The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the OM System 25mm F1.8 II and the Olympus M 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II 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. Olympus M 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II is the longer of the two lenses at 50mm. The OM System 25mm F1.8 II with a length of 41mm, is 9mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Olympus M 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II also has a larger diameter of 57mm compared to the OM System 25mm F1.8 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. Olympus M 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II weighs 112g, 28% (44g) lighter than the OM System 25mm F1.8 II's weight of 156g.
Filter Threads
The OM System 25mm F1.8 II has a filter size of 46mm whereas the Olympus M 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II has a 37mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 46mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the OM System 25mm F1.8 II:
And these are the 37mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus M 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II:
Lens Mounts
Both the OM System 25mm F1.8 II and the Olympus M 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II 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 25mm F1.8 II is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 25mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
50mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Olympus M 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II has a focal range of 14-42mm and 3.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 28-84mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
