The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Venus 17mm F1.8 and the Panasonic 14mm F2.5 II 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. Venus 17mm F1.8 is the longer of the two lenses at 51mm. The Panasonic 14mm F2.5 II ASPH with a length of 21mm, is 30mm shorter. On the other hand, the Panasonic 14mm F2.5 II ASPH has a larger diameter of 56mm compared to the Venus 17mm F1.8's 55mm 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 14mm F2.5 II ASPH weighs 55g, 68% (117g) lighter than the Venus 17mm F1.8's weight of 172g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Wideangle Prime Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount for size comparison purposes.
Wideangle Lenses in Micro Four Thirds Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
Both the Venus 17mm F1.8 and the Panasonic 14mm F2.5 II ASPH have the same Filter thread size of 46mm.
Below are links to the 46mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Venus 17mm F1.8 and the Panasonic 14mm F2.5 II ASPH has the same Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Micro Four Thirds lenses are OM System OM-1 II, Panasonic G9 II and OM System OM-5.
Focal Range
Venus 17mm F1.8 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 17mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
34mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.
On the other hand, the Panasonic 14mm F2.5 II ASPH is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 14mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 28mm when used on a FourThirds format camera.