Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
IRIX Blackstone 15mm f/2.4 Blackstone 15mm
What Buyers Say
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
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
IRIX Blackstone 15mm f/2.4 Blackstone 15mm
The IRIX 15mm f/2.4 lens gets high marks for its sharpness, build quality, and value. Users love it for landscape and astrophotography, praising the weather sealing, filter use, and electronic aperture control. Some find the manual focus ring stiff, and there are occasional concerns about quality control and decentering.
Pros
- Excellent value for money
- Sharp image quality
- Great for astrophotography
- Weather-sealed design
- Electronic aperture control
Cons
- Stiff manual focus ring
- Occasional decentering issues
- Quality control concerns
- Tricky lens cap in the dark
- Infinity mark may be inaccurate
Scores
Specifications
| Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm | IRIX Blackstone 15mm f/2.4 Blackstone 15mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 12 mm | 15 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 35 mm | 15 mm |
| Elements | 14 | 15 |
| Groups | 9 | 11 |
| Aspherical Elements | 4★ | 2 |
| ED Elements | 1 | 2★ |
| Coating | Nano Surface Coating | Neutrino coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/22 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | f/2.4 |
| Constant | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 9★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Nikon F |
| Format | micro-four-thirds | full-frame★ |
| Weather Sealed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weight | 0.31 kg★ | 0.69 kg |
| Filter Thread | 58 mm | 95 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | Autofocus | manual focus only |
| Stabilization | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Stabilization Stops | 5 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 150 mm★ | 280 mm |
| Max Magnification | 0.21x | 1:2★ |
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
IRIX Blackstone 15mm f/2.4 Blackstone 15mm
- Strong optical (86th percentile)86th %ile
- Strong macro (72nd percentile)
- Strong social proof (69th percentile)
- Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
- Below average bokeh (25th percentile)
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
Verdict
Scores 96 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 6 of 22 specs.