Which do-it-all zoom lens?

[Jan.Wedekind]

Hey folks!

I am having a hard time making up my mind about which "all-around walk-around" zoom lens I should pair with the S1Rii. Now that I have a high resolution sensor (~1.35 "crop" over the S1) and with hybrid zoom, there are quite a few potential options. For context, on M43, one of my all-time favorite lenses is the Panasonic Leica 12-60 f2.8-4. Great flexibility, sharp, nice close focussing and close-up capability, super nicely built and light.

Things I am pondering:

• Just stick with the Panasonic 24-105 f4:
  • Pros: I have it, it's a good lens, outstanding Dual IBIS, nice focal range
  • Cons: bit too big and heavy for my taste (although the weight reduction of the S1rii vs S1 makes it more palatable), and "only" f4 although that's usually good enough
• Sigma 24-70 f2.8 II:
  • Pros: Arguably optically the best choice by far, f2.8
  • Cons: even a hair bigger and heavier than the 24-105, not cheap
• Sigma 28-70 f2.8
  • Pros: relatively affordable, bright
  • Cons: slightly less zoom range
• Panasonic 28-200
  • Pros: light, compact, huge focal range
  • Cons: feels a bit pricey (1000€ where I live), quite dark at long end, IQ probably weakest (?)
• Panasonic 20-60
  • Pros: wider at 20, very very affordable (used "like new" for ~200€), light & compact
  • Cons: I don't actually shoot much at wider end, quite short with 60mm, not very bright

Obviously, I'll have to make up my own mind in the end but I am curious to see how others are thinking about it.

I'll let everyone make 2 choices, let's see where the public opinion falls

 

[Markuswelder]

I personally love shooting wide, so I can't really live with just one zoom. So my choice is the Sigma 28-70mm F2.8, as it's small, light, compact, very very reasonably priced (I paid around $800-850 Australian for mine, brand new, local stock, from memory) with excellent image quality. Plus an Ultrawide.
I also have the Lumix 20-60mm, I can not really fault the image quality, but I have the opposite issue to you in that the 20mm end isn't really wide enough for my tastes.
So I picked up the Lumix S 14-28mm for a song, Once again around the $800 Australian mark, brand new, local stock. Fabulous companion to the Siggy 28-70mm. Can't fault the image quality on that either.
I thoroughly enjoy shooting primes, the bug bit again, & I grabbed the Lumix S 18mm F1.8 on sale last month for a great price. Another fantastic companion to the Siggy 28-70mm.
So that's where I stand at the moment.

 

[RuleOfThirds]

My 28-70 is back to the seller and he takes it for me to Sigma to diagnose the problem with it. After putting the 24-105 back again it is not too heavy and I do like it a lot. The 24-105 has faster and more accurate focus as well. And the one stop difference is not that huge. For the bigger size and weight you also do get a lot more
- much more range
- build quality
- focus speed
- OIS
- dual IS
- half size macro

And that is a lot of features in just +250 grams. Adding a wide angle lens to the 28-70 negates the weight and size difference already. That is why I added it as an extra lens and not a replacement. If I only had to choose one or the another I would take the 24-105

 

[CharlesH]

That is a tough choice. I have the S1RM2 sitting here on my desk, and it has the 20-60 attached. With Hybrid Zoom it is 20-120. If I went walking today that's what I'd take. I do like wide angle, 20 is not quite wide enough, but I'm not carrying another lens.

I've had the 24-104 since the day Panasonic first introduced the S series, and it has delivered lots of great shots. I wouldn't rule it out as your go-to lens.

 

[xaviergut]

"On a hike or a day out with the family" the Lumix 20-60mm without hesitation, if you liked for M43 the Panaleica 12-60mm -that is 24-120mm FF equiv.- and the Lumix 20-60 becomes 120mm with the hybrid zoom... for me it is the best in terms of compromise between IQ, size and weight.

 

[Markuswelder]

Adding a wide angle lens to the 28-70 negates the weight and size difference already.

How do you shoot at 14-20mm with the 24-105mm?

