Panasonic LUMIX G MACRO 30mm F2.8 ASPH. MEGA O.I.S.

[Zoom] Wide-zoom | Standard-zoom | Tele-zoom | High-zoom  
[Fixed-focal] Wide angle | Standard | Telephoto | Macro

This is a long-awaited standard macro lens from Panasonic for the micro four-thirds mount users. There's the another 45mm macro lens "Panasonic Leica DG Macro-Elmarit 45mm F2.8," but this one has more standard angle of view which is equivalent to 60mm in 35mm format and it can still shoot with the magnification ratio of 1:1 (lifesize). Although it doesn't have "Leica" in its name, it's sharp wide open and generates beautiful bokeh thanks to the 9 groups/9 elements construction including one aspherical lens and the round-shaped diaphragm. Plus, it also has the MEGA OIS image stabilization. Because of its compactness, optical performance, and the short minimum focus distance, this lens is great for all kinds of scenes including handheld macro photography, street snapshooting, and landscapes.

( Photography & Text : T.Nakanishi )

The vitality of the pheasant's eye is so strong and it invites spring. The minimum focus distance is 0.015m and it's so close that I need to be careful not to hit the subject with the front element. I took this shot handheld but I see no signs of shaking. And, I appreciate the vari-angle rear LCD because I used to struggle with taking a shot like this.

This is a great lens for table photography, too. And, the compact body and the macro shooting capability make it a perfect lens for everyday shooting.

Because I metered the highlight area, the shadow is painted in black. But, take a look at the detail of the concrete surface. This high resolution is the specialty of a macro lens.

Another shot demonstrating the high resolution. I have no complaints about the way the metallic texture is drawn and the sharpness of the lines. This lens isn't just a macro lens, but also a very sharp normal lens.

While ordinary macro lenses can be slow in focusing, this lens has a very accurate AF which doesn't hunt. So, I didn't miss the moment when the bicycle entered.

This accurate and quick AF must also be realized by the performance of the GX7 body. This quick AF operation is a very important element for instant shooting.

Every dish deserves to be photographed. You can also do it casually with a smartphone, but it's more fun to play with the bokeh with an interchangeable-lens camera.

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I'm sure many users had been waiting for a standard macro lens. The compactness of the micro four-thirds system makes shooting more casual. Plus, the image quality is extremely high as we can expect from Panasonic who also manufactures Leica brand lenses. This almighty standard compact macro lens will appeal to not only to the existing micro four-thirds users, but also potential users who are interested in a compact system.

( 21.04.2015 )