The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 and the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 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. Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 is the longer of the two lenses at 318mm. The Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS with a length of 64mm, is 254mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 also has a larger diameter of 112mm compared to the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS's 61mm 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 OIS weighs 165g, 92% (1950g) lighter than the Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3's weight of 2115g.
Filter Threads
The Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 has a filter size of 95mm whereas the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS has a 52mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 95mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS:
Lens Mounts
The Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony FX5, Sony A7R VI and Sony A7 V 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.
Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 OIS is also available in Micro Four Thirds mount.
Focal Range
Sony FE 200-600 F5.6-6.3 has a focal range of 200-600mm and
3.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
300 - 900mm.
On the other hand, the Panasonic 14-42mm F3.5-5.6 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.
