
Whenlookingatthewaya lensrenders,any
fringingis a realdistraction.Fortunately
thislensis well-correctedandit hasvery
attractivebokeh
Below
Distortion
Thislensis additionallycorrectedbya built-
in profile,butevenif it’snotsupported,all
you’llseeis a littlebarreldistortionandsome
vignettingin thecornersTechnicalspecs
Manufacturer^ Panasonic
Model^ Lumix PRO 50mm f/1.4 (S-X50)
Web^ panasonic.com
Elements/construction^ 13/11
Angle of view^ 47 degrees (diagonal)
Max aperture^ f/1.4
Min aperture^ f/16
Min focus distance^ 0.44 m
Mount^ L- M o u n t
Filter size^ 77mm
Length^ 130mm
Diameter^ 90mm / 3.54-in
Weight^ 955g / 2.15 lbREVIEWS
bit.ly/DP-220DOWNLOAD THE
TEST SHOTS