The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA and the Olympus ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO 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. Olympus ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO is the longer of the two lenses at 106mm. The Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA with a length of 83mm, is 23mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Olympus ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO also has a larger diameter of 79mm compared to the Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA's 72mm 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. Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA weighs 445g, which means it is 89g (16%) lighter than the Olympus ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO which has a weight of 534g.
Lens Mounts
The Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA has the Sony Alpha lens mount whereas the Olympus ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony A68, Sony A77 II and Sony A58 for the Sony Alpha 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
Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA has a focal range of 16-80mm and
5.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
24-120mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Olympus ED 7-14mm F2.8 PRO has a focal range of 7-14mm and 2.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 14-28mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
