Best Lens For GH5 – Anamorphic, Wide Angle, Telephoto & Macro
3 years after the GH4 was released, its elder brother GH5 look its leap in the market. This improvised version provides a better resolution (20MP), weather-sealed construction, and mainly it has sensor-shift image stabilization. This became a huge selling point for this camera because the previous model GH4 lacked this stabilization.
Now that you have purchased this camera, the next step is to find a lens to pair with the body. There are various kinds of lenses depending on your budget, compatibility, and many other factors.
Something you'll need to keep in mind is that getting the broadest possible focal range is the right way to go. Even apart from this, there are multiple factors for a lens that determines it to be the right choice for your camera.
I'm Evangeline, a photography expert for the past fifteen years, and in this article, I will be listing a set of the best lenses for Lumix GH5 cameras. Be sure to carefully go through all the features to pick the right model for you.
REVIEWS OF THE BEST LUMIX GH5 LENSES
Choose your lens type here
BEST STANDARD PRIME LENSES FOR PANASONIC GH5
1. PANASONIC LUMIX 42.5MM F/1.7 ASPH - BEST PORTRAIT LENS FOR GH5
PRODUCT DETAILS:
FEATURES:
A tiny lens that can easily fit your budget! I call it the best lens for taking portrait shots with a GH5 because it gives a full-frame length of 85mm in case of a full-frame equivalent. And as you 85mm lenses are supreme for portrait photography.
Apart from this, there are a lot of exciting features in the lens. Take a look!
DESIGN:
Firstly, it is very compact. It weighs only 135g. Isn't that supreme! Also, the build quality of the lens is appreciable. The focus ring is nice and smooth, and the lens's focusing happens internally, so you don't have any lens's front element moving while focusing.
Of what is the lens mount made of? Is that your question? The happy news for you is that this lens is entirely made of metal, including the lens barrel and the lens mounting. This shows Panasonic hasn't compromised on the durability of this lens.
For giving an accurate and less noisy AF., there is a Stepper motor technology equipped with the lens. And lastly, it has a Power Optical Image Stabilizer feature in it. This means you don't have to use a tripod or monopod while shooting with this lens.
PERFORMANCE:
Let me start with its low-light performance; This lens does wonders in this photography. The f1.7 bright aperture helps me to shoot bright videos even at night with perfect clarity.
I liked how the autofocus works with this lens. It is not only very fast but accurate very accurate. Even while tracking considerably fast-moving objects, the lens focuses accurately.
As for the O.I.S., it works pretty well with this lens. I wouldn't say it is rock steady as of a Canon or a Nikon lens. But it does perform well for its price.
But what I loved about this lens is its bokeh quality. The subject remains perfectly sharp while at the same time the background blur looks very pleasant.
To conclude, if you want a Panasonic portrait lens for your 20MP GH5 cameras this is the one.
What I liked about this lens:
2. PANASONIC LEICA DG SUMMILUX 25MM F/1.4 II ASPH. LENS
PRODUCT DETAILS:
FEATURES:
Leica, I know you're going to love this lens for this brand itself. In the case of a full-frame camera, you will get an equivalent focal length of 50mm. This focal length is what makes it a great lens for all-around photography.
Let's see what makes it different from the above lens by looking at the design and features.
DESIGN:
Firstly this lens is not image stabilized; this is surprising for a Leica lens. But don't worry, your GH5 camera already has an (IBIS) In-body Stabilization in it.
In terms of build quality, this lens is made of high-quality plastic with a good number of optical elements inside. The internal optics consist of an Ultra - High Refractive element to control spherical aberrations and distortion. Adding to it, there are 2 aspherical elements and a Nano surface coating inside. This will help reduce lens flare in your images.
Like the above-mentioned Panasonic 42.5mm lens, this also has the same Stepping Autofocus Motor. So you can have a comfortable autofocus experience. But one additional feature this lens has in its design is that it is dust and splash-resistant so that you can use it amidst harsh weather conditions.
PERFORMANCE:
This is one of the best gh5 lenses that every photographer needs to have. All shots taken on this lens have clean optical sharpness. With this lens, you can achieve unique soft-focusing background effects.
The lens provides an even better low-light performance than the Panasonic 42.5mm because it has a wider aperture of f/1.4. The Panasonic Nano surface coating used drastically reduces the possibility of common ghosting and flaring that can accompany wide open aperture photography.
