Panasonic 18mm F1.8 - The Final Piece To The Puzzle

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Check Out The Panasonic LUMIX 18mm F1.8
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THE GEAR I USE:
*Some of the following links are affiliate links, so if you decide to purchase something, I get a very small commission at NO extra cost to you - Thanks in advance for supporting the channel!
CAMERAS:
My Main Cam (Lumix S5ii)
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My B-Cam (Lumix S5)
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My C-Cam (Lumix S1)
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PRIME LENSES:
Panasonic LUMIX 24mm F1.8
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Panasonic LUMIX 35mm F1.8
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Panasonic LUMIX 85mm F1.8
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ZOOM LENSES:
Sigma 28-70 F2.8
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Panasonic LUMIX 16-35 F4
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Panasonic LUMIX 70-200 F4
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AUDIO SETUP:
Rode NTG4+
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Tascam DR60 MKii
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Hollyland Lark 150
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LIGHTING SETUP
Godox LA200d
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Colbor CL60
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Godox SL60w
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Smallrig Softbox
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DESK & COMPUTING
My Main Computer (Mac Mini)
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Laptop (M1 Pro MacBook Pro 1TB)
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Computer Monitor (Viewsonic ColorPro VP2786-4K)
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Logitech Craft Keyboard
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Logitech M590 Mouse
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Samsung T5 SSD 1TB
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SanDisk G-Drive 6TB
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It's finally here! The new Panasonic Lumix S 18mm F1.8 has arrived, and it's even better than I was expecting.
The fifth and final lens to join the family of compact 1.8 primes from Panasonic for the L-Mount. Of course, we knew that the Lumix 18mm F1.8 was coming for a while, and it's taken some time to get here but it was definitely worth the wait.
This lens is superb - it's sharp, lightweight and priced very reasonably as well in my opinion for the quality you're getting.
If you have been lookign for a very decent ultra wide lens for your L-Mount camera, then this may be your best option so far. At only £800, it's almost half the price of the Panasonic S Pro 16-35 F4, and stops all the way down to F1.8, making it a far better option for lowlight shooting.
Thanks for watching, and I hope you enjoy this video!

[@bolefuego]

Whoever gets their hands on the whole Panasonic L-Mount Primes set has a whole almost cinema quality lens set. I own the both 50 and 85 mm and they have been great. The image quality is superior. Great video, dude! Cheers!

[@JoshCameron]

Very good quality with a great size I think :) thanks for watching dude!

[@kyounokuma]

I absolutely agree. I just returned to the US from Japan last week after a visit with family there for a month. I took my S5 and all of my Lumix primes with me and got some beautiful footage... Tons of footage and photos of all of my nieces and nephews at home and the zoo, along with some low-light footage of them playing with fireworks. All the primes performed well, and I am super pleased with these lenses. I was happy to see that I was getting damn good AF performance when viewing the footage. The 35 and the 50 just lived on my S5, though. I own all 4 primes along with 20-60 kit lens and am looking forward to getting my hands on 18mm soon. 20-60 is a great lens, but I've hardly used it since buying the primes. I can't recommend these primes enough.

[@quintincooper3108]

Same bro I want the 35 but it sells out every time I have the money to buy it

[@TheDIYFilmmaker]

Thanks for sharing Josh. Awesome lens!

[@BaxTechYT]

Always glad to see more lenses coming out!

[@JoshCameron]

It just shows that the L-Mount is in fact a serious option nowadays and definitely something to invest in :)

[@MatthewBarsby]

Yes! Buzzing for this lens!

[@JoshCameron]

It’s awesome mate, defo worth the wait!

[@PavSZ]

as always great (and to the point) review!

[@JoshCameron]

Cheers Pav!

[@TechTesseract]

Cheers for the vid Josh! Just ordered the 24-105 after watching your video for some more versatility in shooting products. This look like it could be a great low light vlogging lens!

[@JoshCameron]

Hope you enjoy the 24-105, it’s awesome, I still love it and use it a lot :)

[@stoneylama]

I had no idea I needed this lens until I picked up a less expensive focal equivalent - 7Artisan 12mm T2.9 APS-C - and found myself using it immediately on paid work. So now I’m revisiting your video because the Panasonic version makes so much sense as an eventual upgrade. Thought maybe i could use it for real estate gimbal shots or occasional exterior establishing shots but threw it right into interview work. You don’t know until you know.

