Customer Reviews

This is my go to lens for Bird Photography. I shoot at least 500 images a day with it and after 7 months ownership it still amazes me. Even shooting into heavily backlit scenes this lens does a stunning job avoiding flare issues than many other lenses I own simply cannot handle. The colour rendering is superb as well with bright natural colours and excellent contrast. Performance is excellent throughout the aperture range and at full zoom. The only downside is that the zooming mechanism could be better / more free moving. But considering the price I'm perfectly happy given how good it performs optically. Overall, this is a very easy lens to use and can be carried all day with relative ease - especially if you are use to large format systems. For Bird Photographers needing a zoom there's really no other choice at this price point.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] After borrowing a friend’s Pana 100-400 I was delighted with my birding results. It seems quite compatible with my OM 1. What a treat to remember a fantastic morning’s bird watching with beautiful pictures captured.

I bought this for extra reach for birds. Very small wrens. Overall very happy, but would prefer a smoother action to the zoom. It's stiff. I've other brand zoom and it is so sweet. If Panasonic could make similar it would be superb. Weight isn't an issue. I actually found the weight an advantage when hand holding. It acts against the body and for me helps stabilise things. I don't use a tripod. Not the best in lowlight. It's a lens that can give superb results, but equally can be frustrating. That's common across makes. Can't comment on water issues. I don't take it out in pouring rain. A lens that once learnt its nature is a real pleasure to use. I didn't think of not replacing when my 6 month old lens hit the deck and was written off.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I have used this lens with both a LUMIX G9 and Olympus bodies and found it to be comfortable to hold and carry or a long day hiking. Great for small birds that otherwise would be too small in the frame.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Yes, this is expensive. Yes, it is weighty compared to other M43 lenses. But I think it is a viable alternative to much larger and heavier zooms from other systems. I have been shooting with this on a G9 alongside a Nikon D500 with a Nikon 200-500 for a few weeks now. For me, and the subject matter I shoot, this lens with the G9 is at least as good as the Nikon combo. That coupled with the fact that the Panasonic combo weighs about half as much, was enough to get me to switch to Micro Four Thirds. (White birds are with a G85, Blackbird is G9)

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This lens exemplifies one of the greatest benefits of the Micro Four Thirds system - where else would you find an 800mm (equivalent) lens this small! Fantastic build quality with smooth zoom and focus rings, including a handy locking function to prevent zoom creep, this 100-400mm lens is a must-have for any bird or wildlife photography, bringing your subject close and capturing excellent detail. The rotating tripod collar is a particularly handy feature, as are the dedicated focus mode, focus limit and stabilization switches. The aperture range of F/4.0 to F/6.3 is a little on the low side, but outdoors in decent light you will rarely notice. The image stabilization is remarkably effective, so as long as your subject stays still - you'll have no issues in lower light.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I got this lens for wildlife and it does not disappoint. Focus is very fast and spot on with Olympus OM-D E-M1ii. Colors are natural, bokeh is good, and sharpness is outstanding. The zoom range allows me to remain stationary and capture a variety of subjects. Highly recommended.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I have been using this lens for some time now and I am still impressed every time i look at my images. The sharpness combined with the amazing stabilization makes it a great lens for wildlife.

very happy with lens and quick delivery from Panasonic UK.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] lens is very heavy though and wasn't what I needed