Panasonic LUMIX G X VARIO PZ 45-175mm f/4.0-5.6 ASPH. POWER O.I.S. (H-PS45175)

This Panasonic zoom gives Micro Four Thirds photographers telephoto reach in a small, light package. The 45–175mm span covers portraits at the short end and distant subjects such as outdoor sport or a performer on stage. Micro Four Thirds cameras keep a system portable, and this zoom follows that idea.

The modest maximum aperture is the main trade-off. It runs from f/4 to f/5.6 across the zoom, so the lens favours daylight and bright interiors over dim evening venues. Reach and portability, rather than low-light speed, are the reasons to choose it.

The lens weighs 7.4 oz (210 g) and measures 3.54 in (90 mm) long. It is 2.43 in (61.6 mm) across. That size and weight make it easy to carry on a compact body all day.

It takes screw-in filters on a 46mm thread. A polariser or ND filter must match that 46mm size.

The 45–175mm range spans short telephoto to long telephoto framing. At 45mm you can frame a tight portrait; at 175mm you can isolate a single player at the far side of a pitch. One lens therefore covers a school sports day, a garden bird, or a performer from the back rows.

The maximum aperture runs from f/4 at 45mm to f/5.6 at 175mm. In daylight this is comfortable for handheld work, and the built-in stabilisation gives further help at the long end. As the light falls, the narrow aperture means higher ISO settings rather than a wider opening. At these focal lengths, background separation comes mostly from the long reach, so f/5.6 at 175mm can still blur a distant background.

Closest focus is 3 ft (90 cm). That lets you photograph flowers, food or market details without stepping far back. Maximum magnification reaches 0.4x, enough to make a blossom or a piece of jewellery large in the frame. For walkabout days, that close reach adds variety to a telephoto zoom.

POWER O.I.S. is built in, and it steadies the camera during handheld shooting. That matters most at 175mm, where small camera movements show clearly in the frame. It allows slower shutter speeds in fading light without a tripod. The support cannot freeze a moving subject, so a running child still needs a fast shutter speed.

The zoom runs on an electric motor. The PZ in the name marks this power zoom. A push-and-pull control sets the focal length instead of a turning ring.

There is no zoom lock and no weather sealing. Keep the lens dry in rain or dust, since protection is not built in.

Inside are 14 elements in 10 groups, including two aspherical elements. The aspherical surfaces help correct distortion and spherical aberration, faults that show in straight lines and edges.

Two low-dispersion elements help reduce chromatic aberration, the coloured fringing that can appear along high-contrast edges such as a bird against a bright sky. Focusing is internal, so the lens does not extend as it focuses.