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 Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH 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 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH is the longer of the two lenses at 88mm. The Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA with a length of 83mm, is 5mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH also has a larger diameter of 73mm 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. Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH weighs 315g, 29% (130g) lighter than the Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA's weight of 445g.
Filter Threads
The Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA has a filter size of 62mm whereas the Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH has a 67mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 62mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH:
Lens Mounts
The Sony DT 16-80mm F3.5-4.5 ZA has the Sony Alpha lens mount whereas the Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH 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 Panasonic 8-18mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH has a focal range of 8-18mm and 2.3X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 16-36mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
