Lumix 100-300mm - Why Buy It In 2022?

[@artursrutowski]

Nice review.

[@musicsoundgear]

The picture of the cars on the highway... "They are going the wrong way". :) :) I have the MkII version and I am very pleased with the photos I get from it and the quality of the lens. It comes with the lens hood and lens pouch, which the Olympus equivalents don't come with.

[@JanBaucke]

I just love my 100-300 Mk II on my GX9, I think it's my most used lens. Ca. 50% of all my photos taken with it because you can zoom on things you normally can't see that close. The 2nd might be the 12-50 from Olympus in it's macro-mode and after that the Lumix 45-150 & Lumix 35-100 (the small one, not one of the two f2.8 ones). I Just love zooming in on things.

[@ExerciseDocSuz]

Hi Brian! I have watched your top 5 lenses, 14-140, and 100-300 reviews. There is so much crossover with lenses, making it difficult to figure out! Maybe you can help - my goal is to have 2 lenses that will be suited for family gatherings and traveling with a goal of shooting landscapes, flowers, animals, and distance things (we are going on an Alaskan cruise and I would like to have the ability to shoot land from the boat as well as things in the water). I plan on purchasing a Lumix G95 (unless you have strong opposition). I am also hoping to film exercise videos for my youtube channel (camera on tripod and me in a chair) and would love it one of the two lenses I purchase work for that as well. I could also see myself printing a few shots, no larger than like 14x20. I am leaning toward the 14-140 and 100-300. Would I ever miss the 12-60 for my purposes?

[@davidholden2658]

I recently got the mark II version of this lens and I love it, obviously the first thing I did with it was photograph ducks int he local park! I looked at getting the mark I but for me the Dual OIS, weather sealing and faster autofocus made the mark II a better choice. I ended up buying new as the price difference between a good used one and a new one wasn't big enough. I may upgrade to the 100-400mm eventually if I use this one enough but for now I'm happy with the 100-300mm.

[@artistjoh]

If you are going up to the 100-400 focal length, the Olympus is a much better choice as it works with teleconverters while the Lumix does not, and the TC’s make it a great macro lens as well as getting extreme tele shots, such as of the Moon.

[@kennygo8300]

I have the mk2 version. It's a great lens. With my G85, the power OIS along with the camera's stabilization give me very good results, hand held. I haven't used the mk1 version, so I have no reference for comparison. I know the mk2 version is a keeper.

[@ggpaghi2990]

There is a manufacture in Germany that does a collar for this lens.

[@gamingwithstand6886]

I found DXO PhotoLab 4 or DXO PureRaw are the best at natural sharpening. So if you got something in focus but it's soft DXO is the best at sharpening. I have the Panasonic 14-140 first version and it's soft on the long end DXO makes it look normal.

[@artistjoh]

I can make an Olympus comparison. I own this first version 100-400 Lumix since about 2009. I also bought the Olympus 100-400 early this year. I didn’t consider the Lumix 100-400 because it doesn’t work with teleconverters, while the Oly does. This means extreme tele shots, such as of the Moon, but even better is that with teleconverters the Oly becomes a fantastic long macro lens. It is a superior lens to the Lumix 100-300 in terms of sharpness and usefulness, so it is the one that stays in my camera bag. However, the Lumix beats the Oly in some areas. For a start it is considerably smaller and lighter. It is also faster. It doesn’t sound much (Lumix f4-5.6 vs Oly f5-6.3) but when the light gets lower the Lumix speed advantage is appreciated. Then there is the huge price difference between them. So even though I personally prefer the Oly 100-400, I still highly recommend the Lumix 100-300, either version. Size, weight, speed, and cost are a mighty desireable combination.

[@johnbradshaw5900]

Excellent video! This is still an affordable way into long reach photography. For many it is all they need, for others it will serve well until circumstances allow an upgrade to a Lumix Leica or Zuiko pro alternative. You can pick these up pretty cheaply, meaning people can try long tele photography without spending £££££££s and risking finding it's not for them or paying £££££££££s for a lens which comes out once in a blue moon. You can buy one, use it for a year or two and if you look after it and keep the box and paperwork sell it on for a reasonable price. I am an Olympus user but I prefer this to the Zuiko 75-300, I think it handles better and just feels a bit nicer.

