The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Pentax 15mm F4 L and the Panasonic Leica 15mm F1.7 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 15mm F4 L is the longer of the two lenses at 40mm. The Panasonic Leica 15mm F1.7 with a length of 36mm, is 4mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Pentax 15mm F4 L also has a larger diameter of 63mm compared to the Panasonic Leica 15mm F1.7's 58mm 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 Leica 15mm F1.7 weighs 115g, 45% (97g) lighter than the Pentax 15mm F4 L's weight of 212g.
Filter Threads
The Pentax 15mm F4 L has a filter size of 49mm whereas the Panasonic Leica 15mm F1.7 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 49mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Pentax 15mm F4 L:
And these are the 46mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic Leica 15mm F1.7:
Lens Mounts
The Pentax 15mm F4 L has the Pentax KAF lens mount whereas the Panasonic Leica 15mm F1.7 has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Pentax K-3 III Mono, Pentax KF and Pentax K-3 III for the Pentax KAF 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
Both lenses have the same focal range of
15mm but while Pentax 15mm F4 L has the fastest aperture of
F4.0, the Panasonic Leica 15mm F1.7's widest aperture value is
F1.7.