 

[Markuswelder]

How do you shoot at 14-20mm with the 24-105mm?

You also can't really compare a second hand lens, that you have no idea of its history as far as abuse (it obviously does has issues as you returned it) to another lens in pristine condition.
Oh, and 1 full stop is a very big difference. Otherwise the manufacturers wouldn't bother with faster lenses.

 

[Pete_W]

That is a tough choice. I have the S1RM2 sitting here on my desk, and it has the 20-60 attached. With Hybrid Zoom it is 20-120.

This is something I hadn't really considered - hybrid zoom really opens up some great possibilities with the new S1RII.

 

[GeorgeHudetz]

Keep in mind that if you shoot raw, the hybrid zoom doesn't do anything for you, other than helping composition (which of course is helpful).

Also, if you do use JPEGs, and you want to compare it to a 20 MP m43 sensor, then you have to look at the "M" setting in the hybrid zoom menu, which is a 1.4x crop. This number holds true, of course, regardless of whether you crop in post or use the camera to do it.

So, for a crop-to-20 MP image:
The 20-60 becomes a 20-84
24-70 = 24-98
24-105 = 24-147
28-200 = 28-280

As for which lens to choose, I have the 20-60, the 24-70 Art (first gen), 24-105, and the 28-200.

Other than size, the 24-105 will be the closest match to your 12-60 in terms of FL range and close-focus capabilities (0.5x macro throughout FL range), and thus would be my default recommendation to you, unless you want a different kind of lens.

The 2.8 zooms will give you subject isolation & low-light capabilities you do not have with the 12-60.

The 20-60 is of course wider, but I suspect you will find the pixel-level IQ to be a let-down compared to the 12-60 (which I understand is quite good).

The 28-200 has just insane compositional flexibility, but is slow & soft on the long end, although if you stop it down to F11 it does OK. Below 170mm the IQ is decent and on-par with the 20-60 (where the FLs overlap).

For me, the 28-200 is the funnest, and the lens I like to use if I'm just kicking around and not worried about getting the best IQ (if you reduce the images - even at 200mm - to 4k for social media, you won't see the softness).

The 24-70 Art is my go-to for when I want the best IQ (which for me, normally means landscape @ F8).

I really don't like the 20-60.

I used to love the 24-105, but it's kind of squeezed between the fun of the 28-200 & IQ of the 24-70 Art. But none of the other lenses match it's 0.5x macro capability, so...

 

[RuleOfThirds]

How do you shoot at 14-20mm with the 24-105mm?

@Markuswelder
I do not see a 14-200 all can do lens in his question?
Actually the 20-60 is also very good. And light. And I had a lot of fun with it too. Perfect sunny city lens. I do not hold my experience of the 28-70 against it. I loved that lens. But if I had to choose, in answer to OP question, I still would choose the 24-105/4 OIS
But the 24-105 has objectively better build quality. More seals against dust etc.

No, one stop does not make that much of a difference. 105 f4 has even slightly less DoF then 70/2.8 with a portrait equally framed. Iso is good enough on S5. And with stationary subjects the OIS makes a lot of difference.
What does make a difference is half size macro. The 28-70 gets a bit hazy near min focus distance.

Monday I will get all options after Sigma has checked the lens. Maybe I get it replaced Or a refund. I actually like both but if I had to choose I would still make the same choice. Extra versatility but also heavier. I actually do not understand why you get hostile with those suggestive questions.

All these lenses are very good on 24mp, on high mp bodies the 28-200 might be soft on longer focal lengths, but that is hearsay. There are several users who love it very much.

 

[GeorgeHudetz]

All these lenses are very good on 24mp, on high mp bodies the 28-200 might be soft on longer focal lengths, but that is hearsay.

No, I can assure you, it is not hearsay. It is quite true and also detectable on a 24 MP sensor.

But, again, you can stop it down to F11 to help (although you need some kind of diffraction correction in post, especially on the 44/47 MP sensors), or if you simply reduce the image to 4K for social media, it just doesn't matter.

But if you intend to crop, the softness - particularly at 200mm - is very real and problematic.