The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic 9mm F1.7 ASPH and the Olympus 35mm f3.5 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. Olympus 35mm f3.5 Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 53mm. The Panasonic 9mm F1.7 ASPH with a length of 52mm, is 1mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Olympus 35mm f3.5 Macro also has a larger diameter of 71mm compared to the Panasonic 9mm F1.7 ASPH's 61mm 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 9mm F1.7 ASPH weighs 130g, which means it is 35g (21%) lighter than the Olympus 35mm f3.5 Macro which has a weight of 165g.
Filter Threads
The Panasonic 9mm F1.7 ASPH has a filter size of 55mm whereas the Olympus 35mm f3.5 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 55mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Panasonic 9mm F1.7 ASPH:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus 35mm f3.5 Macro:
Lens Mounts
The Panasonic 9mm F1.7 ASPH has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount whereas the Olympus 35mm f3.5 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 9mm F1.7 ASPH is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 9mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
18mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Olympus 35mm f3.5 Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 35mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 70mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