[@anthonyskellern5970]

Great job, Brian - I've been looking at this lens for a a couple of weeks now, after a visit to RSPB Leighton Moss. I took my trusty Lumix 45-150, but even with that 300mm equivalent, the avocets were disappointingly small in my shots :o( ....Fortunately I have a Mk 100-300 arriving next week!

[@AoyagiAichou]

Great lenses those. Tele is one of the main strength of MFT I think. I have the mk II variant and I'm finding I use it more than the PL 100-400 simply because I always have it on me... unlike the kilogram of PL glass which I take only on dedicated shoots. The but purple fringe was actually why I bought the PL100-400 as well - and then I found out that the PL has an *unreal* stabilisation in dual IS, even on just the G90.

[@nore8141]

Actually looking at buying this lens and the 45-200m. Thanks for the video

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

I’d look for the mk2 though if I were you. The IS is improved and it has some weather sealing

[@letni9506]

I got the Mk2 second hand. It was like new and seems sharp to my eyes even at 300mm. I was tempted by the mk1 and the olympus 300mm but trying the lens with dual IS, I think i made the right decision. Its just so much steadier. Got the olympus 40-150 and thats great but with the 300mm I find I need the added stability. But I'm not the steadiest 😀

[@Leptospirosi]

Could we add that the 100-400 is almost double the weight and double the size? For a wild life photographer that's a trade worth making, but for someone carrying a lens in the back "Just in case", well, that's something to put into consideration. Can I suggest you to get the Lumix 35-100 f4.0/5.6? I got one for peanuts in mint conditions on e-bay and, well it blew me away when I checked the quality of the image! and because it's a "kit lens" sometime bundled with cameras, which is bad in the eyes of many wannabe pros, we can find amazing deals over that lens (and the 12-32 as well)

[@joanantonim.p.2400]

How would the Panasonic-Lumix 100-300mm. F/4 - 5.6 Mk. II mounted on the Olympus OM-D E-M1X ...?? , Would the autofocus be faster than with the M.Zuiko 75-300mm. F/4.8 - 6.3 II , since the "Pana-Lumix 100-300" is a little brighter ...?? Thank you... 👌🏻👍🏻👍🏻🙏🏻 Greetings... 👋🏻🙋🏻‍♂️😃

[@garybrown9719]

I was thinking of getting the 70-300mm a little range

[@TCizauskas]

I agree!

[@mudgie069]

I've owned the mk1 version but the focusing went faulty so ended up buying the mark ii. I think the mark II has a better focusing system is weather sealed and power ios so I'd suggest the mk II over the mk 1. Probably IQ wise there isn't much if any difference between the two.

[@gregpatterson134]

I just received this lens and loving it so far. Do you use ND, polarizer, or other filters with this lends and in what settings? I usually at least get the very basic almost imperceptive protective filter. Thanks for ideas and the recommendation of this lens. For my budget as a hobby photographer, this lens is great and already getting shots I've never been able in the past at a distance and semi-macro. Thanks.

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

The only filters I tend to use these days are a graduated ND, a 6 stop ND and a circular polariser. Mainly for landscapes and to get water shots. I’ve stopped using a filter for protection. 99% of the time I use without any filter and the one I use most is the CP as it’s excellent for giving definition in clouds and blue skies. The only problem is you lose a stop or so of speed.

[@gregpatterson134]

@@ThatMicro43Guy Sounds good, thanks for the great info.

[@jeffslade1892]

If you have an Olympus back, and I eat both flavours, the from about the E-M5ii onwards the Olympus have a trick "Dual Stabilisation", which is independent OIS and IBIS, not Synch-IS nor Dual-IS, with Lumix OIS lenses. The E-M5ii handles the Lumix Mega-OIS 45-200 mark 1 particularly well, the mark 1 100-300 not so much. I simply had to get another but Power-OIS mark 2 45-200 for the G9 to play Dual2 on, used - lot of difference on the G9, no change on the E-M5ii. For wildlife, birds, the 100-300 had to be held stock-still like a rifle on the GH4 and E-M5ii; pinpoint focus. The 100 end is more for finding the subject, it is usually used extended and likes to be stopped down, maybe f/8. It may go to f/22 but mft goes a bit squiffy over f/13 - f/16 tops, the "sunny 16" rule is not a thing ;) The PL100-400 is a lot heavier than the 100-300 but has become my main lens on the G9. Other cameras sport the shorter lenses. The PL100-400 on the G9 is a whole other game. The Dual2 makes it completely hand held. The air rescue use the nearby rugby club as a conference centre and show off parking on the main pitch. We get swarms of helicopters. They also stack air shows over the defunct airbase. I think they use our old house or maybe the tall scots pines as a turning marker. Yeah, the PL100-400 on the G9. Dual2 :)

[@mikesphotography7185]

Not a bad lens, I got the Mk2 on offer for £250 this was some time ago and sold it for £300 to fund a 100 x 400 lens. You did not mention that the Mk2 also has splash and dustproof construction like the 100x400 which is good if you are out in the fields doing wildlife photography.

[@36686593]

I had this and wasn't impressed, but with m43 I almost always shoot open, my favorite tele zoom was 45-175 PZ.

[@artistjoh]

As I am considering the two Panasonic power zooms, I would love to hear why the 45-175 PZ is your favorite tele zoom?

[@36686593]

@@artistjoh its small. light. and very sharp, i would recommend it every day.

[@Lepewhi]

I'm considering getting the second version for my GX9. I'm going to wait to see if the prices(used) come down any before Christmas. Now, in Europe, I found the mkii OIS for about 500€ like new. Does this sound like a good price? Thanks

[@mikehunt2667]

Good on a gh5 ? Zcam e2m4?

[@simonsimpson4695]

It might be an option to look at lenses using a similar method to Christopher Frost. He is not covering MFT lenses and there is no one on KZbin or anywhere indeed who reviews lenses for MFT in a semi quantitative way except DXO mark. Chris has made a successful channel with just this format.

[@cLaw27]

Marlene Hielema does a great job too.

[@imagenatura]

Good, honest review. How did it perform on one of your Olympus bodies, IBIS and CA?

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

Equally as well as on the lumix G9/GX8 on the mk2. On the 1mk1 you do notice the fringing a little more but again as I’ve said in the video, it’s easy to remove in post. Ther is one advantage on the Olympus over the lumix. When you switch the OIS off on the lens when on a lumix body it also switches the IBIS off, it doesn’t on the Olympus.

[@evangatehouse5650]

I've used it lots on an EM5 Mk II. Tested with camera IS on and off and with lens IS on and off. Best results are with lens IS on and camera IS off. Slightly worse with cameras IS on as well. Worst was just camera IS on only. Otherwise it's fine.

[@johnmiller5717]

Weather proofing is not different?

[@rlgenge]

I have this lens (mk ii) with the G9 and am pleased with the performance. As a walk and shoot birder I sometimes just need a bit more range. Always hand held, so the G9 zoom options are not great. Is there a compatible teleconverter?

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

Not that I’m aware of and the speed reduction would be immense. Try looking for the 100-400 lumix/Leica. Unfortunately more expensive and heavier but superb optical quality

[@rlgenge]

@@ThatMicro43Guy Ok thanks.

[@snippephotography1913]

version 2 is weather sealed .

[@Wanphrang]

Does this Len's work on Lumix g7

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

Yes, it works perfectly on the G7 although I’d suggest the v2 of the lens as the better option

[@gurietomatsumoto3325]

Does this lens works with Lumix GF10?

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

Yes, the GF10 is a MFT camera

[@jonnyt9691]

Hi, can I ask, will the mk11 power ios will link with my g7 in the same way? or is it too old?

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

Your G7 does not have IBIS so there is nothing to link to. The OIS in the lens will work when mounted on your camera though giving around 2 stops of IS

[@jonnyt9691]

1more question if you don't mind, I want to make use of my G7 and need long range, would it be ridiculous to team it with the Lieca 100-400? It would be mostly hand held!

