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Lenses

Panasonic S 24-60mm f2.8 Review: Not Done by an Influencer

Chris Gampat
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Last updated on 06/09/2025
05/13/2025
8 Mins read
Close-up of a black DSLR camera with a lens, resting on a book with a dog on the cover.
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Last Updated on 06/09/2025 by Chris Gampat

Previously, a Panasonic 24-60mm f2.8 lens was teased to the press. And now, that lens is launching. We’ve got to be honest, we kind of wanted an f2 instead. However, we’re getting something with insanely fast focusing. In fact, we’re nearly in shock at how fast this zoom lens can focus on the subject that you want. Plus, it boasts weather resistance, an affordable price tag, and custom function buttons. We’re still testing it out, but we’re bound to really like this thing.

The Big Picture: Panasonic 24-60mm f2.8 Review Conclusions

The Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 is quite a curious lens. During my entire time testing it, I didn’t at all feel like I wanted 10 extra millimeters of range. At the same time, this lens also never seemed to fail me at all. But most importantly, it never felt like it got in the way. Often with 24-70mm lenses, I feel like the lenses are too heavy, even though I work out specifically to have the muscles to carry stuff like this around all day. Never was this lens an annoyance. More importantly, I approached using this lens with the idea of shooting with it like a prime lens. So often I’d think in 35mm framing but with the details of something often more zoomed in. On top of that, it’s weather resistant and lasted through some serious rain showers.

When paired with the new S1II E, never once did I feel like the lens couldn’t nail its focusing even in very low light and with people with even darker complexions than mine. It’s also less than $1,000 and a lens that you’d truly want to bring everywhere with you.

Truly, I can’t find a single fault with the 24-60mm. Where most brands would give you a 24-70mm f4 lens, Panasonic has just taken away 10mm and kept the same faster f2.8 aperture. It’s well worth the money considering that.

Mind you, I also own the very good Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 DG DN Art — the first version. And while the new Panasonic lens is faster to focus and much lighter weight, I’m not sure that I’d sell the Sigma for it simply because I’m just so lazy and have so many other lenses. But honestly, if I were just trying to keep my kit compact, then this would be the one to get.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

We’re awarding the Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 five out of five stars. It’s a lens that we’re kind of sad to see go.

Buy Now: $897

Pros

  • Fast focusing
  • New function buttons
  • Weather sealing
  • Pretty manageable size
  • It’s around $897.99

Cons

  • Weird focal length choice

Gear Used

Here’s what we’re using:

Innovations

There has been nothing like this done before. While Sigma has a 28-60mm lens, this is a 24-60mm. It goes further on the wide side while keeping the size and weight down. Still, I wish that it had gone to maybe the 20mm range or something like that. Even so, it would’ve been much cooler if they made it an f2 lens instead.

Who Should Buy the Panasonic 24-60mm f2.8?

For anyone that wants a 24-70mm f2.8 but doesn’t want the weight, reach for this. If you care more about the wide end than the telephoto end, you’ll love this lens. I’m recommending it for:

  • Portrait photographers: 60mm is a wider focal length than 85mm, but it’s still very flattering for most
  • Event shooters: Come on, this is perfect
  • Journalists: Same reason as above

Hardware

A black digital camera with a large lens resting on a magazine on a wooden surface.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 S product image

The Panasonic 24-60mm f2.8 lens is a pretty unique one in that no other brand has made something like this before. On it you’ve got custom function controls including the control ring, switches, and the plastic body with rubber controls. But most importantly, it’s weather resistant — and that applies for it being done fully through the lens body instead of the seals being just at the mount.

A black camera with a large lens sits on a wooden table surrounded by candles and lanterns.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 S product image
A black camera with a zoom lens rests on a magazine on a wooden surface, lit by sunlight.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 S product image
Close-up of a black Lumix camera with a lens, resting on a light-colored surface.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 S product image
A black camera with a large lens rests on an open magazine with colorful images and text.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 S product image

Hardware Update June 2025

During our testing, we took this camera and lens into the rain without any coverings. It worked very well and we had no issues with the precipitation.

Ease of Use

There isn’t much to be said about this lens and the ease of use so far in our testing. We haven’t used the custom function buttons yet, but we’ll be testing those eventually.

Ease of Use Update June 2025

Truly, I’m not sure why people would use a custom function button here. I’m one of those photographers who puts all of those around my camera and I’ve never used them on the lenses I own at all. I partially do this because it’s too annoying to set these up.

