The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Olympus ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 and the Olympus ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 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 f4.0-5.6 is the longer of the two lenses at 72mm. The Olympus ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 with a length of 44mm, is 28mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Olympus ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 also has a larger diameter of 66mm compared to the Olympus ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6's 62mm 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 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 weighs 150g, 31% (70g) lighter than the Olympus ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6's weight of 220g.
Filter Threads
The Olympus ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Olympus ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 has a 41mm 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 f4.0-5.6:
And these are the 41mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6:
Lens Mounts
The Olympus ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 has the Four Thirds lens mount whereas the Olympus ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 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-1 II, Panasonic G9 II and OM System OM-5 for the Micro Four Thirds Mount.
Olympus ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 is also available in Four Thirds mount.
Focal Range
Olympus ED 40-150mm f4.0-5.6 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 ED 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 has a focal range of 14-42mm and 3.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 28-84mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.