The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Olympus ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS and the Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro 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 ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS is the longer of the two lenses at 206mm. The Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro with a length of 117mm, is 89mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Olympus ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS also has a larger diameter of 86mm compared to the Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro's 78mm diameter.
Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Olympus ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS and Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
Comparison image of the Olympus ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS and the Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro Size and Weight 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 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro weighs 561g, 49% (559g) lighter than the Olympus ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS's weight of 1120g.
Filter Threads
Both the Olympus ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS and the Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro have the same Filter thread size of 72mm .
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Olympus ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS and the Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro 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
Olympus ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS has a focal range of 100-400mm and
4.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
200-800mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro has a focal range of 12-100mm and 8.3X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-200mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
