Panasonic has just announced the Lumix S 100-500mm f/5-7.1, its longest-reaching zoom lens yet for full-frame L-mount cameras – and I’ve had the chance to take it out in the real world to see what it can do.
Aimed squarely at wildlife and sports shooters, this super-telephoto zoom promises a huge amount of flexibility in a package that’s surprisingly compact for its focal range. At just under 1.3kg and less than 20cm long, the lens is remarkably portable for something that can reach all the way out to 500mm – and much further if you take advantage of Panasonic’s teleconverters or the clever hybrid crop zoom mode.
Pair it with the 2x converter and Lumix’s hybrid zoom, and you can push the range to an extraordinary 3125mm equivalent, making it perhaps the most versatile telephoto option currently available for the L-mount system.
The lens has Panasonic’s best-ever image stabilization, with a newly designed “industry-leading” OIS unit. The lens can provide up to 7 stops of shake reduction – and it works brilliantly well. Even at 500mm, I could hold a video shot reasonably still – and with Panasonic’s outstanding EIS, I would be confident leaving my tripod at home.
Handling has clearly been a big focus, with Panasonic debuting a new customizable zoom tension ring. This lets you switch between a loose, quick zoom for fast-moving subjects or a tighter setting for more controlled adjustments. There is also a quick function button on the barrel and a tripod collar that lets you quickly switch from landscape to portrait. And for video, the lens sports focus breathing suppression and the use of the brand’s quiet Dual Phase Linear Motor.
A construction of 19 elements in 12 groups, including Panasonic’s ED glass to keep aberrations and distortion at bay – and optical performance is fantastic. Sharpness is great, with only the corners getting a little soft, and the 11-blade aperture and compression of the long optics deliver beautiful subject isolation.
The lens can close-focus down to 0.8m at the wide end, or 1.5m at the top end – which makes it handy for frame-filling shots of smaller subjects.
Scroll down to see my gallery of sample images and video, captured across the zoom range to give you a taste of what this lens is capable of.
Sample Video
Above: sample video shot with the new with the new Panasonic Lumix S 100-500mm f/5-7.1 supertelephoto zoom and Panasonic Lumix S1II camera
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