…Is that so? Hmm.
It’s set for release on September 25th. This truly shocking new product news is likely to cause a storm in the L-mount high-power zoom world, where until now the only option was the Lumix S 28-200mm f4-7.1.
![《新品》 SIGMA (シグマ) C 20-200mm F3.5-6.3 DG (ライカSL/TL用) 発売予定日：2025年9月25日 [ Lens | 交換レンズ ]【KK9N0D18P】【発売日以降にお届け】](https://thumbnail.image.rakuten.co.jp/@0_mall/mapcamera/cabinet/new_016/0085126796693_1.jpg?_ex=128x128)
Comparing the catalog specs of both lenses gives us this:
These are products competing head-to-head. Sigma has the advantage of an 8mm wide-angle end and a lower maximum aperture. Lumix has the advantage of being compact, lightweight, and having image stabilization. Actual prices might fluctuate a bit from here, but it feels like the gap will narrow significantly.
Looking at some pre-release previews for the Sigma 20-200, it’s generally well-received as “quite impressive for a high-power zoom,” though that likely includes some launch hype. Come to think of it, the Lumix 28-200 got similar reviews when it launched last year.
![《新品》 Panasonic (パナソニック) LUMIX S 28-200mm F4-7.1 MACRO O.I.S. S-R28200 [ Lens | 交換レンズ ]【KK9N0D18P】](https://thumbnail.image.rakuten.co.jp/@0_mall/mapcamera/cabinet/new_006/4549980763636_1.jpg?_ex=128x128)
Now, I currently shoot telephoto ranges beyond 105mm with MFT rather than full-frame. So a 200mm zoom isn’t really necessary for me. But if I were to set that aside (would I?), which one would I choose?
The 8mm difference at the wide end is definitely significant. Being able to shoot from 20mm wide to 200mm telephoto without changing lenses is incredibly convenient. Sigma deserves credit for that.
On the other hand, the Lumix 28-200 has something (for me) that leverages its lightweight advantage to close the gap. I own the Lumix S 14-28mm f/4.5-6 MACRO. Carrying both together means the combined weight is under 760g, creating an all-powerful setup ready for anything from 14mm to 200mm. The Sigma 20-200mm’s advantage, which overlaps the wide-angle focal length and is somewhat heavier, might not be that significant after all.
Also, I looked into the minimum f-stop out of curiosity and found something surprising.
While the Sigma 20-200mm does indeed have a lower (brighter) minimum f-stop on paper, there’s no difference between them across the wide focal length range of 28-135mm. In fact, as shown in the table below, the Lumix 28-200mm actually has a lower value around 50-100mm.
※This table contains unverified information based on my own research, so please use it at your own discretion.
While I initially thought the newer Sigma 20-200 might have a clear advantage, both lenses might actually end up in a surprisingly close battle.
Personally, at least, this is a tough choice.
Well, I haven’t actually reached the point of declaring I want a high-power zoom yet, so I’m not really agonizing over it (lol), but I have this unpleasant feeling I might end up agonizing over it eventually. I’ll probably be keeping a close eye on new product reviews for a while.
