The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Fujifilm XF 70-300 F4-5.6 R and the Panasonic 45-200mm F4-5.6 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. Fujifilm XF 70-300 F4-5.6 R is the longer of the two lenses at 133mm. The Panasonic 45-200mm F4-5.6 OIS with a length of 100mm, is 33mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Fujifilm XF 70-300 F4-5.6 R also has a larger diameter of 75mm 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, 34% (200g) lighter than the Fujifilm XF 70-300 F4-5.6 R's weight of 580g.
Filter Threads
The Fujifilm XF 70-300 F4-5.6 R has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Panasonic 45-200mm F4-5.6 OIS has a 52mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Fujifilm XF 70-300 F4-5.6 R:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic 45-200mm F4-5.6 OIS:
Lens Mounts
The Fujifilm XF 70-300 F4-5.6 R has the Fujifilm X lens mount whereas the Panasonic 45-200mm F4-5.6 OIS has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Fujifilm X-S20, Fujifilm X-T5 and Fujifilm X-H2 for the Fujifilm X Mount and OM System OM-1 II, Panasonic G9 II and OM System OM-5 for the Micro Four Thirds Mount.
Focal Range
Fujifilm XF 70-300 F4-5.6 R has a focal range of 70-300mm and
4.3X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
105-450mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the 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.