You can use the lens for almost all types of photography, be it portrait, landscape, wedding, street, mid-range sports, or beach photography. So travelers looking for an option for their GH5 cameras should add this to their buying list.
Lastly, image quality: Smooth Defocus - I consider this the best feature of this lens. You can easily achieve a beautiful bokeh effect that gives pictures a beautiful and sharp look.
What I liked about this lens:
3. ROKINON DS50M T1.5 AS IF UMC - BEST GH5 CINEMA LENS
PRODUCT DETAILS:
The Rokinon 50mm T1.5 Cine DS Lens is one of the most popular micro 4/3 cinema lenses used by professional videographers & cinematographers. This lens is sturdy and small, which is why it is travel-friendly and easy to use. It lens comes with high-quality de-clicked apertures & geared focus rings.
Focusing scales have been marked on both sides of the lens. Ultra Multi-Coated has been added to the glass to handles lens flare and eliminate ghosting. There is a removable petal-shaped lens hood included. This hood provides flare protection when shooting and removes the need for a matte box.
Lastly, the lens is threaded for complete compatibility with a 77mm size filter. It has the ability to open up to T1.5, which ensures you get low-light shooting and ensure that you create an extremely shallow depth of field. None of the other models come close to the rounded 8-blade Aperture on this lens. With that Aperture, you can make soft, beautiful bokeh effects.
What I liked about this lens:
BEST WIDE ANGLE LENSES FOR PANASONIC GH5
4. OLYMPUS M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 17MM F1.8 LENS
PRODUCT DETAILS:
FEATURES:
Launched in 2013, this lens still is one of the top-selling wide-angle lenses in the market. The important reason is the wide focal range of 17mm, which helps you capture building shots, street photographs, and other types of landscape shots with utmost clarity.
So if you're on vacation to any hilly areas or visiting any waterfalls, make sure you capture the scenic beauty with this lens.
DESIGN:
This is a high-grade all-metal lens with the tough build quality. One unique feature I found in this lens is its built-in depth of field and distance indicators for enabling zone focusing.
The lens also offers quiet and fast Movie & Stills Compatible autofocus for those that prefer to use AF over-focusing manually. If you prefer to focus manually, pull the focus ring back to engage it. You needn't dive into camera menu settings.
Coming on to the lens' optical structure: There are Three aspherical glasses and one high-refractive-index element included in this lens' construction.
PERFORMANCE:
As you know, "35mm lenses" is a craze by every street photographer. If you wish to achieve this focal length in your GH5 camera, you can pair it with this Olympus 17mm lens.
I haven't tested this lens on a gh5 camera, but as per my user experience on my GH4, I'm satisfactory. Firstly, the lens itself is small and thin, and on a GH4 or a GH5 camera, they look sleek and perfect together.
So, if you're out to a museum or a cave, you can use this lens to capture even the intrinsic details in the walls with good clarity. Also, you get nice sharp images with a negligible amount of distortion and vignette.
What I liked about this lens:
5. PANASONIC LUMIX 12-35MM G X VARIO II, F2.8 - BEST WALK AROUND LENS FOR GH5
PRODUCT DETAILS:
FEATURES:
This is the best general-purpose lens for your GH5 Camera. Yes, because it gives you a full-frame focal length equivalent of 24-70mm. And every photographer knows the demand for this focal length range; it allows you to capture almost anything with much ease.
All-in-one, this is a power-packed lens with so many amazing features.
DESIGN:
The Company has rightly fixed the price of this lens at $797. Because the design and build quality of this lens are splendid. The lens is entirely made of metal and is also weather resistant.
Power O.I.S. optical image stabilization that can provide a 5-axis stabilization is ensured by this lens.
This lens is protected by Panasonic's cutting-edge Nano Surface Coating. This helps reduce unwanted ghosting and flaring in all of your shots. And for controlling aberrations and distortions, there are a series of aspherical glasses and high-refractive elements in its optical design.
PERFORMANCE:
The constant aperture of f/2.8 allows me to zoom in to the subject while not losing the light. It also gives me two-thirds more stops of light, so you're going to save higher ISO's in your GH5 Camera.
The dynamic focal range starting from 12mm (24mm in a 35mm format) on the wide end and 35mm (70mm in a 35mm format) on the telephoto end helps me cover a wide range of subjects. The wider diameter on this lens gives you high-grade indoor shots apart from the fantastic outdoor landscapes.
