Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4
Samyang CS SY16M-C 16mm
What Buyers Say
Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4
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
Samyang CS SY16M-C 16mm
The Samyang 16mm f/2.0 manual focus lens receives overwhelmingly positive feedback for its exceptional sharpness, micro-contrast, and image quality, especially given its affordable price. Users love it for landscape and astrophotography, praising the fast f/2.0 aperture and solid build, though many note it is quite large and heavy on APS-C bodies. Manual focus is generally well-accepted for static subjects but challenging for moving ones. A few buyers were surprised by its size due to misleading product images but still found the optical performance excellent.
Pros
- Exceptional sharpness
- Great micro-contrast and rendering
- Fast f/2.0 aperture
- Solid build quality
- Excellent for landscapes and astro
Cons
- Large and heavy on APS-C
- Challenging for moving subjects
- Manual focus only (no AF confirm chip on some)
- Misleading product images (size mismatch)
- Not ideal for full frame (vignetting)
Scores
Specifications
| Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 | Samyang CS SY16M-C 16mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | wide-angle |
| Focal Length Min | 8 mm | 16 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 18 mm | 16 mm |
| Elements | 15 | 13 |
| Groups | 10 | 11 |
| Aspherical Elements | 4★ | 2 |
| ED Elements | 3★ | 1 |
| Coating | Nano Surface Coating | UMC |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/22 |
| Min Aperture | 2.8-4 | f/2 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 8★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Canon EF-S |
| Format | micro-four-thirds | APS-C★ |
| Weather Sealed | ✓★ | — |
| Weight | 0.31 kg★ | 0.58 kg |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | 77 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | 240-fps autofocus drive | manual focus only |
| Stabilization | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 230 mm | 200 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.12x★ | — |
Pros & Cons
Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4
- Strong optical (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong aperture (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile
- Strong build (84th percentile)84th %ile
Samyang CS SY16M-C 16mm
- Strong macro (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Strong optical (78th percentile)
- Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average bokeh (19th percentile)19th %ile
- Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
- Below average user sentiment (32nd percentile)
Verdict
Scores 89 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 6 of 21 specs.