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 Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye 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. Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye is the longer of the two lenses at 78mm. The Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 with a length of 71mm, is 7mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye also has a larger diameter of 76mm 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 260g (55%) lighter than the Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye which has a weight of 470g.
Lens Mounts
The Panasonic 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount whereas the Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye 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.
Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye is also available in Canon EF and Sigma SA mounts.
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 Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Fisheye is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 5mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 7.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
