Reading mode: Light Dark

Cheap tele 45-200 II pana or other?

Go to last post
P

Pollos

Forum Enthusiast
Messages
457
Reaction score
47
I decided to go in my honeymoon with penf or em5mkii (I need again some time for take a decision).

I will go with 9-18 12-40 + telezoom with i will go to norway fjord cruise (I will go from 9-23 june) .

I will move also with 17-25-45 mm for night shots.

The problem is telezoom because i can't understant what is the best cheap telezoom (The best i think is 40-150 2.8 zuiko =too expensive).

My last search has found to me the 45-200 panasonic new model . Do you think it is the best solution? Have you some alternative?

I think i need a best optical performance and fast lens.
 
You can't have cheap and fast. I have the Panasonic 45-150 which is cheap and compact but not fast. If I wanted more, I think I would go for the 100-300 rather than the 45-200.

Mark
 
Pollos said:
I decided to go in my honeymoon with penf or em5mkii (I need again some time for take a decision).

I will go with 9-18 12-40 + telezoom with i will go to norway fjord cruise (I will go from 9-23 june) .

I will move also with 17-25-45 mm for night shots.

The problem is telezoom because i can't understant what is the best cheap telezoom (The best i think is 40-150 2.8 zuiko =too expensive).

My last search has found to me the 45-200 panasonic new model . Do you think it is the best solution? Have you some alternative?

I think i need a best optical performance and fast lens.
Click to expand...
If that's the case, then avoid the 45-200mm, which is known for it's mediocrity. Try the 45-175mm or 45-150mm or 100-300mm. There's the Oly 40-150mm f4-5.6, too.

My girlfriend and I like to take boat trips, either at home or when traveling, so I'd go for the 100-300mm.

BTW, why are you taking so many lenses? Are you vacationing with your camera? 😜
 
Hey, I take 6 lenses on holiday though one of those is the 9mm bcl. It all fits in a small bag that is far smaller than what I used for an e-500 with 3 lenses.
 
Ok I won't go for 45-200.

Between plastic 40-150 R and 40-175, what is the best and more fast?
 
They are both f4-5.6 so little difference in speed. The 45-175 is more expensive. It is also one of the few power zooms which is useful for video work, but matters little otherwise. I can't comment on image quality between these lenses.
 
What are you planning to shoot with a fast telephoto zoom and have you consider renting out one of these fast zoom lenses instead of buying a slower lens?
 
C Sean said:
What are you planning to shoot with a fast telephoto zoom and have you consider renting out one of these fast zoom lenses instead of buying a slower lens?
Click to expand...
The rent service is in existence in my zone.

why 175 is more expensive? Can it zoom silent similar Zuiko 14-42?
 
I have owned the lumix 45-200mm mkI for around 6 years now and like it. I don't use it very often, mainly for taking photos of the children when skiing, but the results I get are very nice to my eyes. I can recommend this lens, and the extra reach is usefull and usable.

Having said that, you should be able to get a cheap Olympus 40-150mm (not the pro lens) for half the price and probably half the weight. It might be a better balance for your camera.
 
Pollos said:
I decided to go in my honeymoon with penf or em5mkii (I need again some time for take a decision).

I will go with 9-18 12-40 + telezoom with i will go to norway fjord cruise (I will go from 9-23 june) .

I will move also with 17-25-45 mm for night shots.

The problem is telezoom because i can't understant what is the best cheap telezoom (The best i think is 40-150 2.8 zuiko =too expensive).

My last search has found to me the 45-200 panasonic new model . Do you think it is the best solution? Have you some alternative?

I think i need a best optical performance and fast lens.
Click to expand...
For about $100 you can get the Olympus 40-150R. It is lightweight and sharp. If you don't like it, sell it and lose nothing.
 
Pollos said:
C Sean said:
What are you planning to shoot with a fast telephoto zoom and have you consider renting out one of these fast zoom lenses instead of buying a slower lens?
Click to expand...
The rent service is in existence in my zone.

why 175 is more expensive? Can it zoom silent similar Zuiko 14-42?
Click to expand...
The 45-175mm doesn't extend when zooming and has power zoom in addition to manual zoom. Everything I've read about it says it's very good. If you do some searches here I'm sure you'll find discussions about it.

Here at B&H it's $450.
 
jeffharris said:
The 45-175mm doesn't extend when zooming and has power zoom in addition to manual zoom. Everything I've read about it says it's very good. If you do some searches here I'm sure you'll find discussions about it.

Here at B&H it's $450.
Click to expand...
I'm a 45-175 booster, for pretty much the reasons you mentioned. VERY small and light, doesn't extend while zooming, good IS, decently fast AF, good image quality. It was the third lens I bought for u4/3 (after the 14mm f/2.5 and 20mm f/1.7), and I still use it regularly. Used copies are up on eBay for $275 on a regular basis.

With that said, it seems to be a lens that people either love or hate. I have the 14-140 and 35-100 f/2.8 lenses as well. My wife usually carries the 14-140. Often, in good light, it's handy to have the extra reach over the 35-100. (The 35-100's IQ is noticeably superior, and it's unbeatable for low light or fast action situations.)
 
