The Panasonic Lumix S 20mm f/2.5 Is a Petite Prime Made for the S9
Panasonic has announced the Lumix S 20mm f/2.5, a compact ultra-wide prime for full-frame L-Mount cameras, particularly suited to the Lumix S9. It measures 40.9mm long, weighs 142g, accepts 62mm filters, and is dust- and splash-resistant. Available in black or silver, it sits between Panasonic’s 18mm f/1.8 and 24mm f/1.8 by focal length, while matching the compact format of the 40mm f/2 and 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3. The lens includes customizable focus-ring and Focus Button controls; on the S9, these can activate features such as Crop Zoom with firmware 2.1. Autofocus is designed to be smooth and accurate, with a 0.18m minimum focus distance and 0.15x magnification. At $499, it gives travel, street, landscape, and video shooters a genuinely small 20mm option.
Canon Just Patented an Insane f/2 Telephoto Zoom
Canon has filed a patent for a full-frame 70-135mm f/2 zoom, but the design is not an announced product. Its numerical example spans 72.10mm to 136.89mm at f/2.05, with a 211mm optical length, and uses internal zooming with a fixed front group. If built, it would cover the classic 85mm, 105mm, and 135mm portrait focal lengths at f/2 in one lens, competing directly with Sony’s 50-150mm f/2 GM. At 135mm and f/2, the entrance pupil is 67.5mm; the optical challenge lies in maintaining f/2 across the range, requiring substantial glass. The potential payoff is one stop over f/2.8: at 3m, depth of field is about 6cm rather than 8cm. Canon shooters should treat this as a possibility, not yet a buying option.