Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 35mm

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 35mm

Panasonic
95 Overall Score
vs
TTArtisan AF 40mm f/2 40mm

TTArtisan AF 40mm f/2 40mm

TTArtisan
41 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 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

TTArtisan AF 40mm f/2 40mm

60 out of 100 low confidence 7 reviews

The TTArtisan 40mm f/2.0 pancake lens receives mixed feedback from users. While many praise its compact metal build, satisfying aperture ring, and excellent value for the price, significant issues with autofocus performance—including hunting, pulsing, and noise—are frequently mentioned. Image quality is generally good, but users note heavy vignetting and flare when shooting into strong light. Overall, it is seen as a budget-friendly option with trade-offs in AF reliability.

Pros
  • Compact metal build
  • Satisfying aperture ring
  • Excellent value for money
  • Good image quality
  • Fast f/2.0 aperture for low light
Cons
  • Poor autofocus performance
  • Loud autofocus motor
  • Heavy vignetting
  • Flare when shooting into light
  • Occasional misconnection with camera
👎 Autofocus performance 5
👍 Build quality 4
👍 Value for money 4
🤔 Image quality 4
👎 Vignetting 2
👎 Flare 2

Scores

Video Cinema
Panasonic
100
TTArtisan
48
Professional
Panasonic
92
TTArtisan
46
Landscape
Panasonic
91
TTArtisan
32
Budget
Panasonic
89
TTArtisan
46
Portrait
Panasonic
88
TTArtisan
42
Travel
Panasonic
83
TTArtisan
42
Street
Panasonic
82
TTArtisan
55
Wildlife Sports
Panasonic
78
TTArtisan
44
Macro
Panasonic
75
TTArtisan
47

Specifications

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 35mmTTArtisan AF 40mm f/2 40mm
Optics
Typezoomprime
Focal Length Min12 mm40 mm
Focal Length Max35 mm40 mm
Elements149
Groups96
Aspherical Elements4★—
ED Elements1★—
CoatingNano Surface Coating—
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2.8f/16
Min Aperturef/2.8f/2
Constant✓✓
Diaphragm Blades77
Build
MountMicro Four ThirdsNikon Z
Formatmicro-four-thirdsfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✓★—
Weight0.31 kg0.18 kg★
Filter Thread58 mm52 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeAutofocusSTM Stepping AF Motor★
Stabilization✓★✗
Stabilization Stops5 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance150 mm★400 mm
Max Magnification0.21x★—

Pros & Cons

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 35mm

  • Strong stabilization (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong user sentiment (91st percentile)91st %ile
  • Strong aperture (86th percentile)86th %ile
  • Strong optical (86th percentile)86th %ile

TTArtisan AF 40mm f/2 40mm

  • Strong build (87th percentile)87th %ile
  • Strong af (86th percentile)86th %ile
  • Below average user sentiment (5th percentile)5th %ile
  • Below average bokeh (31st percentile)
  • Below average versatility (34th percentile)

Verdict

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

Scores 95 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 7 of 22 specs.

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

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports