The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Olympus ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD and the Olympus ED 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 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 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD is the longer of the two lenses at 157mm. The Olympus ED 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 with a length of 116mm, is 41mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Olympus ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD also has a larger diameter of 87mm compared to the Olympus ED 75-300mm f4.8-6.7's 70mm 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 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 weighs 430g, 56% (565g) lighter than the Olympus ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD's weight of 995g.
Filter Threads
The Olympus ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Olympus ED 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 has a 58mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Olympus ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus ED 75-300mm f4.8-6.7:
Lens Mounts
The Olympus ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD has the Four Thirds lens mount whereas the Olympus ED 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 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.
Focal Range
Olympus ED 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 SWD has a focal range of 50-200mm and
4.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
100-400mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Olympus ED 75-300mm f4.8-6.7 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.