Focusing

The Panasonic 24-60mm f2.8 lens has the same type of focusing motor that we found in the 100mm f2.8 macro lens. As a result, it’s insanely fast to autofocus. And perhaps more than anything else that LUMIX offers for sale, I’d bring this lens with me along with the company’s very good prime lenses. We’ve got more testing to do first though.

Focusing Update June 2025

With the Panasonic S1II E, the autofocus performed really impressively and equivalent to what I’d expect from much more pricey cameras. This lens, using the new S1II E, was able to find a person many shade darker than I am in one of the darkest bars I’ve been to in a while during the daytime. While it still prioritized a lighter man over the darker fellow, it worked. I’m really impressed — especially because my buddy’s Fujifilm XH2 and prime lenses just couldn’t keep up at all.

Image Quality

In every test that I did, I can’t say that I’d complain about the image quality of the 24-60mm f2.8. I made several photos with this camera and lens that aren’t worth pixel peeping — simply because of the fact that I shoot in a way that my images are more about storytelling. I don’t pixel peep stories. And honestly, I can’t complain about this lens. Is there better bokeh and better sharpness from other lenses? Yes; but I understand how convenient this lens is. In fact, Panasonic’s own prime lenses rival the price of this.

Extra Image Samples

The Phoblographer has been huge on transparency with our audience since day one. Nothing from this review is sponsored. Further, many folks will post reviews and show lots of editing in the photos. The problem then becomes that anyone and everyone can do the same thing. They’re not showing what the lens can do. So, we have a section in our Extra Image Samples area to show edited and unedited photos. From this, you can decide for yourself.

Unedited

Small urban park with trees, benches, people sitting, and an elevated train track above a busy street.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 sample image
A city street under an overpass with cars, a cyclist, and a large brick building in the background.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 sample image
A cozy butcher shop with meat displayed in a glass case and red chairs around wooden tables.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 sample image

