Best Lens for Wildlife Photography
| Last Updated: May 13, 2019
The Panasonic Lumix G9 is an excellent mirrorless camera, delivering 4k video, 6k stills, impressively fast burst shooting and an excellent autofocus system. The camera uses Panasonic and Olympus’ 2008 Micro Four Thirds system, or M4/3 system.
The system has a crop factor of 2.0 but has been around long enough that there are more lenses designed for this camera than the mirrorless camera bodies Nikon and Canon are releasing, making it a slightly more desirable investment at the moment.
There are a range of lenses that are compact, lightweight and sharp that are compatible with the Lumix G9. We have selected our top six, based on factors like size, performance, price and more.
6 Best Panasonic Lumix G9 Lenses
Best Overall: Panasonic Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm f/1.2 ASPH
- Focal Length: 42.5mm
- Size: 3 x 2.9 inches
- Weight: 15 ounces
- Filter Thread: 67mm
- Image Stabilization: Optical
Pros: Wide aperture, high quality construction, sharp images, no distortion
Cons: Heavy, expensive, not weather-sealed
What Makes this Lens Our Top Pick?
The Panosonic Lumix G9 is a great mirrorless camera, but cameras are only as good as the lenses they are paired with. The Panasonic Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm f/1.2 ASPH is one of the best portrait and all-around lenses available. It delivers consistently sharp images without any distortion or color aberration.
The downside is you can definitely expect to pay for these qualities. The lens costs over $1,000.
The lens features a manual aperture ring, which is a fun retro design aspect. The manual focus ring is sharp and accurate when used for stills. The focus ring is large enough that it is comfortable to use without bumping the aperture ring as well.
The autofocus system is sharp and fast even in low light situations and focuses with very little sound.
The lens also features optical image stabilization that works well. The Panasonic Lumix G9 also has image stabilization built into the camera body. However, it doesn’t work very well. Photographers will definitely be happy they have the stabilization in the lens in low light situations.
What Do Reviewers Say?
There are cheaper and lighter lenses at similar focal lengths available for the Micro Four Thirds lens mount. However, this lens really does beat the others when it comes to quality and performance.
Since the lens was a collaboration by Leica and Panasonic, it features the best of both companies. Designed and approved in Germany by Leica before being manufactured in Japan by Panasonic, this lens has the metal body and lens hood that are characteristic of Leica with the sharp image quality of both.
Photos taken with this lens are razor sharp, even in lower light situations thanks to the low maximum aperture. There is almost no distortion or color aberration.
The lens performs best with portraits. It delivers a depth of field that is similar to the naked human eye with pleasant separation of the subject from the background.
It also performs well as an all-around lens in a number of different situations and is particularly impressive in low light.
Features and Considerations
While the lens is constructed using high-quality metal, it is not weather-sealed. Given the price tag, it is more than a little disappointing that dust or moisture could easily ruin the lens. If you plan on using the lens primarily for portraiture though, this likely won’t be an issue.
At almost one pound, the lens is also considerably heavier than other options. It can be a little bit awkward on the light Lumix G9 mirrorless camera body.
Many photographers have little difficulty adjusting to the added weight. however. They find the quality to be worth the extra ounces.
A Close Second: Olympus M. Suiko ED 40 – 150mm f/2.8 PRO
- Focal Length: 40-150mm
- Size: 6.3 x 3.1 inches
- Weight: 1.9 pounds
- Filter Thread: 72mm
- Image Stabilization: None
Pros: Sharp images throughout zoom range, weather-sealed body, no distortion, collapsible hood, tripod collar
Cons: Expensive, no built-in image stabilization
What Makes this Lens Special?
This lens is a great zoom lens for general and telephoto photography and would be our top choice if it weren’t for the weight. While still significantly lighter than telephoto lenses built for DSLR cameras, it is still a bit weighty for an everyday or travel photography lens.
Weight aside, the image quality is impressively sharp from the bottom to the top of the zoom range with little distortion or flares.
The lens has an entirely metal build with weather sealing that protects against moisture, dust and extreme cold temperatures. Given the Micro Four Third mount, it is equivalent of an 80-300mm zoom lens. That makes it perfect for action or wildlife photography.
Overall, the lens is sharp, and has no issues with vignetting or distortion.
