Lumix 26mm

[memo90061]

The 26mm F8 does seem like it will be fun to use and high ISO is good on the S5II.

 

[Markuswelder]

Edit -I've been using my S5 & 14-28mm the last couple of days, set at 26mm & f8, & it's actually been quite fun. I've found the focal length to be quite a good compromise between wide angle distortion, yet still "wide enough" indoors. I'll post a couple of shots of some of the use cases I see for it when I get a minute

Right. I've got a couple of minutes spare while waiting for my Internet provider to sort a small technical issue, so this post is just a quick test to see if my image sizing works

• -

• -

Right, that seems to have worked, except I can't see the EXIF data, even though I clicked EXIF conforming in my conversion. Weird

Another try

• Panasonic - DC-S5
• 22.0 mm
• ƒ/3.7
• 1/30 sec
• Pattern
• Auto exposure
• -0.7
• ISO 400

Bingo, sorted. I'll now continue my post

 

[RuleOfThirds]

I think that you are the target audience of the Ricoh GR3. 24mp APS-c sensor, great controls, fixed 18.3/2.8 (28mm eqv) lens, stabilized, smaller than a phone just a bit thicker. A camera you can have always with you. Fits in my jeans easily. Very very good image quality.

It can do video, but that is horrible, even by phone standards.

Anyway now I kind a understand why you feel the S9 is for you..But the GR3 is way more portable then S9 will ever be, and much better then the 26/8. It is as portable as a small phone is.

 

[Nomad Nate]

The 26mm F8 does seem like it will be fun to use and high ISO is good on the S5II.

If I can get it sub $90, I'll snag one. Any more, and I think I'd rather buy a vintage lens. But actually for a lot of my shooting 26mm f8 is ideal.

 

[Markuswelder]

Anyway now I kind a understand why you feel the S9 is for you..But the GR3 is way more portable then S9 will ever be, and much better then the 26/8. It is as portable as a small phone is.

Nah, the S9 isn't for me. No EVF, I've tried the last week or two shooting rear screen only @ 26mm, doesn't work for me. A lot of the time yes, all the time -no. I'm sticking with my S5 as I pretty much see that as an S9 with EVF. And, I do really like shooting different focal lengths. A lot. Ultrawide being nearly my favorite. But, I'm thinking the 26mm might be. And I definitely don't want to keep it in my pocket. I don't even keep a phone in my pocket an awful lot of the time at work, so a camera is completely of the radar. A little bit of background may help.
I'm a creator, and artistic, in a quite different sense of the word. Well, my daughter seems to think so anyway. Even if I don't. I work in the steel fabrication industry, and we lift heavy things. As you may be able to tell in the photo's above, it's not a clean & sterile environment, in the slightest. Plenty of dust, oil & sparks flying around. The overhead cranes in the previous shot, I built them. From scratch. I create stuff, solve problems, document it, create drawings to both keep on record, and for fabrication purposes. And I enjoy snapping a shot or two of my efforts, both for my own enjoyment, as well as documentation purposes. Yeah, a phone would do most of that, but I effing hate the things as a photographic tool. With a passion. I far far far prefer using a proper, or dedicated camera. And this is where I think the 26mm will fit in. It's cheap (relatively) No lens cap to lose, or remove. And it's not fixed to the camera. At the end of the day I can remove it, and go about my typical adventures shooting ultrawide, or shallow DOF shots with my 50 or 85mm f1.8. With the same body. With the same battery. And charger. And processing software. With the same, or very similar settings. And same workflow.
Over the last couple of weeks I've found the focal length to be excellent. For what I envisage its usage to be. Goldilocks like. Not too wide, not too narrow. Aperture is quite acceptable, even indoors on a 35mm format camera like my S5. Anyway, here's a few shots of the type of things I get up to. Which I reckon the 26mm will most likely fit like a glove to.

• Canon - Canon EOS M
• EF-M22mm f/2 STM
• 22.0 mm
• ƒ/3.5
• 1/30 sec
• Center-Weighted Average
• Auto exposure
• 0.3
• ISO 400

I welded that. It's art.

• Canon - Canon EOS M
• EF-M22mm f/2 STM
• 22.0 mm
• ƒ/2
• 1/25 sec
• Center-Weighted Average
• Auto exposure
• ISO 400

A test piece I welded, to submit for destructive testing, to qualify a welding procedure I wrote, as part of my job description. Art again.

• Canon - Canon EOS 6D
• EF28mm f/2.8 IS USM
• 28.0 mm
• ƒ/4
• 1/25 sec
• Pattern
• Auto exposure
• ISO 800

More art.

 

[Markuswelder]

I now do layouts, calculations & drawings to fit cranes & lifting equipment to trucks, & transport equipment. And fabricate the necessary components. Playing around with the S5 stuck on 26mm & f8, just to see how it works Baby trucks. Got some beauties coming in at the end of the month, to start work on.

• Panasonic - DC-S5
• 26.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/13 sec
• Pattern
• Auto exposure
• -0.3
• ISO 320

• Panasonic - DC-S5
• 26.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/10 sec
• Pattern
• Auto exposure
• -0.7
• ISO 200

Drawing up & fabricating a chassis strengthening & bracing frame, for a crane fitment.

