Panasonic LUMIX G MACRO 30mm f/2.8 ASPH. MEGA O.I.S. (H-HS030)

The LUMIX G MACRO 30mm f/2.8 is a prime lens for Micro Four Thirds cameras. Its 30mm focal length gives a moderate view that suits food, flowers, small products and other tabletop subjects. It can also serve as a light everyday prime when close-ups are not the goal.

It offers 1x magnification, which records a subject at life size on the sensor. That capability earns the Macro name and defines the lens's main purpose.

The trade-off is flexibility. You get one focal length and a modest f/2.8 maximum aperture. For framing you move yourself, not a zoom ring.

The lens weighs 6.3 oz (180 g) and measures 2.5 in (63.5 mm) long. It is a light, compact lens that is easy to carry on a small Micro Four Thirds body.

It takes 46mm screw-in filters. A filter must match this 46mm thread to attach directly.

The 1x maximum magnification is true macro. A subject appears at life size on the sensor, so a flower head, a coin or a watch face can fill the frame. Stamps, jewelry and pressed leaves also suit this scale. No add-on tubes are needed to reach that standard.

The lens focuses as close as 0.3 ft (10.5 cm). The short 30mm focal length gives a short working distance, so your shadow can block light on tiny subjects. Skittish insects may leave before you settle the shot. It also pulls more background into a macro frame than a longer macro lens would show.

The f/2.8 maximum aperture is modest for a prime. At macro distances it still blurs the background behind a subject, and depth of field is extremely thin up close. Stopping down brings more of the subject into focus, so small apertures are common in real close-up work.

At ordinary distances the same focal length gives a natural framing for food plates, stationery flat lays and small craft items. You can work across a table without the exaggerated perspective a wider lens would give.

MEGA O.I.S. optical stabilization helps steady the camera. At high magnification, tiny camera movements show clearly in the frame, so built-in support makes handheld close-ups more practical. The support sits in the lens, so it stays available whichever body you attach. When you stop down for depth of field, shutter speeds drop, and the stabilization helps keep handheld frames steady.

The lens has no weather sealing, so keep it away from rain and dust. It also has no fluorine coating, so the front glass has no added defense against fingerprints and smears. For outdoor flower work, check and wipe the front element regularly.

One of the nine elements is aspherical. Its specially shaped surface helps correct optical faults, including distortion, which bends straight edges. That help is relevant when you photograph boxes, labels or printed pages up close.

Focusing is internal, so the lens focuses by moving inner elements rather than an extending front section. The barrel keeps a fixed length while you focus.