Author Topic: Panasonic 45-200 lens with the E-P1 (Read 3896 times)

JonInKrakow · « **on:** August 22, 2009, 11:45:38 PM »

Does anybody here have any experience using the Panasonic 45-200 lens with the E-Pen? I'm about to buy one, but want to know if there are any 'gotchas' for it (distortion correction not working, etc.). Is it a worthy purchase? TIA

-)on

carludo · « **Reply #1 on:** August 23, 2009, 04:09:46 AM »

I have no issues with it whatsoever,,, handheld anything less than 1/20th to 1/50th of a second is hard to get a sharp photo at the longer end ofthe tele range..., but so far so good.. pictures are good, clear, sharper... it focuses faster than the kit 14-42mm
i posted several pics on flickr with this lens:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gordolo/

cheers,

digitalstew · « **Reply #2 on:** August 23, 2009, 08:07:17 AM »

Hi Jon,

I have the Panasonic 45-200mm f/4-5.6 lens for my E-P1 and I have been very pleased with it. It's at least as sharp as the 14-42mm kit lens with the E-P1 and, of course, gives you considerable reach because of the E-P1's 2x crop factor. I also have a picture or two on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ssipahigil/) if you'd like an example.

Here's one:

Good luck,
Stuart

JonInKrakow · « **Reply #3 on:** August 23, 2009, 10:26:05 AM »

Thanks guys! Awesome examples! And I see it's a worthy addition! I'm seriously considering giving up my plan to buy a 4/3 system, and stick with the Âµ4/3 system. :-) Thanks again.

Oh, and sorry for posting in the wrong forum. Somehow I forgot about the top level of the forums.

-)on

rfortson · « **Reply #4 on:** August 25, 2009, 12:00:34 PM »

I agree with what the others say about image quality and such. However, I was unpleasantly surprised by the size of the lens. It's actually larger than many APS-C zooms of similar focal length, which seems to go against the general theme of MFT lenses being smaller.

I already have a dSLR and several long lenses, so I don't need a long lens. However, I was looking for something to supplement the kit zoom on the Pen. The 45-200 does that well from a focal length and IQ standpoint. From a usability (size-wise) standpoint, it's a little bit of a disappointment for me. This is purely subjective, so your usage/tolerance will probably vary from mine.

JonInKrakow · « **Reply #5 on:** August 25, 2009, 01:08:13 PM »

Well, I've already got a 45-200 on the way. ;-) But as far as size is concerned, that's a hard call for me. I have given my Canon D30 to my daughter, and will only have the one camera. This lens, together with the kit zoom will kind of give me an almost full range of focal lengths. I will probably want to get the Panasonic 7-14 at some point too, but that is so wide as to be less usable, except at the middle-to-longer range. Since this will be my main/only kit, I doubt I will complain (too loudly) about its size.

-Jon

rfortson · « **Reply #6 on:** August 26, 2009, 01:38:00 PM »

Quote from: JonInKrakow on August 25, 2009, 01:08:13 PM

Well, I've already got a 45-200 on the way. ;-) But as far as size is concerned, that's a hard call for me. I have given my Canon D30 to my daughter, and will only have the one camera. This lens, together with the kit zoom will kind of give me an almost full range of focal lengths. I will probably want to get the Panasonic 7-14 at some point too, but that is so wide as to be less usable, except at the middle-to-longer range. Since this will be my main/only kit, I doubt I will complain (too loudly) about its size.

-Jon

It's certainly not a deal-breaker. The size "issue" is mainly the relative size compared to the Pen and the kit lenses with it. Compared to those very small, compact lenses, the 45-200 is large. However, it still comprises a very small overall kit compared to an equivalent dSLR kit, and you can do 95% of what a dSLR kit can do, plus video. So, I'm sure you'll have fun with it. I do like the in-lens stabilization and turn off the body IS when I use it so I can get the stabilized view. That's nice, and something I'm not used to with my Pentax gear.

JonInKrakow · « **Reply #7 on:** August 27, 2009, 12:57:23 AM »

Quote from: rfortson on August 26, 2009, 01:38:00 PM

Quote from: JonInKrakow on August 25, 2009, 01:08:13 PM
Well, I've already got a 45-200 on the way. ;-) But as far as size is concerned, that's a hard call for me. I have given my Canon D30 to my daughter, and will only have the one camera. This lens, together with the kit zoom will kind of give me an almost full range of focal lengths. I will probably want to get the Panasonic 7-14 at some point too, but that is so wide as to be less usable, except at the middle-to-longer range. Since this will be my main/only kit, I doubt I will complain (too loudly) about its size.

-Jon

It's certainly not a deal-breaker. The size "issue" is mainly the relative size compared to the Pen and the kit lenses with it. Compared to those very small, compact lenses, the 45-200 is large. However, it still comprises a very small overall kit compared to an equivalent dSLR kit, and you can do 95% of what a dSLR kit can do, plus video. So, I'm sure you'll have fun with it. I do like the in-lens stabilization and turn off the body IS when I use it so I can get the stabilized view.

Nice tip re: the in-lens IS. And I'm definitely looking forward to the "tiny" kit in comparison to my other kit.

-Jon

Federico Alberto · « **Reply #8 on:** August 29, 2009, 05:33:28 PM »

Quote from: JonInKrakow on August 27, 2009, 12:57:23 AM

Quote from: rfortson on August 26, 2009, 01:38:00 PM
Quote from: JonInKrakow on August 25, 2009, 01:08:13 PM
Well, I've already got a 45-200 on the way. ;-) But as far as size is concerned, that's a hard call for me. I have given my Canon D30 to my daughter, and will only have the one camera. This lens, together with the kit zoom will kind of give me an almost full range of focal lengths. I will probably want to get the Panasonic 7-14 at some point too, but that is so wide as to be less usable, except at the middle-to-longer range. Since this will be my main/only kit, I doubt I will complain (too loudly) about its size.

