Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 OIS Macro Lens Review
The latest S series full frame lens from Panasonic is a wide ranging zoom that they claim is currently the smallest and lightest available of its type. It also has a centre of gravity closely matched to the standard zoom lenses. Add to that suppression of focus breathing, and we have an optic that should please videographers as much as stills photographers. This idea of matching the handling of lenses across the range has been steadily introduced by Panasonic and shows a close attention to detail and the real practicalities of lens handling. Let’s have a close look at the handling and technical performance of this new full frame lens, using the 24MP Lumix S5 II X camera body.
Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 OIS Handling and Features
The lens is indeed compact, measuring just 93.4mm x 77.3mm. It is also light, weighing in at a very modest 413g without caps or hood. With the hood, this becomes 438g. The bayonet fit lenshood is included and this clicks easily but firmly into place. The release catch is now nicely recessed so is unlikely to be pressed by accident. Within the bayonet fit for the hood is a standard 67mm filter thread. The lens is dust, splash and freeze resistant, down to -10C, and the front element has a Fluorine coating to repel dust, grease and water.
There is a wide and comfortably ribbed manual focus ring that can be programmed from the camera menus. AF is driven by a linear motor and is fast, virtually silent and very accurate. Closest focus is 0.14m, or 0.46 feet, at 28mm, giving a maximum magnification of half life size, that is 0.5x or 1:2. This is the same as older macro lenses and is enough for the lens to be designated Macro. It is a pity that the macro magnification is not available at longer focal lengths, where it would arguably be more useful, but what we have here is creditable enough.
The even wider zoom ring is clearly and accurately marked at 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 70mm, 100mm, 135mm and 200mm. For the purposes of this review, resolution tests were carried out at 28mm, 50mm, 100mm and 150mm.
Optical construction is 17 elements in 13 groups, including 1 Aspherical, 4 ED (Extra Low Dispersion) and 1 UHR (Ultra High Refractive Index). The diaphragm comprises 9 blades and produces a rounded aperture. To keep things as sharp as possible the OIS 2 offers an advantage of 6.5 stops. This is switched on and off via a switch on the lens body. There is also the usual AF/MF switch.
This is a lovely lens to handle and is free of any particular vices. Focusing is sharp and snappy as well as being almost silent. The centre of gravity matches other Panasonic zoom lenses in the range, so keeping the balance the same. This is especially useful for videographers, as is the suppression of focus breathing. The focal length range is wide and highly practical. Users of crop sensor cameras would be using an 18-135mm lens to obtain a similar field of view.
Let’s have a look now at the technical results and see if we can expect the quality of such a compact optic to match up to its classy handling.
Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 OIS Performance
At 28mm, central sharpness is excellent from f/4 through to f/16, very good at f/22 and drops off to fair at f/32. The edges are fair at f/4, good at f/5.6, very good from f/8 to f/16, good at f/22 and fair at f/32.
At 50mm, central sharpness is very good at f/4.9, excellent from f/5.6 to f/16, very good at f/16 and fair at f/32 and f/40. The edges are good at f/4.9 and f/5.6, Very good from f/8 to f/16, good at f/22 and fair at f/32 and f/40.
At 100mm, central sharpness is very good at f/5.9, excellent at f/8 and f/11, very good at f/16 and f/22, fair at f/32 and quite soft at f/45. The edges are good at f/5.9, very good from f/8 to f/16, good at f/22, fair at f/32 and soft at f/45.
At 150mm, central sharpness is excellent from f/6.5 to f/8, very good from f/11 to f/22, fair at f/32 and soft at f/45. The edges are good at f/6.5 and f/7.1, very good at f/8 and f/11, good at f/16 and f/22, fair at f/32 and soft at f/45.
This is an excellent result and the lens delivers sharp, crisp images at all of the focal lengths. Obviously very small apertures should be avoided for the best results, but that is what we would expect and at least we have the option of using apertures down to f/45 should the need arise.
Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 OIS MTF Charts
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How to read our MTF charts
The blue column represents readings from the centre of the picture frame at the various apertures and the green is from the edges.
