The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the OM SYSTEM 9-18mm f4.0-5.6 II and the Panasonic Fisheye 8mm F3.5 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 Fisheye 8mm F3.5 is the longer of the two lenses at 52mm. The OM SYSTEM 9-18mm f4.0-5.6 II with a length of 49mm, is 3mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Panasonic Fisheye 8mm F3.5 also has a larger diameter of 61mm compared to the OM SYSTEM 9-18mm f4.0-5.6 II'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. OM SYSTEM 9-18mm f4.0-5.6 II weighs 154g, which means it is 11g (6%) lighter than the Panasonic Fisheye 8mm F3.5 which has a weight of 165g.
Lens Mounts
Both the OM SYSTEM 9-18mm f4.0-5.6 II and the Panasonic Fisheye 8mm F3.5 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-3 Astro, OM System OM-5 II and OM System OM-3.
Focal Range
OM SYSTEM 9-18mm f4.0-5.6 II has a focal range of 9-18mm and
2.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
18-36mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Panasonic Fisheye 8mm F3.5 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 8mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 16mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