[@djcrash77]

Can't wait to add this to the arsenal! Will be great for my real estate videos!

[@JoshCameron]

A perfect application for this lens !

[@MrJapanforce]

perfect lens. perfect. video. We love Lumix!

[@JoshCameron]

Cheers Andreas! Great to hear from you mate.

[@vaidehiarts]

Super footage again, Josh! Your review is the one that makes me the most tempted to buy this lens. However from a run and gun standpoint, I think I’m better off with the 20-60 and 70-300 zooms, and 35 and 50 primes

[@Nocturnal_Mind]

Just wanted to say keep up the great videos. Hopefully my S5 is arriving today and I can't wait.

[@JoshCameron]

Thank you, hope you enjoy your new camera 🙌🏼

[@ed61730]

Great lens for video! Especially when using the crop sensor mode for certain settings

[@JoshCameron]

Precisely! the APS-C crop actually comes in handy a lot of the time for me

[@shapes2000]

Thanks Josh, I love the 50mm Panasonic and was looking forward to trying this one out ,surprised it is almost twice as expensive though. Cheers for the review.

[@FantabMedia]

The price is in line with most others of that kind of range. For example the Sony 20mm F1.8 is more expensive than this. That's much, much sharper than the Panasonic which (like the 24 before it) is pretty soft unless stopped down, especially in the corners. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpa2gJ2HraqBpqM I just wish Sigmas worked perfectly on the bodies as you get so much more bang for your buck. Much sharper (even at F1.4 compared to the Panasonic's F1.8), better build quality, aperture ring, 2/3 wider aperture etc. Breathes a fair bit though and obviously much heavier.

[@tsnorris1]

I think the slight softness at 1.8 is just the price you pay for (a) the lack of focus breathing and (b) the consistent size and weight throughout the series. As they say, lens design is all about trade-offs. Panasonic has optimized for features desirable to video shooters, whereas sigma has optimized for features desirable to photo shooters.

[@chadstarbucks5719]

Good video Josh! Quintuplet! Love it!

[@JoshCameron]

Cheers Chad 👍🏼

[@NeonShores]

Picked up the 85mm 1.8 open box for just over $300 and the quality is absolutely fantastic. My only complaint is the close focusing distance is a bit long but really what can I actually complain about at that price. I really want the 35mm but being patient in hunting for deals.

[@DavidHorizonFilms]

Finally!! This will definitely be a good buy. Just debating if 18mm is wide enough for me, I love my Laowa 15mm

[@JoshCameron]

It didn’t feel limiting at all tbh, I honestly enjoy using it so much 👍🏼

[@TrenchfootSalvador]

Man your color grading in the example shots are soo fire, it looks like a movie

[@JoshCameron]

Thanks buddy!

[@rbos6001]

Hope you make a comparison with the sigma 20mm f/2 looking at landscape photography I wonder which comes out best.

[@oneeyedphotographer]

Shift or tilt-shift adaptors for Micro Four Thirds would be absolutely marvellous.

[@MuonVideo]

That 18mm lens looks fun. Should I ever switched back to Panny, I'm getting this lens.

[@ChevaughnBeckford]

I was wondering when Panasonic was going to release this wide angle because I was contemplating getting the 24mm f/1.8 but this is definitely more room to get those amazing landscape and architectural shots.

[@JoshCameron]

If you need wider then go for this one of course! The difference between 18 and 24 is actually quite large I’d say

[@joeypandabear]

Dang, I just received my Sigma 20mm 1.4 yesterday. Do you think I should return it and order this one instead? I was looking for a wide-angle fast prime lens for vlog-type video works, and I know Lumix is making this 18mm 1.8 but just don't know when it'll come out...

[@izzieb]

Finally! Been waiting for this lens to release and am interested. Thank you for the review. How is the focus breathing?

