The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Samsung 20-50mm F3.5-5.6 ED and the Panasonic 12-35mm F2.8 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 12-35mm F2.8 OIS is the longer of the two lenses at 74mm. The Samsung 20-50mm F3.5-5.6 ED with a length of 40mm, is 34mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Panasonic 12-35mm F2.8 OIS also has a larger diameter of 68mm compared to the Samsung 20-50mm F3.5-5.6 ED's 64mm 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. Samsung 20-50mm F3.5-5.6 ED weighs 119g, which means it is 186g (60%) lighter than the Panasonic 12-35mm F2.8 OIS which has a weight of 305g.
Filter Threads
The Samsung 20-50mm F3.5-5.6 ED has a filter size of 41mm whereas the Panasonic 12-35mm F2.8 OIS has a 58mm 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 Samsung 20-50mm F3.5-5.6 ED:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic 12-35mm F2.8 OIS:
Lens Mounts
The Samsung 20-50mm F3.5-5.6 ED has the Samsung NX lens mount whereas the Panasonic 12-35mm F2.8 OIS has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Samsung NX1, Samsung NX3000 and Samsung NX30 for the Samsung NX Mount and OM System OM-1 II, Panasonic G9 II and OM System OM-5 for the Micro Four Thirds Mount.
Focal Range
Samsung 20-50mm F3.5-5.6 ED has a focal range of 20-50mm and
2.5X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
30-75mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Panasonic 12-35mm F2.8 OIS has a focal range of 12-35mm and 2.9X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-70mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.