Panasonic Lumix S 100-500mm f5-7.1 O.I.S.
Panasonic’s new S 100-500mm for L-mount lands squarely in the same lane as Canon’s RF 100-500mm for RF-mount. Both cover full-frame, both use extending zoom designs, and on paper they track closely. The one spec difference you’ll notice right away is the wide-end aperture: Panasonic starts at f/5 while Canon starts at f/4.5. Otherwise they’re remarkably similar.
Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM
What about size and handling? Panasonic managed to keep the lens compact for a 5x super-telephoto zoom, but how does it stack up against the Canon in the real world? Below we’ll show a true-to-scale image comparison, then a detailed specs and features table. First, let’s look at current pricing for each model.
Price Comparison
Credit to Panasonic for the pricing. It stays reasonably accessible compared with Canon’s equivalent.
- Panasonic S 100-500mm F5-7.1 OIS: MSRP $2,099 - (Check at B&H PHOTO)
- Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM: MSRP $2,799 - (Check at AMAZON / B&H PHOTO)
Size Comparison
In the true-to-scale image, the Panasonic 100-500mm comes in a touch shorter and lighter than Canon’s 100-500mm. It’s also 2 mm slimmer at its widest point (92 mm vs 94 mm), though it uses a larger 82 mm filter instead of Canon’s 77 mm. 82 mm filters are a bit less common and usually cost more, but the Panasonic’s overall size and weight advantage still tips the balance.
Panasonic S 100-500mm vs Canon RF 100-500mm Size Comparison
Feature Comparison
Feature-wise, the two lenses are closely matched. Both include optical stabilization, but Panasonic rates its system at 7 stops, compared to Canon’s 5 stops. Both use extending zoom barrels and support teleconverters; however, you need to zoom to a specific focal length to mount them, and the full zoom range isn’t available with a 1.4x or 2.0x attached. Panasonic also edges out Canon with a slightly shorter minimum focus distance and a higher maximum magnification.
Panasonic 100-500mm f5-7.1 Focal Range and Aperture Change with Teleconverter
What we don’t know yet is optical performance. Canon’s 100-500mm is widely regarded as excellent in its class, so the big question is whether Panasonic can meet or beat it. Below is the side-by-side specs table, and you can dive into the detailed comparison for more analysis.
| FEATURE and SPECS COMPARISON | |  |  |
| Model | Panasonic 100-500mm f5-7.1 | Canon RF 100-500mm |
| Lens Type | Zoom | Zoom |
| Lens Mount | Leica L | Canon RF |
| Focal Length | 100-500mm | 100-500mm |
| Max Format | 35mm FF | 35mm FF |
| Image Stabilization | | |
| Number of Diaphragm Blades | 11 | 9 |
| Optical Elements | 19 | 20 |
| Optical Groups | 12 | 14 |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 0.8m | 0.9m |
| Max Magnification | 0.36x | 0.33x |
| Weight | 1285g | 1365g |
| Length | 196mm | 208mm |
| Diameter | 92mm | 94mm |
| Filter Thread | 82mm | 77mm |
| Weather Sealing | | |
| Price | Amazon, B&H Photo | Amazon, B&H Photo |
