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 Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM 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. Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM is the longer of the two lenses at 88mm. The OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II with a length of 84mm, is 4mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM also has a larger diameter of 81mm compared to the OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II's 70mm 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 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II weighs 382g, which means it is 195g (33%) lighter than the Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM which has a weight of 577g.
Filter Threads
The OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II has a filter size of 62mm whereas the Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM 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 62mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM:
Lens Mounts
The OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount whereas the Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM has the Sony Alpha lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are OM System OM-3 Astro, OM System OM-5 II and OM System OM-3 for the Micro Four Thirds Mount and Sony A68, Sony A77 II and Sony A58 for the Sony Alpha Mount.
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 Sony DT 16-50mm F2.8 SSM has a focal range of 16-50mm and 3.1X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-75mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
