The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Olympus ED 12mm f2 and the Panasonic DG 12mm F1.4 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 DG 12mm F1.4 is the longer of the two lenses at 70mm. The Olympus ED 12mm f2 with a length of 43mm, is 27mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Panasonic DG 12mm F1.4 also has a larger diameter of 70mm compared to the Olympus ED 12mm f2's 56mm 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. Olympus ED 12mm f2 weighs 130g, which means it is 205g (61%) lighter than the Panasonic DG 12mm F1.4 which has a weight of 335g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Prime Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount for size comparison purposes.
Wideangle Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Olympus ED 12mm f2 has a filter size of 46mm whereas the Panasonic DG 12mm F1.4 has a 62mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 46mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Olympus ED 12mm f2:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic DG 12mm F1.4:
Lens Mounts
Both the Olympus ED 12mm f2 and the Panasonic DG 12mm F1.4 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-1 II, Panasonic G9 II and OM System OM-5.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
12mm but while Olympus ED 12mm f2 has the fastest aperture of
F2.0, the Panasonic DG 12mm F1.4's widest aperture value is
F1.4.