The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 and the Tokina 300mm F6.3 MF Macro 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 is the longer of the two lenses at 132mm. The Tokina 300mm F6.3 MF Macro with a length of 66mm, is 66mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 also has a larger diameter of 76mm compared to the Tokina 300mm F6.3 MF Macro's 55mm 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. Tokina 300mm F6.3 MF Macro weighs 298g, 54% (357g) lighter than the Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0's weight of 655g.
Filter Threads
The Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Tokina 300mm F6.3 MF Macro has a 55mm 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 Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0:
And these are the 55mm filters that we recommend for the Tokina 300mm F6.3 MF Macro:
Lens Mounts
Both the Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 and the Tokina 300mm F6.3 MF Macro 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 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 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.
On the other hand, the Tokina 300mm F6.3 MF Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 300mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 600mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