[@JoshCameron]

I didn’t really go crazy racking focus from far to close, but from the hands on time I’ve had with it and of course the footage, there hasnt been anything that’s stood out to me on that front. It’s definitely controlled, and like all of the other 1.8 primes, they’ve done a good job compensating for things like that :)

[@garreswe]

I just bought the 24 mm so the question is if this will be my next one or if I'll go for the more crazy Laowa 9mm. I'm not in a hurry so I have plenty of time to decide. I love the photos @ 1:34!

[@JoshCameron]

The laowa is a great option, but 9mm is SUUUUPER WIDE and maybe not as versatile… depends on what you’re after though I guess ! Thank you so much , really appreciate that !

[@oneeyedphotographer]

I am using Canon TS-E lenses adapted to L mount for architecture. But it should be a good star shooter.

[@boyantrifonov]

As I am social dancer I want a lens for my Panasonic Lumix S5 Mark I that will work well in low light night club environments. I am deciding between the Sigma 16-28mm f/2.8 and the Lumix S 18mm f/1.8 Will the f/1.8 be sufficiently better in low light than f/2.8? I need it to work well in both photo and video applications.

[@danwright7389]

Great video Josh, a very interesting lens for sure. One thing I have noticed in your lens reviews is you tend to say “stop down to” when referring to the largest aperture. Technically the correct term you mean is “open up to” whereas stop down is closing the aperture. It’s probably force of habit though 😂

[@JoshCameron]

Noted 😂😂 force of habit, you know what I mean! You are right though, I should’ve said it the other way round

[@AnthonySmith-gx9bs]

Damn I was just about to pull the trigger on the 35mm. So many good options now.

[@JoshCameron]

Get both! 😉

[@BikesAndBatallas]

@@JoshCameron I have the 18, 50, 85, 20-60, and 70-300. I'll get the 24 and 35 at some point, but I'm covered for now!

[@ifeanyiisitor7929]

I must say that lumix camera Bodie’s and lenses are just so beautiful on the outside and colours are also quite nice. I just wish the autofocus was better. I heard that phase detect autofocus is coming. If they do indeed solve the autofocus issue then I would probably switch over.

[@JoshCameron]

If phase detect comes to Panasonic cameras then I genuinely think they would have the most complete system out of any other brand on the market, and they would seriously start to dominate the industry. I would personally love to see it happen because it opens up a door for a lot of people who are maybe on the fence with these cameras. Of course, for me it’s not a big deal since I think the AF is more than adequate for the times I choose to use it, but if there’s people out there who are really worried about that aspect then it would definitely be a great way to convert them for sure :)

[@cloud84strife]

Great lens. What about a comparison between this and a 20mm viltrox?

[@JoshCameron]

Viltrox isn't L-Mount :)

[@tvbeatsthenightmareking7984]

Good to see someone that loves Panasonic still because everyone is so focused on canon sony and nikon

[@JoshCameron]

I think the L-Mount is on the rise! Hopefully we start to see more of this stuff instead of the Canon and Sony stuff :)

[@tvbeatsthenightmareking7984]

@@JoshCameron yes exactly once it gets the phase autofocus and they change the native iso to 12800 is gonna destroy everything!

[@foreignofficial5018]

Amazing content, What picture profile do you shoot your photography in?

[@JoshCameron]

Thank you! For photography I just use the standard profile since I shoot RAW :)

[@FantabMedia]

Josh how do you completely eliminate pulsing in the background (you say you keep AF on all the time). At 3.20 for example you move forward/back a bit but there's literally no change in the background at all. I've tried pretty much every setting on my S1s and they can keep focus ok (sometimes/usually!) but there's always some pulsing which is how DFD works.

[@ondrejcarda]

Hi Kris, in my testing with S5, you should have AF Sensitivity set all the way down to -3 to eliminate pulsing completely. And AF Speed around 0. Then the pulsing for talking headshots is gone, even if you have some kind of led/point light in the frame.

[@FantabMedia]

@@ondrejcarda Thanks Ondrej. I'm going to try it again, it's been a while since I've used AF for shots like this, I always just lock off but if it works it would be great.

[@videntemusic2465]

Bro that is good for music video or 24mm ?

