The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH and the Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 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 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH is the longer of the two lenses at 88mm. The Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO with a length of 84mm, is 4mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH also has a larger diameter of 73mm compared to the Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO's 70mm diameter.
Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH and Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
Comparison image of the Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH and the Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 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. Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH weighs 315g, which means it is 67g (17%) lighter than the Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO which has a weight of 382g.
Filter Threads
The Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO has a 62mm 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 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO:
Lens Mounts
Both the Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH and the Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 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 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH has a focal range of 8-18mm and
2.3X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
16-36mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Olympus ED 12-40mm f2.8 PRO has a focal range of 12-40mm and 3.3X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-80mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
