Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

Panasonic
89 Overall Score
vs
Sony FE SEL100400MC 100-400mm

Sony FE SEL100400MC 100-400mm

Sony
55 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

88 out of 100 medium confidence 18 reviews

The Panasonic 8-18mm f/2.8-4 lens is highly praised for its excellent image quality, sharpness, and build. Users appreciate its compact size, light weight, and the ability to use screw-on filters, which is a key advantage over some competitors. While a few users noted it is pricey and one had sharpness issues on an Olympus body, the overwhelming majority recommend it for landscapes, interiors, and travel photography.

Pros
  • Excellent image quality
  • Sharp and crisp
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Accepts screw-on filters
  • Weather-sealed
Cons
  • Pricey
  • Variable aperture
  • No OIS
  • Sharpness issues on some Olympus bodies
  • Slight distortion at 8mm
👍 Image quality 12
👍 Build quality 8
🤔 Value for money 6
👍 Portability 5
👍 Filter compatibility 4
👍 Autofocus performance 3

Sony FE SEL100400MC 100-400mm

No customer feedback yet

Scores

Portrait
Panasonic
89
Sony
36
Video Cinema
Panasonic
85
Sony
52
Street
Panasonic
84
Sony
51
Landscape
Panasonic
83
Sony
71
Budget
Panasonic
82
Sony
58
Professional
Panasonic
82
Sony
56
Travel
Panasonic
82
Sony
65
Wildlife Sports
Panasonic
75
Sony
66
Macro
Panasonic
69
Sony
50

Specifications

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4Sony FE SEL100400MC 100-400mm
Optics
Typezoomtelephoto
Focal Length Min8 mm100 mm
Focal Length Max18 mm400 mm
Elements1514
Groups1010
Aspherical Elements4★2
ED Elements3★2
CoatingNano Surface CoatingAnti-reflective coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2.8f/45
Min Aperture2.8-4f/5.6
Constant✗✗
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountMicro Four ThirdsSony E
Formatmicro-four-thirdsfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✓✓
Weight0.31 kg★0.65 kg
Filter Thread67 mm67 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF Type240-fps autofocus driveDual linear motors★
Stabilization✓✓
Focus
Min Focus Distance230 mm★860 mm
Max Magnification0.12x0.41x★

Pros & Cons

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

  • Strong optical (94th percentile)94th %ile
  • Strong aperture (88th percentile)88th %ile
  • Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile
  • Strong build (84th percentile)84th %ile

Sony FE SEL100400MC 100-400mm

  • Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
  • Strong versatility (88th percentile)88th %ile
  • Strong optical (83rd percentile)83rd %ile
  • Strong stabilization (79th percentile)
  • Below average aperture (2nd percentile)2nd %ile
  • Below average bokeh (3rd percentile)3rd %ile
  • Below average macro (34th percentile)

Pricing

Both products are similarly priced.

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-40.009score per dollar
vs
Sony FE SEL100400MC 100-400mm0.006score per dollar

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 offers 1.5x better value for money

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

Sony FE SEL100400MC 100-400mm

Verdict

★ Winner: Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

Scores 89 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 21 specs.

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 Better at:

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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