Pollos said:
Ok I won't go for 45-200.

Between plastic 40-150 R and 40-175, what is the best and more fast?
Click to expand...
I have had the 40-150 Olympus and the 45-175 Panasonic, the Panasonic is better than the Olympus if you can put up with the fly by wire zoom controls. But the Olympus 75-300 is better than both of these lenses in terms of sharpness at 150mm, and in terms of the fact you get an extra 150mm after that.

The most compact lens is the Panasonic 45-175, it does not extend it just zooms. When you extend the 40-150 its bigger than the 45-175. The 75-300 is not all that much bigger than the 40-150 but its a little bit heavier.

The 45-175, is the fastest of the lenses at 150mm but by less than one stop over the 40-150. The 40-150 and 75-300 are both at F/5.6 at 150mm but the advantage is that the 75-300 goes to 300 not just 150.
 
Last edited:
Englishman in France said:
I have owned the lumix 45-200mm mkI for around 6 years now and like it. I don't use it very often, mainly for taking photos of the children when skiing, but the results I get are very nice to my eyes. I can recommend this lens, and the extra reach is usefull and usable.

Having said that, you should be able to get a cheap Olympus 40-150mm (not the pro lens) for half the price and probably half the weight. It might be a better balance for your camera.
Click to expand...
I don't use it as much as I used to before I got "better" lenses.

Here's a gallery of pictures I took at a Statesville, North Carolina balloon festival with it: Statesville Balloon Festival with Panasonic 45-200

Isabel

--
http://www.pbase.com/isabel95
https://www.flickr.com/photos/isabel95/
 
Last edited:
Pollos said:
C Sean said:
What are you planning to shoot with a fast telephoto zoom and have you consider renting out one of these fast zoom lenses instead of buying a slower lens?
Click to expand...
The rent service is in existence in my zone.

why 175 is more expensive? Can it zoom silent similar Zuiko 14-42?
Click to expand...
The compact telephoto zooms maybe good for travelling but there's a cost. For example, the Panasonic 45-150 is a slow lens and at 100mm the aperture wide open is either 5.0 or 5.4.
 
Pollos said:
C Sean said:
What are you planning to shoot with a fast telephoto zoom and have you consider renting out one of these fast zoom lenses instead of buying a slower lens?
Click to expand...
The rent service is in existence in my zone.

why 175 is more expensive? Can it zoom silent similar Zuiko 14-42?
Click to expand...
Yes it can. Its completely silent and rated for video.
 
C Sean said:
Pollos said:
C Sean said:
What are you planning to shoot with a fast telephoto zoom and have you consider renting out one of these fast zoom lenses instead of buying a slower lens?
Click to expand...
The rent service is in existence in my zone.

why 175 is more expensive? Can it zoom silent similar Zuiko 14-42?
Click to expand...
The compact telephoto zooms maybe good for travelling but there's a cost. For example, the Panasonic 45-150 is a slow lens and at 100mm the aperture wide open is either 5.0 or 5.4.
Click to expand...
The 45-150mm is a nice size. I can carry it on a whim and not even think about it.

I bought it for my girlfriend along with the 14-42mm II (sold off), but she preferred ONE lens. So, I got the 14-140mm II. I ended up liking the 45-150mm as a compliment to my usual primes or 12-40mm.

 
Pollos said:
I decided to go in my honeymoon with penf or em5mkii (I need again some time for take a decision).

I will go with 9-18 12-40 + telezoom with i will go to norway fjord cruise (I will go from 9-23 june) .

I will move also with 17-25-45 mm for night shots.

The problem is telezoom because i can't understant what is the best cheap telezoom (The best i think is 40-150 2.8 zuiko =too expensive).

My last search has found to me the 45-200 panasonic new model . Do you think it is the best solution? Have you some alternative?

I think i need a best optical performance and fast lens.
Click to expand...
Sell the EM5 and get a EM1 (original version or mk2 if you want to spend the money) and the 4/3's 50-200 SWD. Can even pick up the EC-14 and EC-20 if you want and make sure to get the MMF-3, that way it is a fully weather sealed kit.
 
We all want this.

Best IQ and fast: 40-150 Pro; but, as you write, expensive; and, of course, big and heavy. If you don'tz mind weight and size, don't throw away money for a cheaper lens.
A smaller and reportedly very good lens is the Panasonic 2,8/35-100, some even find the cheap 3,5-5,6/35-100 very sharp, but you have much less reache with these lenses.

I do mind the weight, so I got the Olympus 4-5,6/40-150 R. It is cheaper than the 45-200 (100-250 USD/EUR), very probably IQ is better as well, mine is quite good at 60-150mm. And it weighs very little.

All my experiences with Panasonic tele zoom lenses have been bad, but others were more lucky.

Peter
 
I had a Oly 40-150R and really like it for over 2 years. Last year I bought a GX85 + 2 kit lenses(12-32 and 45-150) for almost no money.

I was planning to sell off the P45-150 but decided to first test it against my O40-150. The Olympus was known to be noticeably soft @150. I sold the Olympus after the test.

Here's an image taken recently (Spring Break in La Jolla/San Diego, CA):



ea6db852db124418be191819c2207663.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top