The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic G 25mm F1.7 and the Olympus M 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II 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 G 25mm F1.7 is the longer of the two lenses at 52mm. The Olympus M 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II with a length of 50mm, is 2mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Panasonic G 25mm F1.7 also has a larger diameter of 61mm compared to the Olympus M 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II's 57mm 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. Olympus M 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II weighs 112g, 10% (13g) lighter than the Panasonic G 25mm F1.7's weight of 125g.
Filter Threads
The Panasonic G 25mm F1.7 has a filter size of 46mm whereas the Olympus M 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II has a 37mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 46mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Panasonic G 25mm F1.7:
And these are the 37mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus M 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II:
Lens Mounts
Both the Panasonic G 25mm F1.7 and the Olympus M 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II 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 G 25mm F1.7 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 25mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
50mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Olympus M 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 II has a focal range of 14-42mm and 3.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 28-84mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