Edited

A quiet, tree-lined residential street at dusk with parked cars and dimly lit sidewalks.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 sample image
A train speeds along tracks at dusk, creating light trails; trees and buildings line the background.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 sample image
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 sample image
A brick house with lit porch lights, steps, and a white SUV parked outside at dusk.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 sample image
Scaffolding surrounds a brick building; a Kings Group construction sign is in the foreground.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 sample image
Corner deli with green 2009 Carolina Deli Grocery sign, brick building, car parked in front, evening.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 sample image
A can of Diet Coke on a wooden table, with a blurred background of an indoor café.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 sample image
Amazon locker at night beside a store entrance, with bags of trash piled on the sidewalk nearby.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 sample image
Three-story apartment building with green railings, parked cars in front, and overcast lighting.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 sample image
A ceramic burger ornament hangs from the ceiling in a warmly lit room with artwork on the wall.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 sample image
Artificial red and yellow flowers wrapped around a tree trunk on a city street with parked cars.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 sample image
A silver passenger train moves quickly along railway tracks near trees and power lines, under a cloudy sky.
Panasonic LUMIX 24-60mm f2.8 sample image
Two men talk in a dimly lit bar; one is sitting with a drink, the other holds a face mask.
Image by Chris Gampat
A person sits at a table with a slice of pizza and water, looking out a window at a street scene.
Image by Chris Gampat
A smiling vendor flashes a peace sign behind a table of jars and bottles at an outdoor market stall.
Image by Chris Gampat
A man wearing gloves adds sauce to a hotdog at a food stall, with people and supplies in the background.
Image by Chris Gampat
Bottles of sauces and a trophy displayed on a market table under a red canopy.
Image by Chris Gampat
A woman and a man talk inside a bakery, with cakes displayed in a glass case beside them.
Image by Chris Gampat
Slices of various pizzas displayed in a glass case at a pizzeria, with staff working in the background.
Image by Chris Gampat
Man in a cap and blue gloves eating food, looking at the camera, with a blurred banner in the background.
Image by Chris Gampat
A man in a white shirt serves food to customers seated at tables in a busy, cozy café.
Image by Chris Gampat
Three men in black shirts smile, holding a trophy and a certificate in front of a sparkling backdrop.
Image by Chris Gampat
Smiling man in a hat holds a certificate labeled “Good For Business, Bad For Business” in front of a sparkly backdrop.
Image by Chris Gampat
Image by Chris Gampat
A smiling chef holds up a large piece of grilled meat and gives a thumbs up at an outdoor food event.
Image by Chris Gampat
Two smiling men pose together outdoors at a market with tents and a building in the background.
Image by Chris Gampat
Two smiling men at an outdoor event, with food stalls and a “Taco Mix” sign in the background.
Image by Chris Gampat
Three men smiling together under a tent, wearing dark hoodies and shirts with graphic designs.
Image by Chris Gampat
Woman in black dress holding a pizza box and smiling inside a busy restaurant.
Image by Chris Gampat
A man in a cap holds out a flaming dish at an outdoor food stall under a colorful tent.
Image by Chris Gampat
A person smiling while eating a saucy rib outdoors at a street market, with buildings in the background.
Image by Chris Gampat
Two men smiling and posing together, one in a black apron and hat, the other in sunglasses and a yellow shirt.
Image by Chris Gampat
Two men smiling closely together, one wearing a black cap and gold chain, the other in sunglasses.
Image by Chris Gampat
Three men in black shirts pose together, holding a certificate against a sparkly background.
Image by Chris Gampat
Two men smiling and holding a Rib King NYC Oink of Excellence certificate in front of a sparkly backdrop.
Image by Chris Gampat
Smiling man holding a certificate and a green box in front of a shiny sequin-covered backdrop.
Image by Chris Gampat
Two smiling men pose playfully; one holds a certificate, the other points and holds a green box, glittery background.
Image by Chris Gampat
Two men pose together, one in black with BBQ badges and the other in sunglasses, smiling at the camera.
Image by Chris Gampat
Two slices of pizza on paper plates, one with cheese and basil, on a red tray on a wooden table.
Image by Chris Gampat
A person with glasses pulls apart a cheesy sandwich, melting cheese stretching between the bread.
Image by Chris Gampat
Person with glasses smiling with food on their lips at an outdoor market, holding a piece of bread.
Image by Chris Gampat
A man in a red beanie eats food at an outdoor market, with blurred people and buildings in the background.
Image by Chris Gampat
A woman outdoors smiling while eating a barbecued rib, with blurred people and tents in the background.
Image by Chris Gampat
Man wearing sunglasses eats a barbecued rib topped with a pickle at an outdoor event.
Image by Chris Gampat
Man in green piñaq hat eating food from a paper tray outdoors, with buildings in the background.
Image by Chris Gampat
Woman with glasses and a cap biting into a large piece of grilled meat, holding it with both hands.
Image by Chris Gampat
Three young men enthusiastically eating meat from paper plates at an outdoor event.
Image by Chris Gampat
Woman excitedly eating a large, saucy meat rib, holding it close to her mouth and looking at the camera.
Image by Chris Gampat
A woman excitedly eating ribs at an outdoor event, holding food in a checkered paper tray.
Image by Chris Gampat
Woman smiling and eating a barbecued rib outdoors, holding it close to her mouth.
Image by Chris Gampat
Man wearing sunglasses eating barbecue outdoors at a food festival with tents in the background.
Image by Chris Gampat
Image by Chris Gampat
A person wearing glasses eats a rib outdoors at a street market, smiling at the camera.
Image by Chris Gampat
A person with long curly hair and sunglasses eats food outdoors, wearing a ring on their hand.
Image by Chris Gampat
Image by Chris Gampat
A woman holds a slice of pizza above her mouth, about to take a bite, in a dimly lit setting.
Image by Chris Gampat
A slice of pizza topped with greens and shredded cheese on a white paper plate on a dark table.
Image by Chris Gampat
A group of people stand and smile inside a cafe, listening to someone out of frame.
Image by Chris Gampat
A person bikes down a city street with cars, trees, and pedestrians on a cloudy day.
Image by Chris Gampat
Person with blue glasses enjoying a large, saucy BBQ rib at an outdoor food event, eyes closed in delight.
Image by Chris Gampat
Person with blue glasses eating saucy ribs at an outdoor event, holding food tray in one hand.
Image by Chris Gampat
A woman smiling and eating a saucy rib at an outdoor food event, holding a food tray.
Image by Chris Gampat
A bearded man tilts his head back to eat a saucy rib at an outdoor food festival.
Image by Chris Gampat
Person with curly hair eats ribs outdoors, eyes closed, enjoying the food at an event or market.
Image by Chris Gampat
A woman with glasses is eating a piece of grilled meat outdoors, holding it in both hands.
Image by Chris Gampat
A person smiling while eating barbecued meat outdoors at a street market.
Image by Chris Gampat
Woman eating a rib at an outdoor market, holding a drink, with people and tents in the background.
Image by Chris Gampat
Person wearing glasses eating meat from a bone and holding a bottle at an outdoor event with people in the background.
Image by Chris Gampat
A man wearing sunglasses eats meat from a bone at an outdoor event, holding a paper tray.
Image by Chris Gampat
Woman enjoying messy barbecue ribs at an outdoor event, making a satisfied face with sauce on her lips.
Image by Chris Gampat
Woman wearing sunglasses eats food outdoors with people blurred in the background.
Image by Chris Gampat