What I liked about this lens:
6. ROKINON CINE CV12M-MFT 12MM T2.2 - BEST PANASONIC GH5 LENS FOR LOW LIGHT
PRODUCT DETAILS:
The Rokinon 12mm T2.2 Cine Lens is designed for digital cinematography. It is considered the finest third-party Micro four thirds lenses for video due to many reasons.
Firstly, it has an image circle that covers APS-C-sized sensors and tinier. This lens helps you maintain accurate focus with a follow focus unit. The focus and aperture rings come with high-grade industry-standard 0.8 pitch gearing. This ensures you get smooth iris pulls while shooting. This lens has an ergonomic design. Settings like focus, aperture, and depth of field have been marked on the side of the lens.
The specialty of this lens lies in its effectiveness in low-light images. With this lens, you can control the shallow depth of the field. This ensures you get precise subject focus with pleasantly blurred backgrounds. The inner surface of the two front-most lens elements is covered in the Nano-crystal coating. Doing this minimizes ghosting and flare and improves overall image clarity.
Since the purpose of this lens is shooting HD video it comes with multiple options and settings.
What I liked about this lens:
BEST STANDARD ZOOM LENSES FOR PANASONIC GH5
8. OLYMPUS M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-45MM F4.0 PRO LENS
PRODUCT DETAILS:
FEATURES:
My pick for the "best standard zoom lens for Panasonic Lumix GH5" is this 12-45mm f/4 Olympus lens. This micro-four-thirds lens will give a 24-90mm full-frame view, which is more than enough to take quality portrait and landscape shots.
And generally, an mm of 90 to 105mm will be capable of capturing macro shots as well, so let's see if this lens can do that.
DESIGN:
Olympus 12-100mm lenses were a huge success the time they were released. But the Company wanted to design a lens that is even more comfortable than this 12-100mm lens; that's how they landed up with this amazing product.
It is a great travel-friendly lens because it is very durable and is also weather resistant. The lens barrel is made of metal, giving it a stylish look.
Not only that, the ridged metal zoom ring and a thinner focusing ring that has become a trademark for professional lenses are also included in this lens.
PERFORMANCE:
Operating the lens is a user-friendly experience. The zoom ring is designed to give a good grip to anyone who will be using this lens. Overall it is the ideal choice for anyone looking for a rugged product.
Usually, lens flare is a major problem with most lenses; however, the lens flare is effectively controlled here. You get that natural-looking dramatic effect with very few chromatic aberrations and negligible distortion.
Coming to the question asked above. Is the lens great for taking close-ups? Well, yes. As the lens has a minimum focusing distance of 12 cm (wide) / 23cm (tele), it can pretty well focus flowers and small-sized objects effectively.
Sharpness: The lens's center sharpness is excellent throughout the focal range. Yes, the corners tend to be less sharp at f/4; however, if you stoop down to f/5.6, the corners also look tack sharp. Overall the image's sharpness is worthy of being praised.
What I liked about this lens:
9. PANASONIC 12-60MM VARIO-ELMARIT, F2.8-4.0 - BEST GH5 LENS FOR VIDEO
PRODUCT DETAILS:
FEATURES:
Let me ask you one question. Do you already own a GH5 camera and looking for the right lens? In that case, purchase the gh5 along with this 12-60mmm f/2.8-4 kit lens that comes along with it. If you have only the GH5 camera body wanting only a lens, this is a solid option.
It will give an even better zoom range than the 12-40mm Olympus lens mentioned above. Apart from providing a full-frame focal length of 24-120mm, it also gives a variable aperture starting from wider f/2.8 to f/4.
So you can capture good quality shots and videos even in dimly lit conditions if this lens is hooked up with your Lumix GH5 camera.
DESIGN:
Unlike the Panasonic 12-40mm lens, this has a Power O.I.S. which makes a better lens for shooting videos. Also, the I.S. feature will help you avoid using tripods/monopods while also maintaining the smoothness.
The rest of the design features remain almost the same as the previous lens. It has a metal lens mount, compact design, and is also weather-sealed.
In case you wish to disable the I.S. feature, you can use the toggle switch on the lens barrel. Also, switching from manual to autofocus is easy with a second switch on the metal lens barrel.
PERFORMANCE:
Those who would love a 5x magnification of the shots will love using this lens. Yes, the lens does suffer from a little bit of chromatic aberration and distortion; however, you can correct them post-production, so let me stick to the sharpness and bokeh quality mainly.
