Latest, $400 L-mount lens pays homage to a Micro Four Thirds favorite

When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission. The Panasonic Lumix S 40mm F2, pictured on an S1II body Photo: Richard Butler Panasonic has announced the Lumix S 40mm F2, a small, fast lens for L-mount that recalls its much-loved 20mm F1.7 prime for Micro Four Thirds. The lens gives a fractionally-wider-than-normal field of view on full frame sensors and has been designed to match the dimensions of the 18-40mm F4.5-6.3 kit zoom for the S9, in its retracted, carry-around state. Panasonic described it to us as "more of a muffin lens than a pancake." The $400 lens features seven elements in six groups, with three of those elements being aspherics. Its relatively modest price results in a 7-blade aperture design, but despite this, sees seals deployed at all the key points around the lens to provide dust, splash and freeze resistance down to -10°C (14°F). Likewise, while Panasonic has avoided the cost of including a lens hood (and the costs of design