Rank #7 in Best Telephoto Zoom Lens 2026: 8 Ranked, and Two Spec Sheets That Don't Add Up
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3
Price and rating as shown on Amazon when we collected them. Both change.
The Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm is the Micro Four Thirds ultra-zoom in seventh place in this guide. It is a 985g splash, dust and freeze-resistant zoom covering 100-400mm on the mount, which Panasonic's own bullet text equates to 200-800mm on a 35mm camera. It takes the DMW-TC20 teleconverter, carries built-in Power OIS and a Leica certification, and holds 4.4 out of 5 from 35 ratings. At £1,239.00 it is priced as a specialist optic rather than a kit-lens upgrade.
What the Amazon spec sheet does with it is the same trick we flagged at the top of this guide. The lens is a 100-400mm zoom, yet the sheet's 'Maximum Focal Length' field reads 800 Millimeters and its 'Minimum Focal Length' reads 200 Millimeters — those are the 35mm-equivalent figures from the bullet, not the lens's own range. 'Fixed Focal Length: 100400 Millimetres' then calls a zoom fixed and gives the whole range as a single number, and 'Screen Size: 17.15 Centimetres' has nothing to do with a lens at all. The aperture fields agree with each other in format — 4 f and 22 f — but neither shows the 6.3 that the product name and the bullet both quote at the long end. One field, 'Lens Coating Description', even arrives in Portuguese as 'Rivestimento Nano AR', which no bullet mentions. The rating breakdown attached to the listing weights 75 five-star against 9 one-star and lands on exactly 4.4, though it adds up to 100 while the listing reports 35 ratings. Everything on this page comes from the Amazon listing, not from any test of our own.
How those 35 ratings break down
An average hides its own shape. This is the spread behind the 4.4 stars.
Specification
Exactly as published on the Amazon listing, field for field.
| Price | £1,239.00 |
|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4 out of 5 from 35 ratings |
| Focal length in the product name | 100-400mm (200-800mm in 35mm terms, per the bullet text) |
| Maximum Focal Length (as listed) | 800 Millimeters |
| Minimum Focal Length (as listed) | 200 Millimeters |
| Fixed Focal Length (as listed) | 100400 Millimetres |
| Maximum Aperture (as listed) | 4 f |
| Minimum Aperture (as listed) | 22 f |
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“I have the P100-300. This mk 2 PL100-400 is something else. Works really well on my G9.2. Not too heavy, not too large. A great tripod/ monopod shoe which can act as a carrying handle. Crisp sharp images.”
Verified purchase“Un must à posséder avec le G9 II pour l'animalier !La qualité Leica est toujours bluffante malgré son prix élevé.Mais je ne regrette ABSOLUMENT rien !”
What it is up against
The rivals it was ranked against in Best Telephoto Zoom Lens 2026: 8 Ranked, and Two Spec Sheets That Don't Add Up.
Questions people ask
What focal length is the Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm?
The product name and the bullet text both give 100-400mm, equivalent to 200-800mm on a 35mm camera. The spec sheet's 'Maximum Focal Length' of 800 Millimeters and 'Minimum Focal Length' of 200 Millimeters are those 35mm-equivalent figures, not the lens's own range.
What aperture does the Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm have?
The name and the bullet quote F4.0-6.3. The spec sheet lists 'Maximum Aperture: 4 f' and 'Minimum Aperture: 22 f', so 6.3 appears in neither field and the two sources do not fully agree.
How heavy is the Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm?
The bullet text gives 985g and describes the body as compact and lightweight for photography on the go.
Can the Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm be used with a teleconverter?
The bullets say it takes the DMW-TC20 and that teleconverter compatibility can boost focal length by up to 1.4x or 2.0x. Maximum magnification is quoted as 0.5x, or up to 1.0x with the DMW-TC20.
Is the Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm weather-sealed?
The bullet describes a splash, dust and freeze-resistant design, which Panasonic says keeps it working in any setting.
What do the ratings say about the Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm?
4.4 out of 5 from 35 ratings. The breakdown attached to the listing weights 75 five-star against 9 one-star and produces exactly 4.4, but it adds up to 100 while the listing reports 35 ratings, so treat it as shares rather than a count.
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