Panasonic Introduces Compact, Lightweight LUMIX S 18mm F1.8 (S-S18) for the LUMIX S Series

LUMIX S 18mm F1.8 is a large-diameter prime lens compatible with all L-mount cameras for maximum versatility. It features a common size and position of control parts with the other series of F1.8 lenses (S-S85, S-S50, S-S24 and this S-S35), with a center of gravity that is almost the same, so it is easy to exchange lenses quickly with minimum balance adjustment when the camera is on a gimbal. They all feature rugged dust/splash-resistant* design and common filters can be used thanks to the same diameter. The descriptive performance of these lenses is also consistent. The LUMIX S 18mm F1.8 is comprised of thirteen lens elements in twelve groups including three aspherical lenses, three ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) lenses, one UED (Ultra Extra-Low Dispersion) lens and one UHR (Ultra High Refractive Index) lens. The use of three aspherical lenses realizes both high descriptive performance and beautiful bokeh, which are common advantages to the series of all F1.8 lenses. The three ED lenses effectively suppress chromatic aberration. It is suitable for versatile situations including landscapes, astrophotography and architecture photography taking advantage of the ultra wide angle of view. It can also be used for close-up shots thanks to the minimum focusing distance of 0.18m. The S-S18 also excels in video recording performance with a mechanism that suppresses focus breathing, together with a micro-step aperture control for smooth exposure change for recording professional quality video.