The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II and the Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 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 F2.8-4.0 is the longer of the two lenses at 86mm. The OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II with a length of 84mm, is 2mm shorter. On the other hand, the OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II has a larger diameter of 70mm compared to the Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0's 68mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II and Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
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 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 weighs 320g, 16% (62g) lighter than the OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II's weight of 382g.
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
Both the OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II and the Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 have the same Filter thread size of 62mm.
Below are links to the 62mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II and the Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 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.
Focal Range
OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II has a focal range of 12-40mm and
3.3X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
24-80mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 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.