Versatile Medium-Telephoto Macro Zoom. The Panasonic Leica 100-400mm f/4-6.3 II DG Vario-Elmar ASPH is a 200-800mm equivalent macro-capable medium-telephoto zoom that’s great for a range of applications, including wildlife, sports, nature, and action photography. Its f/4-6.3 variable aperture doesn’t give much flexibility in low light, so you’ll want to stick with decent lighting conditions with this one. The rounded nine-blade diaphragm contributes to smooth, pleasing bokeh when you’re working with selective-focus and shallow depth-of-field techniques.

Revised Optical Design. As you’d expect from Leica, the 100-400mm features superlative optics. It includes an array of aspherical and extra-low dispersion elements that minimizes chromatic and spherical aberrations and distortion while improving sharpness, clarity, and color accuracy. A Nano Surface coating on the lens elements helps to further suppress ghosting and flare.

Focus, Focus, Focus. This lens’s autofocus system provides fast, precise, and nearly silent performance that’s great for video and stills alike. The on-body Zoom Limit switch lets you instantly restrict the zoom range, and you get full-time manual-focus override for even greater precision. The 4.3-foot minimum focusing distance and 0.5x-equivalent maximum magnification make this lens great for getting in close.

POWER Optical Image Stabilization. The in-lens stabilizer helps to minimize camera shake when shooting hand-held. The POWER O.I.S. system works in tandem with select Lumix G cameras’ Dual-I.S. function to further eliminate camera shake using sensor-shift and lens-shift stabilization methods.

Rotating Tripod Collar. A two-part quick-shift rotating tripod collar lets you instantly switch between horizontal and vertical shooting orientations while keeping the lens controls in the same place in either position.

Durable, Weatherproof Build. The weather-sealed design is freezeproof, splash-proof, and dust-proof, so you can keep working even in inclement shooting conditions.

Teleconverter Compatible. If you need even more reach, the 100-400 is compatible with Panasonic’s DMW-TC14 1.4x and DMW-TC20 2x teleconverters. The former will push the 35mm-equivalent focal length to 1120mm, while the latter will boost it to 1600mm.