Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
Panasonic
96 Overall Score
vs
Zeiss Ikon C Sonnar 1407-218-L 50mm
Zeiss
41 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
Zeiss Ikon C Sonnar 1407-218-L 50mm
No customer feedback yet
Scores
Video Cinema
Landscape
Professional
Portrait
Travel
Budget
Street
Wildlife Sports
Macro
Specifications
| Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm | Zeiss Ikon C Sonnar 1407-218-L 50mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 12 mm | 50 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 35 mm | 50 mm |
| Elements | 14 | — |
| Groups | 9 | — |
| Aspherical Elements | 4★ | — |
| ED Elements | 1★ | — |
| Coating | Nano Surface Coating | T* Antireflexbeschichtung |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | — |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | f/1.5 |
| Constant | ✓★ | — |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 10★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Leica M |
| Format | micro-four-thirds | full-frame★ |
| Weather Sealed | ✓★ | — |
| Weight | 0.31 kg | 0.25 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 58 mm | — |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | Autofocus | manual focus only |
| Stabilization | ✓★ | — |
| Stabilization Stops | 5 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 150 mm★ | — |
| Max Magnification | 0.21x★ | — |
Pros & Cons
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
- Strong stabilization (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong user sentiment (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Strong aperture (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile
Zeiss Ikon C Sonnar 1407-218-L 50mm
- Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile
- Strong build (74th percentile)
- Strong aperture (71st percentile)
- Below average macro (12th percentile)12th %ile
- Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
- Below average stabilization (34th percentile)
Verdict
Winner: Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
Scores 96 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 8 of 22 specs.