For this review, the lens was tested on a Lumix S5 II X using Imatest. Want to know more about how we review lenses?
CA (Chromatic Aberration) is very well controlled throughout, as we can see from the CA graphs. Clearly, this is a partnership between the lens and the camera, but as always, the end result is what counts.
Distortion is also very low, resulting in an almost rectilinear lens. There is a small amount of barrel distortion throughout, measuring -0.03% at 28mm, -0.13% at 50mm, -0.08% at 100mm and -0.03% at 150mm.
Bokeh is pleasantly relaxed and ideal for showing off the main subject, for example a portrait, with a smooth out of focus background.
Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 OIS Chromatic Aberration Charts
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How to read our CA charts
Chromatic aberration (CA) is the lens’ inability to focus on the sensor or film all colours of visible light at the same point. Severe chromatic aberration gives a noticeable fringing or a halo effect around sharp edges within the picture. It can be cured in software.
Apochromatic lenses have special lens elements (aspheric, extra-low dispersion etc) to minimize the problem, hence they usually cost more.
For this review, the lens was tested on a Lumix S5 II X using Imatest.
Flare is very well suppressed and is not an issue.
Vignetting is modest, especially for a wide ranging zoom lens. An excellent result.
| 28mm | 50mm | 100mm | 150mm | |
| f/4 | -1.3 | |||
| f/4.9 | -1.6 | |||
| f/5.6 | -1.1 | -1.5 | ||
| f/5.9 | -1.7 | |||
| f/6.5 | -1 | |||
| f/7.1 | -1 | |||
| f/8 | -1 | -1.3 | -1.4 | -0.9 |
| f/11 | -1 | -1.3 | -1.2 | -0.8 |
| f/16 | -0.9 | -1.3 | -1.2 | -0.7 |
| f/22 | -0.9 | -1.3 | -1.2 | -0.7 |
| f/32 | -0.9 | -1.3 | -1.2 | -0.7 |
| f/40 | -1.3 | |||
| f/45 | -1.2 | -0.7 |
Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 OIS Sample Photos
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Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 OIS Aperture range
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Value For Money
The [AMUK]Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 OIS|Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 OIS[/AMUK] Macro lens is priced at £899.00
As there are no similar optics on offer for L Mount, we can perhaps see where the cost lies compared to what other marques offer their users.
[AMUK]Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD (Sony E)|Tamron +lens[/AMUK], £799
That’s not much choice, but at £899, looked at in isolation, it does seem a fair price for what we are getting in terms of convenience and quality.
Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 OIS Verdict
As the design of lenses for mirrorless cameras matures and the quest for high quality becomes more and more of a marriage between camera and lens, the impossible soon becomes the possible, and then eventually the expected norm. The quality of this 28-200mm lens is extraordinarily high; it focuses as close as a 1:2 macro lens, albeit at 28mm for maximum magnification, all with excellent sharpness. The caveat is, of course, that the laws of optics are not suspended and the edges and small apertures are not of quite the same calibre, but nonetheless, the overall result is more than we could have possibly expected just a few years ago.
Perhaps here we have the new paradigm, and the convenience of a light and compact zoom lens that focuses to macro distances can be matched by very impressive optical qualities. A superb job done by Panasonic, a good price and as a result, Highly Recommended.
Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 OIS Pros
- Excellent sharpness centrally
- Very good edge sharpness
- Very flare resistant
- Suppressed focus breathing
- Light and compact
- Fast, accurate and very quiet AF
- Very low CA
- Dust, splashproof and freezeproof to -10C
- Very low distortion
- Pleasant bokeh
- Macro focusing
Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 OIS Cons
- Restricted maximum aperture
[REVIEW_FOOTER]R_features=4.5|R_handling=5|R_performance=4.5|R_value=4.5|R_overall=4.5|A_level=4.5|A_text=Highly Recommended – A light, compact wide ranging macro zoom lens with impressive performance|E_id=8027[/REVIEW_FOOTER]
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Source: Photography News
Panasonic Lumix S 28-200mm f/4-7.1 OIS Macro Lens Review
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