The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 OIS and the Olympus 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 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. Olympus 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 II is the longer of the two lenses at 89mm. The Panasonic 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 OIS with a length of 60mm, is 29mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Olympus 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 II also has a larger diameter of 75mm compared to the Panasonic 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 OIS's 60mm 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 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 OIS weighs 195g, which means it is 245g (55%) lighter than the Olympus 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 II which has a weight of 440g.
Filter Threads
The Panasonic 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 OIS has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Olympus 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 II has a 67mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Panasonic 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 OIS:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 II:
Lens Mounts
The Panasonic 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 OIS has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount whereas the Olympus 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 II has the Four Thirds 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 Olympus E-5, Olympus E-600 and Olympus E-620 for the Four Thirds Mount.
Focal Range
Panasonic 14-45mm F3.5-5.6 OIS has a focal range of 14-45mm and
3.2X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
28-90mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Olympus 14-54mm f2.8-3.5 II has a focal range of 14-54mm and 3.9X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 28-108mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
