The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD and the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM 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. Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM is the longer of the two lenses at 193mm. The Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD with a length of 99mm, is 94mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM also has a larger diameter of 94mm compared to the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD's 80mm 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 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD weighs 575g, which means it is 1015g (63%) lighter than the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM which has a weight of 1590g.
Filter Threads
The Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM:
Lens Mounts
The Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD has the Four Thirds lens mount whereas the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM has the Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Olympus E-5, Olympus E-600 and Olympus E-620 for the Four Thirds Mount and Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K for the Canon EF Mount.
Focal Range
Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD has a focal range of 12-60mm and
5.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
24-120mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM has a focal range of 100-400mm and 4.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 160 - 640mm.
