The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Olympus 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 II and the Olympus ED 40-150mm f4-5.6 R 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 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 II is the longer of the two lenses at 117mm. The Olympus ED 40-150mm f4-5.6 R with a length of 86mm, is 31mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Olympus 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 II also has a larger diameter of 69mm compared to the Olympus ED 40-150mm f4-5.6 R's 64mm 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 ED 40-150mm f4-5.6 R weighs 190g, 55% (233g) lighter than the Olympus 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 II's weight of 423g.
Filter Threads
Both the Olympus 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 II and the Olympus ED 40-150mm f4-5.6 R have the same Filter thread size of 58mm.
Below are links to the 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Olympus 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 II and the Olympus ED 40-150mm f4-5.6 R 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
Olympus 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 II has a focal range of 75-300mm and
4.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
150-600mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Olympus ED 40-150mm f4-5.6 R 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.