Your favourite lenses for 2024 - and why

[RuleOfThirds]

For me, I got my S5ii late 2023 and started my FF Panasonic journey with S20-60, S70-300, 35/1.8 and 85/1.8. Although I really loved my starting set, I had to settle in to the system, find out what I liked, and I didn't care for.
2024:
So just for fun I bought the Sigma 45/2.8. I did not got along with that one. I don't know why. Loved the 35 rendering more and much faster. After getting the 24-105 from @Nevyn72 Both the 45 and 85 were obsolete to me... and there was a huge overlap between the 20-60 and 24-105, and I didn't care for the slow aperture of the 20-60, and 60 felt short. That is why I traded the 20-60 and 85 in for the S Pro 16-35, and exchanged the Sigma 45/2.8 for the 50/1.8

So my set of lenses consist now of:
16-35, 24-105 OIS, 70-300OIS and 2 primes, 35 and 50.

But what are my favourite lenses... It's quite hard because there is not that much overlap in use case
Pure from rendering perspective I think I like the 50 the best, closely followed by the 70-300

My most used lenses for 2024 were the 24-105 and the 16-35

If you would put me under severe pressure and have me to only choose one lens, it would be the 24-105, because I really like it's rendering too and it's by far the most versatile. But for now, I think I'm very satisfied with my selection. If Panasonic (or Sigma) would be so kind to produce a very nice 28/1.8 I might exchange the 35. If they make a 135/2.8 I might add it to my selection.

 

[NFec]

The Lumix S 24-105 F4 is really a nice and versatile lens. Very good image quality, fast, OIS, weight is good and the possibility to use it as a small macro is nice.

Nevertheless, for me the lens I still like most on a S1R is the Lumix S Pro 50 f1.4 and on the Sigma FP it's the Lumix 28 f8.

 

[pdk42]

My kit at the moment is:

- TTArtisan 11mm f2.8 fisheye
- LUMIX 14-28
- LUMIX 24-105
- LUMIX 70-200 f4
- LUMIX 20-60
- Sigma 35/2
- LUMIX 50/1.8
- Sigma 105 f2.8 macro

Of these, the 14-28, 24-105, and 35/2 combo is my “bread and butter” kit. Together they probably account for over 90% of what I shoot.

The TTArtisan fisheye is probably my next most-used lens after the trio above. It’s a great performer, and I like the uber wide perspective it gives.

The rest are more specialised and get less air-time compared the the above trifecta. The sharpest (by far) is the Sigma 105 macro. Jaw-dropping performance - but it doesn’t get used a lot. Closest after that is the 70-200 which is also superb optically. But like the 105 macro, it doesn’t get used a lot either.

I keep the 20-60 because it cost me next to nothing and it performs exceptionally well. If I want light, I stick onto the S5 and I’m done.

The 50/1.8 doesn’t get a lot of use, but like the 20-60, it was cheap and it performs very well.

So I guess in terms of usage, and results, the 24-105 is my favourite lens. At f8 it’s uber sharp at all focal lengths. But on my copy at least, when wide open near the long end, there’s a bit of a halo effect going on. It’s fine for what I use it for (landscapes and mostly at f8 or f11), but I wonder if another copy might be worth checking out.

 

[RuleOfThirds]

I can use mine at all focal lengths wide open 5.6 for a bit more sharpness, but that is on 24mp. @pdk42 Can you give an example of that effect ? Or is it something once you have seen it, it can’t be unseen…

 

[pdk42]

I can use mine at all focal lengths wide open 5.6 for a bit more sharpness, but that is on 24mp. @pdk42 Can you give an example of that effect ? Or is it something once you have seen it, it can’t be unseen…

It’s pretty obvious. I’ll post an example later.

 

[pdk42]

Here you go. f4 on left, f5.6 on right. 200% view on Macboook Pro retina display.