The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon RF-S 18-45mm f4.5-6.3 IS and the Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 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 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 is the longer of the two lenses at 71mm. The Canon RF-S 18-45mm f4.5-6.3 IS with a length of 44mm, is 27mm shorter. On the other hand, the Canon RF-S 18-45mm f4.5-6.3 IS has a larger diameter of 69mm compared to the Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6's 66mm diameter.
Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Canon RF-S 18-45mm f4.5-6.3 IS and Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
Comparison image of the Canon RF-S 18-45mm f4.5-6.3 IS and the Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 Size and Weight 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. Canon RF-S 18-45mm f4.5-6.3 IS weighs 130g, which means it is 80g (38%) lighter than the Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 which has a weight of 210g.
Filter Threads
The Canon RF-S 18-45mm f4.5-6.3 IS has a filter size of 49mm whereas the Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 has a 58mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 49mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon RF-S 18-45mm f4.5-6.3 IS:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6:
Lens Mounts
The Canon RF-S 18-45mm f4.5-6.3 IS has the Canon RF lens mount whereas the Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount . Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Canon R50 V , Canon R100 and Canon R50 for the Canon RF Mount and OM System OM-3 Astro , OM System OM-5 II and OM System OM-3 for the Micro Four Thirds Mount.
Focal Range
Canon RF-S 18-45mm f4.5-6.3 IS has a focal range of 18-45mm and
2.5X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
28.8-72mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 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.
