Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

Panasonic
89 Overall Score
vs
Sigma DC 203101 8-16mm

Sigma DC 203101 8-16mm

Sigma
46 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

88 out of 100 medium confidence 18 reviews

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
👍 Image quality 12
👍 Build quality 8
🤔 Value for money 6
👍 Portability 5
👍 Filter compatibility 4
👍 Autofocus performance 3

Sigma DC 203101 8-16mm

No customer feedback yet

Scores

Portrait
Panasonic
89
Sigma
58
Video Cinema
Panasonic
85
Sigma
44
Street
Panasonic
84
Sigma
49
Landscape
Panasonic
83
Sigma
43
Budget
Panasonic
82
Sigma
49
Travel
Panasonic
82
Sigma
36
Professional
Panasonic
82
Sigma
43
Wildlife Sports
Panasonic
75
Sigma
37
Macro
Panasonic
69
Sigma
41

Specifications

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4Sigma DC 203101 8-16mm
Optics
Typezoomzoom
Focal Length Min8 mm8 mm
Focal Length Max18 mm16 mm
Elements157
Groups10—
Aspherical Elements4★3
ED Elements35★
CoatingNano Surface CoatingSuper Multi-Layer Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2.8f/4.5
Min Aperture2.8-44.5-5.6
Constant✗✗
Diaphragm Blades7★—
Build
MountMicro Four ThirdsCanon EF
Formatmicro-four-thirdsAPS-C★
Weather Sealed✓★—
Weight0.31 kg★0.56 kg
Filter Thread67 mm—
AF & Stabilization
AF Type240-fps autofocus driveHSM
Stabilization✓★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance230 mm★239 mm
Max Magnification0.12x0.12x

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

Sigma DC 203101 8-16mm

  • Strong optical (77th percentile)
  • Strong versatility (72nd percentile)
  • Below average build (19th percentile)19th %ile
  • Below average social proof (21st percentile)
  • Below average stabilization (35th percentile)
  • Below average macro (35th percentile)

Verdict

★ Winner: Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

Scores 89 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 6 of 21 specs.

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 Better at:

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports