Panasonic Lumix G Vario PZ 45-175mm f/4-5.6 M43 Lens

Panasonic Lumix G Vario PZ 45-175mm f/4-5.6 Handling and Features

The lens barrel is constructed from high quality plastics textured finish and weighs only 210g, which is very light for a telephoto optic on any system. A metal lens mount that should be able to withstand many lens changes has been fitted, adding to the overall impression of good build quality. At only 90mm long, it is incredibly compact for a lens covering this range. It balances perfectly on the Panasonic Lumix G3 used for testing, but may suit more compact Micro Four Thirds bodies even better.


Panasonic Lumix X G Vario PZ 45-175mm f/4-5.6 Asph

As focusing and zooming are performed internally the 46mm filter thread does not rotate during use, making this lens ideal for use with graduated and polarising filters. Focus speeds are fairly quick and the manual focus ring offers just the right amount of resistance to make fine adjustments easy. The motorised zoom mechanism takes a little getting used to, as there is no physical stop at each end of the zoom range. Either the rotating ring or the tele/wide switch can be used to activate the zoom, depending on your preference. The addition of the tele/wide switch is especially useful for smooth zooming during video recording. Each time the camera is switched on, the zoom resets itself to the wide position, which can be a little frustrating if the camera was switched off to conserve battery whilst waiting for a shot.


Panasonic Lumix X G Vario PZ 45-175mm f/4-5.6 Asph

The minimum focus distance of 90cm makes this lens suitable for frame filling close ups at maximum zoom, especially as most 35mm lenses covering this range have a minimum focus distance of around 1.5 metres.

With a little care, the optical stabilisation system allows sharp shots to be taken just over half the time at 1/40sec at maximum zoom, which is roughly three stops slower than the usual rule of thumb would dictate.

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