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Panasonic

LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.

Leica L Mount

LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S. — 70–300mm f/4.5-5.6 for Leica L, a popular choice in the panasonic lineup.

$1,249

Launch price

Released Apr 2021

vs

Sony

FE 50mm F1.4 GM

Sony E Mount

FE 50mm F1.4 GM — 50mm f/1.4 for Sony E, a popular choice in the sony lineup.

$1,799

Launch price

Released Mar 2025

FE 50mm F1.4 GM is 3.8 years newer.

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Wins

3categories

LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.

Macro & Close-upWildlife

Wins

4categories

FE 50mm F1.4 GM

PortraitSports & Action

1 categories tied

TL;DR — Key differences

LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S. wins 2 categories·FE 50mm F1.4 GM wins 3 categories
  • ALUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S. has higher OIS effectiveness (5 stops vs 0 stops)
  • ALUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S. has higher Max magnification (1 × vs 0.15 ×)
  • BFE 50mm F1.4 GM has lower Max aperture (Tele) (f/1.4 vs f/5.6)
  • BFE 50mm F1.4 GM has lower Max aperture (Wide) (f/1.4 vs f/4.5)
  • BFE 50mm F1.4 GM has lower Weight (580 g vs 790 g)

Key specs at a glance

LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.FE 50mm F1.4 GM
Focal Length70-300 mm50 mm
Max Aperturef/4.5-5.6f/1.4
MountLeica LSony E
CoverageFull FrameFull Frame
Stabilization5 stopsNo
Weight790 g580 g
Min Focus28 cm30 cm
Filter Size77 mm77 mm

Use-case scoring

Which one for what?

Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class

Use caseLUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.FE 50mm F1.4 GM
Portrait
5.5Fair
8.5Excellent
Sports & Action
6.5Good
6.5Good
Video & Hybrid
7.0Good
4.5Fair
Landscape
3.0Limited
4.0Fair
Travel
5.0Fair
3.5Limited
Wildlife
8.5Excellent
3.0Limited
Macro & Close-up
9.0Excellent
1.5Limited

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose the LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.

  • OIS effectiveness

    5 stops vs 0 stops — higher is better

  • Max magnification

    1 × vs 0.15 × — higher is better

  • Optical stabilization

    Only LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S. supports it

  • Min focus distance

    28 cm vs 30 cm — lower is better

Reasons to choose the FE 50mm F1.4 GM

  • Max aperture (Tele)

    f/1.4 vs f/5.6 — lower is better

  • Max aperture (Wide)

    f/1.4 vs f/4.5 — lower is better

  • Special elements

    Adds ED

  • Weight

    580 g vs 790 g — lower is better

  • Length

    131 mm vs 161 mm — lower is better

Shared specifications

Internal focus

Both support internal focus

Diameter

Both 81 mm

Weather sealing

Both support weather sealing

Control ring

Both support control ring

Custom function button

Both support custom function button

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.

Pros

  • Built-in optical image stabilization
  • Weather-sealed construction for outdoor shooting
  • Native Leica L mount compatibility

Cons

  • Slower maximum aperture limits low-light performance
  • Third-party or older alternatives may offer better value

FE 50mm F1.4 GM

Pros

  • Bright f/1.4 aperture for low light and subject separation
  • Prime design typically delivers strong sharpness and lighter weight
  • Weather-sealed construction for outdoor shooting

Cons

  • Third-party or older alternatives may offer better value

Decided which one is right for you?

Compare live prices for the LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S. and FE 50mm F1.4 GM at major authorized retailers.

Panasonic LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.

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Full specifications

= category winner

LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.
FE 50mm F1.4 GM
Focal length (Min)
70 mm
50 mm
Focal length (Max)
300 mm
50 mm
Max aperture (Wide)
f/4.5
f/1.4+3.4 stops wider
Max aperture (Tele)
f/5.6
f/1.4+4 stops wider
Elements
23
14
Groups
17
11
Special elements
Aspherical
Aspherical, ED
LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.
FE 50mm F1.4 GM
Min focus distance
28 cm−2 cm less
30 cm
Max magnification
1 ×6.7× more
0.15 ×
Autofocus motor
Linear / Stepping Motor
Linear / Stepping Motor
Internal focus
Yes
Yes
LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.
FE 50mm F1.4 GM
Optical stabilization
Yes
No
OIS effectiveness
5 stops
0 stops
LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.
FE 50mm F1.4 GM
Weight
790 g
580 g−210 g less
Length
161 mm
131 mm−30 mm less
Diameter
81 mm
81 mm
Filter thread size
77 mm
77 mm
Weather sealing
Yes
Yes
Diaphragm blades
9
11
LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.
FE 50mm F1.4 GM
Lens mount
Leica L
Sony E
Format coverage
Full Frame
Full Frame

Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.