The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 and the Panasonic 45-175mm F4.0-5.6 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. Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 is the longer of the two lenses at 172mm. The Panasonic 45-175mm F4.0-5.6 OIS with a length of 90mm, is 82mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 also has a larger diameter of 83mm compared to the Panasonic 45-175mm F4.0-5.6 OIS's 62mm 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 45-175mm F4.0-5.6 OIS weighs 210g, 78% (775g) lighter than the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3's weight of 985g.
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 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Panasonic 45-175mm F4.0-5.6 OIS has a 46mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3:
And these are the 46mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic 45-175mm F4.0-5.6 OIS:
Lens Mounts
Both the Panasonic 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 and the Panasonic 45-175mm F4.0-5.6 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-3 Astro, OM System OM-5 II and OM System OM-3.
Focal Range
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.
On the other hand, the Panasonic 45-175mm F4.0-5.6 OIS has a focal range of 45-175mm and 3.9X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 90-350mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