[@umpopablebubble]

this is great for real estate/vlog etc buttt sigma does have their new 16-28 2.8 for roughly same price?? i feel like $800 is a bit much for this prime

[@JoshCameron]

I get what you’re saying… primes do generally tend to be a little more specialist, especially within this focal range I’d say. It must be quite tricky to manufacture an ultra wide in this form factor and with a fast 1.8 aperture, so I actually think the price tag is somewhat understandable tbh

[@mcronfpv8736]

2:11 : that shot!! I was waiting for this lens and hopped it would be less expensive.... On the other hand, these shots look liked they come from a much more expensive kit ... I mostly shoot with gh6, but also use a S5 with the 35 1.8 when I need that shallow dof look. (Also own the 85 but I never use it- at these focal lengths I don't feel the need to go full frame). 18mm is there perfect focal length for wide shots in corporate videos and cinematic pieces : you can breathe without having things starting to look crazy.

[@JoshCameron]

I agree, the 18mm focal length is super nice and not too wild that it’s unusable in regular scenarios. The quality is also crazy good I think, and even though £800 seems to be more than people expected it to cost, after using it for a while I would definitely say that the price is justified for the quality you get :)

[@rodmehta5356]

Hey Josh! I would love to try this for astrophotography. Well, really I'd love to have someone else try this for astrophotography, and then buy it myself, if great at f2. Wait - have you ever considered astrophotography?!?

[@frostgodx]

2:40 why is the AF so slow to react?

[@Sambo111]

Hey do you use a gimble in 2:21?

[@hugay1]

😍😍😍😍

[@carlosc.9592]

Josh, 18, 24 or 35 Lumix 1.8 for travel? I have kit lens (20-60).

[@JoshCameron]

35mm all the way, it's the most versatile :)

[@BTJustin]

Hello Josh, I'm trying to find a lens for real estate video. I was wondering if it could be the one. I was saving money for the Sigma 14-24 f/2.8. Now I'm kinda confused... f/1.8 vs 14mm... Do you think the 18mm could be too limited and narrow as a real estate lens? And if so, would you have any other suggestion ? Thank you very much! Enjoying your videos from Québec!

[@FantabMedia]

Just to mention Justin that Sigma are a little generous in the ranges they publish. I've got the 14-24. It's a brilliant lens (I really enjoy it) but the 14mm is definitely narrower than other 14s I've tried. It's the same as their 35 F1.2. Again I love the lens but I'd say it's closer to a 40 than a 35.

[@BTJustin]

@@FantabMedia Very good to know! And for the 14mm would you say it is more like a 16? Thank you Kris

[@JoshCameron]

Hey Justin, I’ve used both the 14-24 and of course the 18mm that just came out, and I’d say that I enjoy using the 18mm more. It would still be plenty wide enough for real estate I think, and it would be that much better for lowlight stuff too. The size and form factor between these two lenses are worlds apart as well - the 14-24 is a heeeavvyyy lens !

[@FantabMedia]

@@BTJustin Probably about 15. It's not a big difference between that and the 16mm and certainly less than other 14mm I've used.

[@BTJustin]

​@@JoshCameron Wonderful! I already have the Panasonic 50mm f/1.8, so it is even more a good reason to go for the 18mm. I do a lot of real estate photography. Currently using 14mm on a crop sensor. Would you say it will be almost the same (18mm on FullFrame) ? Thank you very much for those precious advice!

[@MinimalWave1982]

Dude any chance i can get this LUT you used in the footage with the lens?

[@JoshCameron]

gamut.io/product/panasonic-conversion-lut-v-log/ this is the one I use :)

[@MinimalWave1982]

@@JoshCameron Thank yoU!

[@kriszimbelman4607]

It seems as though you are saying this lens solves the autofocus problem for video shooters. Is is good enough to shoot a wedding with?

[@JoshCameron]

It's a better focussing lens than the Sigma ones I've tested in the same focal range, and is a little bit behind the S Pro 16-35 in terms of AF. I think it would be fine for the most part, but i'd never shoot a wedding with af, even on a Sony. Because if you miss that shot, it's lost forever - so it's much better to put all the control in your hands I think :)

[@goodgremlinmedia2757]

I like how you instantly dropped it the moment you got it out of the box 😂😂🤣

[@JoshCameron]

Classic Josh hahahah

[@babymixswing2269]

Why didn't I see a vlog shot with 18mm F1.8?

