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It is easy to purchase a more expensive lens. It is difficult to pick one that delivers a higher value than the Panasonic LUmix G Vario H 45mm to 200mm. The lens uses a micro four thirds format which was pioneered by Panasonic and Olympus. The micro four thirds (MFT) format allows this lens to be more compact and lighter than I would expect from such a large zoom range. This lens comes in under 400 grams. If you're unfamiliar with the MFT format, you may not know that (compared to a 35mm) the effective zoom of this lens is actually 90mm to 400mm. I've only had the lens on my camera for a few recordings to date, so I can't say that I've run it through its paces. I can say that the optical image stabilization works well. The lens has allowed me to shoot some good video and delivered some stills that really surprised me at this price point. The autofocus is fairly quick. The manual focus is especially good for videos as it moves smoothly and in small enough increments to make it feel like a cine lens. It is possible to get a good focus throughout nearly the entire zoom range. The build quality is significantly higher than might be expected for this price point. There is quite a bit of plastic in the mix, but in my opinion its used in places where the use of a less expensive material do not detract from the operation or life expectancy of the lens. I rated this lens 4 stars because clearly there are better lenses to be had. That said, I don't think you're likely to find a better overall value or a more budget friendly offering. If I were rating this on value alone, I'd easily have given it 5 stars. Thanks Joe (MediaCrib) Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Pros: reduced size and weight, useful zoom range, good image quality up to about 150mm, well constructed. Cons: images become slightly soft at 200mm, maximum aperture of f/4.0-5.6 isn't particularly fast. Detailed review: This lens packs a lot in a small package. At full telephoto, the image stabilization absolutely shines. The wide end of the range is useful for portrait work, although the modest maximum aperture is somewhat limiting. Image quality: For the most part, image quality is good. Out-of-focus background areas appear smooth and undistracting. On my Panasonic Lumix G1, I haven't had any problems with color fringing or geometric distortion. However, Olympus cameras don't automatically correct these like Panasonic cameras do, so I cannot say whether this lens will perform the same on an Olympus camera. Sharpness: From the wide end to the middle of the zoom range, images are generally sharp at most apertures. However, at the telephoto end, images are distinctly soft. Stopping down to f/8.0 helps slightly. There is still enough detail for small- and medium-size prints, but large prints and highly cropped images will suffer. Construction: Build quality is as I've come to expect from Panasonic's Micro Four Thirds lenses: a reassuringly solid plastic barrel with a metal mount. The zoom and focus rings are easy to reach and turn smoothly. The zoom ring turns a little easily for my taste, but it does not feel sloppy and I have never seen it "creep" during use. I haven't noticed any play in the lens barrel when extended either. Summary: I'm happy with my purchase and I'm excited to get to know this lens better. It's a great choice to extend beyond the range of the 14-45mm or 14-42mm kit zooms. Though discerning users might be slightly disappointed by the softness at 200mm, it's still a great value and very capable at its size and weight.Read full review
Bought this zoom lens on eBay for my Panasonic DMC-GF3 camera and took it to the race track. Detail is amazing, and the 200mm zoom (equivalent to 400mm with 35mm cameras) allowed for close-up shots of the cars in the pit stops from the top of the stands. Video performance was also very good. Autofocus could be slightly faster for high speed action like races, though. The size of the lens is significantly larger than my pancake lenses, but significantly smaller than the equivalent DSLR zoom. When fully zoomed to 200mm (which is a manual zoom), it is very long and its weight has to be supported since the camera itself is tiny by comparison. For the price (around $200), it is an excellent value and I would recommend it to other Micro Four Thirds users who need a telephoto lens for cheap.Read full review
This is a good lens(not great) for the money, there are better out there but for the price it is not bad. I recently took it to the zoo and shot about 200 pictures. It's fine at up 100mm(200 equivalent in 35mm). I used it handheld at 200mm but I was disappointment because despite having image stabilization it is very difficult to get a nice clear sharp image, a tripod is a must. Focusing can be a bit tricky at the longer end, I don't know if its my copy or the lens but I found it hard to focus at times at 200mm. Over all not bad for price.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I wanted a longer zoom lens for my Panasonic Lumix G1 camera, so I bought this Panasonic Lumix G Vario 45-200mm f/4-5.6 Lens from a dealer on Ebay. I used a bunch of Ebay Bucks, so that made it an even better deal. The lens was new, untouched, never been removed from its original packing box when I got it. I have to say that its performance is spectacular. It works flawlessly. I like to take pictures of wildlife and this brings the shot right up to the subject without it being frightened off. Realize that this lens is the equivalent of a 90-400mm lens in 35mm terms, so the zoom range is impressive. The internal auto focus works very well, and the manual focus mode is easy. The automatic stability (Mega OIS) mode makes it possible for me to take clear pictures while zoomed all the way in without a tripod. It also works well with my Manfrotto monopod, which was also an Ebay deal, but that's another story. While this lens is of course bigger than the zoom lens that came with the camera, it it still a very reasonable size, considering its capabilities. I can't think of a single thing that I don't like about it. The dealer shipped it quickly. The dealer later offered me an extended warranty at additional cost, but I did not take him up on it, because I take care of my equipment and will not need it. I'm very happy with this Ebay deal.Read full review
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