Panasonic will launch a new interchangeable telephoto zoom lens, the LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 MACRO O.I.S. (S-R70300) based on the L-Mount system and designed for LUMIX S Series full-frame mirrorless cameras.

The new LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 MACRO O.I.S. boasts high descriptive performance and bokeh at the entire zoom range to render exceptional stills and video. It provides high-speed, high-precision AF and Dual I.S. for agile mobility for use in wide-ranging shooting situations including sports, animals, portraits, aircraft and vehicles.

This telephoto zoom lens with macro capability is compact and lightweight. The rugged dust/splash-resistant design withstands harsh conditions down to a temperature of minus 10 degrees Celsius. In addition, the fluorine coating on the front element repels water and oil.

With a minimum focusing distance of 0.54m, the S-R70300 achieves maximum magnification of 0.5x (at 300mm) for macro photography and videography. A circular aperture with an 11-bladed iris diaphragm provides rounded bokeh effects.

With an Optical Image Stabiliser (O.I.S) in the S-R70300 lens and Body I.S. in LUMIX S Series cameras, the LUMIX Dual I.S system compensates for handshake in telephoto shooting, making it possible to use a 5.5-stop slower shutter speed. Focus control with a maximum 480 fps high-speed sensor drive achieves fast, high-precision AF.

The optimum alignment of 17 lens elements in 11 groups including one UED (Ultra Extra-low Dispersion) lens, two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) lenses and one UHR (Ultra-High Refractive Index) suppresses both axial chromatic aberration at tele-end and chromatic aberration of magnification at wide end.

The UHR lens achieves uniform image quality from the centre to the edges of the image while contributing to the downsizing of the lens unit. The lens excels in video recording performance with a mechanism that minimises focus breathing, and focus shift is suppressed during zooming with an exceptional zoom tracking performance so the subject is always in clear focus.

The S-R70300 is priced at $2199 RRP and will be available in April 2021 from leading photographic specialists.