Panasonic Leica Vario-Elomar 100-400mm lens for Micro Four-thirds

**Des** · 04-08-2016, 06:10 PM

Interesting new long tele zoom lens:
H-RS100400E Lumix G Lenses - Panasonic Australia
https://www.ephotozine.com/article/panasonic-leica-dg-vario-elmar-100-400mm-...h-review-28971
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm f/4.0-6.3 ASPH Power O.I.S. lens - Photo Review

I don't have a M43 camera and I'm not looking to go there. And neither lens nor body is cheap. But what is striking about this lens to me is its compactness (72mm filter, and 171mm long) and relatively light weight (985g), compared with say the Bigma or the Pentax DFA 150-450 (each close to 2kg). And it has in-lens IS which works with the in-body IS of the GX8 camera.

Is there any technical reason Pentax couldn't make a similarly lightweight long tele with IS that complements the IBIS?

The difference doesn't seem to be about optical complexity: the Panasonic Leica has 20 elements in 13 groups, compared with 18/14 in the DFA.

Yes it's slow (f6.3 at the long end, compared to f5.6 for the 150-450), but then it gives a FOV equivalent to 800mm on FF (for which you would need about 530mm on APS-C if my maths are right). It's f5.6 at 337mm, which is where the FOV would be the equivalent of the 150-450 at 450mm on APS-C.

Is it all about the format?

rawr · 04-08-2016, 08:14 PM

Originally posted by Des

Is it all about the format?

I think so.

Compact, stabilised long teles are possible in FF/APS-C - eg the Nikon 70-200 f4 or the Nikon 300mm f/4E PF VR are all pretty compact. However if you go past 300mm FF, the options for 'compact' are certainly few and far between. The closest equivalents to the Panaleica might be the Sigma or Tamron 150-600's, but they do weigh in at about 1900g (on the plus side, they are also much cheaper than the Panasonic 100-400).

Probably worth noting that FF 'equivalence' [arguably] applies to aperture too, not just focal length. Apply a 2X crop factor to that in relation to this lens... Then consider the lower aperture that generally applies for diffraction limits on M/43 as well.

**Digitalis** · 04-08-2016, 09:41 PM

Originally posted by Des

Is there any technical reason Pentax couldn't make a similarly lightweight long tele with IS that complements the IBIS?

Quite a few, the K mount flange being one of the major reasons.

Fogel70 · 04-08-2016, 09:53 PM

Originally posted by Des

Is it all about the format?

Yes, Pentax could make a lens with same FOV for Q, and that would maybe be a a quarter of the weight of the Panasonic lens and less than half price.

70-200/2.8 for FF = 1.8 kg, $1800
50-135/2.8 for APS-C = 685g, $800
35-100/2.8 for MFT = 360g, $900
15-45/2.8 for Q = 99g, $300

Last edited by Fogel70; 04-08-2016 at 10:09 PM.

surfar · 04-09-2016, 12:31 AM

Aus$ 1899@ camera house...

Much better value is either the 75/300 Oly or 100/300 Pano....AF 600mm...is the extra 200mm worth $13/1400 extra...if I want more reach I adapt the da55/300 with 1.4 tc($250oz used) to give me a Manual 840mm.

**marcusBMG** · 04-09-2016, 04:27 AM

Gerald, a very technically minded contributor to mflenses, wrote this:

Lens Scaling: What it is and why it is important

**UncleVanya** · 04-09-2016, 05:42 AM

Originally posted by surfar

Aus$ 1899@ camera house...

Much better value is either the 75/300 Oly or 100/300 Pano....AF 600mm...is the extra 200mm worth $13/1400 extra...if I want more reach I adapt the da55/300 with 1.4 tc($250oz used) to give me a Manual 840mm.

The Olympus is slower f4.8-f6.7 and has no optical stabilization which limits usefulness on Panasonic bodies. The Panasonic 100-300 f4-f5.6 seems like a good alternative but I would like to see head to head comparisons.

Last edited by UncleVanya; 04-09-2016 at 06:01 AM.

surfar · 04-09-2016, 12:40 PM

The Panasonic bodies are starting to get stabilisation..

Gx8 has 4 axis ibis, gx85 has 5 axis

The new gh5 due later this year will have 5 axis

My Panasonic gm1 with the Ony 75/300 is fine for stills hand held...video needs a monopod.No stabilisation in body or lens

**UncleVanya** · 04-09-2016, 01:05 PM

Originally posted by surfar

The Panasonic bodies are starting to get stabilisation..

Gx8 has 4 axis ibis, gx85 has 5 axis

The new gh5 due later this year will have 5 axis

My Panasonic gm1 with the Ony 75/300 is fine for stills hand held...video needs a monopod.No stabilisation in body or lens

I have the gx7 which has 2 axis stabilization - but that's still a very small number of bodies that will work and shooting an effectively 600mm lens handheld is a bit of a stretch for me and I'm known for shooting pretty stable shots. I can't imagine getting workable shots below 1/600th of a second or faster shutter speeds.

surfar · 04-09-2016, 01:16 PM

Even the Pano p&s are coming out with 5 axis(zs60/tz80)its on its way.

I'll gift my gm1 to my daughter at Christmas,GX85 from Santa!

