The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic Leica Macro 45mm F2.8 OIS and the Olympus ED 50mm f2.0 Macro 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. Panasonic Leica Macro 45mm F2.8 OIS is the longer of the two lenses at 63mm. The Olympus ED 50mm f2.0 Macro with a length of 62mm, is 1mm shorter. On the other hand, the Olympus ED 50mm f2.0 Macro has a larger diameter of 71mm compared to the Panasonic Leica Macro 45mm F2.8 OIS's 63mm 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 Leica Macro 45mm F2.8 OIS weighs 225g, which means it is 75g (25%) lighter than the Olympus ED 50mm f2.0 Macro which has a weight of 300g.
Filter Threads
The Panasonic Leica Macro 45mm F2.8 OIS has a filter size of 46mm whereas the Olympus ED 50mm f2.0 Macro has a 52mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 46mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Panasonic Leica Macro 45mm F2.8 OIS:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus ED 50mm f2.0 Macro:
Lens Mounts
The Panasonic Leica Macro 45mm F2.8 OIS has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount whereas the Olympus ED 50mm f2.0 Macro has the Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are OM System OM-3 Astro, OM System OM-5 II and OM System OM-3 for the Micro Four Thirds Mount and Olympus E-5, Olympus E-600 and Olympus E-620 for the Four Thirds Mount.
Focal Range
Panasonic Leica Macro 45mm F2.8 OIS is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 45mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
90mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Olympus ED 50mm f2.0 Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 50mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 100mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
