Panasonic Lumix S 24-60mm f/2.8 Review: A Sensibly Priced, Compact Zoom

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Panasonic Lumix S 24-60mm f/2.8 Review: A Sensibly Priced, Compact Zoom

Who can afford an L-mount, general-purpose f/2.8 professional lens anymore? Turns out, a lot more people will have this opportunity with the launch of the new Panasonic Lumix S 24-60mm f/2.8.

In a time when lenses and camera bodies seem to be getting more expensive, Panasonic found a way to provide professional results for only $899. Make no mistake, the S series lenses are the best that Panasonic has to offer, but to make an f/2.8 lens for under $1,000, something has to give.

The Panasonic 24-60mm f/2.8 might be an ideal travel companion.

anasonic Lumix S 24-60mm f/2.8 Review: How It Feels

I see a lot of merit in this lens as a handy travel companion because of its smaller size and minimal 19.2 ounces (544 grams) weight. The lens is noticeably shorter than the 24-70mm f/1.8 S lens and stows much more compactly in a camera bag as a result. The front filter threads are still 77mm which is typical of most f/2.8 pro lenses.

A black camera lens with a lens hood, labeled "24-60mm," standing upright on a grid-patterned gray surface against a dark background. — The 24-60mm f/2.8 provides a good amount of light coupled with fairly small dimensions.

Close-up photo of a black Lumix camera lens with a 24-60mm zoom range, showing detailed texture and markings, set against a dark background. — The 24-60mm is has a somewhat sloppy-feeling manual focusing ring.

A close-up of a black camera lens with a textured focus ring, an AF/MF switch, and focal length markings, placed on a gray grid-patterned surface against a dark background. — You do get a customizable button and a manual focus selector switch.

The manual focus ring itself is somewhat sloppy feeling and does not have the push/pull clutch mechanism of the 24-70mm lens. There is a custom button on the body of the optic and you do also get a manual focus selector switch, though. The 24-60mm f/2.8 is fully weather-sealed as per all S series lenses and although it is lightweight, the lens feels like a solidly built tool. Obviously, we are giving up 10mm from the telephoto range and I often find myself wanting a little more reach when using a 24-70mm lens. As minor as the difference is, I have to admit that I noticed the even shorter reach of the 24-60mm and found it wanting. If taking a supplementary telephoto lens, this will be a nonissue, but otherwise, you are using your legs to get closer.

A close-up of a camera lens lying on its side on a gray tiled surface, showing the metal lens mount and electronic contacts, with a dark, blurred background. — The lens is rugged and weather-sealed. Despite the light weight, this is a professional S series lens.

A black camera lens with a lens hood rests on a gray grid-patterned surface, set against a dark background. — If you want an f/2.8 zoom at a reasonable price, look no further.

Panasonic Lumix S 24-60mm f/2.8 Review: How It Shoots

The 24-60mm lens performs in the field quickly and quietly thanks to its dual linear autofocusing motors. I never found the lens failing to keep up with the action on the streets. You only get around a 1:3 life-size reproduction ratio for macro shots but the distance from the sensor plane is just over seven inches so there is enough room to work.

A woman in a bright green shirt and pink pants walks along a sidewalk beside a red and white wall, carrying a blue bag. A faded street sign is visible above her on the wall. — Autofocus performance is quick thanks to the dual linear motors.

I had an opportunity to shoot this lens above the cloud layer at the many observatories dotted around Chile. I can’t think of a better situation to test flare and the sun was certainly intense. The Panasonic coatings did a great job at preventing the lens from washing out but there is some ghosting noticeable at f/2.8. Stopping down the lens makes the ghosting even more apparent, but the results are within average levels. Forget about trying to capture sun stars with drama, however. That is not this lens’ forte.

A panoramic view of rugged, sunlit mountains with a winding road, golden grassy slopes, and distant mountain ranges under a blue sky above a layer of clouds near the horizon. — The Chilean highlands are gorgeous and vibrant.

Sunlight shines through the upper corner of a modern, angular industrial building with metal siding, creating lens flares across the image under a partly cloudy sky. — Flare is a bit of an issue with some ghosting visible when stopped down.

A large observatory sits atop a rocky mountain at sunset. The sun is low on the horizon, casting a warm glow and long rays of light. Several parked cars are visible near the building’s entrance. — Sunstars are pretty bland, but a sunset in the Andes easily makes up for it.

Panasonic lenses often prioritize good video performance, given that the company’s core strength is videography. Often, the S series lenses have minimal lens breathing, which is an undesirable tendency for the field-of-view of the lens to change while focusing the lens. This new 24-60mm controls lens breathing very well with almost none at the 60mm range and only a small amount at 24mm.

