Two new Panasonic X 45-175mm lens reviews.
Video on top: 45-175mm X lens Powerzoom smoothness test
The new 45-175mm X lens will be in Stock this month (October) and so it’s time to read some reviews 
The Clubsnap forum (Click here) tested the lens. The lens is as sharp as the 45-200mm lens, with very good color reproduction, accuracy and contrast. It has some vignetting wide open but no chromatic aberrations at all. The lens has been tested on the Olympus E-P3 so there is no auto correction like on Panasonic cameras. According to the reviewer the Power OIS is very effective (more useful than the built-in IS from Olympus!). You can read the full conclusions form the reviewer on page two of the thread.
Also ePrice (Click here) tested the same 45-175mm X lens. The review is written in Chinese and contains many image and video samples. From what I understood the reviewer liked the lens a lot!
You can preorder the 45-175mm lens at Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.
And the amazing 14-42mm X pancake preorder links at Amazon, Adorama, B&H, J&R, eBay.
Tobias W.
2 years ago |If the lens was tested on the E-P3, could he test the OIS at all? Does the PEN make use of that feature when it detects it?
Robert
2 years ago |The olympus camera either uses its in built stabilization or it uses the lens’ OIS…you must turn one off. You wont see double the effect with both on.
Jim
2 years ago |I was under the impression oly cams had the best of both? could chose IB or Lens IS???
Anonymous
2 years ago |He used GF3, the HK fans in omuser are already buying the lens to test, it costs about 3 thousand dollars.
Bob B.
2 years ago |October Delivery?
I have this lens pre-ordered on Amazon. I just got an update the other day from Amazon that said:
“Panasonic Lumix G X Vario PZ 45-175mm/F4.0-5.6 Lens for Panasonic Lumix G-Series Digital Cameras”
Estimated arrival date: October 26 2011 – December 16 2011
So ….I am not REALLY expecting any action from Panasonic here in the USA in October, especially with Panasonic’s history of slow delivery (or none at all) in the USA.
I am guessing they will have lenses here before the holidays, though.
lnqe-M
2 years ago |You mean holiday next year.
Bob B.
2 years ago |Now..NOW…that is not nice!!!!!!! LOL!
Ulli
2 years ago |imho ..a boring combination of zoom and slowness…
John
2 years ago |Did you look at the Clubsnap review? Sure it’s slow zoom, and it has some vignetting and CA, but just look at the size comparison with the 45-200mm. What they’ve done there is amazing. The quality is just about as good as the 45-200, even though the 45-200 has a half-stop advantage, it still does well enough. Sure we want a fast zoom, but I think with the improvements on size/weight/OIS this is quite a good lens for those starting out. I only wish it was cheaper…
“45-175mm vs 45-200mm
Weight 210g vs 380g
Length* 90mm vs 156mm
Length* hood off at maximum zoom
Weight is 40%+ lighter, length is 55%+ shorter.”
DonTom
2 years ago |John, I’m hoping that the first two “X” zooms will be the standard kit zooms in the near future. I’d buy a “GF7″ with them as a two-lens kit, over the 14-140HD zoom.
Brod1er
2 years ago |Not sure it is that great if it is like the 45-200. I had the 45-200 but wasn’t wowed by it apart from it’s solid construction. Unextended, the new lens is not that smaller and it has less reach and is half stop slower. If it has better contrast that would be a useful improvement.
I would just use the 14-140 which covers a far wider range (no need for two lenses) and is sharp/contrasty. If you are after the long end, get the 100-300 which is much better, faster, and opens up great new tele possibilities. The 14-42 X lens is much more interesting as reviews suggest great IQ and it breaks new ground as a pocketable zoom.
John
2 years ago |It’s not always about length,(yes i know the puns are there…) look at the thickness/girth of the lens.
http://gallery.clubsnap.com/data/816/P9057813.jpg
I’d say they’re making a move in the right direction with the lenses. No lens extension, much lighter, similar quality as the 45-200. This seems like a good kit lens, and I agree with Don Tom, it should be included as a proper kit in the new cameras, although the price should be lowered as they are not fast zooms. 14-42 is the size of the 20mm! Amazing!
digi2ap
2 years ago |I agree that it is a boring lens but I can also see that Panny are rationalising the previous lenses making them smaller and with the new X functions.
Jim
2 years ago |These would make WORLD leading kit zooms!
As long as they know we are hungry for an F2 set of HQ zooms as well – then panasonic are doing very well!
(not F2.8, its too close to F3.5 to be worth serious $$$)
N.B. should get some bargin 45-200 zooms on ebay soon eh
jyzer
2 years ago |The 45-175X as sharp as the 45-200mm? That is absolutely not a recommendation.
spam
2 years ago |Why not? The 45-200 get decent reviews.
Nick Clark
2 years ago |The 45-200 is probably the worst reviewed lens in Micro Four Thirds…
spam
2 years ago |Really?
Photozone: …. 45-200mm f/4-5.6 OIS is a fairly solid performer although it has its weaknesses. …. All in all quite good lens with a sane price tag.
Slrgear: The 45-200mm makes a good companion to the 14-50mm ƒ/3.5-5.6, but it isn’t quite the star performer as that lens. The lens does provide good image performance when used in a fairly wide array of focal length – aperture combinations, but ….
Kenneth
2 years ago |I don’t like the 45-200 at all. Mostly because of the external zoom, but also the IQ. If the IQ is the same on 45-175 I’ll not buying it. 45-175 has internal zoom. That I like.
jyzer
2 years ago |I totally agree. Up untill about 150 mm quality is sufficient but absolutely not great. After 150 mm it is declining untill an unacceptable level.
