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 Samyang 12mm f2.0 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 Samyang 12mm f2.0 with a length of 59mm, is 29mm shorter. On the other hand, there is no difference between the max diameters of these lenses, both coming at 73mm.
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. Samyang 12mm f2.0 weighs 260g, 17% (55g) lighter than the Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH's weight of 315g.
Filter Threads
Both the Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH and the Samyang 12mm f2.0 have the same Filter thread size of 67mm.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH and the Samyang 12mm f2.0 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.
Samyang 12mm f2.0 is also available in Canon EF-M , Fujifilm X, Sony E and Samsung NX mounts.
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 Samyang 12mm f2.0 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 12mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 18mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
