The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 II and the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM is the longer of the two lenses at 193mm. The Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 II with a length of 172mm, is 21mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM also has a larger diameter of 94mm compared to the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 II's 83mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 II weighs 985g, which means it is 605g (38%) lighter than the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM which has a weight of 1590g.
Filter Threads
The Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 II has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 II:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM:
Lens Mounts
The Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 II has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount whereas the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM has the Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are OM System OM-3 Astro, OM System OM-5 II and OM System OM-3 for the Micro Four Thirds Mount and Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K for the Canon EF Mount.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
100-400mm but while Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 II has the fastest aperture of
F4.0 - F6.3, the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM's widest aperture value is
F4.5 - F5.6.