SHARPNESS AND BOKEH :
You will not notice a big change in sharpness when used between 12mm to 16mm. However, after 24mm, there is a significant change.
I liked the bokeh quality of this lens; it is soft and creamy even at wide-open. Thanks to the 9 bladed diaphragm!
What I liked about this lens:
BEST MACRO LENS FOR PANASONIC GH5
10. PANASONIC LUMIX G MACRO LENS, 30MM, F2.8 ASPH
PRODUCT DETAILS:
FEATURES:
Are you looking for a mid-price macro lens for your Lumix GH5 camera lens? Then what about trying this PANASONIC LUMIX G MACRO LENS.
This macro lens shows a full-frame focal range equivalent to 60mm, which is a decent range for taking macro shots. You get the ability to focus on subjects that are within a distance of 10cm. So isn't that a good range?
DESIGN:
Though Rokinon 100mm F2.8 ED UMC seems a good option for most photographers, I prefer this Panasonic G lens for many reasons.
Firstly, I really like the way this lens is manufactured. It feels sturdy. There are no toggle switches on the lens. You have to adjust the sharpness, aperture, and IS using the camera settings of your GH5 camera.
The only feature on the lens barrel is a manual focus ring which feels tough and allows easy rotation.
PERFORMANCE:
I tested this lens on a GH5 camera body, and I'm giving you my insights. Firstly, the autofocus works considerably fast, accurately, and not very loud. The image stabilization works well, so those looking to take videos of slow-moving objects will love this lens.
In terms of image quality, the lens delivers images that show end-to-end sharpness. However, as this is a budget macro lens, you will notice some chromatic aberration and vignette at wide-open apertures, which can be corrected post-production.
Overall, I recommend this lens for beginners who would love to take everyday macro shots with good compression.
What I liked about this lens:
BEST ANAMORPHIC LENS FOR GH5
11. SIRUI 24MM ANAMORPHIC LENS F2.8
PRODUCT DETAILS:
FEATURES:
Though we have new brands popping up with anamorphic lenses for GH5, I consider this Sirui 24mm f2.8 is the best choice. It is a great filming lens popular amongst cinematographers and film technicians.
This wide-angle anamorphic lens will show a full-frame equivalent of 48mm, which will be helpful to cover most of the background scene into the frame.
DESIGN:
The lens' design is pretty straight forward it's simple, compact, and not very bulky. It weighs only 115g. The anamorphic squeeze ratio of this lens is 1.33x. For beginners who are new to this term, let me tell you what the squeeze ratio means. Say you're shooting pictures with a GH5 camera with a sensor size of 17mm*13mm. So, when this Sirois anamorphic lens is attached in post-production, you could squeeze the images to a 2. 2 to 1.7 widescreen format.
PERFORMANCE:
The rounded bokeh quality of this lens is perfect and looks very natural while shooting music videos and short films in low lights. Also, the natural-looking blue flares add to the picture quality of this lens. So I consider this to be another best gh5 lenses for video.
Chromatic aberrations, distortions, and vignette if you want an anamorphic lens that shows a negligible amount of these, then this is the one.
Though this lens is expensive, it is one of the best anamorphic lenses for gh5. You will never regret buying one.
What I liked about this lens:
BEST TELEPHOTO LENSES FOR PANASONIC GH5
12. PANASONIC LUMIX G X VARIO 45-175MM, F4.0-5.6 - BEST ALL IN ONE ZOOM LENS
PRODUCT DETAILS:
FEATURES:
This is an X-series camera meaning it has an in-built motor technology when it gets power when the camera is switched on. You could use this as a great outdoor lens to shoot sharp images of mid-range outdoor sports, taking pictures of large and medium-sized animals in the zoo, and also for hiking.
DESIGN:
Though this is a telephoto zoom lens, it doesn't feel very heavy or bulky. It weighs 210g which is surprising for a telephoto lens with this focal length.
The aperture ring and the manual focus rings turn smoothly without producing any sound, which is good. And the O.I.S of this lens adds value to the lens's design features.
The lens's build quality is also worthy of being noted. It is fully made of metal, including the lens barrel and the lens mount. I want to provide a piece of advice to you if you're planning to use this lens on your GH5, make sure you have a couple of camera batteries in your hand. I'm saying this because the lens is constructed so that the aperture will automatically reset when the camera is switched off.
