The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Olympus ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 and the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS 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 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 is the longer of the two lenses at 61mm. The Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS with a length of 49mm, is 12mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Olympus ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 also has a larger diameter of 66mm compared to the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS'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. Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS weighs 110g, 42% (80g) lighter than the Olympus ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6's weight of 190g.
Filter Threads
The Olympus ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS has a 46mm 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 14-42mm f3.5-5.6:
And these are the 46mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS:
Lens Mounts
The Olympus ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 has the Four Thirds lens mount whereas the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS has the Micro Four Thirds 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 OM System OM-3 Astro, OM System OM-5 II and OM System OM-3 for the Micro Four Thirds Mount.
Olympus ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 is also available in the Micro Four Thirds mount.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
14-42mm and the fastest aperture of
F3.5 - F5.6.
