Panasonic LUMIX S 100-500mm is a Beast

Panasonic’s new LUMIX S 100-500mm lens is here – and it’s a beast. If you’ve been waiting for Panasonic to bring some serious telephoto power to the LUMIX S lineup, today’s your day. Panasonic just dropped the new LUMIX S 100-500mm F5-7.1 O.I.S. (S-R100500) – their first ultra-telephoto zoom lens for the L-Mount system – and it’s aimed squarely at wildlife, sports, and landscape shooters who want reach without carrying a bazooka.

This lens covers everything from 100mm all the way out to 500mm, and if that’s not enough reach for you, Panasonic has made it compatible with their teleconverters (sold separately), which can extend the reach to a whopping 1000mm equivalent. In other words, if you’ve ever wanted to photograph the moon and still crop in on a crater, you’re covered.

But here’s the real kicker: this lens stays surprisingly compact. At just 196mm long (under 8 inches), it’s way more portable than you’d expect for something that can see that far. Panasonic also built in Dual I.S. 2 image stabilization, which is capable of up to 7 stops of shake reduction, allowing you to handhold the camera and still capture sharp shots – even at the long end.

Autofocus is driven by a Dual-Phase-Linear Motor. This means it’s fast, precise, and quiet—great for both stills and video. Speaking of video, Panasonic clearly had creators in mind with this one. There’s focus breathing suppression and micro-step aperture control for smooth exposure transitions. You also get customizable controls; for example, you can turn the focus ring into a control ring and assign settings like aperture. For those who value ergonomics, the focus button is assignable to any function—hybrid zoom, anyone?

Key Features of the LUMIX S 100-500mm

Massive Reach, Sharp Results

• Panasonic’s first ultra-telephoto zoom for the LUMIX S series – covering 100mm all the way to 500mm.
• Delivers crisp detail and smooth bokeh throughout the zoom range, even wide open.
• Supports teleconverters (sold separately), letting you push out to a staggering 1000mm for serious reach.

Stabilization That Keeps Up

• Dual I.S. 2 image stabilization gives you up to 7 stops of shake reduction – a lifesaver when you’re handholding at 500mm.
• The lens stays surprisingly compact at just 196mm in length, making it packable for travel and field work.
• Dual Phase Linear Motor autofocus is fast, accurate, and quiet – perfect for wildlife and video shooters.

Customizable, Creator-Friendly Controls

• The focus ring can double as a control ring for adjusting aperture or other settings on the fly.
• A dedicated focus button can be mapped to functions like Hybrid Zoom, giving you more control without digging through menus.

Price & Availability

The LUMIX S 100-500mm is available for pre-order starting September 25th for $2,099.99 from Panasonic’s usual retailers. 

Bottom line? This lens is Panasonic’s answer for shooters who want reach, stability, and a packable form factor. If you shoot wildlife, motorsports, or just want the ultimate landscape compression, this one’s worth a look.

I’ve been shooting with Panasonic since the S1 II was announced this spring. I can’t wait to get a demo in and try landscapes and wildlife with it.