-Jon

It's certainly not a deal-breaker. The size "issue" is mainly the relative size compared to the Pen and the kit lenses with it. Compared to those very small, compact lenses, the 45-200 is large. However, it still comprises a very small overall kit compared to an equivalent dSLR kit, and you can do 95% of what a dSLR kit can do, plus video. So, I'm sure you'll have fun with it. I do like the in-lens stabilization and turn off the body IS when I use it so I can get the stabilized view.

Nice tip re: the in-lens IS. And I'm definitely looking forward to the "tiny" kit in comparison to my other kit.

-Jon

Size: The small price to pay for in-lens stabilization. But if in addition to that we get faster AF performance than Olympus' snail-paced 14-42, well so be it!

JonInKrakow · « **Reply #9 on:** August 29, 2009, 09:38:50 PM »

Quote from: Federico Alberto

Size: The small price to pay for in-lens stabilization. But if in addition to that we get faster AF performance than Olympus' snail-paced 14-42, well so be it!

Yeah, but I was looking at how the 45-200 looks on the ePen on www.four-thirds.org (they have a matching tool) and it is still so much smaller than what I have with my Canon gear, or would have for a comparable focal length. Very nice. :-)

-Jon

Federico Alberto · « **Reply #10 on:** August 30, 2009, 06:17:47 AM »

Quote from: JonInKrakow on August 29, 2009, 09:38:50 PM

Quote from: Federico Alberto
Size: The small price to pay for in-lens stabilization. But if in addition to that we get faster AF performance than Olympus' snail-paced 14-42, well so be it!

Yeah, but I was looking at how the 45-200 looks on the ePen on www.four-thirds.org (they have a matching tool) and it is still so much smaller than what I have with my Canon gear, or would have for a comparable focal length. Very nice. :-)

-Jon

Fantastic!

pkloo · « **Reply #11 on:** August 31, 2009, 04:00:19 PM »

HI guy, Did i need to use any mount to mount the panasonic m4/3 lens?.....

pkloo · « **Reply #12 on:** August 31, 2009, 04:01:29 PM »

Quote from: digitalstew on August 23, 2009, 08:07:17 AM

Hi Jon,

I have the Panasonic 45-200mm f/4-5.6 lens for my E-P1 and I have been very pleased with it. It's at least as sharp as the 14-42mm kit lens with the E-P1 and, of course, gives you considerable reach because of the E-P1's 2x crop factor. I also have a picture or two on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ssipahigil/) if you'd like an example.

Here's one:

Good luck,
Stuart

Clean image..............

Art Vandelay II · « **Reply #13 on:** September 02, 2009, 10:18:06 AM »

I love this lens on my E-P1, I bought it at B&H on my last trip to NYC and within an hour after purchase I got a couple of keepers, as seen here:

www.flickr.com/photos/eparks/3809775320/

www.flickr.com/photos/eparks/3809776496/

www.flickr.com/photos/eparks/3808943269/

However, now that I'm back and away from the noise of Manhattan I've noticed I can actually hear the aperture blades moving. It's almost like a clicking or sticking sound. Has anyone else experienced this?

carludo · « **Reply #14 on:** September 02, 2009, 03:19:09 PM »

I do hear them too.. specially when i am moving around; interestingly it does not happen when the camera is switched off.

nikoedii · « **Reply #15 on:** September 06, 2009, 06:46:44 AM »

as an E-P1 owner, I was about to give Panasonic the 2nd lens victory over Olympus (1st one: canceled 17/f2.8 pancake order to wait for 20/f1.7) for choice of the tele-zoom. was also thinking about the 45-200mm, but then started to compare with Olympus (FT) 40-150mm, quite unexpensive to get. Comparison:

   * both lenses with comparable IQ in the 45-150mm FL range (read from reviews, no own experience...)
   * prices (best prices for Europe): Pana 280â‚¬, Oly 170â‚¬ + 150â‚¬ (adapter)
   * bulk: Pana 380g, length 10cm, diam 7,0cm / Oly 220g + 80g, length 7cm + 2.something cm, diam. 6,4cm

so according to this data, there's not much difference between the two. Pany solution slightly more expensive, Oly more versatile (FT/MFT adapter which I don't have yet gives more FT lense options), Pany more bulky (heavier, longer, and diameter too big - lense sticks out at bottom so that camera doesn't sit square any longer).

open questions re AF-performance:

1. Is Oly FT + adapter fully auto-focussable (at least same handling as with the other two Oly MFT lenses)?

2. Is Pany AF performance better (as is with other lenses)? Is it the better video solution (CAF actually works in video, less motor noise)?

Thoughts / advice appreciated!
Niko

ekramus · « **Reply #16 on:** September 25, 2009, 12:47:21 AM »

The lens is IMHO really great. I like it for taking photos of details. Also for sports, but only if you can predict the movement and prefocus.

voyager · « **Reply #17 on:** September 25, 2009, 12:50:47 AM »

Quote from: pkloo on August 31, 2009, 04:00:19 PM

HI guy, Did i need to use any mount to mount the panasonic m4/3 lens?.....

Sorry this hadn't been answered sooner!

The lens doesn't need any extra mount than the standard one that's already on the E-P1!

Author Topic: Panasonic 45-200 lens with the E-P1 (Read 3896 times)

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