Panasonic Lumix G 45-150mm f/4-5.6 lens review

As a landscape photographer, I have a tendency to shoot all my images at the wide-angle end of the focal range. When I'm photographing at a lake, a waterfall, a beach, or a sunset, I'm usually trying to fit a decent amount of the scene into the frame. As such, my Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8 lens will spend 95% of its life firmly attached to my camera (until such time as I can afford a 7-14mm f/4).

But what about the other 5% of the time? Well, that's for when I need a bit more 'reach'. Something a little more in the telephoto end of the range. And it's why I kept my Panasonic 45-150mm f/4-5.6 when I was selling everything else.

Waiting for Dinner. Olympus OM-D E-M1 with Lumix 45-150mm lens. f/5.6 @ 1/500th, ISO 800 

If you are looking for a lightweight, well-constructed, reasonably priced, and very sharp telephoto lens for your micro four thirds system, then look no more!. The Panasonic Lumix G 45-150mm f/4-5.6 Asph. Power O.I.S. lens (to give its full title), fits the bill perfectly.

How small and how light? At only 210 grams and 73mm (at the wide end - 110mm when extended for full telephoto), the lens is small and light enough to always have in your camera bag. Even the filter size for the front is a tiny 52mm, saving you money over larger - more expensive - filters.

With a focal range of 90 to 300mm in 35mm camera full-frame terms, this lens is the epitome of the 'smaller' and lighter' promise of micro four thirds - without compromising on quality.

To keep the weight down, Panasonic have used quite a bit of plastic in its construction, but there's also metal where it counts (such as the lens mount). And as stated, they haven't skimped on optical quality. The lens uses 12 elements in 9 groups. Two of these are aspherical lenses, and one is an UHR (ultra-high refractive index) lens. This means that image distortion is minimised, resulting in clearer, sharper images. Add to this Panasonic's Power O.I.S. (optical image stabilisation) built into the lens, and you have a very fully-featured lens.

Finally, the lens can often be found for as little as $300.00NZ new (as of September 2021), and obviously even cheaper on the used market. This is outstandingly good value for a lens with such an impressive focal range. And to top it off, Panasonic even throws in a lens hood, even at this price. Kudos Panasonic (and are you listening Olympus!?).

At the beginning of this review, I mentioned that my 'need' for a telephoto lens was somewhat limited. But there's no reason it should be that way - even predominantly as a landscape photographer. Because I'm not just a landscape photographer. None of us are really. We are parents who take photos of our children, grandparents who take photos of our grandkids, and passionate creative types who take photos at all types of events. Chances are, then, that a telephoto lens is going to come in quite handy on most (if not all) of those occasions.

Greenstone Speedway, Sunset. OM-D E-M1 with Lumix 45-150mm lens. f/5.6 @ 1/320th, ISO 200

And then, of course, there is landscape photography. Which is not a genre unique to only wide-angle lenses. Telephoto images can be very effective when shooting the landscape. To be honest, I probably don't use mine enough in the landscape - to the detriment of my images.

The above image - Greenstone Speedway, Sunset - was shot recently with the Panasonic 45-150mm lens, and it's one of my favourite images of this year. It's also a shot that I couldn't have taken with the wide angle, since it was impossible to get close enough to the subject to achieve this composition.

So, since I'm planning on using the lens a lot more for 'serious' landscape work, I thought I'd better test it out a little to see if it was up to the task. If you've read my previous post, where I reviewed my Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm f/2.8, you'll know my 'testing' methodology. Which is to say, I don't use test charts, brick walls, or studio environments. I actually go outside, find a landscape, set the camera up on a tripod, and have at it! Then I look at the results in Lightroom at 100%, and see if I'm happy or not. Job's a good'n.

It may be difficult to tell from a web-file on this blog, so let me tell you what I can see full-screen in Lightroom (and you'll just have to take my word for it).

Above are 100% crops of a photo taken of the Greymouth Wharf. The wharf itself was probably about 500 feet away from me (across the other side of the Grey River). For all these images, the lens was extended to the full 150mm telephoto end (a 300mm full-frame field of view). Not usually the most optimal settings for image sharpness - wide open and at full zoom.

Nevertheless, at these settings (f/5.6 @ 150mm) the lens is already very sharp! That's pretty impressive - and I must admit I was surprised. I thought for sure that f/5.6 would be only acceptable, and that it would be even sharper stopped down to f/7.1 or f/8. But this wasn't the case - not with my copy of the lens at least. At f/6.3, at f/7.1, and at f/8, there was no discernible increase in sharpness. That is to say, they were all just as sharp as each other! This is very impressive. I even checked to make sure that I somehow hadn't mixed up the files.

