The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Pentax 06 Telephoto 15-45mm and the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II 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. Pentax 06 Telephoto 15-45mm is the longer of the two lenses at 56mm. The Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS with a length of 49mm, is 7mm shorter. On the other hand, the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS has a larger diameter of 56mm compared to the Pentax 06 Telephoto 15-45mm's 50mm 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. Pentax 06 Telephoto 15-45mm weighs 90g, which means it is 20g (18%) lighter than the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS which has a weight of 110g.
Filter Threads
The Pentax 06 Telephoto 15-45mm has a filter size of 41mm whereas the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS 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 41mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Pentax 06 Telephoto 15-45mm:
And these are the 46mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS:
Lens Mounts
The Pentax 06 Telephoto 15-45mm has the Pentax Q lens mount whereas the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are , and for the Pentax Q Mount and OM System OM-3 Astro, OM System OM-5 II and OM System OM-3 for the Micro Four Thirds Mount.
Focal Range
Pentax 06 Telephoto 15-45mm has a focal range of 15-45mm and
3.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
68.25-204.75mm when used on a 1/1.7" format camera.
On the other hand, the 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.