The autofocus system is extremely quick and accurate. The lens uses an innovative Dual Voice-coil AF motor that pairs two linear motors to operate independent groups of small lens elements without gears.
This makes it faster and more accurate since there aren’t large, heavy elements to move long distances. It also helps cut down on the overall weight of the camera.
What Do Reviewers Say?
Reviewers praise this lens for being consistent, sharp and producing excellent quality images. They also particularly like the design, which features an all-metal build and a number of innovative design features.
One of these features that is particularly fun is the collapsible lens hood that retracts into the lens. This is a very useful feature since photographers can use the hood without having to carry around an extra piece of equipment. The attached tripod collar on the lens is also handy given its heavier weight.
Images shot with this lens are sharp from corner to corner, and it is hard to find an example where softness blurs any part of an image. When compared to similar focal length lenses, this one performed consistently better.
Features and Considerations
While the lens produces images that are extremely sharp, it does struggle with chromatic aberration, which can be seen with light green and purple fringes around objects. This is more of an issue at shorter focal lengths when the aperture is wider open and is reduced at tighter focal lengths.
The lens is also a bit pricey, but given the number of innovative features, like the autofocus system and collapsible lens hood, and the relatively light weight for a telephoto zoom lens, the price is justified. Overall this lens is high-performance and high-value.
Best General-Use Lens: Panasonic LUMIX G Leica 15mm f/1.7 ASPH
- Focal Length: 15mm
- Size: 2.26 x 1.42 inches
- Weight: 4 ounces
- Filter Thread: 46mm
- Image Stabilization: None
Pros: High-quality images, versatile focal length, low maximum aperture
Cons: No image stabilization, more expensive than alternatives
What Makes this Lens Special?
This lens is another Leica-Panasonic collaboration, meaning it has the high-quality build of Leica and the less expensive price tag of Panasonic.
The 15mm focal length has the equivalent coverage of a 30mm lens on the Micro Four Thirds system, making it a great length for general-purpose photography. While it is a little shallow for portraiture, it is excellent for landscape, architecture, travel and street photography.
The design is slightly retro again, with a physical aperture ring that is easy to use and a fun throwback feature. The autofocus system is fast and accurate and focuses with little noise so you can use it in discreet situations. It also works particularly well when it comes to video.
The lens tracks action situations well and performs quickly and sharply in low light. The wider angle focal length allows the lens to separate subjects from the background well, and the rounded diaphragm with seven blades creates a bokeh effect that is consistent and pleasant.
What Do Reviewers Say?
Reviewers praise its consistent performance and sharp quality photos, and particularly like how light and compact the build is. The Leica design means the lens is constructed well using high-quality metals and materials.
The three aspherical elements used to construct the lens cut down on distortion and spherical aberration, yielding clear, sharp images. The Nano Surface Coating on the lens helps reduce reflections, flares and ghosting, and keeps colors sharp and accurate.
The internal AF system with a stepping motor is also particularly fast and smooth compared to other lenses at similar focal lengths.
Overall, this is a great option for photographers looking for a reliable lens for general-use applications, from landscape to street photography to detail shots. The quality and consistent performance more than justify the cost.
Features and Considerations
Like the 42.5mm lens above, this lens lacks weather sealing, which can be a problem for photographers looking to use this lens for landscape or travel photography. Any amount of moisture or dust can ruin the lens, which is particularly problematic if you want to use it on dirt roads or you are traveling to a location where rain and humidity are common.
The lack of image stabilization can also be problematic since the stabilization on the Lumix G9 is just OK. If you plan on using your camera primarily in situations where there is adequate lighting though, this shouldn’t be too big of an issue. A portable tripod can easily provide the stabilization necessary when shooting in lower light as well.
Best Zoom Lens: Olympus M. Zuiko ED 12 – 100 mm F/4.0 IS PRO
- Focal Length: 12 – 100mm
- Size: 4.6 x 3.1 inches
- Weight: 1.2 pounds
- Filter Thread: 72mm
- Image Stabilization: Optical
Pros: Versatile focal length, weather sealing, built-in image stabilization
Cons: Softness along the edges, distortion, vignetting, expensive
What Makes this Lens Special?
