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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 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

Sony E Mount

The standard telephoto zoom, completely redesigned to be 29% lighter and significantly sharper.

$2,799

Launch price

Released Oct 2021

FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II is 6 months newer.

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Wins

6categories

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

Macro & Close-upWildlife

Wins

2categories

FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

Sports & ActionPortrait

TL;DR — Key differences

LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S. wins 3 categories·FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II wins 2 categories
  • ALUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S. has higher Max magnification (1 × vs 0.3 ×)
  • BFE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II has lower Max aperture (Tele) (f/2.8 vs f/5.6)
  • BFE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II has lower Max aperture (Wide) (f/2.8 vs f/4.5)
  • ALUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S. has lower Min focus distance (28 cm vs 40 cm)
  • ALUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S. has lower Weight (790 g vs 1045 g)

Key specs at a glance

LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Focal Length70-300 mm70-200 mm
Max Aperturef/4.5-5.6f/2.8
MountLeica LSony E
CoverageFull FrameFull Frame
Stabilization5 stops4.5 stops
Weight790 g1045 g
Min Focus28 cm40 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 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Portrait
5.5Fair
7.5Good
Sports & Action
6.5Good
9.5Excellent
Video & Hybrid
7.0Good
7.0Good
Landscape
3.0Limited
4.0Fair
Travel
5.0Fair
4.0Fair
Wildlife
8.5Excellent
5.5Fair
Macro & Close-up
9.0Excellent
3.5Limited

Why pick one over the other

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

  • Special elements

    Adds Aspherical

  • Max magnification

    1 × vs 0.3 × — higher is better

  • Control ring

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

  • Min focus distance

    28 cm vs 40 cm — lower is better

  • Weight

    790 g vs 1045 g — lower is better

  • Length

    161 mm vs 200 mm — lower is better

  • OIS effectiveness

    5 stops vs 4.5 stops — higher is better

  • Diameter

    81 mm vs 88 mm — lower is better

Reasons to choose the FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

  • Special elements

    Adds 1 XA, 1 Aspherical, 1 Super ED…

  • Max aperture (Tele)

    f/2.8 vs f/5.6 — lower is better

  • Max aperture (Wide)

    f/2.8 vs f/4.5 — lower is better

Shared specifications

Internal focus

Both support internal focus

Optical stabilization

Both support optical stabilization

Weather sealing

Both support weather sealing

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 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

Pros

  • Extremely lightweight for an f/2.8 telephoto zoom (only 1045g)
  • Virtually instantaneous and silent autofocus with 4 XD Linear motors
  • Stunning optical performance and contrast across entire range
  • Outstanding built-in Optical SteadyShot stabilization
  • Dedicated physical aperture ring with click and lock switches

Cons

  • Very high price tag
  • Lens hood is bulky and can block storage space easily

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 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II at major authorized retailers.

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

Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II

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Full specifications

= category winner

LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.
FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Focal length (Min)
70 mm
70 mm
Focal length (Max)
300 mm
200 mm
Max aperture (Wide)
f/4.5
f/2.8+1.4 stops wider
Max aperture (Tele)
f/5.6
f/2.8+2 stops wider
Elements
23
17
Groups
17
14
Special elements
Aspherical
1 XA, 1 Aspherical, 1 Super ED, 2 ED
LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.
FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Min focus distance
28 cm−12 cm less
40 cm
Max magnification
1 ×3.3× more
0.3 ×
Autofocus motor
Linear / Stepping Motor
4 XD Linear Motors
Internal focus
Yes
Yes
LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.
FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Optical stabilization
Yes
Yes
OIS effectiveness
5 stops+11%
4.5 stops
LUMIX S 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 Macro O.I.S.
FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
Weight
790 g−255 g less
1045 g
Length
161 mm−39 mm less
200 mm
Diameter
81 mm−7 mm less
88 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 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
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.