Panasonic has announced the LUMIX S 100-500mm F5-7.1 the first ultra-telephoto zoom lens in the LUMIX S Series to cover a focal length of up to 500mm.
The new LUMIX S 100-500mm F5-7.1 covers 100–500mm and is compatible with teleconverters, extending the focal length up to an impressive 1000mm using Panasonic's 2x teleconverter (the 1.4x will take it up to 700mm). With a length of 196.1 mm / 7.7 inches, it is definitely compact for its range. Weight is dialled down too, coming in at 1.28 kg / 2.83 lb.
Minimum focus distance is just 79 cm / 2.6 ft at 100 mm, and 1.5 metres / 4.92 ft at 500mm. The optical design features 19 elements in 12 groups, including two UED lenses, two ED lenses, and two UHR lenses. An 11-blade diaphragm provides what should be excellent bokeh.
Autofocus is driven by a Dual Phase Linear Motor and works with Dual I.S. 2 stabilization, rated to 7 stops.
For operation, the focus ring can be reassigned as a control ring for functions such as aperture, while a dedicated focus button supports custom settings. Video-oriented features include suppression of focus breathing and micro-step aperture control for what should be smooth exposure changes.
Pre-orders for the LUMIX S 100-500mm F5-7.1 open today, with availability listed as 'soon'. Pricing is $2099