Viltrox Air AF 14/4.0 FE 14mm
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
What Buyers Say
Viltrox Air AF 14/4.0 FE 14mm
The Viltrox lenses are overwhelmingly praised for their exceptional value, delivering sharp image quality, solid build, and fast autofocus at a fraction of the cost of name-brand alternatives. Many users highlight the impressive performance for portraits, landscapes, and street photography, with particular acclaim for the 135mm f/1.8 and 16mm f/1.8 models. A few isolated complaints mention autofocus struggles in low light, vignetting, and minor quality control issues, but the overall sentiment is highly positive.
Pros
- Exceptional value for money
- Sharp image quality
- Solid build construction
- Fast and accurate autofocus
- Lightweight and compact design
Cons
- Autofocus struggles in low light
- Vignetting at wide apertures
- Minor chromatic aberration
- No weather sealing
- Autofocus noise audible
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
| Viltrox Air AF 14/4.0 FE 14mm | Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | wide-angle | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 14 mm | 12 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 14 mm | 35 mm |
| Elements | 12 | 14 |
| Groups | 9 | 9 |
| Aspherical Elements | 2 | 4★ |
| ED Elements | 4★ | 1 |
| Coating | HD multilayer nano coating | Nano Surface Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/16 | f/2.8 |
| Min Aperture | f/4 | f/2.8 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Sony E | Micro Four Thirds |
| Format | full-frame★ | micro-four-thirds |
| Weather Sealed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weight | 0.17 kg★ | 0.31 kg |
| Filter Thread | 58 mm | 58 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | STM★ | Autofocus |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Stabilization Stops | — | 5 stops★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 130 mm★ | 150 mm |
| Max Magnification | 0.23x★ | 0.21x |
Pros & Cons
Viltrox Air AF 14/4.0 FE 14mm
- Strong build (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong social proof (86th percentile)86th %ile
- Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Strong optical (84th percentile)84th %ile
- Below average bokeh (32nd percentile)
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
- Below average stabilization (34th percentile)
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
- Strong stabilization (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong user sentiment (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong aperture (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile
Pricing
Viltrox Air AF 14/4.0 FE 14mm offers 3.2x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 96 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 22 specs.
