Panasonic LUMIX S 70-300mm F/4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.

This Panasonic telephoto zoom spans 70–300mm for full-frame Leica L-mount cameras. It was released in 2021 and remains in production, so it is a current design rather than an older model. The range suits wildlife, outdoor sport and distant detail work, where 300mm makes a far subject larger. The short end handles nearer action and tighter portraits.

It also focuses close, which broadens the likely subjects beyond distant wildlife. The main trade-off is light gathering. The maximum aperture runs from f/4.5 at 70mm to f/5.6 at 300mm, so the lens favours daylight work over dim interiors.

It weighs 1 lb 11.9 oz (790 g). The body runs 5.83 in (148 mm) long and 3.31 in (84 mm) wide, a moderate package for a 300mm full-frame zoom. The front takes 77mm screw-in filters. It has a physical score of 64 on our 100-point scale.

The long end does the main work here. At 300mm, distant wildlife and outdoor athletes fill the frame from a safe distance. At 70mm, the lens handles nearer action and environmental portraits with less compression. Between those ends, the zoom follows a subject moving nearer. A rotary zoom ring sets each framing by hand.

Light gathering is modest. The maximum aperture falls from f/4.5 at 70mm to f/5.6 at 300mm, so the widest setting dims as you zoom in. In bright daylight this rarely matters. In shade or at dusk, you may need to raise ISO or steady the camera. At the long end, f/5.6 still separates a single animal or player from a busy background.

Close work is a real strength. The lens focuses as close as 1.8 ft (54 cm). Its maximum magnification reaches 0.5x, or half life size. The name includes Macro, but true macro means 1:1 magnification, and this lens reaches half that. Half life size still suits flowers, dragonflies and small product details.

Eleven aperture blades help keep the opening round when stopped down. This helps smooth the out-of-focus highlights behind a distant subject.

Weather sealing is present, which suits the outdoor shooting this lens invites. A fluorine coating on the front helps water and oil bead off, so the glass wipes clean after a damp morning in the field. The sealing also helps keep dust out on dry trails.

A zoom lock holds the barrel in place when the camera hangs from a shoulder. That stops the lens extending on its own during a walk between viewpoints. The lock matters most when the lens is fully extended.

The name includes O.I.S., but no stabilisation is recorded for this lens. Without it, handheld frames at 300mm may need faster shutter speeds or a monopod in poor light.

The optical path uses 17 elements in 11 groups, including low-dispersion and super-low-dispersion glass. Such glass helps reduce chromatic aberration, the coloured fringes that can appear along high-contrast edges, for example a bird against a bright sky. This lens scores 32 on our 100-point construction scale.