• Panasonic - DC-S5
• 25.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/20 sec
• Pattern
• Auto exposure
• -0.7
• ISO 200

Working out and fitting a heavy duty towbar.
Yeah, a pretty long winded way of going about describing/explaining how the upcoming 26mm might fit into my lifestyle, your typical tech head or traditional creator would struggle to understand without a few shots, but it's bl00dy good fun doing so, so why the hell not

 

[RuleOfThirds]

Yes, that is an environment you specifically do not want to use a GR3. But at the same time Panasonic quotes that the body-cap lens does not have any sealing, which makes it less than ideal in that environment. F8 and indoors also not ideal, but with high iso, static stuff to take pictures of that might be less of a concern.

 

[Markuswelder]

Yes, that is an environment you specifically do not want to use a GR3. But at the same time Panasonic quotes that the body-cap lens does not have any sealing, which makes it less than ideal in that environment. F8 and indoors also not ideal, but with high iso, static stuff to take pictures of that might be less of a concern.

Yeah. I think Panasonic understates a bit as to what their gear will handle. I've got a GX8 (yeah, that's weather resistant) and a Lumix 14mm f2.5, 20mm f1.7 pancake & 25mm f1.7 that I dragged all around the Gobi desert in China a few years back, through sand storms, snow storms in the minus 20's Celsius further North, we were shaking fine, dusty sand out of our shoes, clothes & my camera bag for days after the trip, that camera and lenses are still going strong to this day. So I'm not really in the slightest bit concerned to be honest. And if it does die, it's not like I've dropped a grand of my hard earned on it anyway

• Panasonic - DMC-GX8
• LUMIX G 20/F1.7 II
• 20.0 mm
• ƒ/7.1
• 1/400 sec
• Center-Weighted Average
• Auto exposure
• 0.7
• ISO 200

• Panasonic - DMC-GX8
• 14.0 mm
• ƒ/7.1
• 1/800 sec
• Center-Weighted Average
• 0.3
• ISO 200

• Panasonic - DMC-GX8
• LUMIX G 20/F1.7 II
• 20.0 mm
• ƒ/2
• 1/1250 sec
• Center-Weighted Average
• Auto exposure
• ISO 200

 

[pdk42]

View attachment 5421More art.

That's an amazing piece of welding. I'm in awe!

 

[robin0112358]

I've got a GX8 (yeah, that's weather resistant) and a Lumix 14mm f2.5, 20mm f1.7 pancake & 25mm f1.7 that I dragged all around the Gobi desert in China a few years back, through sand storms, snow storms in the minus 20's Celsius further North, we were shaking fine, dusty sand out of our shoes, clothes & my camera bag for days after the trip, that camera and lenses are still going strong to this day.

A great combination that makes a lot of sense... and not just economically!

But to the topic...

The F8 lens is an embarrassment considering the pancakes of the past, or even the Nikkor Z 28/2.8 (which costs the same). No-one likes compact lenses more than me -- just read my posts. But here the marketing division has pushed their engineers to an extreme that is not justified. Especially considering the target market, who are not interested in manual focus.

This doesn't mean it won't sell... because there's no alternative.

 

[robin0112358]

OK, so I don't pay much attention to Nikon but I just went browsing. Discovered that they are continuing in the welcome direction of compact lenses. The first below is truly a pancake but comes at a price premium compared to the others. Still a value proposition. Naturally none of these lenses sacrifice AF or aperture control, because that would be madness.

Nikkor Z 26mm f/2.8 (€450)
24mm deep / 125g

Nikkor Z 28mm f/2.8 (€260)
44mm deep / 157g

Nikkor Z 40mm f/2 (€260)
46mm deep / 170g

 

[Nomad Nate]

OK, so I don't pay much attention to Nikon but I just went browsing. Discovered that they are continuing in the welcome direction of compact lenses. The first below is truly a pancake but comes at a price premium compared to the others. Still a value proposition. Naturally none of these lenses sacrifice AF or aperture control, because that would be madness.

Nikkor Z 26mm f/2.8 (€450)
24mm deep / 125g

Nikkor Z 28mm f/2.8 (€260)
44mm deep / 157g

Nikkor Z 40mm f/2 (€260)
46mm deep / 170g

I agree .. hell even f4 would be slow by today's standards

 

[Markuswelder]

I get what you're saying. I really do. I understand what the other manufacturers are doing, and have done. I own, and have used some of those lenses. Such as the EF 40mm f2.8 pancake. Which I still use on my S5. One of my favourite lenses ever. And the EFM 22mm f2. One, or a couple of the shots I posted above was taken with that lens, which I still own. And the Lumix 14mm f2.5. And the PZ 14-42. And the Lumix 12-32. So I get it. I absolutely, totally, completely get it, and understand.

