The Lumix S9 price dropped down to $1397 at Amazon and BHphoto. This is the lowest price ever! You pay only $100 more to get it with the 20-60mm lens.

Note sure about that one 🙂

Venus Optics just announced the new 12-24mm f/5.6 Shift APS-C L-mount lens you can buy for $699 on the Venus Optics Global Store.

Press text:

Anhui China, 5 Nov 2024 – Venus Optics announced a groundbreaking Zoom-Shift lens – Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift lens! This extraordinary APS-C lens for mirrorless cameras combines two powerful features in one compact package: an ultra-wide zoom with an impressive shift capability. The lens allows you to seamlessly zoom from 12mm to 24mm while also being able to shift up to 7mm! This zoom-shift combination gives you all the flexibility in perspective control for capturing expansive landscapes or towering architecture. The compact 575g size also puts no burden on your kit. Truly a game-changer for photographers who want both versatility and creative control in their ultra-wide shots.

12-24mm Zoom Range with Constant Aperture
The Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift lens offers a versatile zoom range of 12mm to 24mm, providing an expansive angle of view from 102.5° to 63.9°. This allows photographers to capture a wide variety of scenes. With a constant aperture of f/5.6, the lens ensures consistent exposure throughout the entire zoom range, offering great flexibility while maintaining high image quality.

Precise ±7mm Shift Amount
The remarkable ±7mm shift capability set this lens apart. All shift lenses currently available in the market are primes, which makes this lens the WORLD’s first wide-angle zoom shift lens. This feature enables photographers to achieve precise perspective control and effortlessly minimize distortion.

Compact & Lightweight Design
The Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift lens offers exceptional performance in a compact and lightweight package, weighing only 575g. Its portability makes it perfect for photographers on the move, ensuring mobility and effortless shooting.

Exceptional Distortion Control
The lens showcases excellent distortion control, allowing users to capture accurate and true-to-life images. This makes it an excellent choice for architectural and interior photography, where precise image quality is crucial.

15cm closest focusing distance
The Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift lens also has an exceptionally short focusing distance. Capable of focusing as close as 5.9 inches (15 cm) from the sensor. This lens offers photographers plenty of opportunities for creative experimentation.

77mm filter thread
The Laowa 12-24mm f/5.6 Zoom Shift lens offers the convenience of a 77mm filter thread, which can be used when the lens hood is attached.

Perhaps the day will come when Lumix produces an APS-C camera and thus puts the nail in the coffin for the MFT system?

Zach writes:

The Lumix S5IIX is the first Panasonic camera in recent years that has genuinely made me consider returning to that brand for my main workhorse cameras. I built my “career” on the GH4 and GH5, then eventually found myself looking to Sony for their balance of quality and user friendly features. Lumix has since taken notice of their customer’s needs and seems to be making a strong effort to contend with the other major brands. Will it be enough? Is this S5IIX even better than Sony now? Why are you asking me these questions?