The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS and the Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS 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. Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS is the longer of the two lenses at 70mm. The Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS with a length of 49mm, is 21mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS also has a larger diameter of 65mm compared to the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS's 56mm 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 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS weighs 110g, which means it is 200g (64%) lighter than the Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS which has a weight of 310g.
Filter Threads
The Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS has a filter size of 46mm whereas the Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS has a 58mm 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 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS:
Lens Mounts
The Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount whereas the Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS has the Fujifilm X 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 Fujifilm X-T30 III, Fujifilm X-E5 and Fujifilm X-M5 for the Fujifilm X Mount.
Focal Range
Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS 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.
On the other hand, the Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS 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.