04-08-2016, 06:10 PM	#1
Des Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Victoria Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 6,423	Panasonic Leica Vario-Elomar 100-400mm lens for Micro Four-thirds Interesting new long tele zoom lens: H-RS100400E Lumix G Lenses - Panasonic Australia https://www.ephotozine.com/article/panasonic-leica-dg-vario-elmar-100-400mm-...h-review-28971 Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm f/4.0-6.3 ASPH Power O.I.S. lens - Photo Review I don't have a M43 camera and I'm not looking to go there. And neither lens nor body is cheap. But what is striking about this lens to me is its compactness (72mm filter, and 171mm long) and relatively light weight (985g), compared with say the Bigma or the Pentax DFA 150-450 (each close to 2kg). And it has in-lens IS which works with the in-body IS of the GX8 camera. Is there any technical reason Pentax couldn't make a similarly lightweight long tele with IS that complements the IBIS? The difference doesn't seem to be about optical complexity: the Panasonic Leica has 20 elements in 13 groups, compared with 18/14 in the DFA. Yes it's slow (f6.3 at the long end, compared to f5.6 for the 150-450), but then it gives a FOV equivalent to 800mm on FF (for which you would need about 530mm on APS-C if my maths are right). It's f5.6 at 337mm, which is where the FOV would be the equivalent of the 150-450 at 450mm on APS-C. Is it all about the format?

04-08-2016, 08:14 PM	#2
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Originally posted by Des Is it all about the format? I think so. Compact, stabilised long teles are possible in FF/APS-C - eg the Nikon 70-200 f4 or the Nikon 300mm f/4E PF VR are all pretty compact. However if you go past 300mm FF, the options for 'compact' are certainly few and far between. The closest equivalents to the Panaleica might be the Sigma or Tamron 150-600's, but they do weigh in at about 1900g (on the plus side, they are also much cheaper than the Panasonic 100-400). Probably worth noting that FF 'equivalence' [arguably] applies to aperture too, not just focal length. Apply a 2X crop factor to that in relation to this lens... Then consider the lower aperture that generally applies for diffraction limits on M/43 as well. Last edited by rawr; 04-08-2016 at 08:19 PM.

04-09-2016, 12:31 AM	#5
surfar Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: mid nth coast,nsw Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,141	Aus$ 1899@ camera house... Much better value is either the 75/300 Oly or 100/300 Pano....AF 600mm...is the extra 200mm worth $13/1400 extra...if I want more reach I adapt the da55/300 with 1.4 tc($250oz used) to give me a Manual 840mm. Last edited by surfar; 04-09-2016 at 12:38 AM.

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04-08-2016, 09:41 PM	#3
Digitalis Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,694	Originally posted by Des Is there any technical reason Pentax couldn't make a similarly lightweight long tele with IS that complements the IBIS? Quite a few, the K mount flange being one of the major reasons.

04-08-2016, 09:53 PM	#4
Fogel70 Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Photos: Albums Posts: 3,062	Originally posted by Des Is it all about the format? Yes, Pentax could make a lens with same FOV for Q, and that would maybe be a a quarter of the weight of the Panasonic lens and less than half price. 70-200/2.8 for FF = 1.8 kg, $1800 50-135/2.8 for APS-C = 685g, $800 35-100/2.8 for MFT = 360g, $900 15-45/2.8 for Q = 99g, $300 Last edited by Fogel70; 04-08-2016 at 10:09 PM.

04-09-2016, 04:27 AM	#6
marcusBMG Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: North Wales Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,868	Gerald, a very technically minded contributor to mflenses, wrote this: Lens Scaling: What it is and why it is important

04-09-2016, 05:42 AM	#7
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,401	Originally posted by surfar Aus$ 1899@ camera house... Much better value is either the 75/300 Oly or 100/300 Pano....AF 600mm...is the extra 200mm worth $13/1400 extra...if I want more reach I adapt the da55/300 with 1.4 tc($250oz used) to give me a Manual 840mm. The Olympus is slower f4.8-f6.7 and has no optical stabilization which limits usefulness on Panasonic bodies. The Panasonic 100-300 f4-f5.6 seems like a good alternative but I would like to see head to head comparisons. Last edited by UncleVanya; 04-09-2016 at 06:01 AM.

04-09-2016, 12:40 PM	#8
surfar Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: mid nth coast,nsw Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,141	The Panasonic bodies are starting to get stabilisation.. Gx8 has 4 axis ibis, gx85 has 5 axis The new gh5 due later this year will have 5 axis My Panasonic gm1 with the Ony 75/300 is fine for stills hand held...video needs a monopod.No stabilisation in body or lens

04-09-2016, 01:05 PM	#9
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,401	Originally posted by surfar The Panasonic bodies are starting to get stabilisation.. Gx8 has 4 axis ibis, gx85 has 5 axis The new gh5 due later this year will have 5 axis My Panasonic gm1 with the Ony 75/300 is fine for stills hand held...video needs a monopod.No stabilisation in body or lens I have the gx7 which has 2 axis stabilization - but that's still a very small number of bodies that will work and shooting an effectively 600mm lens handheld is a bit of a stretch for me and I'm known for shooting pretty stable shots. I can't imagine getting workable shots below 1/600th of a second or faster shutter speeds.

04-09-2016, 01:16 PM	#10
surfar Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: mid nth coast,nsw Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,141	Even the Pano p&s are coming out with 5 axis(zs60/tz80)its on its way. I'll gift my gm1 to my daughter at Christmas,GX85 from Santa!