The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Olympus ED 40-150mm f4-5.6 and the Olympus M 45mm f1.8 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 40-150mm f4-5.6 is the longer of the two lenses at 86mm. The Olympus M 45mm f1.8 with a length of 46mm, is 40mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Olympus ED 40-150mm f4-5.6 also has a larger diameter of 64mm compared to the Olympus M 45mm f1.8'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 45mm f1.8 weighs 116g, 38% (74g) lighter than the Olympus ED 40-150mm f4-5.6's weight of 190g.
Filter Threads
The Olympus ED 40-150mm f4-5.6 has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Olympus M 45mm f1.8 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 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Olympus ED 40-150mm f4-5.6:
And these are the 37mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus M 45mm f1.8:
Lens Mounts
Both the Olympus ED 40-150mm f4-5.6 and the Olympus M 45mm f1.8 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 40-150mm f4-5.6 has a focal range of 40-150mm and
3.8X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
80-300mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Olympus M 45mm f1.8 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 45mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 90mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
