The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic 35-100mm F4.0-5.6 and the Panasonic 12-32mm F3.5-5.6 Mega 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. Panasonic 35-100mm F4.0-5.6 is the longer of the two lenses at 50mm. The Panasonic 12-32mm F3.5-5.6 Mega OIS with a length of 24mm, is 26mm shorter. On the other hand, there is no difference between the max diameters of these lenses, both coming at 56mm.
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 12-32mm F3.5-5.6 Mega OIS weighs 70g, 48% (65g) lighter than the Panasonic 35-100mm F4.0-5.6's weight of 135g.
Filter Threads
The Panasonic 35-100mm F4.0-5.6 has a filter size of 46mm whereas the Panasonic 12-32mm F3.5-5.6 Mega OIS has a 37mm 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 35-100mm F4.0-5.6:
And these are the 37mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic 12-32mm F3.5-5.6 Mega OIS:
Lens Mounts
Both the Panasonic 35-100mm F4.0-5.6 and the Panasonic 12-32mm F3.5-5.6 Mega OIS has the same Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Micro Four Thirds lenses are OM System OM-1 II, Panasonic G9 II and OM System OM-5.
Focal Range
Panasonic 35-100mm F4.0-5.6 has a focal range of 35-100mm and
2.9X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
70-200mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Panasonic 12-32mm F3.5-5.6 Mega OIS has a focal range of 12-32mm and 2.7X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-64mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.