Gravityloss
2 years ago |The zooming looks absolutely terrible there. Its in steps and the focus hunts all over the place. And the picture looks distorted. Hope they can fix it at release, maybe they have a few weeks. Or then it’s some camera issue.
MikeMill
2 years ago |Sample images of Lumix G X Vario PZ 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power OIS
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/threads/976878-User-Review-Lumix-G-X-Vario-PZ-14-42mm-F3.5-5.6-ASPH-Power-OIS/page2
Duarte Bruno
2 years ago |Confirmed. Same IQ as the 45-200mm, ie a piece of schait.
I wonder why the X…
AS someone said before, get the 100-300 if you need the zoom, because this lens doesn’t have what it takes to be a photo asset. Perhaps on less demanding resolution (read video) it will have it’s place…
dumbo
2 years ago |sadly it proves the x just stands for expensive and not better image quality.
i was totally excited about this lens, thinking i would buy it to replace my 45-200, the size being amazingly small and with power is it would be killer, but unfortunately the iq of the 45-200 is poor and this looks like it is equal to it.
i wish the 100-300 wasnt quite as big, it is a good lens, but just too big for everyday carrying.
Mr. Reeee
2 years ago |“X” is like the “Pro” label = Marketing!
It’s funny how there seem to be two distinct camps…
The Panasonic 45-175mm X is…
… the best thing since ____________
… a piece of junk like the _________
That video looked fine when nothing was moving, but the focus hunting was pretty awful when the second train left the station. It was unbelievable how sloppy it was. However, given the extreme foreshortening on that bridge, I’d like to see how other lenses handle it. That seemed like a tough test.
Based on that clip, it’s not very promising. It may end up being a great lens for stills.
I’ll wait for reviews and more real-world examples.
Duarte Bruno
2 years ago |Perhaps I didn’t make myself clear, my latest comment was done considering the IQ on the tele end, it’s really a deja vu when you look at the 45-200mm…
physica
2 years ago |Actually…. 45-175 X lens are available at Hong Kong already….. Selling price at the vendors are around usd520….
dumbo
2 years ago |admin, sorry to rant but
you do realise that the videos are always cropped on your site when viewing on a netbook. and what is more annoying is that on this particular video, i cant even make it full screen because your site has cropped out the youtube/vimeo button or whereever this video came from.
with the picures it is ok, because netbook users can view in new window, but with video it truely sucks.
i enjoy your site, and you put alot of work into it, but does the sidebar really have to take that much room from the actual content?
admin
2 years ago |No, I didn’t realize that. Will ask to designer if there is another way to adpat the videos…
naoyuki_oi
2 years ago |With my environment, when I click the right mouse button on the video window, I can copy the original URL of the video. So I can play it as I like at the Youtube site.
Hopefully, it may work on your netbook.
Thierry
2 years ago |Ask your designer to make the video width flexible too, just like the columns.
dumbo
2 years ago |thank you, i appreciate it.
Dan Smith
2 years ago |Regarding comparison to 45-200. Agree with most of the posters. I just sold the 45-200. The IQ was acceptable, but not really all that good, and definitely not as good as the 100-300.
Hope the comparison was just an offhand comment. Now I definitely will wait for a few professional reviews before buying the 45-175. I’ll stick with my 14-45 (now there is a good lens, not like the 14-42) and the 100-300.
Xsvpro
2 years ago |Being more of a video guy than stills guy I’m all for the powered zoom but really they should be optimised for the af100 with a nice bright aperture for true ENG shooting with a replacement grip with zoom rocker, this would still fit on gh1/2 fir video shooters and for those wanting power zoom but it really isn’t an option we have all been waiting for in a slow lens with less through than the 45-200mm
Looking forward to the the 12-35 if it’s F/2.0 though!! >;0)
Brod1er
2 years ago |In fairness it is a much better size match for those with Oly and GF mft cameras. The power zoom will be regarded a useful feature for typical users shooting home video too. I have a GF3 for use with the 14mm and 20mm primes, but still wouldn’t be keen using it with a 45-175. the 14-42 X lens is a much better match and is the first zoom to truly match the small MFT cameras. As long as the IQ is good, I can live with the limited apertures for such a compact package.
EddyKilowatt
2 years ago |The zoom looked very start/stop, with no acceleration/deceleration ramps. It would look way smoother if they could add what motion control engineers call ‘S-curves’, meaning a smooth acceleration up to the chosen zoom speed, and then a smooth deceleration at the end. Nothing major, just a 1/4 second at each end.
Given all the processing power on these cameras, plus the X lens power zooms already having selectable zoom speeds, it seems like the hardware to do smooth zoom is there, they just need the software to make it happen. I think the result would visually be much better, the sample video looked very herky-jerky during the zoom, didn’t convey an impression of quality or solidity. It wasn’t too jarring when filming trains, but filming anything static or dreamy would be out of the question.
alien
2 years ago |According to Panasonic websites, the ‘x’ lenses will not work on the G1, Gh1, or GF1 — only the ’2′ cameras and up (and GF2 only with software upgrade). If so, it doesn’t bode well for the “universal m4/3 lens” does it?
JueDan
2 years ago |Panasonic told me that the lens will work with the GF1:
http://panasonic.jp/support/global/cs/dsc/connect/gf1.html
JueDan
2 years ago |Hello,
are there any experiences with the combination of Panasonic X 45-175mm lens and the Lumix GF1? I’m thinking about buying this lens but first I want read some experiences.
Thanks for answers.
Best regards