Panasonic Unveils the Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f/2.8 Power O.I.S.

In addition to its new G9 Micro Four Thirds mirrorless camera, Panasonic today announced the new Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f/2.8 Power O.I.S. lens.

The new lens is the first large aperture ultra-telephoto prime lens with the LEICA DG marque.

“It boasts sharpest-ever image quality from corner to corner in the history of LUMIX digital interchangeable lenses,” Panasonic says. “Featuring high mobility in a compact, lightweight design, it also realizes handheld ultra-telephoto shooting.”

The lens is the equivalent of a 400mm lens in 35mm terms due to the 2x crop factor of Micro Four Thirds sensors. With the bundled 1.4x teleconverter, photographers can use this lens as a handheld 560mm (35mm equiv.) lens.

The Power O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) system compensates for hand shake, allowing you to shoot with less blur while handheld and in dimly lit environments. The system can work hand-in-hand with the 6.5-stop in-body stabilization in Panasonic’s Lumix mirrorless cameras as part of a Dual I.S. system.

Specs of the lens include 15 elements in 13 groups, a triple linear motor with a 240fps sensor drive, and a rugged dust/splash/freeze-proof design.

The Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f/2.8 Power O.I.S. will be available in early January 2018 bundled with the 1.4x teleconverter for $3,000. An optional 2x teleconverter for taking the lens to 800mm (35mm equiv.) costs $600.

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