Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

Panasonic
90 Overall Score
vs
Tokina Vista-C 29mm T1.5 29mm

Tokina Vista-C 29mm T1.5 29mm

Tokina
31 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

85 out of 100 medium confidence 21 reviews

This Panasonic Leica 12-35mm f/2.8 lens is widely praised for its exceptional sharpness, solid build, and constant aperture, making it a versatile workhorse for both photo and video on Micro Four Thirds cameras. Users highlight its impressive image quality that rivals larger formats, fast and reliable autofocus, and effective image stabilization, especially when paired with compatible bodies. A few note the lens is somewhat heavy and that depth of field at f/2.8 is limited on MFT, but overall it is considered a worthwhile investment for those seeking a high-quality standard zoom.

Pros
  • Exceptional sharpness
  • Constant f/2.8 aperture
  • Solid build quality
  • Fast and reliable autofocus
  • Effective image stabilization
Cons
  • Somewhat heavy
  • Limited depth of field at f/2.8 on MFT
  • Image stabilization barely noticeable at wide angles
  • Not as sharp as prime lenses
  • Plastic lens hood
👍 Image quality 12
👍 Build quality 8
👍 Autofocus performance 6
🤔 Image stabilization 7
👎 Weight 4
👍 Value for money 5

Tokina Vista-C 29mm T1.5 29mm

No customer feedback yet

Scores

Video Cinema
Panasonic
100
Tokina
36
Professional
Panasonic
92
Tokina
34
Landscape
Panasonic
91
Tokina
28
Budget
Panasonic
90
Tokina
27
Street
Panasonic
84
Tokina
30
Portrait
Panasonic
83
Tokina
29
Travel
Panasonic
82
Tokina
17
Wildlife Sports
Panasonic
78
Tokina
26
Macro
Panasonic
76
Tokina
50

Specifications

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mmTokina Vista-C 29mm T1.5 29mm
Optics
Typezoomprime
Focal Length Min12 mm29 mm
Focal Length Max35 mm29 mm
Elements1418
Groups918
Aspherical Elements4★—
ED Elements1★—
CoatingNano Surface Coating—
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2.8f/22
Min Aperturef/2.8f/1.5
Constant✓✓
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountMicro Four ThirdsARRI PL
Formatmicro-four-thirds65 mm Format (46.7 mm Image Circle)
Weather Sealed✓★—
Weight0.31 kg★2.25 kg
Filter Thread58 mm112 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeAutofocus—
Stabilization✓★✗
Stabilization Stops5 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance150 mm★350 mm
Max Magnification0.21x1:6.73★

Pros & Cons

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

  • Strong stabilization (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong optical (87th percentile)87th %ile
  • Strong build (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Strong social proof (85th percentile)85th %ile

Tokina Vista-C 29mm T1.5 29mm

  • Strong optical (79th percentile)
  • Strong macro (67th percentile)
  • Below average build (8th percentile)8th %ile
  • Below average aperture (20th percentile)20th %ile
  • Below average bokeh (23rd percentile)
  • Below average versatility (34th percentile)

Verdict

★ Winner: Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

Scores 90 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 7 of 22 specs.

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm Better at:

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports