Panasonic Lumix G Vario 100-300mm f/4-5.6 OIS II REVIEW

After a year using the Lumix 100-300 II, it's time for a long term review. Reason I needed 1 year to review this lens is, It's the first super telephoto lens I've used. And, after using it for action/sports, BIF and wildlife, I now know this lens inside and out.

First the Common Stuff about this lens that can be found online:

1) As you know this 100-300mm lens is equivalent to a 200-600mm FF with the 2X crop factor of MicroFourThirds cameras.

2) All the Specifications of the 100-300 II lens.

3) The difference between original version, and this new 100-300 version II.

Next the Pros of this lens:

1) Great Value for what you get vs the other options out there.

2) Small, Light, and compact for its huge reach.

3) With the new cameras like Lumix G9, the AF and DUAL IS work great.

4) Image quality is on par with high end super telephotos for most of its range.

5) Great option for 4K video, and static shots of moving objects.

6) durable plastic absorbs the bumps and bruises well, and it did well in the rain without any damage to the operation of the lens.

The following is a video using this lens for wildlife:

The main reason I got this lens was to explore wildlife photography and video with the Lumix G9. And the 100-300 II does a great job for the price. The AF using one area or single point is very fast and accurate with this lens. As seen in the above video, this lens can be used hand held at twilight before sunrise. Even with a slow aperture like f/5.6 the DUAL IS of the Lumix G9 with the stabilization of the lens will allow ISOs of 1600 or 800 with shutters down to 1/650 and even lower when it's paired with a Dual IS body. And that for me made a huge difference getting stable video and long shots at twilight. I'm using exposure settings I could never get away with using a DSLR and lens 1/2 it's reach. For me, that was a game changer.

But like any lens, they have compromises. Next The Cons of the 100-300 II.

1) Sloppy manual focus ring. Trying to nail infinity using the distance scale of the camera is very difficult as the focus point gets sticky when near the infinity mark. And I use this for manual focus a lot for video.

2) Focus breathing. Not much of an issue for photo. But for video this limits a lot of close up to far away focus pulls. Unless you want the effect where the blur changes size.

3) The wideness of the 100-300 II is about 15% tighter than the Panasonic 35-100 II at 100mm. And almost 10% tighter than the Panasonic 45-150, at the 150mm end. Thus, this lens actual wideness at various ranges are tighter than some other lenses.

Nevertheless, Below are some pics I recently shot with the 100-300 II.

Blue Heron during the sunrise at Morro Rock

Blue Heron on the PCH at Sunrise.

Long Billed Curlew after sunrise.

The Panasonic 100-300mm f/4-5.6 OIS II is a great lens for photo and video. It's not the best lens out there, but it gets the job done for about 1/3 the price. This year, I had the chance to handle the Panasonic/Lecia 50-200 f/2.8-4, and it was a much nicer lens with noticeably faster AF. And there is the Panasonic Leica 100-400 which is another great lens. Both these higher priced lenses have better image quality at the long end of 250 to 300mm. But for the shorter range of 100-200, the Pana 100-300 holds up very well to the best.

So that's my long term review of this Panasonic lens. I shoot a variety of styles and venues of photo and video. Thus, this is a great compact all around super telephoto lens that can be used without a tripod for photo and video.

The following are more video I shot with this lens: I also try to include the camera settings when possible.

Anyway, hope this will help if you're considering this lens. Thank You.

Glad to read this review, I'm about to receive my copy of this lens 😀

Thank you for reporting your direct experience.

Cheers.

ToxicTabasco wrote:

The Panasonic 100-300mm f/4-5.6 OIS II is a great lens for photo and video. It's not the best lens out there, but it gets the job done for about 1/3 the price.

Owning this lens myself (using it on E-M1 Mark II), I have to say this basically sums it up. It really is a good value for money option. I'd say it should be a go-to option for any Micro 4/3 user that wants to venture into super tele world without breaking a bank. It's a natural step up from the cheap 40-150 and 45-150 (both great value lenses on their own, by the way)

This year, I had the chance to handle the Panasonic/Lecia 50-200 f/2.8-4, and it was a much nicer lens with noticeably faster AF. And there is the Panasonic Leica 100-400 which is another great lens. Both these higher priced lenses have better image quality at the long end of 250 to 300mm.

I just rented the 100-400 and can confidently say that it is a better lens than 100-300 in every regard except the dreaded stiff zoom issue. But this is in no way a critique of the 100-300 II, since the difference in price is almost 3 fold.

But for the shorter range of 100-200, the Pana 100-300 holds up very well to the best.

Definitely, the 100-300 II performs very well in the 100-200 range. If I remember correctly from my tests, 150 mm is the sweet spot and it's very sharp corner to corner at that focal length.

One thing to note for Olympus users. You have to use electronic shutter (♥) or EFCS (♦) drive modes to avoid blurring caused by shutter shock. Users of modern Panasonic bodies (the ones using new mechanical shutter design) don't have to worry about this, I guess.

I am very happy with this lens. Point 3 15% tighter at 100mm as the other at 100mm?

Strange. I would think that 100mm is 100mm on any lens. gues iam naive 😀

Nevertheless it's a well build lens and the alternatives are less interesting.

Price wize, 100-400 or 50-200 plus tc.

75-300mm oly, on a panny not a choise because of dfd and dualis2 loss.

45-200mmii its cheap and you need to work it before it's deliver. ( AF and general sharpness.)

spike29 wrote:

I am very happy with this lens. Point 3 15% tighter at 100mm as the other at 100mm?

Strange. I would think that 100mm is 100mm on any lens. gues iam naive 😀

The focal lengths on the barrel almost never match the actual focal length of the optics. And then there is focus breathing which OP mentioned. Different lenses breath differently, but unless it's a specialist cine lens, there will be some of it.  That means that focal length of the lens changes as the focus changes.

I was recently comparing my 100-300 II with a film era Pentacon 4/300 (with and without a speedbooster). At "infinity", field of view from both was the same. but as soon as I tested by photographing a subject just 3 meters from the camera, the difference in field of view was immediately visible. Basically, with subject and camera in the same place, I had to set the 100-300 II to around 260mm to match the 210mm of the Pentacon with a SpeedBooster. With simple adapter and comparing both at 300mm, I had to move the Panasonic almost 1 meter closer to the subject to get the same framing.

I played around measuring this stuff a while back. For example, Olympus 30mm Macro is around 20mm at its closest focus distance.

Astrotripper wrote:

spike29 wrote:

I am very happy with this lens. Point 3 15% tighter at 100mm as the other at 100mm?

Strange. I would think that 100mm is 100mm on any lens. gues iam naive 😀

The focal lengths on the barrel almost never match the actual focal length of the optics. And then there is focus breathing which OP mentioned. Different lenses breath differently, but unless it's a specialist cine lens, there will be some of it. That means that focal length of the lens changes as the focus changes.

I had to interweb it but it's sounds logic, turning lensring shifting elements for focus the focalpoint shifts abit and therefor the viewangle.

What i thought was a 12-100mm at hunderd locked would be have the same field of view as a 100-300mm at hunderd locked.

The digital "number" of "150mm"  writed in the exif of the 100-300mm is i think a measurement and not a fysical fixed gearset, calibrated but with some tolerance.

I was recently comparing my 100-300 II with a film era Pentacon 4/300 (with and without a speedbooster). At "infinity", field of view from both was the same. but as soon as I tested by photographing a subject just 3 meters from the camera, the difference in field of view was immediately visible. Basically, with subject and camera in the same place, I had to set the 100-300 II to around 260mm to match the 210mm of the Pentacon with a SpeedBooster. With simple adapter and comparing both at 300mm, I had to move the Panasonic almost 1 meter closer to the subject to get the same framing.

I played around measuring this stuff a while back. For example, Olympus 30mm Macro is around 20mm at its closest focus distance.

Ok so a prime has 10mm angle diiference 1/3 of it's "sold prime focallenght"

Wow. 🙂

gipas wrote:

Glad to read this review, I'm about to receive my copy of this lens 😀

Thank you for reporting your direct experience.

