The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic 45-200mm F4-5.6 OIS and the Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS is the longer of the two lenses at 132mm. The Panasonic 45-200mm F4-5.6 OIS with a length of 100mm, is 32mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS also has a larger diameter of 76mm compared to the Panasonic 45-200mm F4-5.6 OIS's 70mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Panasonic 45-200mm F4-5.6 OIS weighs 380g, which means it is 275g (41%) lighter than the Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS which has a weight of 655g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount for size comparison purposes.
Super Telephoto Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Panasonic 45-200mm F4-5.6 OIS has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS has a 67mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Panasonic 45-200mm F4-5.6 OIS:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS:
Lens Mounts
Both the Panasonic 45-200mm F4-5.6 OIS and the Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS has the same Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Micro Four Thirds lenses are OM System OM-1 II, Panasonic G9 II and OM System OM-5.
Focal Range
Panasonic 45-200mm F4-5.6 OIS has a focal range of 45-200mm and
4.4X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
90-400mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS has a focal range of 50-200mm and 4.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 100-400mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.