PANASONIC ADDS TELEZOOM TO LUMIX S SYSTEM

THE LINE-UP OF L mount lenses continues to grow with Panasonic adding a new telezoom to its Lumix S full frame mirrorless system. The Lumix S 70-300mm f/4.6-5.6 Macro OIS features a weatherproofed construction that not only protects against moisture and dust, but also allows for shooting in subzero temperatures down to -10 degrees Celsius. There’s also a fluorine coating on the exposed surface of the front element to better repel moisture and grease, and allow for easier cleaning.

The new 70-300mm’s optical construction comprises 17 elements in ten groups, which includes one ultra extra-low dispersion type (‘UED’), two extra-low dispersion types (‘ED’) and one using ultra-high refractive index glass (‘UHR’). Collectively, these special elements correct for axial chromatic aberration at the telephoto end and the chromatic aberration of magnification at the shorter focal length end. The lens is compatible with the current version of Panasonic’s ‘Depth From Defocus’ (DFD0 autofocusing which samples at 480 fps. The minimum focusing distance is 54 cm which gives a maximum magnification ratio of 1:2 (i.e. half life-size) at the 300mm focal length. The diaphragm has 11 blades to give a more circular aperture and smoother out-of-focus effects. Panasonic says the lens’s focusing mechanism minimises focus breathing (a variation in the image size as the focus is adjusted) and also focus shifting when zooming, both of which can be problematic when shooting video.

The lens’s optical image stabilisation supports Panasonic’s ‘Dual I.S’ system, which works in concert with in-body image stabilisation to give five axes of movement and up to 5.5 stops of correction for camera shake (depending on the focal length).

Lumix S 70-300mm f/4.6-5.6 Macro OIS is available in Australia from April priced at $2199.