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 7-14mm F4 ASPH 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 7-14mm F4 ASPH is the longer of the two lenses at 83mm. The OM SYSTEM 9-18mm f4.0-5.6 II with a length of 49mm, is 34mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Panasonic 7-14mm F4 ASPH also has a larger diameter of 70mm 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 146g (48%) lighter than the Panasonic 7-14mm F4 ASPH which has a weight of 300g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Zoom Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount for size comparison purposes.
Ultra-Wideangle Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the OM SYSTEM 9-18mm f4.0-5.6 II and the Panasonic 7-14mm F4 ASPH 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 7-14mm F4 ASPH has a focal range of 7-14mm and 2.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 14-28mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.