Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 35mm

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 35mm

Panasonic
95 Overall Score
vs
Viltrox AF 20mm F2.8 Air 20mm

Viltrox AF 20mm F2.8 Air 20mm

Viltrox
60 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 35mm

92 out of 100 medium confidence 22 reviews

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
👍 Optical performance 7
👍 Build quality 6
👍 Autofocus speed 5
👍 Versatility 4
👍 Video features 3
👎 Depth of field 2

Viltrox AF 20mm F2.8 Air 20mm

78 out of 100 medium confidence 14 reviews

The Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 for Nikon Z receives overwhelmingly positive feedback for its exceptional image quality, solid build, and great value. Users praise its sharpness, bokeh, and low-light performance, though a few report autofocus glitches or defects. Overall, it is seen as a fantastic alternative to more expensive Nikon lenses.

Pros
  • Exceptional image quality
  • Solid build quality
  • Great value for money
  • Fast and responsive autofocus
  • Beautiful bokeh and subject isolation
Cons
  • Occasional autofocus tracking drops
  • Defective unit reported (FEE error)
  • Fixed aperture limitation
  • Not as sharp as Nikkor 50mm 1.8 S
  • Soft and slow focus for astrophotography
👍 Image quality 10
👍 Build quality 6
👍 Value for money 8
🤔 Autofocus performance 5
👍 Low light performance 3
👎 Defects and reliability 2

Scores

Video Cinema
Panasonic
100
Viltrox
62
Professional
Panasonic
92
Viltrox
69
Landscape
Panasonic
91
Viltrox
57
Budget
Panasonic
90
Viltrox
64
Portrait
Panasonic
88
Viltrox
54
Travel
Panasonic
83
Viltrox
64
Street
Panasonic
82
Viltrox
70
Wildlife Sports
Panasonic
78
Viltrox
61
Macro
Panasonic
76
Viltrox
53

Specifications

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 35mmViltrox AF 20mm F2.8 Air 20mm
Optics
Typezoomwide-angle
Focal Length Min12 mm20 mm
Focal Length Max35 mm20 mm
Elements1410
Groups98
Aspherical Elements4★2
ED Elements12★
CoatingNano Surface Coatingnano multi-layer coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2.8f/16
Min Aperturef/2.8f/2.8
Constant✓✓
Diaphragm Blades77
Build
MountMicro Four ThirdsSony E
Formatmicro-four-thirdsfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✓✓
Weight0.31 kg0.16 kg★
Filter Thread58 mm52 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeAutofocusSTM★
Stabilization✓★✗
Stabilization Stops5 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance150 mm★190 mm
Max Magnification0.21x★0.17x

Pros & Cons

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 35mm

  • Strong stabilization (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong user sentiment (91st percentile)91st %ile
  • Strong social proof (86th percentile)86th %ile
  • Strong optical (86th percentile)86th %ile

Viltrox AF 20mm F2.8 Air 20mm

  • Strong build (96th percentile)96th %ile
  • Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Strong social proof (82nd percentile)82nd %ile
  • Strong optical (70th percentile)
  • Below average bokeh (30th percentile)
  • Below average user sentiment (30th percentile)
  • Below average versatility (34th percentile)
  • Below average stabilization (35th percentile)

Verdict

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

Scores 95 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 22 specs.

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

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports