Panasonic Lumix S Pro 50mm f/1.4 lens

Panasonic Lumix S Pro 50mm f/1.4

An uncompromisingly fast normal lens for Panasonic S-series full-frame bodies such as the Panasonic S1 and Panasonic S1R.

The Panasonic Pro 50mm f/1.4 lens is a completely new design and, according to the manufacturer, has been made with the aim of achieving the best possible image quality. The size and almost one kilo weight show that the optical structure and durability have been based on the needs of professional photographers. Like other modern normal lenses, the structure is quite complex, the lens has 13 lens elements in 11 groups. Two of the elements are aspherical and three are ED lenses that correct distortion. Panasonic promises that the image will be sharp even at full aperture, even to the edges of the image.

In addition to sharpness, the lens design has taken into account other image characteristics, such as bokeh, the beautiful outline of the out-of-focus areas of the image, how transitions away from the sharp area look, and how bright light sources in the background look. The lens has no fewer than 11 rounded diaphragm blades.

The Panasonic 50mm f/1.4's autofocus is implemented with two different focus motors, using both a linear motor and a stepping motor. The focus motors, combined with a fast communication bus between the lenses and S-series bodies, should guarantee fast autofocus. For manual focus lovers, the lens' focus ring is a switch that, when pulled, switches the lens to manual focus. The focus distance table is also revealed at the start of the switch. The lens also has a traditional aperture ring, meaning that adjusting the lens' aperture is convenient.

Panasonic is investing heavily in video with its S1 body, and this 50mm lens has minimized the Focus Breathing phenomenon, which changes the image disturbingly when the focus distance changes. The lens' aperture is adjusted smoothly through the camera, so there are no sudden changes in exposure. In addition, the focus motors are quiet, so there are no extraneous sounds in the video.

The Panasonic Pro 50mm F1.4 is also weather-resistant.

Specifications:

• Compatibility: L-mount (Leica and Panasonic)
• Focal length: 50mm
• Aperture: F/1.4 (min. f/16)
• Closest focusing distance: 44cm
• Optical construction: 13 elements in 11 groups, 11 rounded diaphragm plates
• Filter thread: 77mm
• Size: 90x130mm
• Weight: 955g