The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic 7-14mm F4 ASPH and the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD 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 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD is the longer of the two lenses at 99mm. The Panasonic 7-14mm F4 ASPH with a length of 83mm, is 16mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD also has a larger diameter of 80mm compared to the Panasonic 7-14mm F4 ASPH's 70mm 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 7-14mm F4 ASPH weighs 300g, which means it is 275g (47%) lighter than the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD which has a weight of 575g.
Lens Mounts
The Panasonic 7-14mm F4 ASPH has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount whereas the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD 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 7-14mm F4 ASPH has a focal range of 7-14mm and
2.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
14-28mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD 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.