Declaration of Journalistic Intent

The Phoblographer is one of the last standing dedicated photography publications that speaks to both art and tech in our articles. We put declarations up front in our reviews to adhere to journalistic standards that several publications abide by. These help you understand a lot more about what we do:

  • At the time of publishing this review, Panasonic LUMIX is running direct-sold advertising with the Phoblographer. This doesn’t affect our reviews anyway and it never has in our 15 years of publishing our articles. This article is in no way sponsored.
  • Note that this isn’t necessarily our final review of the unit. It will be updated, and it’s more of an in-progress review than anything. In fact, almost all our reviews are like this.
  • None of the reviews on the Phoblographer are sponsored. That’s against FTC laws, and we adhere to them just the same way that newspapers, magazines, and corporate publications do.
  • Panasonic loaned the unit and accessories to the Phoblographer for review. There was no money exchange between us or their 3rd party partners and the Phoblographer for this to happen. Manufacturers trust the Phoblographer’s reviews, as they are incredibly blunt.
  • Panasonic knows that it cannot influence the site’s reviews. If we don’t like something or if we have issues with it, we’ll let our readers know.
  • Panasonic paid for the shipping of the units and met with the Phoblographer in an online meeting.
  • The Phoblographer’s standards for reviewing products have become much stricter. After having the world’s largest database of real-world lens reviews, we choose not to review anything we don’t find innovative or unique, and in many cases, products that lack weather resistance.
  • In recent years, brands have withheld NDA information from us or stopped working with us because they feel they cannot control our coverage. These days, many brands will not give products to the press unless they get favorable coverage. In other situations, we’ve stopped working with several brands for ethical issues. Either way, we report as honestly and rawly as humanity allows.
  • At the time of publishing, the Phoblographer is the only photography publication that is a member of Adobe’s Content Authenticity Initiative. We champion human-made art and are frank with our audience. We are also the only photography publication that labels when an image is edited or not.

More can be found on our Disclaimers page.

Panasonic 24-60mm f2.8 Tech Specs

  • A new focusing unit that’s similar to the one in the 100mm f2.8, which allows the lens to focus insanely fast
  • Function buttons that can have new assignments and will work with specific cameras
  • Switchable control ring
  • Weather resistant
  • Very lightweight
  • $899, launches in June
  • Also called the LUMIX S 24-60mm f/2.8.

24-60mm autofocus ease of use focusing image quality lens panasonic panasonic 24-60mm f2.8 s1iie s5ii
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Chris Gampat is the Editor in Chief, Founder, and Publisher of the Phoblographer. He provides oversight to all of the daily tasks, including editorial, administrative, and advertising work. Chris's editorial work includes not only editing and scheduling articles but also writing them himself. He's the author of various product guides, educational pieces, product reviews, and interviews with photographers. He's fascinated by how photographers create, considering the fact that he's legally blind./ HIGHLIGHTS: Chris used to work in Men's lifestyle and tech. He's a veteran technology writer, editor, and reviewer with more than 15 years experience. He's also a Photographer that has had his share of bylines and viral projects like "Secret Order of the Slice." PAST BYLINES: Gear Patrol, PC Mag, Geek.com, Digital Photo Pro, Resource Magazine, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Finance, IGN, PDN, and others. EXPERIENCE: Chris Gampat began working in tech and art journalism both in 2008. He started at PCMag, Magnum Photos, and Geek.com. He founded the Phoblographer in 2009 after working at places like PDN and Photography Bay. He left his day job as the Social Media Content Developer at B&H Photo in the early 2010s. Since then, he's evolved as a publisher using AI ethically, coming up with ethical ways to bring in affiliate income, and preaching the word of diversity in the photo industry. His background and work has spread to non-profits like American Photographic Arts where he's done work to get photographers various benefits. His skills are in SEO, app development, content planning, ethics management, photography, Wordpress, and other things. EDUCATION: Chris graduated Magna Cum Laude from Adelphi University with a degree in Communications in Journalism in 2009. Since then, he's learned and adapted to various things in the fields of social media, SEO, app development, e-commerce development, HTML, etc. FAVORITE SUBJECT TO PHOTOGRAPH: Chris enjoys creating conceptual work that makes people stare at his photos. But he doesn't get to do much of this because of the high demand of photography content. / BEST PHOTOGRAPHY TIP: Don't do it in post-production when you can do it in-camera.
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