The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic DG 200mm F2.8 and the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 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 DG 200mm F2.8 is the longer of the two lenses at 174mm. The Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 with a length of 172mm, is 2mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Panasonic DG 200mm F2.8 also has a larger diameter of 88mm compared to the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3's 83mm diameter.
Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Panasonic DG 200mm F2.8 and Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
Comparison image of the Panasonic DG 200mm F2.8 and the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 Size and Weight 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 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 weighs 985g, 20% (260g) lighter than the Panasonic DG 200mm F2.8's weight of 1245g.
Filter Threads
The Panasonic DG 200mm F2.8 has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Panasonic DG 200mm F2.8:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3:
Lens Mounts
Both the Panasonic DG 200mm F2.8 and the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 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-3 Astro , OM System OM-5 II and OM System OM-3 .
Focal Range
Panasonic DG 200mm F2.8 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 200mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
400mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 has a focal range of 100-400mm and 4.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 200-800mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
