Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

Panasonic
96 Overall Score
vs
Nikon NIKKOR Z 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR

Nikon NIKKOR Z 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR

Nikon
78 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

92 out of 100 medium confidence 22 reviews

The Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-35mm f/2.8 lens is widely praised for its excellent optical performance, sturdy yet lightweight build, and fast autofocus. Users highlight its versatility as a workhorse zoom for both photo and video, with particular appreciation for the linear focus mode on compatible cameras. A few note the shallow depth of field is limited due to the Micro Four Thirds system, but overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive.

Pros
  • Excellent optical performance
  • Sturdy yet lightweight build
  • Fast and reliable autofocus
  • Versatile zoom range
  • Linear focus mode for video
Cons
  • Limited shallow depth of field
  • Focus-by-wire system not linear
  • No built-in gear ring for cine use
  • Slight chromatic aberration in high contrast
👍 Optical performance 7
👍 Build quality 6
👍 Autofocus speed 5
👍 Versatility 4
👍 Video features 3
👎 Depth of field 2

Nikon NIKKOR Z 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR

No customer feedback yet

Scores

Video Cinema
Panasonic
98
Nikon
69
Landscape
Panasonic
95
Nikon
80
Professional
Panasonic
92
Nikon
63
Portrait
Panasonic
89
Nikon
60
Travel
Panasonic
86
Nikon
84
Budget
Panasonic
86
Nikon
78
Street
Panasonic
84
Nikon
80
Wildlife Sports
Panasonic
78
Nikon
69
Macro
Panasonic
76
Nikon
64

Specifications

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mmNikon NIKKOR Z 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR
Optics
Typezoomzoom
Focal Length Min12 mm16 mm
Focal Length Max35 mm50 mm
Elements149
Groups97
Aspherical Elements44
ED Elements11
CoatingNano Surface CoatingSuper Integrated Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2.8f/16
Min Aperturef/2.83.5-6.3
Constant✓★✗
Diaphragm Blades77
Build
MountMicro Four ThirdsNikon Z
Formatmicro-four-thirdsAPS-C★
Weather Sealed✓★✗
Weight0.31 kg0.14 kg★
Filter Thread58 mm46 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeAutofocusStepping Motor★
Stabilization✓✓
Stabilization Stops5 stops★4.5 stops
Focus
Min Focus Distance150 mm★200 mm
Max Magnification0.21x★0.2x

Pros & Cons

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

  • Strong stabilization (96th percentile)96th %ile
  • Strong user sentiment (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
  • Strong aperture (88th percentile)88th %ile
  • Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile

Nikon NIKKOR Z 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR

  • Strong stabilization (95th percentile)95th %ile
  • Strong build (91st percentile)91st %ile
  • Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Strong versatility (83rd percentile)83rd %ile
  • Below average bokeh (31st percentile)

Verdict

★ Winner: Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

Scores 96 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 22 specs.

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm Better at:

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports