NEW 18-40mm lens for LUMIX S cameras

A few months after the release of the LUMIX S9 compact full frame camera, a new lens was released. It makes the S9 into a perfect everyday carry.

Here are some specs of this LUMIX S 18-40mm lens

Weighs only 155 grams
Speed of lens is f/4.5-6.3 down to f/22-32 at the smallest aperture
62 mm filter thread
Dust, splash and freeze resistant
When using the Hybrid zoom of the S9, it brings the focal length up it to 120mm
There’s a hard switch on the side of the lens so you don’t have to menu dive to switch from Auto to Manual focus
This lens is retractable which makes it super small when not in use, great for everyday carry
Price at time of release US $499

Overall Impressions

It’s quite sharp for a zoom lens, but does fall off at the corners [Show test chart and sample photos]
This lens has pretty nice bokeh. I like the shape of these highlights in the background in this image.
It’s a great holiday lens, suitable for landscapes and close ups.
With the Hybrid zoom you can extend the focal length so you don’t need to bring a medium focal length lens along.

Road Trip!

I took this camera and lens on a little road trip to British Columbia, in Canada. Here’s a galley of images. The first set is from the Ancient Forest, which is the farthest inland old growth forest in Canada. The second set shows the macro capability of the 18-40mm lens with all the fungi I found on a hike. And the last few are of our drive back to Calgary. Yes, we had a car breakdown, but we made the most of it.