Conclusion

The Lumix S 35mm F1.8 joins the 24mm, 50mm and 85mm F1.8 lenses as one of the more affordable lenses available in the still relatively new Panasonic full-frame mirrorless system, and just like its three siblings, it's another great performer with few real drawbacks.

There's lots to like in terms of the Panasonic Lumix S 35mm F1.8's image quality, and very little to complain about.

This lens is sharp almost from the get-go, excellent in both the centre and at the edges of the frame when shooting wide open at f/1.8, and simply outstanding between f/2.8 and f/11.

It's also capable of producing some very nice bokeh effects for what is after all only an f/1.8 lens.

There is some obvious vignetting wide-open at f/1.8, but this can easily be corrected in post-processing, or you can stop down to f/4 to help avoid it altogether.

Chromatic aberrations are very well controlled and it even produces some nice sun-star effects at f/22, although it is prone to flare when pointed straight at the sun.

The build quality is very good, with the built-in weather-proofing offering some peace of mind in more inclement conditions.

Auto-focusing proved to be fairly quick and reliable on the Panasonic Lumix S5 camera body that we tested the lens with thanks to the 240fps linear motor.

In addition the focus mechanism is barely audible, making the lens very well-suited to video use.

There's no manual focus over-ride available at any time, though, and the lens lacks its own optical image stabilisation system, instead relying on the camera body (if it has one).

With a full retail price of £579.99 / €649.99 / $599.99, the Panasonic Lumix S 35mm F1.8 certainly offers a lot in terms of its value for money, although it is a little more expensive than the 50mm F1.8, for example.

It makes for a very nice partner when paired with the diminutive Lumix S5 camera that we reviewed it with.

Overall, it certainly fits the bill as a fast, high quality standard prime lens for Panasonic S full-frame camera users that doesn't break the bank. With an 18mm F1.8 also on the way, Panasonic have certainly worked hard to bring us a genuinely great range of F1.8 prime lenses.

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	4.5
Features	4
Ease-of-use	4
Image quality	4.5
Value for money	4.5