A person in a sweater and jeans stands against a wall with colorful graffiti, their arms crossed. Shadows and sunlight create dramatic patterns across their body and the wall. — I found the 24-60mm focal range to be very handy for general photography and the size is easy to carry around.

A woman in a patterned sweater offers a wooden bowl to a young man in a historical military uniform and tall black hat, while another young woman with long hair and a red hat watches in the background at an outdoor event. — The f/2.8 aperture is ideal for controlling how much of the background is in sharp focus.

I used the 24-60mm lens on a Panasonic S1R II to really push the sharpness with that high-resolution 45-megapixel sensor. At 24mm the lens is excellent in the center of the image and sharp all the way through its aperture range. The corners have a touch of softness at 24mm but these sharpen up when the aperture is closed down a bit.

Side-by-side comparison of camera test charts, each featuring color bars, grayscale steps, and Canadian currency, labeled “24mm @ f/2.8” left and “24mm @ f/5.6” right, showing lens sharpness differences. — Central sharpness is excellent, even at f/2.8.

A side-by-side comparison shows two images of a Canadian one dollar bill, a black triangle, and a focus chart taken at 60mm focal length, with one shot at f/2.8 (left) and the other at f/5.6 (right). — Corners need a little bit of help and are fairly blurry at 60mm.

A tan stone church tower with arched windows and a small cross on top is seen through leafless tree branches against a clear blue sky. — La Serena, in Chile, had a charming marketplace and some lovely, old world architecture.

At 60mm, the sharpness is excellent at f/2.8 in the center of the image. There isn’t much improvement at f/5.6. However, the corners at 60mm are markedly worse than at 24mm. The blurriness is obvious at f/2.8 and stopping down to f/5.6 helps, but those corners never really sharpen up. This lack of sharp corners is arguably tolerable at the telephoto range where most compositions will focus on the central part of the image but this is one area where the lower cost shows.

A single large rock rests in shallow water, its reflection faintly visible. The surface of the water is calm and slightly cloudy, creating a moody, minimalist scene in black and white. — There was a Japanese garden in La Serena so I went for a zen feeling in my shots.

Black and white photo showing close-up view of multiple cacti with long, sharp spines. Shadows of cactus shapes are cast on the wall in the background, creating dramatic contrast and texture. — The sharpness of this lens is about the same as these needle-like thorns.

A winding dirt road with metal guardrails leads up to a white observatory dome and a tall red-and-white communication tower set on a rocky hillside under a blue sky with scattered clouds. — The clarity at the mountain observatories is pristine and the sunlight is abundant.

Another area where the lower price shows up is in the bokeh of this lens. Specular highlights have onion rings and a strong soap-bubble halo around them. This tends to make out-of-focus background harsh and distracting. The aperture opening itself is quite round in shape and I would say that the bokeh is fairly average-looking. But clearly, the cost savings apply to the rather pedestrian bokeh and this is one major difference between the 24-60mm lens and more expensive offerings.

Purple hebe flowers in bloom with spiky petals, surrounded by green leaves and buds, set against a blurred natural background. — The close up capability is fine for the occasional shot but the backgrounds can look a little harsh.

A close-up of a beige corner of a building with a blurred glass window in the background, featuring vertical lines of bright white lights. — The specular highlights suffer from a little bit of a soap-bubble effect and can look a little harsh.

Sparrows perch and drink from a stone fountain surrounded by rocks and tall grass in a natural, outdoor setting. The image is in black and white. — These charming birds were taking a bath. I had to be very still to get this shot.

Panasonic Lumix S 24-60mm f/2.8 Review: Light on the Weight and on the Wallet

I find the Panasonic Lumix S 24-60mm f/2.8 to be excellent value for the dollar. Sure, it has some softer corners at the telephoto range and middling bokeh but it also gives you a compact, lightweight travel lens that delivers sharp results at f/2.8. If travel and destination photography is a passion of yours, this lens will provide professional quality with a healthy dose of convenience. If you want a well-built lens for general-purpose photography and you need the faster f/2.8 aperture, this lens will give you the goods at a very low price.

Are There Alternatives?

The Lumix S 24-70mm f/2.8 is vastly more expensive and has some conveniences aimed at the hybrid video shooter. The Sigma ART 24-70mm f/2.8 isn’t as compact and is slightly more expensive, but it does give you slightly better image quality across the board.

Should You Buy It?

Yes. Performance at a low price is hard to come by nowadays, especially when it comes from a first-party manufacturer. This lens is a compact bargain worth consideration.

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