Cheers.

Thank you.  Was the lens back ordered?  I had to wait about 3 weeks for the back order last year.  Anyway, best wishes with the new lens.

Thank you.  And thanks for the info on the Olympus cameras.  That should help others who are considering this lens.

spike29 wrote:

I am very happy with this lens. Point 3 15% tighter at 100mm as the other at 100mm?

Yes, that's what I expected.  However, after checking out my Nikon DSLR lenses, they seem to also have variations between lenses at various focal ranges of 5 to 10%.

Strange. I would think that 100mm is 100mm on any lens. gues iam naive 😀

Nevertheless it's a well build lens and the alternatives are less interesting.

Price wize, 100-400 or 50-200 plus tc.

Yes, that would be the optimal choice for wildilfe.  In the USA, the 1.4 TC is unavailable new.  But, the 2x TC is available new.

75-300mm oly, on a panny not a choise because of dfd and dualis2 loss.

45-200mmii its cheap and you need to work it before it's deliver. ( AF and general sharpness.)

Thanks for the info on the other option.  It should help others out there who are considering this and other lenses.  Much appreciated.

Thank you Astrotripper for that info.  I had no idea why the focal lengths were different.  But that makes sense, focus breathing, and the distance inside of infinity.  And of all the lenses I have the 100-300 is the longest zoom with the most focus breathing.  Now that I think about it, focus breathing may have been the reason for my variations of DSLR Lenses.

ToxicTabasco wrote:

3) The wideness of the 100-300 II is about 15% tighter than the Panasonic 35-100 II at 100mm. And almost 10% tighter than the Panasonic 45-150, at the 150mm end. Thus, this lens actual wideness at various ranges are tighter than some other lenses..

Anyway, hope this will help if you're considering this lens. Thank You.

By "wideness" are you referring to the field of view (FOV)?

Thank you for this detailed review and the photos.

I really like this lens. It's a great value. Plus, I'm not aware of copy variation, such as that seems to exist with the Panny 100-400. My copy (of the 100-300 II) is great and I haven't seen any complaints.

Your experience and mine prove that good technique and fieldcraft can be more important that focal length.

Thanks again!

Thank you HRC2016.  To clarify, I was referring to the focal length, or width of the view.  And, the variation is between different lenses.

The post above by Astrotripper explains the focus breathing, and how zoom lenses can change their focal view when the point of focus is within the infinity range.  I also found those variations on my Nikon DSLR lenses.

Your videos are sensational, and I note that you wrote some of the music in them. Amazing.

It is a pleasure to see the Salton Sea and flocks of Snow Geese, and other scenes I am unlikely to ever see (unless I make the trip out there from NY).

JosephScha wrote:

Your videos are sensational, and I note that you wrote some of the music in them. Amazing.

It is a pleasure to see the Salton Sea and flocks of Snow Geese, and other scenes I am unlikely to ever see (unless I make the trip out there from NY).

Thank you JosephScha.  Much appreciated.

Avian2016 wrote:

Cool review from the first hand.

I was wondering regarding my next setup for wildlife photography (birds, insects, etc.) and two options came to my narrower selection:

Option 1: Nikon D7500 + either Nikkor AF-P DX 70-300 VR or Tamrons 18-300/18-400.

Option 2: Panny G9 + G Vario 100-300 II

Currently I'm using Panasonic FZ1000 plus Canon Sx70 HS for backup.

Thank you Avian2016.  Those are some good choices.  Either kit would do the job.  However, the IBIS or DUAL IS2 does give IME the Lumix G9 the edge for the long shot and for 4K video long shots.  Especially for small unpredictable subjects like birds, insects, etc...  However, if size and weight are not a problem the Nikon kit would do great with a tripod and gimbal.

What you have there is a great combo.  Making a change in camera format and brand is a significant change, and one that could be costly.  Thus, before you make a choice on the kit, I would recommend going to your local camera store to handle and test out the gear to see how they feel, the speed and accuracy of the AF, how the stabilization feels, how the shot looks through the EVF or viewfinder, and how the button placement and egronomics feel.   This would help you narrow down your selection.