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

@@jonnyt9691 again the lack of IBIS does make it more difficult to work at the long end of the lens, but of course that lens does have IS . The G7 will work well with it though. You just need to make sure your traditional shooting skills of bracing yourself and using higher shutter speeds are practiced.

[@jonnyt9691]

Thank you

[@georgecollings8603]

Hi Micro Guy. I am a Olympus user and was thinking of adding the 100/300mmPanasonic to my collection. I have been put off by some of the reports that the 75/300mm Olympus. Would you still recommend the mkii for this purpose and will the IS work with the say Olympus OMD% mkiii

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

The 100-300 is a good lens for the price, it has its limitations but not many. The lens is will not work in conjunction with the IBiS but the IBIS will still work perfectly itself. I believe this is also the case with the 75/300 Olympus too as it doesn’t have IS in the lens. I’ve tested both and there are videos on my channel for both. My conclusion was that they were about on par with each other and I certainly wasn’t disappointed with the Olympus. My colleague who owns one and loaned it to me for the review takes some incredible bird photos with it. So the answer to your question is yes, I would still recommend the lumix especially for its weather sealing over the mk1 but I wouldn’t dismiss the Olympus out of hand

[@georgecollings8603]

@@ThatMicro43Guy thanks for that. Would you say that its still better to get the mkii over the mki as im using it for an olympus and cant use the is on the lens.

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

@@georgecollings8603 both have IS, the mk2 is better. However, it’s the weather sealing which makes it a far better lens over the mk1. So yes, go for the mk2

[@swiftdetecting]

is there a good 100-400mm one as i have a 200mm f2.8 lens i should many in low light but like more distance

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

The Lumix/Leica 100-400 is superb if a little heavier and larger. noticeably better than this one

[@swiftdetecting]

@@ThatMicro43Guy how is this 100-300mm say to a 75-300mm mark 3 on canon 600d 300mm sharpness as that be good to know prob use 100-300mm on Gx8

[@swiftdetecting]

low light

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

@@swiftdetecting without directly comparing them, which would mean I would have to physically have that equipment, I have no way of knowing.

[@colinthecameraguy]

I’ve had my 100-300 mk1 for about 8yrs and I have used it occasionally (Birds and an Airshow) and it’s been more than adequate for those occasions. I think I will dust it off soon (ok it lives in a pouch with front and rear caps on so it’s spotless) and see how it gets on at the next football match, last year I used the Pan/Leica 35-100 (on the G9- back button focusing and AFC) with a monopod and the 12-35 (on the GH5) with a neck strap.

[@jd5787]

Hi! Now I know the difference between a mk1 and a mk2! This lens vs the olympus 75-300mm, which do you think is best? I assume that stabilisation would still be best with a mk2 by Panasonic lumix... Thank you!

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

So close to call. I prefer the feel of the lumix. As you rightly say, the mk2 is better for the stabilisation when used on lumix bodies. I prefer the lumix, my colleague Gerry prefers the (his) Olympus and we both achieve stunning shots with them both. I’d say if you use lumix bodies go with the lumix, if Olympus then stick with that. Other than that see which one is at the best pice. They really are that close in my experience.

[@jd5787]

@@ThatMicro43Guy thank you for your reply! Makes sense... I will be on the hunt for a Lumix then so that I can benefit from the extra stabilisation :) have a good day ahead!

[@1957PLATO]

Looks like good value for money. For me it is too long though. I would probably end up selling it after a few months.

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

Yes, I think that is the big reason there are a lot of good examples of long zooms, not just this one, on used sales sites. They seem really attractive at first but are rarely used by most

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

Yes, I know, I forgot to say the Mk2 is weathersealed. However, in my defence, I’m not doing a review of the mk2 lol. It was on my list to read out but somehow I skipped over it. Brian

[@Belunivers...]

🤨That's good, I'm in the middle of questioning whether this 100/300 is preferable to the more usable 45/200 knowing that the 100/300 declines in quality between 200 and 300 ... I noticed that all the cars drive on the left ???...🥳 It's terribly dangerous !!! ...🚙

[@ThatMicro43Guy]

It’s mor dangerous in this country if even only one car drives on the right though lol