I hadn't. f/5.6 is excellent, as is f/6.3 and up to f/10. It's from f/11 and above that the lens actually gets softer - and this is to be expected. 

Cobden Tiphead, Sunset. OM-D E-M1 with Lumix 45-150mm lens. f/7.1 @ 1/200th, ISO 200

The optical performance of the Panasonic Lumix 45-150mm f/4-5.6, even wide open at the extreme telephoto range, has blown me away. It's sharp - plenty sharp - and is optically an exceptional performer. It focuses quickly on my E-M1 (although it does hunt for focus a little in lower light), feels solid and well built, has a metal lens mount, and produces superb images. For very little money. Seriously - what's not to like!?

If you are looking at specializing in wildlife, bird or sports photography, then of course you are going to want to invest in a little more serious telephoto gear. Something like the Lumix 100-400mm Leica f/4-6.3 or the Olympus 150-400mm f/4.5 Pro. And notice I said 'invest', since neither of these options could be reasonably called cheap (or lightweight).

Greymouth Wharf. OM-D E-M1 with Lumix 45-150mm lens. f/7.1 @ 1/500th, ISO 200

But for the rest of us, fortunately, there's the exceptional Panasonic Lumix G 45-150mm f/4-5.6. I'm so glad I kept this lens when deciding what to sell so I could afford the 12-35mm f/2.8. For the price, it's an amazingly good lens. I'm pretty sure I'll be making a lot more use of it for my images going forward.

An easy 5 out of 5 stars and very highly recommended if you are looking for an affordable telephoto lens for your micro four thirds system. If you are choosing between this and the Olympus 40-150mm f/4-5.6, I would say go for the Panasonic. They are both optically excellent, but I think the Panasonic has it over the Olympus in terms of build quality (Olympus has a plastic lens mount). Just saying...

Photo walk No.2 during Lockdown

Spring has sprung here in New Zealand. Yay!

On the West Coast, that often means wet weather - unfortunately. But, as luck would have it, the first week of Spring has instead brought some wonderful sunny days. And with it, comes a chance to get out and stretch the legs, in my local neigbourhood, during Lockdown.

'Spicy' revisted. OM-D E-M1 with Lumix 45-150mm f/4-5.6. f/5.6 @ 1/640th, ISO 400

We are very fortunate to have some rather picturesque places within walking distance of our home. These include; a beach, farms, an estuary/lagoon area and tiphead. So there is no shortage of interesting subjects to photograph.

Having said that, when you are confined to a reasonably local area - one that you've walked almost daily for several years - familiarity can breed a little contempt. To 'spice' things up (excuse the pun from the image above), I decided on my second night's walk around the same area, to just use my telephoto lens. I kept the Panasonic Lumix G Vario 45-150mm f/4-5.6 Asph Mega OIS lens when I sold all my others, because although I don't use one all that often, I do find a telephoto handy to have. It's also very small, and very light-weight for a telephoto, so takes up hardly any space in the camera bag.

Going around the same area, in the same evening light, you can't help but sometimes be attracted to the same images. I couldn't help myself as I walked past this public rest area again on the second evening. I just had to stop and take the exact same image as the previous night (see last post), but this time with the telephoto lens. If nothing else, I thought it would make for an interesting comparison between the two lenses.

And interesting it is! For while I gave a glowing review of the Lumix 12-35mm f2.8 and said how super sharp and clear the images were that I got from it - I actually think the image I took with the 45-150mm is actually sharper! 

Waiting for a Wave. OM-D E-M1 with Lumix 45-150mm. f/5.6 @ 1/200th, ISO 1600

My overall impression of this small, light, cheap telephoto zoom lens is that it is, indeed, very sharp - even wide open at f/5.6 and 150mm (300mm equivalent on full-frame). Just like its Olympus sibling (the M.Zuiko 40-150mm f/4-5.6) that I have raved about in the past, the Panasonic Lumix 45-150mm f/4-5.6 punches way above its weight, and has the capability of producing seriously great images.

