The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS and the Olympus ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ 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. Olympus ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ is the longer of the two lenses at 83mm. The Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS with a length of 27mm, is 56mm shorter. On the other hand, the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS has a larger diameter of 61mm compared to the Olympus ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ's 57mm 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. Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS weighs 95g, which means it is 116g (54%) lighter than the Olympus ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ which has a weight of 211g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Standard Zoom Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount for size comparison purposes.
Standard Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS has a filter size of 37mm whereas the Olympus ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ has a 52mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 37mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ:
Lens Mounts
Both the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS and the Olympus ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ 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.
Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS is also available in Micro Four Thirds mount.
Focal Range
Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS has a focal range of 14-42mm and
3.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
28-84mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Olympus ED 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 EZ has a focal range of 12-50mm and 4.2X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-100mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.