The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 and the Olympus M 17mm f1.8 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. Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 is the longer of the two lenses at 38mm. The Olympus M 17mm f1.8 with a length of 36mm, is 2mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 also has a larger diameter of 59mm compared to the Olympus M 17mm f1.8's 58mm 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. Olympus M 17mm f1.8 weighs 120g, 23% (36g) lighter than the Voigtlander 15mm F4.5's weight of 156g.
Filter Threads
The Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Olympus M 17mm f1.8 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 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Voigtlander 15mm F4.5:
And these are the 46mm filters that we recommend for the Olympus M 17mm f1.8:
Lens Mounts
The Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 has the Leica M lens mount whereas the Olympus M 17mm f1.8 has the Micro Four Thirds lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Leica M EV1, Leica M11-D and Pixii Max for the Leica M 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
Voigtlander 15mm F4.5 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 15mm.
On the other hand, the Olympus M 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.