Of course it doesn't compete with the truly pro glass of the Olympus 40-150mm f2.8 Pro or the Panasonic Lumix 35-100mm f2.8. But at a fraction of the weight, size and cost of these pro lenses, the Lumix 45-150mm f/4-5.6 is a no-brainer if you need a 'good' telephoto lens for the odd occasion when you need one. Pro wildlife or bird photographers look elsewhere. But for the rest of us, the Lumix or Olympus cheap telephotos are well worth owning.

Spring is in the air. OM-D E-M1 with Panasonic 45-150mm. f/5.6 @ 1/320th, ISO 800

Telephotos are great for getting a bit closer to the action if you're a sports and/or wildlife shooter. But they are also a great option for portraiture and landscapes. Their narrow field of view, compression of elements within an image, and their ability to 'isolate' a subject, are all helpful ways of telling a particular story. And they can also be used to zoom in on unsuspecting subjects if you are in 'stealth' mode. 😄

The photo above, of the couple watching the sea crashing against the rocks, was obviously taken from behind, but also from a fairly long distance away. They were completely unaware of my presence, allowing me to wait with my camera poised to capture just the right moment. I probably stayed for about 10 minutes taking a series of images, as the sea crashed around them and they enjoyed the view. The telephoto lens has compressed the elements within the image, to make it look like the sea is crashing around them a lot closer than it actually was. From the photo it looks like they are in serious danger of getting wet! But in reality, the waves were a good 15 to 20 meters away from them and well out of harms way.

Spring sunset silhouette. OM-D E-M1 with Lumix 45-150mm. f/8 @ 1/320th, ISO 800

The photo above was taken at exactly the same time as the photo of the couple watching the sea spray. Three young women turned up to also watch the sunset, and as they were getting ready to walk down along the rocks, I noticed that they made a prefect silhouette against the setting sun. I fired off two shots before they moved further down the rocks and the effect was gone.

Once again, the telephoto lens has allowed me to grab the shot from a good distance away, with my subjects completely unaware they were being photographed. I don't always shoot this way - I guess it feels a little bit 'creepy' or a bit paparazzi? But in both scenarios above, none of the people in the photos can be identified, none were photographed in a 'compromising' situation, and the final result is - I hope - very tastefully done. No one - as they say - was harmed in the making of these photos.

Heading out to fish. Olympus OM-D E-M1 with Lumix 40-150mm. f/8 @ 1/80th, ISO 1600

Many photographers who think of landscape images, think only in terms of wide angle lenses. But a telephoto lens is an invaluable part of every landscape photographers kit. As mentioned above, it can help isolate, compress, and simplify a scene - all exceptionally useful techniques when shooting landscapes. A wide-angle (or ultra-wide angle) that tries to include a massive vista can often lead to unimpressive images. Whereas if you isolate, frame, and capture a smaller portion - maybe just the one area of light as it caresses the peak of an impressive mountain - then you will often come away with a much stronger composition. Indeed there are many mountain landscape photographers who would say that their telephoto lens is their most used optic.

Blaketown Tiphead Shipwreck Monument. E-M1 with Lumix 45-150mm. f/5.6 @ 1/60th, ISO 800

Whether you use a telephoto lens a little, or a lot, it's always a good idea to have one in your camera bag. The Panasonic Lumix G Vario 45-150mm f/4-5.6 Asph Mega OIS (to give it its full name) is an excellent choice for someone on a budget, but who still wants a well made (metal mount), sharp and lightweight lens. When I was selling all my lenses to purchase the Panasonic 12-35mm f2.8, the Lumix 45-150mm was the only lens I decided to keep. And I'm very glad that I did.

As a landscape photographer, who wants to travel light, I don't need the heavier, more expensive 'pro' versions of this lens. I'd mostly shoot them at around f/5.6 to f/8 anyway. And at those apertures, the cheap, light and inexpensive (relatively speaking) Panansonic 40-150mm f/4-5.6 is probably about 95% as sharp as them anyway!

What I do occasionally wish for, however, is a little longer reach. Something like the Olympus 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 or Panasonic 100-300mm f/4-5.6. At 300mm on the long end, that equates to a whopping 600mm angle-of-view on a full-frame system! If I was a bird or wildlife photographer on a budget, I'd definitely have one of those. But I'm not, so they will have to wait. My use-case for a lens with that sort of reach is even more limited than with the telephoto I already own! 

On the other hand, my sister-in-law actually owns the Olympus 75-300mm, so I may get to 'play' with it one day and do a quick review? Could be fun to take to a wildlife park - once we get out of Lockdown, of course.