This lens is incredibly versatile with an equivalent focal length of 24 – 200mm and delivers sharp images at almost every focal length in its zoom range. Images are crisp with well-defined colors, and the weatherproof sealing means this lens can be used in a number of different scenarios.
The Z Coating Nano helps reduce reflections, flares and ghosting without the use of a lens hood. While the camera can struggle with soft focus and vignetting at its shortest focal length, these things are not an issue throughout a vast majority of the range. The built-in image stabilization is also a bonus and makes this lens a great option for the Panasonic Lumix G9.
This lens is rated for professionals and delivers professional-quality images, and the long list of added features and technology make it well worth the price.
What Do Reviewers Say?
Reviewers praise this lens for its suite of advanced technology, versatile zoom range and consistent image quality. It is lighter than the 40 – 150mm lens above, making it a slightly better option for everyday or travel photographers, and is nice and compact so it won’t unbalance mirrorless camera bodies.
The autofocus system is fast and accurate, with the electrical AF system focusing in well under a second at wide and telephoto focal lengths. The “Movie & Still Compatible” focus system that Olympus has been using in their recent lenses works well and makes this lens an excellent choice whether you are shooting stills or video.
Even though the lens wasn’t designed for macro photography, it can still deliver high-quality, close-up images. The 1.48-foot minimum focus distance is sufficient enough with the zoom to take a range of macro images.
Features and Considerations
The lens doesn’t perform as well in low light as some of its counterparts since the maximum aperture is only f/4. It also struggles with chromatic aberration and vignetting slightly. These effects are far more minimal than with other similar focal length lenses, however, and many photographers can adjust in post-processing or won’t notice the difference.
Like many of the lenses designed specifically for the Micro Four Thirds cameras, this one is a little more expensive than is desirable. The trade-off is that photographers get a high-quality lens that won’t unbalance mirrorless camera bodies and has updated technology, making the cost worth it in the end.
Best Macro Lens: Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 60 mm f/2.8 Macro Lens
- Focal Length: 60mm
- Size: 3.2 x 2.2 inches
- Weight: 6.5 ounces
- Filter Thread: 46mm
- Image Stabilization: None
Pros: Versatile focal length, lightweight, inexpensive, weather sealing, minimum distortion
Cons: Soft edges at maximum aperture
What Makes this Lens Special?
This compact lens packs a punch when it comes to macro photography, with an equivalent focal length of 120mm. It takes amazingly sharp images, creates beautiful bokeh effects and has a robust autofocus system that can handle subjects that move slightly like lizards or flowers that sway in the breeze.
The low price tag and compact, lightweight design round this lens out and make it an excellent purchase.
The most impressive feature of this lens is how small and compact it is, which is not common for a lens with such a long focal length. It also has a minimum focal distance of about 8 inches, making it an excellent tool for photographers looking to experiment with macro photography.
What Do Reviewers Say?
This lens delivers impressive quality photos and achieves crisp sharpness with hardly any softness around the corners and very little chromatic aberration. While there is a tiny amount of vignetting around the corners, it is really only noticeable at the maximum aperture setting.
The lens produces a perfect 1:1 image of subjects even at the closest focus distance and is made from lightweight materials that enable photographers to hold the lens steady on a subject for longer without their arms growing tired. The rounded seven-blade aperture design also creates pleasant bokeh.
The weatherproofing is nice since most macro photography is taken outdoors, meaning dust and moisture can’t get inside the lens and cause it to seize. There are also few alternatives that are this compact and sharp.
Features and Considerations
There is no image stabilization built into the lens, meaning you have to rely on the in-camera stabilization or get a tripod. If you are shooting with sufficient light this shouldn’t be an issue, however.
The lens hood also sells separately and cost $50. While many photographers find this to be a nuisance, it does help keep the price of the lens in a more affordable range and allows photographers who want the hood to add it to their purchase or acquire it at a later date.
Best Wide-Angle Lens: Panasonic Lumix G 20 mm II f/1.7
- Focal Length: 20mm
- Size: 1 x 2.5 inches
- Weight: 3.5 ounces
- Filter Thread: 46mm
- Image Stabilization: None
Pros: Compact build, inexpensive, versatile focal length, low distortion
Cons: Images could be sharper
What Makes this Lens Special?
