Rokinon HD 8mm f/3.5 HD Fisheye 8mm
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
What Buyers Say
Rokinon HD 8mm f/3.5 HD Fisheye 8mm
This Rokinon 8mm f/3.5 fisheye lens is praised for its excellent value, solid build, and creative potential, especially on APS-C cameras where it delivers a full-frame diagonal fisheye effect. Users love the fun perspective it adds to landscapes, portraits, and skateboarding or astro shots, though they note it requires manual focus and aperture control. Some edge softness and chromatic aberration are mentioned, but these are correctable in post. Issues with full-frame cameras (heavy vignette) and inconsistent compatibility with certain Nikon bodies (e.g., D3500) are recurring drawbacks, and a few users reported a broken focusing ring or cheap-feeling barrel.
Pros
- Great value for money
- Solid build quality
- Fun and creative perspective
- Sharp when stopped down (f/5.6-f/8)
- Lightweight and compact
Cons
- Manual focus only
- Soft edges wide open
- Chromatic aberration at edges
- Not ideal for full-frame cameras (heavy vignette)
- Incompatible with some Nikon bodies (e.g., D3500)
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
| Rokinon HD 8mm f/3.5 HD Fisheye 8mm | Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | fisheye | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 8 mm | 12 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 8 mm | 35 mm |
| Elements | 10 | 14 |
| Groups | 7 | 9 |
| Aspherical Elements | 1 | 4★ |
| ED Elements | — | 1★ |
| Coating | super multi-layer coating | Nano Surface Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/22 | f/2.8 |
| Min Aperture | f/3.5 | f/2.8 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 6 | 7★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Canon EF | Micro Four Thirds |
| Format | APS-C★ | micro-four-thirds |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Weight | 0.43 kg | 0.31 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | 58 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | manual focus only | Autofocus |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Stabilization Stops | — | 5 stops★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 305 mm | 150 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | — | 0.21x★ |
Pros & Cons
Rokinon HD 8mm f/3.5 HD Fisheye 8mm
- Strong social proof (77th percentile)
- Strong macro (67th percentile)
- Below average bokeh (6th percentile)6th %ile
- Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
- Strong stabilization (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong user sentiment (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Strong aperture (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile
Verdict
Scores 96 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 10 of 22 specs.