The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic 14-140mm F3.5-5.6 O.I.S and the Olympus ED 18-180mm f3.5-6.3 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. Olympus ED 18-180mm f3.5-6.3 is the longer of the two lenses at 85mm. The Panasonic 14-140mm F3.5-5.6 O.I.S with a length of 75mm, is 10mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Olympus ED 18-180mm f3.5-6.3 also has a larger diameter of 78mm compared to the Panasonic 14-140mm F3.5-5.6 O.I.S's 67mm 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 14-140mm F3.5-5.6 O.I.S weighs 265g, which means it is 170g (39%) lighter than the Olympus ED 18-180mm f3.5-6.3 which has a weight of 435g.
Filter Threads
The Panasonic 14-140mm F3.5-5.6 O.I.S has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Olympus ED 18-180mm f3.5-6.3 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 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Panasonic 14-140mm F3.5-5.6 O.I.S:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus ED 18-180mm f3.5-6.3:
Lens Mounts
The Panasonic 14-140mm F3.5-5.6 O.I.S has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount whereas the Olympus ED 18-180mm f3.5-6.3 has the Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are OM System OM-1 II, Panasonic G9 II and OM System OM-5 for the Micro Four Thirds Mount and Olympus E-5, Olympus E-600 and Olympus E-620 for the Four Thirds Mount.
Focal Range
Panasonic 14-140mm F3.5-5.6 O.I.S has a focal range of 14-140mm and
10.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
28-280mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Olympus ED 18-180mm f3.5-6.3 has a focal range of 18-180mm and 10.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 36-360mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.