The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 and the Nikon 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G VR 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. Nikon 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G VR is the longer of the two lenses at 80mm. The Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 with a length of 71mm, is 9mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Nikon 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G VR also has a larger diameter of 73mm compared to the Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6's 66mm 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. Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 weighs 210g, which means it is 55g (20%) lighter than the Nikon 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G VR which has a weight of 265g.
Filter Threads
The Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Nikon 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G VR has a 52mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G VR:
Lens Mounts
The Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount whereas the Nikon 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G VR has the Nikon F (DX) lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are OM System OM-3 Astro, OM System OM-5 II and OM System OM-3 for the Micro Four Thirds Mount and Nikon D3500, Nikon D7500 and Nikon D5600 for the Nikon F (DX) Mount.
Nikon 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G VR is also available in Nikon F (DX) mount.
Focal Range
Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 has a focal range of 12-60mm and
5.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
24-120mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Nikon 18-55mm f3.5-5.6G VR has a focal range of 18-55mm and 3.1X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 27-82.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
