These are the best Panasonic pancake lenses when you want pocketable size, quick autofocus, and travel-ready versatility without sacrificing sharpness or video-friendly behavior. The classics for Lumix G are the Lumix G 14mm f/2.5 II ASPH (28mm equiv.)—a true slip-in-the-jacket wide that snaps to focus, renders clean corners for cityscapes and interiors, and makes an unbeatable lightweight gimbal partner—and the cult-favorite Lumix G 20mm f/1.7 II (40mm equiv.), a fast “near-pancake” prime with bright f/1.7 for cafés and night streets, punchy micro-contrast, and gentle background blur that flatters handheld video with Dual I.S. The collapsible Lumix G Vario 12–32mm f/3.5–5.6 MEGA O.I.S. (24–64mm equiv.) is the do-everything travel zoom that practically disappears on a GX/G9 II: power-on, twist to extend, and you’ve got sharp, stabilized coverage from establishing wides to environmental portraits with surprisingly close focus for detail cutaways. When you need a servo feel in the smallest rig, the Lumix G X Vario PZ 14–42mm f/3.5–5.6 ASPH Power O.I.S. (28–84mm equiv.) is a true pancake power-zoom—motorized, quiet, and smooth for on-camera zooms, with internal stabilization that teams with Body I.S. for glide-like clips. For full-frame Lumix S shooters, the feather-thin Lumix S 26mm f/8 Pancake turns any S body into a street-ready snapshot camera—focus-free depth-of-field simplicity, ultra-low profile for discretion, and a field of view that’s perfect for travel, walk-and-talks, and BTS angles on crowded sets. Third-party “pancake-small” options round out tiny kits: the Sigma 45mm f/2.8 DG DN (L-Mount) isn’t a literal pancake but stays compact with cinematic, low-breathing focus and creamy rolloff for interviews, while manual MFT pancakes like the body-cap-style 15–18mm f/8 primes (various brands) deliver ultra-flat, toss-in-the-bag convenience for daylight roaming. Across these lenses, Panasonic strengths shine: silent linear motors keep audio clean, selectable linear MF response makes pulls repeatable, micro-stepped apertures avoid flicker, and stabilization ecosystems (Dual I.S. on G, Body I.S. + O.I.S. on S) keep tiny rigs steady at slower shutters. Practical picks: grab the 14/2.5 II for ultralight wides, the 20/1.7 II for low-light storytelling with subject separation, the 12–32 for pocketable stills/video coverage, the 14–42 PZ when you want smooth powered zooms in the smallest package, and the S 26mm f/8 to turn a full-frame S body into a stealthy street camera. Whether you’re packing carry-on only, building a jacket-pocket B-cam, or filming discreetly in tight spaces, the best Panasonic pancake lenses combine tiny size, reliable AF or focus-free speed, and polished rendering—so your camera goes everywhere and never slows you down.