Anyway, thanks and best wishes on your venture.

Thanks Avian2016.  There are some posts on the G9 and BIF on mu43 forum but not much here as some threads get deleted over a short time.

Anyway, I do use this setup for BIF when the opportunity arises.  I've never had any problems using the G9 AF to switch instantly to AFC and BIF exposures when the bird takes flight, or when I see one approaching.  HOWEVER, some people have a difficult time using the G9 for BIF, and they don't like it.  Thus, this set up is not for everyone.  Some like it, others don't.

ToxicTabasco wrote:

After a year using the Lumix 100-300 II, it's time for a long term review. Reason I needed 1 year to review this lens is, It's the first super telephoto lens I've used. And, after using it for action/sports, BIF and wildlife, I now know this lens inside and out.

First the Common Stuff about this lens that can be found online:

1) As you know this 100-300mm lens is equivalent to a 200-600mm FF with the 2X crop factor of MicroFourThirds cameras.

2) All the Specifications of the 100-300 II lens.

3) The difference between original version, and this new 100-300 version II.

Next the Pros of this lens:

1) Great Value for what you get vs the other options out there.

2) Small, Light, and compact for its huge reach.

3) With the new cameras like Lumix G9, the AF and DUAL IS work great.

4) Image quality is on par with high end super telephotos for most of its range.

5) Great option for 4K video, and static shots of moving objects.

6) durable plastic absorbs the bumps and bruises well, and it did well in the rain without any damage to the operation of the lens.

The following is a video using this lens for wildlife:

The main reason I got this lens was to explore wildlife photography and video with the Lumix G9. And the 100-300 II does a great job for the price. The AF using one area or single point is very fast and accurate with this lens. As seen in the above video, this lens can be used hand held at twilight before sunrise. Even with a slow aperture like f/5.6 the DUAL IS of the Lumix G9 with the stabilization of the lens will allow ISOs of 1600 or 800 with shutters down to 1/650 and even lower when it's paired with a Dual IS body. And that for me made a huge difference getting stable video and long shots at twilight. I'm using exposure settings I could never get away with using a DSLR and lens 1/2 it's reach. For me, that was a game changer.

But like any lens, they have compromises. Next The Cons of the 100-300 II.

1) Sloppy manual focus ring. Trying to nail infinity using the distance scale of the camera is very difficult as the focus point gets sticky when near the infinity mark. And I use this for manual focus a lot for video.

2) Focus breathing. Not much of an issue for photo. But for video this limits a lot of close up to far away focus pulls. Unless you want the effect where the blur changes size.

3) The wideness of the 100-300 II is about 15% tighter than the Panasonic 35-100 II at 100mm. And almost 10% tighter than the Panasonic 45-150, at the 150mm end. Thus, this lens actual wideness at various ranges are tighter than some other lenses.

Nevertheless, Below are some pics I recently shot with the 100-300 II.

Blue Heron during the sunrise at Morro Rock

Blue Heron on the PCH at Sunrise.

Long Billed Curlew after sunrise.

The Panasonic 100-300mm f/4-5.6 OIS II is a great lens for photo and video. It's not the best lens out there, but it gets the job done for about 1/3 the price. This year, I had the chance to handle the Panasonic/Lecia 50-200 f/2.8-4, and it was a much nicer lens with noticeably faster AF. And there is the Panasonic Leica 100-400 which is another great lens. Both these higher priced lenses have better image quality at the long end of 250 to 300mm. But for the shorter range of 100-200, the Pana 100-300 holds up very well to the best.

So that's my long term review of this Panasonic lens. I shoot a variety of styles and venues of photo and video. Thus, this is a great compact all around super telephoto lens that can be used without a tripod for photo and video.

The following are more video I shot with this lens: I also try to include the camera settings when possible.

Anyway, hope this will help if you're considering this lens. Thank You.

Great images, thank you