As mentioned earlier, Panasonic announced a new lens for the Micro Four Third System, as slim as possible, compact and fast. This is the pancake Lumix G 20mm F1.7 ASPH lens. It looks like it was designed to come as a complement to the newest (but retro looking) Panasonic digital camera, the Lumix GF1.

Given the crop factor of the Micro Four Thirds System, this lens will have an equivalent field of view of a 40mm lens on a 35mm film camera, but with a lot larger depth of field thanks to the reduced sensor size. This lens measures just 25.5mm in length and weighs a mere 100 grams. I am amused by people wondering how it is possible to make such a short lens with such a large aperture.

Long story short, to get close to F/1 aperture, you actually have to design the lens shorter than it is in thickness. Based on the same principle, they managed to "deny" the laws of physics and develop lenses with wider apertures than F/1, like the Canon 65mm F/0.65.

Getting back to the Lumix G 20mm F1.7 ASPH, mind that it has a lens construction of 7 elements aligned in 5 groups, with 2 aspherical elements included to help minimize perspective distortion and chromatic aberrations as much as possible; therefore, achieving corner to corner sharpness. The aperture blades count number 7, composing a shape close to a circle and providing a beautiful blurred background when leaving the aperture closer to wide open.

Last thing I find worthy of being mentioned would be the reliable metal mount and the multi-coating applied to the lens to minimize ghosting and flare, thus further adding to the optical performance.

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