The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Panasonic S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 and the Nikon Z 16-50mm 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. Panasonic S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 is the longer of the two lenses at 87mm. The Nikon Z 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 with a length of 32mm, is 55mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Panasonic S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 also has a larger diameter of 77mm compared to the Nikon Z 16-50mm F3.5-6.3's 70mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Panasonic S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 and Nikon Z 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
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. Nikon Z 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 weighs 135g, 61% (215g) lighter than the Panasonic S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6's weight of 350g.
Filter Threads
The Panasonic S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Nikon Z 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 has a 46mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Panasonic S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6:
And these are the 46mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon Z 16-50mm F3.5-6.3:
Lens Mounts
The Panasonic S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 has the Leica L lens mount whereas the Nikon Z 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 has the Nikon Z lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Leica SL3, Panasonic S5 II and Panasonic S5 II X for the Leica L Mount and Nikon Z30, Nikon Z fc and Nikon Z50 for the Nikon Z Mount.
Focal Range
Panasonic S 20-60mm F3.5-5.6 has a focal range of 20-60mm and
3.0X zoom ratio .
On the other hand, the Nikon Z 16-50mm F3.5-6.3 has a focal range of 16-50mm and 3.1X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-75mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.