The question I get asked most often about this lens from Lumix, is whether it's better or worse than the Sigma 60-600mm.
This is a tough call because the Sigma is superb, but it's heavy. The Lumix 100-500mm is very very light and compact for what it does, but still delivers strong AF performance, very sharp images and superb stabilisation.
In my experience the stabe in the Sigma is not as effective. It could be because Lumix won't combine the in-body stabe with the lens stabe effectively with any lenses that are not their own. The Sigma is a little longer and a smidge faster, but neither of these things matter if the lens is too heavy to pack on your travels. The Lumix 100-500mm has a clear advantage over the Sigma 60-600mm purely because it so easy to slot into the bag.
We are seeing lots of manufacturers choosing to make slower lenses that are lighter and smaller now. At first this was a concern for me, but after spending so much time in the field with these lenses that only open out to F7.1 at maximum telephoto I am much less worried. I still get plenty of great shots despite the higher f-stop, and the cameras these days are coping well with higher ISO to compensate when the light is poor.
Sure I'd love to have an F2.8 600mm lens, but that means a lot of weight and a lot of dollars. Turns out F7.1 is a reasonable compromise and you can still get pretty bokeh every so often.
I take a closer look at this lens in my February 2026 edition of the Zine. That's worth checking out. Also, please take a look at my video for a detailed review, and some sample photos.
I don't own this lens, it was on loan from Panasonic. I do own the Sigma 60-600mm. And that puts me in a bind because the 100-500mm is the one I want to keep. This one gets two thumbs up from me.
– Ewen
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