Panasonic Leica DG Vario Elmarit 100-400mm f/4.0-6.3 II ASPH Power O.I.S lens

Panasonic Leica DG Vario Elmarit 100-400mm F/4.0-6.3 II ASPH Power O.I.S

This Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm f/4-6.3 II ASPH. POWER O.I.S. lens from Panasonic builds on the success of its predecessor, offering the ability to extend the zoom range using optional 1.4x and 2x teleconverters. The lens now also offers macro capabilities, allowing you to achieve a magnification of .5x, which can be extended to 1x using the optional 2x teleconverter.

The optical design of the lens uses aspherical and ultra-low dispersion lenses that significantly reduce chromatic and spherical aberration throughout the zoom range. This ensures high image quality and sharpness. The POWER O.I.S. system also supports image sharpness by minimising the effect of camera shake when shooting at longer focal lengths.

The usability of the lens has been improved by adding a zoom limit switch to the lens body. The seamless construction of the body makes it dust and moisture resistant and also makes it resistant to frost, thus extending the range of uses of the lens. While its lightweight and compact design is suitable for handheld shooting, the 100-400mm f/4-6.3 also features a detachable rotating tripod ring that allows for quick switching between horizontal and vertical shooting.

Main features

• The lens is designed for Micro Four Thirds system cameras and offers a focal length equivalent to 200-800mm. Compatibility with optional 1.4x and 2x teleconverters extends the focal length of the 35mm equivalent lens up to 1120mm and 1600mm. The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 1.3 metres, which, together with the maximum magnification of 0.5x, supports close-up photography. This magnification level can be extended to 1x using the optional 2x teleconverter.
• The lens has been designed in collaboration with Leica to meet the company's stringent quality standards. The lens design features an optimised arrangement of one aspherical lens, two ultra-low dispersion lenses and one ultra-low dispersion lens. This ensures clarity, sharpness and colour accuracy throughout the zoom range and at all edges of the photograph.
• The POWER O.I.S. mechanism helps control camera shake, making handheld photography sharper. This system is also compatible with Dual I.S. on selected Lumix G cameras, which minimises the effect of camera shake by using both sensor and lens shift stabilisation methods.
• A Zoom Limit Switch on the lens body allows you to quickly limit the zoom, improving autofocus performance and preventing over- and under-zooming. The lens is now also frost-resistant, making it more resistant to outdoor and harsh conditions. The lens has a seamless construction, making it dust and moisture resistant.
• A circular nine-blade dimmer helps to achieve a pleasing bokeh quality when working with selective focus and shallow depth of field techniques. For fast switching, a two-piece rotating tripod ring allows you to quickly switch between horizontal and vertical shooting and keeps the lens controls in the same place once rotated for more intuitive handling.

Technical specifications

• Maximum aperture: f/4 - 6.3
• Minimum aperture: f/22
• Lens mount: micro Four Thirds
• Lens format: micro Four Thirds
• Viewing angle: 12° - 3.1°
• Minimum focusing distance: 1.3 m
• Maximum magnification: 0.25x
• Macro ratio: 1:4
• Dimmer blades: 9, rounded
• Focus type: autofocus
• Image stabilizer: yes
• Wheel: removable
• Filter size: 72 mm (front)
• Dimensions (ø x L): 83 x 171.5 mm
• Length at maximum extension: 249 mm
• Weight: 985 g