The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon RF 100-500mm and the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD 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. Canon RF 100-500mm is the longer of the two lenses at 208mm. The Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD with a length of 99mm, is 109mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon RF 100-500mm also has a larger diameter of 94mm compared to the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD's 80mm 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 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD weighs 575g, 57% (790g) lighter than the Canon RF 100-500mm's weight of 1365g.
Filter Threads
The Canon RF 100-500mm has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon RF 100-500mm:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD:
Lens Mounts
The Canon RF 100-500mm has the Canon RF lens mount whereas the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD has the Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Canon R6 V, Canon R6 III and Canon C50 for the Canon RF Mount and Olympus E-5, Olympus E-600 and Olympus E-620 for the Four Thirds Mount.
Focal Range
Canon RF 100-500mm has a focal range of 100-500mm and
5.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
160 - 800mm.
On the other hand, the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD has a focal range of 12-60mm and 5.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-120mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
