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

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

Panasonic
90 Overall Score
vs
Rokinon 100mm f/2.8 Macro 100mm

Rokinon 100mm f/2.8 Macro 100mm

Rokinon
28 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

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

85 out of 100 medium confidence 21 reviews

This Panasonic Leica 12-35mm f/2.8 lens is widely praised for its exceptional sharpness, solid build, and constant aperture, making it a versatile workhorse for both photo and video on Micro Four Thirds cameras. Users highlight its impressive image quality that rivals larger formats, fast and reliable autofocus, and effective image stabilization, especially when paired with compatible bodies. A few note the lens is somewhat heavy and that depth of field at f/2.8 is limited on MFT, but overall it is considered a worthwhile investment for those seeking a high-quality standard zoom.

Pros
  • Exceptional sharpness
  • Constant f/2.8 aperture
  • Solid build quality
  • Fast and reliable autofocus
  • Effective image stabilization
Cons
  • Somewhat heavy
  • Limited depth of field at f/2.8 on MFT
  • Image stabilization barely noticeable at wide angles
  • Not as sharp as prime lenses
  • Plastic lens hood
👍 Image quality 12
👍 Build quality 8
👍 Autofocus performance 6
🤔 Image stabilization 7
👎 Weight 4
👍 Value for money 5

Rokinon 100mm f/2.8 Macro 100mm

72 out of 100 medium confidence 18 reviews

The Rokinon 100mm f/2.8 macro lens receives generally positive feedback for its sharpness, build quality, and value. Users appreciate the manual focus and aperture control for macro work, though some note the lack of autofocus and the lens's weight as drawbacks. A few reviewers found it less sharp on Micro Four Thirds sensors, but overall it is praised for delivering excellent macro images at an affordable price.

Pros
  • Sharp image quality
  • Solid build quality
  • Good value for money
  • Smooth manual focus
  • Excellent macro capability
Cons
  • No autofocus
  • Heavy weight
  • Less sharp on Micro Four Thirds
  • Manual aperture only
  • No tripod collar included
👍 Image quality 6
👍 Build quality 4
👍 Value for money 5
🤔 Manual focus 5
👎 Weight 3
👎 Autofocus absence 3

Scores

Video Cinema
Panasonic
100
Rokinon
25
Professional
Panasonic
92
Rokinon
30
Landscape
Panasonic
91
Rokinon
33
Budget
Panasonic
90
Rokinon
28
Street
Panasonic
84
Rokinon
24
Portrait
Panasonic
83
Rokinon
19
Travel
Panasonic
82
Rokinon
23
Wildlife Sports
Panasonic
78
Rokinon
22
Macro
Panasonic
76
Rokinon
57

Specifications

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mmRokinon 100mm f/2.8 Macro 100mm
Optics
Typezoommacro
Focal Length Min12 mm100 mm
Focal Length Max35 mm100 mm
Elements1415
Groups912
Aspherical Elements4★1
ED Elements11
CoatingNano Surface CoatingUltra Multi-Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2.8f/32
Min Aperturef/2.8f/2.8
Constant✓✓
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountMicro Four ThirdsCanon EF
Formatmicro-four-thirdsfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✓★—
Weight0.31 kg★0.72 kg
Filter Thread58 mm67 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeAutofocusmanual focus only
Stabilization✓★✗
Stabilization Stops5 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance150 mm★307 mm
Max Magnification0.21x1:1★

Pros & Cons

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

  • Strong stabilization (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong optical (87th percentile)87th %ile
  • Strong build (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Strong social proof (85th percentile)85th %ile

Rokinon 100mm f/2.8 Macro 100mm

  • Strong optical (80th percentile)80th %ile
  • Strong macro (69th percentile)
  • Below average aperture (5th percentile)5th %ile
  • Below average bokeh (7th percentile)7th %ile
  • Below average af (13th percentile)13th %ile
  • Below average user sentiment (16th percentile)16th %ile

Verdict

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

Scores 90 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 6 of 22 specs.

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

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports