Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 45-150mm F4.0-5.6 ASPH Mirrorless Camera Lens Review
If you are looking for a compact and versatile telephoto zoom lens for your Micro Four Thirds camera, you might want to consider the Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 45-150mm F4.0-5.6 ASPH lens. This lens offers a 90-300mm equivalent focal length range, which covers portrait to wildlife photography. It also features an optical image stabilizer, a silent autofocus motor, and a multi-coated lens to reduce ghosting and flare. In this article, we will review the product details, features, benefits, and application of the crowd of this lens, as well as compare it with some similar products and share some representative product reviews.
Product Details
The Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 45-150mm F4.0-5.6 ASPH lens is designed for Micro Four Thirds system cameras, such as the Panasonic Lumix G series. It has a metal mount and a plastic barrel with a gun metal finish. It measures 62x73mm and weighs only 200g, making it very compact and lightweight for a telephoto zoom lens. It has a 52mm filter thread and a minimum focusing distance of 0.9m. It has a 7-blade diaphragm that creates a rounded aperture for smooth bokeh effects.
The lens has a zoom ring and a focus ring on the barrel. The zoom ring is smooth and has enough resistance to prevent zoom creep. The focus ring is well-damped and allows for precise manual focus adjustments. The lens also has a switch to turn on or off the optical image stabilizer, which is called MEGA O.I.S. by Panasonic.
The lens has 12 elements in 9 groups, including one ultra-high refractive index element and two aspherical elements. These elements help to correct chromatic aberrations, spherical aberrations, and distortion, and enhance sharpness and contrast across the zoom range. The lens also has multi-coated elements to reduce ghosting and flare caused by stray light.
The lens has a stepping motor that drives the autofocus system. The motor is fast, quiet, and smooth, making it suitable for both stills and video shooting. The autofocus system is compatible with Panasonic’s high-speed contrast-detection system, which ensures accurate and reliable focus performance.
Features
The main features of the Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 45-150mm F4.0-5.6 ASPH lens are:
– A versatile telephoto zoom range of 90-300mm equivalent, covering portrait to wildlife photography.
– An optical image stabilizer (MEGA O.I.S.) that compensates for camera shake and enables handheld shooting at slower shutter speeds.
– A fast, quiet, and smooth autofocus system with a stepping motor that works well with Panasonic’s high-speed contrast-detection system.
– A multi-coated lens that reduces ghosting and flare and delivers high optical performance.
– A compact and lightweight design that matches well with Micro Four Thirds cameras.
Benefits
The benefits of using the Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 45-150mm F4.0-5.6 ASPH lens are:
– You can capture sharp and clear images even in low-light situations thanks to the optical image stabilizer.
– You can enjoy smooth and silent autofocus transitions when shooting video thanks to the stepping motor.
– You can achieve beautiful bokeh effects thanks to the rounded 7-blade diaphragm.
– You can save space and weight in your camera bag thanks to the compact and lightweight design.
Application of the Crowd
The Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 45-150mm F4.0-5.6 ASPH lens is suitable for:
– Travel photographers who want a versatile telephoto zoom lens that is easy to carry around.
– Portrait photographers who want a lens that can create flattering perspectives and bokeh effects.
– Wildlife photographers who want a lens that can reach distant subjects without compromising image quality.
– Video shooters who want a lens that can provide smooth and silent autofocus transitions.
Similar Products Comparison
Here is a table that compares the Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 45-150mm F4.0-5.6 ASPH lens with some similar products from other brands:
| Product | Price | Weight | Aperture | Stabilization | Autofocus | Filter Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 45-150mm F4.0-5.6 ASPH | $147.99 | 200g | f/4-f/22 | Yes (MEGA O.I.S.) | Yes (stepping motor) | 52mm |
| Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm F4.0-5.6 R | $99.00 | 190g | f/4-f/22 | No | Yes (MSC) | 58mm |
| Sigma 56mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary | $479.00 | 280g | f/1.4-f/16 | No | Yes (stepping motor) | 55mm |
| Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VXD | $1,199.00 | 815g | f/2.8-f/22 | No | Yes (VXD) | 67mm |
As you can see, the Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 45-150mm F4.0-5.6 ASPH lens is the cheapest and the lightest among the four products, and it also has the advantage of having an optical image stabilizer. However, it also has the smallest aperture range and the shortest zoom range, which may limit its versatility and low-light performance. The Olympus lens is very similar to the Panasonic lens, except that it does not have a stabilizer and has a larger filter size. The Sigma lens is a prime lens that offers a much larger aperture of f/1.4, which is great for low-light and bokeh effects, but it does not have a stabilizer and has a fixed focal length of 56mm, which is equivalent to 112mm on Micro Four Thirds cameras. The Tamron lens is a full-frame lens that offers a fast aperture of f/2.8 and a longer zoom range of 70-180mm, which is equivalent to 140-360mm on Micro Four Thirds cameras, but it does not have a stabilizer and it is much heavier and more expensive than the other lenses.
Representative Product Reviews
Here are some representative product reviews from Amazon customers who bought the Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 45-150mm F4.0-5.6 ASPH lens:
– “I bought this lens to use with my Panasonic Lumix G7 camera and I am very happy with it. It is very light and compact, but it feels solid and well-made. The image quality is excellent, especially in good light. The autofocus is fast and accurate, and the image stabilizer works well. I use this lens mainly for portraits and wildlife photography, and it gives me great results. The only downside is that it is not very bright at f/5.6 at the long end, so you may need to increase the ISO or use a tripod in low-light situations. But for the price, this lens is hard to beat.”
– “This lens is a great addition to my Panasonic Lumix GX85 camera. It is very easy to use and produces sharp and clear images with nice colors and contrast. The zoom range is perfect for my needs, as I like to shoot landscapes, flowers, birds, and animals. The optical image stabilizer helps me to get steady shots even at the longest focal length. The autofocus is smooth and quiet, which is good for video recording. The lens is also very small and light, so it does not add much weight or bulk to my camera bag.”
– “I am very impressed with this lens. It is very well-built and has a nice metal mount. The zoom ring and the focus ring are smooth and precise. The lens has a multi-coated glass that reduces ghosting and flare, and an aspherical element that reduces distortion. The image quality is superb, with sharp details and beautiful bokeh effects. The optical image stabilizer is very effective and allows me to shoot handheld at slow shutter speeds without any blur. The autofocus is quick and silent, and works well with my Panasonic Lumix G9 camera.”
Conclusion
The Panasonic LUMIX G VARIO 45-150mm F4.0-5.6 ASPH lens is a compact and versatile telephoto zoom lens for Micro Four Thirds system cameras that offers a 90-300mm equivalent focal length range, an optical image stabilizer, a silent autofocus motor, and a multi-coated lens for high optical performance. It is suitable for travel, portrait, wildlife, and video shooting, and it is very affordable compared to other similar products.
If you are interested in buying this lens, you can click on this link to order it from Amazon.com.
: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0153WGMCY
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