Panasonic announces LUMIX S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S. lens

Panasonic has announced the LUMIX S 100–500mm F5–7.1 O.I.S. interchangeable lens, the first ultra-telephoto zoom in its LUMIX S Series lineup.

The lens offers a focal length of up to 500mm and supports optional teleconverters. With the LUMIX STC20 2x teleconverter attached, it reaches a combined focal length of up to 1000mm.

Measuring 196.1mm in length, the lens is compact, and Panasonic says the design was achieved through an optimised lens element arrangement and a Dual Phase Linear Motor.

It features high-speed, precise, and silent autofocus, along with Dual I.S. 2 image stabilisation that supports up to seven stops.

According to Panasonic, the lens is also dust, splash and freeze-resistant, with a fluorine coating applied to the front element.

For operation, the lens includes a customisable focus ring, a function button, and a new “tight-smooth” adjustment ring to alter zoom resistance. The focus ring can also serve as a control ring, allowing users to assign settings such as aperture.

Video-focused features include focus breathing suppression and micro-step aperture control for smooth exposure changes.

The LUMIX S 100–500mm F5–7.1 O.I.S. will be available in Australia from early November. It has an RRP of $3,699.

You can find out more at Panasonic.