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Panasonic Lumix G Vario 100-300mm F4-5.6 II Power OIS
vs
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 ASPH Power OIS

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Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 II OIS

Telephoto Zoom | Micro Four Thirds

Panasonic Lumix G Vario 100-300mm F4-5.6 II Power OIS
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Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3

Telephoto Zoom | Micro Four Thirds

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 ASPH Power OIS
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Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 II OIS vs Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing the Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 II OIS for the MFT and the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 for the MFT, two Telephoto Zoom lenses by Panasonic.

We will start by looking briefly at the main specs of these two lenses, and in the following section, we will start analyzing them in more detail and listing the pros and cons of each lens.

Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 II OIS Key Specs

  • 100-300mm Focal Range
  • F4-5.6 Max Aperture
  • Image Stabilization
  • Filter Thread: 67mm
  • Max Format: FourThirds
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • Weight: 520g.
  • Diameter: 74mm
  • Length: 126mm
  • Min Focus Distance: 1.5m
  • Max Magnification: 0.21x

Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 Key Specs

  • 100-400mm Focal Range
  • F4.0 - F6.3 Max Aperture
  • Image Stabilization
  • Weather-sealed
  • Filter Thread: 72mm
  • Max Format: FourThirds
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • Weight: 985g.
  • Diameter: 83mm
  • Length: 172mm
  • Min Focus Distance: 1.3m
  • Max Magnification: 0.25x
Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 II OIS Panasonic 100-300mm ..
Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 Panasonic 100-400mm ..
Panasonic 100-300mm ..
See at AMAZON
Panasonic 100-400mm ..
See at AMAZON

What type of photography are the Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 II OIS and Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 lenses good for?

The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 II OIS and the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 for their suitability to various photography scenarios:

Photography Type Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 II OIS Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3
Bird/WildlifeExcellentExcellent
SportsExcellentExcellent
PortraitPoorPoor
TravelPoorPoor
StreetPoorPoor
WeddingPoorPoor
Walk AroundFairFair
VloggingPoorPoor
LandscapeFairFair
MacroFairAverage


Size and Weight Comparison

The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 is the longer of the two lenses at 172mm. The Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 II OIS with a length of 126mm, is 46mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 also has a larger diameter of 83mm compared to the Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 II OIS's 74mm diameter.

Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 II OIS and Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.

Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 II OIS vs Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 Lens Size Comparison
Comparison image of the Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 II OIS and the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 Size and Weight

The weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 II OIS weighs 520g, which means it is 465g (47%) lighter than the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 which has a weight of 985g.


Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount for size comparison purposes.

Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount for Size Comparison
Model Length Diameter Weight Street Price
OM System 40-150mm F4.0 PRO Lens OM System 40-150mm F4.0 PRO
99mm
69mm 382g Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS Lens Olympus ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS
206mm
86mm 1120g Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS Lens Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS
132mm
76mm 655g Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 II ASPH Power OIS Lens Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 II
172mm
83mm 985g Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 45-200mm F4-5.6 II Power OIS Lens Panasonic 45-200mm F4-5.6 II Power OIS
100mm
70mm 370g Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-400mm F4.5 TC 1.25x IS PRO Lens Olympus 150-400mm F4.5 TC 1.25x IS
314mm
116mm 1850g Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 45-150mm F4-5.6 ASPH Mega OIS Lens Panasonic 45-150mm F4-5.6 OIS
73mm
62mm 200g Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 Lens Olympus ED 75-300mm f4.8-6.7
116mm
70mm 430g Amazon B&H Photo

Lens Mounts

Both the Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 II OIS and the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 has the same Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Micro Four Thirds lenses are Panasonic G9 II, OM System OM-5 and Panasonic GH6.

Focal Range

Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 II OIS has a focal range of 100-300mm and 3.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 200-600mm when used on a FourThirds format camera. Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 has a focal range of 100-400mm and 4.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 200-800mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix G Vario 100-300mm F4-5.6 II Power OIS over Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 ASPH Power OIS

Max Aperture - Tele 5.6 vs 6.3 Wider aperture at tele end
Focus Type Internal Focusing vs Extending front Length of the lens doesn't change during focusing
Weight 520g vs 985g 465g lighter
Diameter 74mm vs 83mm 9mm smaller in diameter
Length 126mm vs 172mm 46mm shorter
Filter Thread 67mm vs 72mm Smaller filters are cheaper and easier to find

Reasons to choose Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 ASPH Power OIS over Panasonic Lumix G Vario 100-300mm F4-5.6 II Power OIS

Focal Length - Tele 400mm vs 300mm 100mm more Tele coverage
Tripod Collar Yes vs No More balanced connection with Tripod Heads
Optical Zoom 4.00x vs 3.00x More flexible focal coverage
Diaphragm Blades 9 vs 7 Potentially more rounded and smooth bokeh
Weather Sealing Yes vs No safer to use under rain and dust
Minimum Focus Distance 1.3m vs 1.5m can focus closer to the subject
Max Magnification 0.25x vs 0.21x higher magnification better for close-up shots

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix G Vario 100-300mm F4-5.6 II Power OIS and Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 ASPH Power OIS
Image Stabilization Yes vs Yes Sharper Images at longer shutter speeds
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix G Vario 100-300mm F4-5.6 II Power OIS and Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 ASPH Power OIS
Internal Zoom No vs No Length of the lens changes during zooming
Distance Scale No vs No No Distance Scale assist




**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Panasonic 100-300mm F4-5.6 II OIS vs Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications
General
Brand Panasonic Panasonic
Lens Type Zoom Zoom
Price CHECK PRICE CHECK PRICE
Lens Type Telephoto Zoom Telephoto Zoom
Lens Mount Micro Four Thirds Micro Four Thirds
Max Format FourThirds FourThirds
Focal Range 100-300mm 100-400mm
Image Stabilization Yes Yes
Colour - Black
Zoom Method Rotary (extending) Rotary (extending)
Power Zoom - No
Zoom Lock - Yes
Zoom Ratio 3.0X 4.0X
Aperture
Max Aperture F4-5.6 F4.0 - F6.3
Min Aperture F22 F22.0
Aperture Ring No No
Diaphragm Blades 7 9
Optics
Optical Elements 17 20
Optical Groups 12 13
Focusing
Min Focus Distance 1.5m 1.3m
Max Magnification 0.21X 0.25X
Autofocus Yes Yes
AF Motor Type Micromotor Micromotor
Full Time Manual Yes Yes
Focus Method Internal Extending front
Distance Scale No No
DoF Scale No No
Distance Scale No No
Focus Distance Limiter No Yes
Physical Specs
Weight 520g 985g
Diameter 74mm 83mm
Length 126mm 172mm
Weather Sealing No Yes
Filter Thread 67mm 72mm
Filter Notes does not rotate on focusing -
Hood Supplied Yes Yes
Hood Code H-FS100300 -
Tripod Collar No Yes
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