The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 and the Panasonic 12-60mm 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. Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 is the longer of the two lenses at 86mm. The Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 with a length of 71mm, is 15mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 also has a larger diameter of 68mm compared to the Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6's 66mm diameter.
Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 and Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
Comparison image of the Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 and the Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 Size and Weight 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 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 weighs 210g, 34% (110g) lighter than the Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0's weight of 320g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Standard Zoom Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount for size comparison purposes.
Standard Micro Four Thirds Mount
Filter Threads
The Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 has a filter size of 62mm whereas the Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 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 62mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6:
Lens Mounts
Both the Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 and the Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 has the same Micro Four Thirds lens mount . Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Micro Four Thirds lenses are OM System OM-3 Astro , OM System OM-5 II and OM System OM-3 .
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of
12-60mm but while Panasonic 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 has the fastest aperture of
F2.8-4 , the Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6's widest aperture value is
F3.5 - F5.6 .