[@marinrealestatephotography]

Don't get me wrong: The primes are great lenses. But I think a lot of people have either bought in to the Panasonic S Series (or are THINKING about buying in to the S series) because of the low cost of the S5 + 20-60mm kit, which is like only US $1,700 when it goes on sale, which it does with some regularity here. I'm not sure that they realize that picking up a couple of primes is going to cost them about as much money as the S5 + 20-60mm kit cost them.

[@nickcarneyphotography]

Weren’t they giving away a prime with that kit recently?

[@baihu4u]

Just depends on which couple you need. Wide angle options true, but portrait/product shooters for example could get the 50mm + 85mm for $950.

[@tsnorris1]

In general, the wider the lens, the more difficult it is to design and produce, and consequently the more expensive it gets. So for pretty much any brand, you will find that 50mm is cheapest, with 35mm, 24mm, and 18mm being progressively more expensive.

[@dpdeapoolgaming]

well yeah if you wanna do it primarily

[@ConstitutionAcademy]

Ohh, this is nice. I might possibly sell my 16-35 f4 and 24mm f/1.8 for this lens. It's wide enough plenty for vlogging and great lowlight for photos...making my S5 setup very lightweight for everyday carry.

[@JoshCameron]

Would be a good idea, although I’d personally keep the 24mm because it’s a very versatile focal length and still stands to be one of my favourite in the 1.8 set!

[@jonagreyphoto]

ah mannn I just ordered the sigma 16-28mm 2.8 😂😭

[@elementary8963]

Well, you can go wider for cheaper! :)

[@JoshCameron]

Ah damn ! Still a great lens though !

[@raftt8050]

just wondering , are you relatives with scott brown carpentry?? you guys are identical :):):)

[@ChuckSeayII]

I just bought the S5 with the Lumix S 85mm and man I have to say that the focus absolutely sucks on this thing! I'm not sure if it's the lens or the camera. I hear everyone screaming high praises about the S5 but I have the GH6 and it blows it away as far as focusing goes! I am not talking about autofocus either but the GH6 blows it away there as well! I do like the image on the S5 better and I have the Rokinon Cine DS lens so I may keep the S5 but I gotta say the focus system on the S5 or the 85mm it's very disappointing, to say the least!

[@FantabMedia]

What problem are you having Chuck? Just in AFC?

[@ChuckSeayII]

@@FantabMedia No, I know that the AFC is not good across the Lumix cameras, it's just focusing in general! I thought it would be snappier and at least as pleasing as the GH6 but it is nowhere close IMO! I just can't see myself buying more of these lenses if this is as good as it gets with them! I'll stick with manual lenses or send the camera back! I have a week to figure it out!

[@Doughping]

Are you talking about video or photo af?

[@ChuckSeayII]

@@Doughping Both Photo and video. It's better when shooting photos for sure like all cameras but I sure believed it would be much better than it is. It's no better than the GH5. Now I have to say the only native lens I have is the Lumix 85mm so this may not be a fair assessment but if there ever was a lens that you would want perfect for photography I would think it would be the 85mm and I'm just not blown away like I hoped I would be!

[@Doughping]

@@ChuckSeayII I have the 20-60 and 50mm 1.8. I also have some problems nailing the focus with photos and currently the hit rate isn't very good. But I do think it is also about finding the correct settings. With video it seems that crop mode and some other picture profile than vlog works quite okay. But I suggest to test with different af settings and if you are using eye/face tracking then remember to lock the target with the joystick.

[@justinmayfield6579]

1:48 Wait, is your gf a twin, too??

[@JoshCameron]

Hahaha yes she is !

[@SignatureEdits]

Cant wait for this one! Nice vid. We still have to collab Josh! msg me

[@JoshCameron]

Send me an email dude! Would love to catch up again.

[@mavicsabian5098]

careers. TNice tutorials was an amazing introduction to tNice tutorials software.