This will draw some of your camera's battery power, so make sure you follow this precaution while traveling.
PERFORMANCE:
The Power Zoom facility of this lens makes it take a position in this best lens for the GH5 camera list. Now, what does this Power zoom mean?
It means you can control the zooming of this lens by using the camera settings itself without using a zoom ring. There are power zoom lenses that provide a manual zoom ring, but this lens doesn't have one.
Most photographers use this lens for video work more than still photography because Image Stabilization does its best while shooting music videos, short films, and filmmaking.
What I liked about this lens:
13. PANASONIC LUMIX G II VARIO LENS, 100-300MM F4.0 5.6
PRODUCT DETAILS:
The last in my list of the "best lenses for gh5" is this Panasonic LUMIX Mirror G II VARIO LENS, 100-300MM. This lens has carefully and specifically been designed for modern interchangeable camera enthusiasts.
This 100-300mm F4.0-5.6 lens is not just visually appealing. It has also been prepared to take on the outdoors with a splash-proof and dustproof guard. The lens comes with Power O.I.S. optical image stabilization compatibility with 5-Axis Dual I.S. 2.0 (Image Stabilization).
As a result of this, you get hours and hours of hand-held stability when you're sitting shooting. In addition to all of these advantages, the lens also has both cutting-edge autofocus and smooth aperture changes.
What I liked about this lens:
GET MORE INFORMATION ON THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN G85 AND GH5 LUMIX CAMERAS
BUYING GUIDE FOR PURCHASING A PANASONIC GH5 LENS
There are a couple of factors you need to consider by purchasing a Lumix GH5 lens. So kindly read the points mentioned below before you make a final decision about your purchase.
1. FOCAL LENGTH
Note that GH5 is a Micro Four Thirds camera, so it has an even smaller sensor than an APS-C camera. So you have to use a crop factor of 2x to calculate the actual full-frame focal length.
For your convenience, I have already provided the equivalent focal lengths for every lens. But always keep in mind to select a crop-sensor lens considering the crop factor of the camera. Only then will you meet your actual needs.
Now coming to which focal length is best for me? This depends on your choice as you know every focal length has its expertise. In my article on types of lenses in the market, I have clearly explained the uses of each focal lengths. Please make sure you check out that article.
If you're looking for a general-purpose GH5 lens, my top picks would be these two:
Budget option:
PANASONIC LUMIX 42.5MM F/1.7
Higher-Price option:
PANASONIC LUMIX 12-35MM G X VARIO II, F2.8
2. WILL YOU take pictures IN A DIMLY LIT AREA?
Aperture is the next factor we are going to discuss. It is the most basic term in photography which refers to the lens' opening through which the light enters the lens. So wider the aperture, the more bright your shots will be.
If you are planning to shoot indoors, then go for a wide aperture greater than f/2.8. If that's not the case and your shooting will only need a casual lens used in daylight, a standard aperture of f/3.5-5.6 is enough.
3. OPTICAL IMAGE STABILIZATION
Please don't think that the GH5 has an IBIS )In-body Stabilization) so you don't have to purchase a lens with O.I.S. Kindly understand that though GH5 can give you smooth footage with this stabilization, it will perform even better when paired with an Image Stabilized lens. The I.S. of the Lumix GH5 camera and the lens will work together, providing steady shots and videos.
Also, you can enjoy slower shutter speeds in low-lights if your lens has an I.S. feature in-built in it.
FAQ
1. Can I use a canon lens with a gh5 camera?
Yes, you can use other brand lenses on a gh5 camera. If you want to mount a Canon EF or an EF-S lens on an MFT Lumix GH5, You cannot directly use a Canon lens on a GH5. You need to use a Panasonic gh5 canon lens adapter.
2. WHAT IS gh5's lens mount?
The Panasonic DC- GH5 camera uses a Micro Four thirds lens mount with a sensor size of 17.3 x 13 mm (4/3") MOS. The crop factor for this camera is 2x. So if you want to find the full-frame equivalent of a MFT lens multiply it by 2x.
CONCLUSION
That's about my catalog of "best gh5 lenses". Every photographer has a different set of activities they wish to do with their gh5. This is why this list contains different products, each of which is the best in their respective niches. When you go through this list, keep in mind your needs and check which of the features and description meets your needs the best. Thank you for reading!
