The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 and the Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro 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 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 is the longer of the two lenses at 132mm. The Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro with a length of 117mm, is 15mm shorter. On the other hand, the Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0's 76mm diameter.
Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 and Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
Comparison image of the Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 and the Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro 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. Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro weighs 561g, 14% (94g) lighter than the Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0's weight of 655g.
Filter Threads
The Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro has a 72mm 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 Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro:
Lens Mounts
Both the Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 and the Olympus 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro 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
Panasonic 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 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 12-100mm F4.0 IS Pro has a focal range of 12-100mm and 8.3X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-200mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
