Shooting The International Launch Campaign For Panasonic Lumix; Seven Weeks With The Lumix S Pro 24-70mm f2.8 (Pre-Production) Lens
Pre-production Panasonic Lumix S Pro 24-70mm f2.8 L-Mount Full-Frame Lens, attached to a Lumix S1 camera. London, UK. August 27, 2019. Photo: Edmond TerakopianA self portrait, showing a pre-production Panasonic Lumix S Pro 24-70mm f2.8 L-Mount full-frame lens, mounted on a Lumix S1 and a Uniqball ball head. London, UK. August 25, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
“Mmmmm, this is going to be special”. This was what I said to myself as soon as I looked at the the very first test frame I shot with the lens on my Lumix S1R. Followed by, “Its so sharp!”. This was a very good way to start shooting with a brand new lens. In fact, a pre-production model at that, with early, pre-production firmware.
Eunsley Park, award-winning British, South Korean violinist, with a Lorenzo Storioni violin, from the 1800s (from the Beare’s International Violin Society). Walkway by a construction site, Ealing, London, UK. July 29, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian ***Photo taken using a pre-production Lumix S 24-70mm f2.8 lens, running early firmware. This lens is not a final production sample*** COPYRIGHT PHOTOEunsley Park, award-winning British, South Korean violinist, with a Lorenzo Storioni violin, from the 1800s (from the Beare’s International Violin Society). Walkway by a construction site, Ealing, London, UK. July 29, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian ***Photo taken using a pre-production Lumix S 24-70mm f2.8 lens, running early firmware. This lens is not a final production sample*** COPYRIGHT PHOTO
I felt rather honoured when Panasonic Lumix UK got in touch to see if I’d like to test out the unreleased S Pro 24-70mm f2.8, ahead of it’s global launch on August 28th, 2019, which was around 1.5 months away. Unboxing the generic brown box, cutting away the bubble wrap, revealed the new lens. I found out the lens had been carried by hand, all the way from Japan! I got out some black tape, covered up all the markings and began shooting.
Entertainer and clown Christina Petre. Armenian Summer Festival, North Acton Playing Fields, Eastfields Road, London, UK. July 14, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian ***Photo taken using a pre-production Lumix S 24-70mm f2.8 lens, running early firmware. This lens is not a final production sample*** COPYRIGHT PHOTO
It’s a bit of a special feeling knowing only a handful of people globally have seen the lens and I’ve been asked to test it and make images with it to be used for the global launch campaign. It’s also quite stressful, knowing photographs have to be made to not only showcase, but live up to every aspect of what was already proving to be a spectacularly good lens.
Portrait of Stephen Unwin (theatre and opera director, writer and teacher) at home. London, UK. July 15, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian ***Photo taken using a pre-production Lumix S 24-70mm f2.8 lens, running early firmware. This lens is not a final production sample*** COPYRIGHT PHOTO
One of the characteristics that hit me as I begun shooting more and more, was that this wasn’t just a sharp lens, but it had something special. Pure clinical sharpness is ok for forensic type photography, but for being creative, for conveying mood, for sharing a story, one also needs gentleness, subtlety and grace. The rendering from this lens has all of that.
Jan Hellebrand assembles a mechanical clock after a full dissasembly and service. The Clock Gallery, Pitshanger Lane, Ealing, London, UK. July 16, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian ***Photo taken using a pre-production Lumix S 24-70mm f2.8 lens, running early firmware. This lens is not a final production sample*** COPYRIGHT PHOTO
Generally, a 24-70mm f2.8, is a bread and butter lens; pretty much everyone will have one in their bag and it’s the standard professional zoom. Versatile, useful and a safe choice. What I found special though, was this wasn’t just a bread and butter lens. Where one may have a standard zoom for safety, one would also have a special prime with nicer rendering, for making those special portraits or creative shots.
In Armenian mythology, the pomegranate is celebrated as a symbol of life and is also believed to keep us safe from evil spirits. It has religious connotations to Christianity and is seen as the blood of Christ. The mythology of ancient Greece regarded this fruit as the symbol of life, marriage and rebirth. The fruit is also used as a holy symbol and respected in zoroastrian worshipping ceremonies and rituals.The pomegranate symbolises the soul’s immortality and the perfection of nature for Zoroastrians. For Muslims, the pomegranate is also a symbol of beauty, it is said to give beauty to those who eat it. Prophet Mohammed has advised pregnant women to eat pomegranates if they wanted beautiful children. Placement of pomegranate trees in the gardens of Eden, brings meaning for Muslims, who as a result believe that it is a holy tree. The Jewish mysticism called Kabbala reveres the pomegranate in many of its rituals. In modern Turkey today, many families throw a pomegranate on the floor and “crack” it on the New Year’s Eve to have a plentiful new year. Pomegranate still life. London, UK. July 16, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian ***Photo taken using a pre-production Lumix S 24-70mm f2.8 lens, running early firmware. This lens is not a final production sample*** COPYRIGHT PHOTO
Well, the S 24-70mm f2.8 has all of that. It’s truly special to have all these qualities wrapped up in one lens. Versatility and speed, but also beautiful rendering, colour, contrast, detail and well, a bit of poetry too. I found it captured light and colour beautifully and rendered a nicely soft background in out of focus areas. As much as I hate talking about this and using the word bokeh, it does have beautiful bokeh! (I need to add my dislike is purely based on people who only care about bokeh and nothing else, especially not the craft of photography).