But, the 26mm still appeals to me. In quite a different way. I suspect it's not despite its "flaws", but because of them. Looking at what Panasonic has produced so far in both m4/3 and L mount, I have no doubt that they could easily have made something similar to what everyone else is doing. No doubt at all. They're the masters of miniaturization after all. Look at the GM1, and GM5. And the Lumix pancake zooms and prime's made for them, and whatever body you want to mount them to.
But they didn't. I'm pretty sure that they're done it deliberately. Intentionally. And the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. To me, anyway. It's a paradox. About as simple as you can get, being fixed focal length, and aperture, yet complex in a way, being manual focus.
It is what it is. It's not trying to be a clone of what everyone else is making. And that's part of why I'm interested in playing with one.

 

[RuleOfThirds]

Well it is nice to see that everybody is trying to understand anyway Sometimes a product attracts in a strange way.

 

[Markuswelder]

Well it is nice to see that everybody is trying to understand anyway Sometimes a product attracts in a strange way.

For sure. As soon as something starts to attract a little bit of vitriol, and people start to despise it a bit, my ears prick up, & I get curious. That's a lot of what got me into m4/3 with the GX8 (one of my favorite cameras, ever, regardless of format) my G100's, the PZ 14-42, the Laowa 10mm a little bit, & the Lumix 14mm f2.5. I do seem to enjoy the unloved for some reason. Immensely at times. Hopefully the 26mm is one of those times

 

[Markuswelder]

Editing time limit ran out on the previous post, I'll add more here
I have a sneaking suspicion, that there's a group of people in Panasonic management, that have a bit of a warped sense of humor, and love stirring the pot a bit. Being a bit different. All you have to do, is read the DPreview m4/3 forums, and watch the sheer outrage when Panasonic releases a new camera, with a new, unrelated to the previous, model name. The people posting just lose their $h!t. Every. Single. Time. It's hilarious to watch. And then Panasonic does it again, with the next model. Ha ha ha ha ha.
And the 26mm. Why 26? Why not 24mm? Or 28mm? Or 30mm? The traditionalists just can't cope I would have bet my house it would have been an AF lens. But it wasn't/isn't.
And how about the G100? Forumtographers world wide seem to despise it, It even won the DPreview worst new camera of the year, yet Panasonic released an updated model, the only changes being a slightly different EVF, & USB-C. I'm certain someone's just having a bit of fun, somewhere, and poking their tongue out at the conservative traditionalists
Then there's lenses like the Lumix S 20-60mm. A breath of fresh air in a dank, dark, musty old cupboard. Brilliant. I say keep it up, Panasonic. Well done

 

[xaviergut]

I do seem to enjoy the unloved for some reason.

I think the same thing happens to me a bit. Now I'm very interested in the GH6 for video... I see that a lot of people criticize the AF, but there are people doing incredible things with this camera. For example Harmen Hoek, a Dutchman who makes videos about his hikes:



I simply hope that the price of the GH6 drops a little more considering that tomorrow Lumix presents the GH7 with PDAF, LUTs, etc.

 

[RuleOfThirds]

For sure. As soon as something starts to attract a little bit of vitriol, and people start to despise it a bit, my ears prick up, & I get curious. That's a lot of what got me into m4/3 with the GX8 (one of my favorite cameras, ever, regardless of format) my G100's, the PZ 14-42, the Laowa 10mm a little bit, & the Lumix 14mm f2.5. I do seem to enjoy the unloved for some reason. Immensely at times. Hopefully the 26mm is one of those times

I loved the Lumix 14/2.5 !! Had so much character! But that is a nice 28mm, like my XF18/1.4 for Fuji, or my Ricoh GR3 Maybe my love for the 28mm prime started with the 14/2.5,I actually also used it with the converter to make it a 21mm, which worked quite well.

 

[Markuswelder]

I loved the Lumix 14/2.5 !! Had so much character! But that is a nice 28mm, like my XF18/1.4 for Fuji, or my Ricoh GR3 Maybe my love for the 28mm prime started with the 14/2.5,I actually also used it with the converter to make it a 21mm, which worked quite well.

I also have the Panasonic Wide Angle adapter for my 14mm f2.5. Makes a very light weight semi ultrawide setup. And it's small, light & compact, without the extra effort of carrying around a whole different lens. I bought it NOS (new old stock) at the same time as my GX8, at release. Before there were any m4/3 rectilinear primes available. Had a lot of fun with it, made an excellent little travel kit.
I've since found it also works really really well on the Lumix 12-32. You can get a tiny bit more width out of it than with the 14mm, before you get the hard vignette. I think it's actually a tiny bit better image quality wise, than on the 14mm.
I've always liked 28-30mm. Better than 24mm. Even on my 24-105 I found myself subconsciously zooming in that little bit, to 28mm, without even thinking about it. If i'm gunna go wide -I go wiiiide. Like wider than 20mm Although, I do really like 20mm on my Lumix 20-60mm

 

[CharlesH]

I simply hope that the price of the GH6 drops a little more considering that tomorrow Lumix presents the GH7 with PDAF, LUTs, etc.

The Blue Mountains region is Pete’s country. I’ve been there a couple of times as a tourist, it is very nice. I love the drone shots in the video. I had a GH6 for a while but actually never appreciated it much. I like the G9II much better and would use that for this video.