The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS and the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II 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 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS is the longer of the two lenses at 49mm. The Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS with a length of 30mm, is 19mm shorter. On the other hand, the Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS has a larger diameter of 65mm compared to the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS's 56mm 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 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS weighs 110g, 5% (6g) lighter than the Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS's weight of 116g.
Filter Threads
The Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS has a filter size of 41mm whereas the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS has a 46mm 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 Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS:
And these are the 46mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS:
Lens Mounts
The Sony E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony ZV-E10 II, Sony A6700 and Sony FX30 for the Sony E 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 E 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 PZ OSS has a focal range of 16-50mm and
3.1X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
24-75mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 II OIS has a focal range of 14-42mm and 3.0X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 28-84mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
