The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN MFT and the Panasonic DG 12mm F1.4 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. Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN MFT is the longer of the two lenses at 92mm. The Panasonic DG 12mm F1.4 with a length of 70mm, is 22mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN MFT also has a larger diameter of 72mm compared to the Panasonic DG 12mm F1.4's 70mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN MFT and Panasonic DG 12mm F1.4 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. Panasonic DG 12mm F1.4 weighs 335g, 17% (70g) lighter than the Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN MFT's weight of 405g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Prime Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount for size comparison purposes.
Wideangle Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN MFT has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Panasonic DG 12mm F1.4 has a 62mm 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 Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN MFT:
And these are the 62mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic DG 12mm F1.4:
Lens Mounts
Both the Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN MFT and the Panasonic DG 12mm F1.4 has the same Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Micro Four Thirds lenses are OM System OM-1 II, Panasonic G9 II and OM System OM-5.
Focal Range
Sigma 16mm F1.4 DC DN MFT is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 16mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
32mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Panasonic DG 12mm F1.4 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 12mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.