Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm f/4-6.3 Review

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm f/4.0-6.3 ASPH Handling and Features

Considering the size an 800mm lens would be for a 35mm-format camera, this 100-400mm is positively diminutive. It balances very well with the Panasonic Lumix GX8 body provided for this review, which makes the combination very simple to wield and use. There is a potential danger in this as there is no reduction in the care needed to bring the best out of such a long lens and we need to remember that camera shake is the ever present issue. Fortunately, the Power I.O.S. (optical image stabilisation) seems highly effective. This opens up areas previously the purview of huge, expensive professional lenses.

The other lens controls consist of the usual AF/MF switch and a focus limiter that restricts the AF range to between 5m and infinity. This will help speed up the AF for more distant subjects, as does the silent 240fps AF drive. This silent AF operation optimises the lens for 4K video shooting. AF certainly does lock on swiftly and seems highly accurate. Focusing is down to a very close 1.3m, which gives a magnification of 0.25x (1:4), or 0.5x (1:2) in 35mm terms.

The lens takes 72mm filters, has internal focusing, nine diaphragm blades and weighs a fairly modest 985g. It is labelled as being Weather Resistant, which is almost becoming a requirement for lenses that will be used extensively in the field.

There are a few operational details that show the degree of thought that has gone into the design. There is a rotating lock for the zoom action, to either prevent creep or to lock the lens onto a particular focal length. There is a knurled knob on the lens that allows the camera and lens to rotate between landscape and portrait orientations, whilst the lens controls remain in the same place and fully accessible. What a great idea. There is also an extension foot for the tripod mount on the lens, making more hand space for the zoom ring when the lens is mounted on a tripod. Finally, a small but effective slide out lens hood helps to reduce any flare.

Lens construction is 20 elements in 13 groups, including two ED (extra low dispersion), one UED (ultra-extra low dispersion) and one Aspherical ED element. The lens body is reassuringly solid and needs to be to keep this complex array of glass in alignment.

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