Sony G 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
What Buyers Say
Sony G 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS
The Sony FE 70-300mm F4.5-5.6 G OSS lens is widely praised for its sharpness, compact size, good image stabilization, and versatile zoom range. Many users highlight its excellent build quality, fast autofocus, and balanced handling on full-frame and APS-C bodies. However, drawbacks include a lack of a tripod collar, occasional autofocus hunting in low light, and some reports of sample variation or softness at certain focal lengths. Several reviewers note it feels heavy, especially on smaller cameras, and some find the variable aperture limiting in dim conditions.
Pros
- Sharp images across zoom range
- Compact and lightweight design
- Effective Optical SteadyShot stabilization
- Fast and accurate autofocus
- Solid build quality
Cons
- Lacks tripod collar
- Autofocus hunts in low light
- Variable aperture limits low-light performance
- Heavy for smaller camera bodies
- Sample variation (decentered/soft copies)
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
Scores
Specifications
| Sony G 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS | Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 70 mm | 12 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 300 mm | 35 mm |
| Elements | 16 | 14 |
| Groups | 13 | 9 |
| Aspherical Elements | 4 | 4 |
| ED Elements | 2★ | 1 |
| Coating | Nano AR Coating | Nano Surface Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/29 | f/2.8 |
| Min Aperture | 4.5-5.6 | f/2.8 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 9★ | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Sony E | Micro Four Thirds |
| Format | full-frame★ | micro-four-thirds |
| Weather Sealed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weight | 0.85 kg | 0.31 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 72 mm | 58 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | Linear Autofocus Motor | Autofocus |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stabilization Stops | — | 5 stops★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 900 mm | 150 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.31x★ | 0.21x |
Pros & Cons
Sony G 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G OSS
- Strong optical (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong versatility (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong social proof (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong stabilization (79th percentile)
- Below average aperture (7th percentile)7th %ile
- Below average bokeh (9th percentile)9th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (17th percentile)17th %ile
- Below average macro (31st percentile)
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
Pricing
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm offers 2.8x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 96 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 22 specs.
