The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II and the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD 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. Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II is the longer of the two lenses at 196mm. The Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD with a length of 99mm, is 97mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II also has a larger diameter of 95mm compared to the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD's 80mm 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. Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD weighs 575g, 61% (925g) lighter than the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II's weight of 1500g.
Filter Threads
The Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD:
Lens Mounts
The Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II has the Sony Alpha lens mount whereas the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD has the Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony A99 II, Sony A68 and Sony A77 II for the Sony Alpha Mount and Olympus E-5, Olympus E-600 and Olympus E-620 for the Four Thirds Mount.
Focal Range
Sony 70-400mm F4-5.6 G SSM II has a focal range of 70-400mm and
5.7X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
105 - 600mm.
On the other hand, the Olympus ED 12-60mm f2.8-4.0 SWD has a focal range of 12-60mm and 5.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-120mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