A Piccadilly Ballerina Jonquil timepiece, modelled by Mona Ali. British luxury timepiece creator Backes & Strauss (founded in 1789). 21-22 Grosvenor Street, Mayfair, London, UK. July 17, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian ***Photo taken using a pre-production Lumix S 24-70mm f2.8 lens, running early firmware. This lens is not a final production sample*** COPYRIGHT PHOTO
It is chunky though. I felt the same way as when I first picked up the S Pro 50mm f1.4. Although I wished all of the S Series lenses could be a little smaller, just as with the S 50mm, as soon as I started shooting with the S 24-70mm, it justified it’s size and won a place in my camera bag. In fact, I pretty much didn’t shoot with anything else and seven weeks on, it’s always been mounted on either my S1 or S1R.
The horses are cooled down with water after the match. King Power Gold Cup polo match between Emlor and Murus Sanctus. Cowdray Park Polo Club, Ambersham & Brooks Field Grounds, Selham, West Sussex. July 10, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian ***Photo taken using a pre-production Lumix S 24-70mm f2.8 lens, running early firmware. This lens is not a final production sample*** COPYRIGHT PHOTO
It just produces beautiful images and no matter what type of subject I point it at, it does as I ask and produces what I want. Fast to react and precise in rendering.
Fashion designer and independent British luxury brand, Joshua Kane, in his flagship store at 68 Great Portland Street, London, UK. July 23, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian ***Photo taken using a pre-production Lumix S 24-70mm f2.8 lens, running early firmware. This lens is not a final production sample*** COPYRIGHT PHOTO
Super fast and silent AF, outstanding build quality and stunning optics. I have a feeling the scientific types at DxO Labs are going to enjoy putting this through their rigorous tests.
Hans Staartjes with his hand built indoor free flight rubber powered model airplane, known as an “F1D” class (internationally recognised flight duration competitions since the 1960’s). The model has a wing span of 55cm and weigh 1.4 grams. The model is balsa reinforced by very fine boron filaments and covered in the lightest film available, called OS film. London, UK. July 05, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian ***Photo taken using a pre-production Lumix S 24-70mm f2.8 lens, running early firmware. This lens is not a final production sample*** COPYRIGHT PHOTOA portrait of German television host Max (Dieter) Moor. Inauguration of Lumen, the Museum of Mountain Photography, at 2275m, perched atop Mount Kronplatz-Plan de Corones, South Tyrolean Mountains and Dolomites, Italy. July 20, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian ***Photo taken using a pre-production Lumix S 24-70mm f2.8 lens, running early firmware. This lens is not a final production sample*** COPYRIGHT PHOTO
So please don’t read this small post as a review; it really is a quick preview. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. Keep in mind though that this is a pre-production lens with early, non final firmware and so is definitely a pre-release lens. Yet, it helped make these images with grace. I can’t wait to get my hands on the final thing! If you have an L Mount camera, I suggest you try it too!
Italian Alpine (Mountain Troop) soldiers at the top of Kronplatz mountain. Plan de Corones, South Tyrolean Mountains and Dolomites, Italy. July 20, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian ***Photo taken using a pre-production Lumix S 24-70mm f2.8 lens, running early firmware. This lens is not a final production sample*** COPYRIGHT PHOTOTraditional Armenian Sunday Worship conducted by Rev. Shnork Bagdassarian. St Sarkis Armenian Apostolic church (the Grade II listed building was constructed in 1922 and is the only church in England to have been built in the traditional Armenian style). Iverna Gardens, Kensington, London, UK. July 07, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian ***Photo taken using a pre-production Lumix S 24-70mm f2.8 lens, running early firmware. This lens is not a final production sample*** COPYRIGHT PHOTO
The Queen Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace, London, UK. July 07, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian ***Photo taken using a pre-production Lumix S 24-70mm f2.8 lens, running early firmware. This lens is not a final production sample*** COPYRIGHT PHOTODancers from the London based Akhtamar Dance Group. Armenian Summer Festival, North Acton Playing Fields, Eastfields Road, London, UK. July 14, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian ***Photo taken using a pre-production Lumix S 24-70mm f2.8 lens, running early firmware. This lens is not a final production sample*** COPYRIGHT PHOTOA lady photographs her friend using a smartphone. Upper deck of the Snog frozen yoghurt bus. South Bank, London, UK. July 16, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian ***Photo taken using a pre-production Lumix S 24-70mm f2.8 lens, running early firmware. This lens is not a final production sample*** COPYRIGHT PHOTOSummer Flowers. Ealing Common, London, UK. July 11, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian ***Photo taken using a pre-production Lumix S 24-70mm f2.8 lens, running early firmware. This lens is not a final production sample*** COPYRIGHT PHOTO
Having just watched the Livestream from Hollywood, launching the Lumix S1H and S Pro 24-70mm f2.8 lens, thrilled to see one of my images shown by Yosuke Yamane-san, the head of imaging at Panasonic.
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