Panasonic LUMIX S 28-200mm F4-7.1 MACRO O.I.S.

Reviewers find image quality better than expected for a 7x zoom. Centre sharpness is very good at every focal length and best at the short end. Corners are average and softer at 200mm, especially up close. Autofocus is fast, quiet and accurate in good light but can hunt in dim light or very close up. Stabilisation is a highlight for handheld stills and video. Flare is well handled. Software correction deals well with distortion and colour fringing, though one tester saw some purple fringing on high-contrast edges that was easy to remove in editing.

The main limits are the slow f/7.1 long end, which pushes shutter speeds or ISO up, and a 28mm wide end that is narrower than the 24mm start of rival superzooms. The half-macro works only at 28mm with the lens almost touching the subject. Testers still see it as a competitive buy for L-Mount shooters who want a light all-in-one zoom.