At under $300, this lens is a steal. The equivalent 40mm focal length is versatile and handy, and the lens handles distortion better than other lenses at similar focal lengths. Images are relatively sharp, and the size of the lens itself is so compact that it pairs well with mirrorless camera bodies like the Lumix G9.
Since the lens uses a “focus by wire” system where the focusing ring sends commands to a motor, the front of the lens doesn’t rotate when it focuses. This is useful for photographers who like to use filters, since they can achieve consistent polarized filter images.
The seven-blade diaphragm creates pleasant bokeh, and the focal length works well for portraiture, landscape, street, travel photography and more. Overall, this is a great option to have in your camera backpack and is affordable enough that photographers can start here and expand to other lenses later.
What Do Reviewers Say?
Many reviewers describe this as a must-own lens, and particularly praise its consistent image quality and pancake-thin build. The size and price make this a great option for an everyday or travel lens that may get a little bit more beat up as well.
The lens has a good-sized focusing ring for photographers who like to use manual focus, but there are really no other controls on the lens itself. This helps achieve the pancake design and keep it lightweight and low-profile. The metal exterior makes it feel solid though, and the lens is fun and easy to use.
Features and Considerations
The image quality is pretty good, but the photos aren’t as sharp and crisp as they are with other lenses on this list. Photographers who shoot in RAW can help correct this in post-processing. One surprisingly positive side effect of the slightly lower image quality is that it resembles images shot with 35mm film more than digital, which many photographers like.
Selection Criteria: How We Ranked Our Choices
Unlike with Nikon and Canon’s mirrorless camera bodies, the Panasonic camera mount system has been around since 2008, meaning there are considerably more lenses to choose from. We used the following features when narrowing down our list to our top six picks.
In general, we tried to select lenses that were high-value for the price, had versatile focal lengths or performed well at their intended purpose, were built well and took high-quality images. In addition, they were equipped with extra technology.
Value
While it is always ideal to spend less, higher costs can often be justified by innovative designs, cutting-edge technology and particularly sharp performance. In selecting our top picks, we tried to find a balance between price and performance and choose lenses that delivered well whether they cost less or more.
Versatility
While some lenses on this list have a specific purpose, like the Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro Lens, a majority of them either have a versatile zoom range or are a prime lens with a focal length that is useful for a number of applications.
In general, we prefer lenses, zoom or prime, that can be used for a number of different purposes. This helps cut down on the number of lenses that you have to carry in your stylish camera bag.
We also tried to choose lenses that had a wide enough maximum aperture to be useful in sufficient-light and low-light situations.
Quality
Two of the most important considerations when choosing a lens are the quality of the build and the images it produces. You can find the cheapest lens at the perfect focal length, but if it isn’t built well, you’re wasting your money.
We considered the manufacturers and the materials used to construct the lens, preferring durable metal lenses or high-quality, lightweight plastic lenses where they were well-reviewed.
One major consideration here is whether the lens is weather-sealed, and if that weather sealing is necessary for the situations you are likely to use your camera in.
We also considered the quality of the images the lens produced. In general, we tried to select lenses that delivered sharp images with little distortion, flares or color aberrations. In cases where the lens struggled with one of these things, we tried to note why it was included.
For example, the Panasonic Lumix G 20mm II f/1.7 struggles with sharpness at certain f-stops, but it is so cheap and well-built that this was less of a concern.
Extras
Finally, we tried to select lenses that had extra features that would be beneficial to photographers. These ranged from basic things like image stabilization, which is nice but not necessary since the Lumix G9 has it built into the camera body, to retro and innovative design extras.
| Lens | Image Stabilization |
| Panasonic Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm f/1.2 ASPH | Optical |
| Olympus M. Suiko ED 40 – 150mm f/2.8 PRO | None |
| Panasonic LUMIX G Leica 15mm f/1.7 ASPH | None |
| Olympus M. Zuiko ED 12 – 100 mm F/4.0 IS PRO | Optical |
| Olympus Zuiko Digital ED 60 mm f/2.8 Macro Lens | None |
| Panasonic Lumix G 20 mm II f/1.7 | None |
For example, the Olympus M. Suiko ED 40 – 150mm f/2.8 PRO has a retractable lens hood that is unique and handy for photographers who don’t want to carry the extra piece of equipment or are prone to losing small pieces of equipment like lens caps and hoods.
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