Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 35mm

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 35mm

Panasonic
95 Overall Score
vs
Zeiss 000000-2136-691

Zeiss 000000-2136-691

Zeiss
70 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

Zeiss 000000-2136-691

85 out of 100 low confidence 8 reviews

The Zeiss Batis series lenses receive overwhelmingly positive feedback for their exceptional image quality, beautiful bokeh, and solid build. Users praise the sharpness, color rendering, and fast autofocus, though one reviewer noted a defective unit with packaging issues. Overall, these lenses are highly recommended for portrait and outdoor photography, despite being heavy and requiring distance for portraits.

Pros
  • Exceptional image sharpness
  • Beautiful creamy bokeh
  • Fast and quiet autofocus
  • Solid weather-sealed build
  • OLED focus distance display
Cons
  • Heavy weight
  • Requires distance for portraits
  • Packaging issues reported
  • Defective unit received by one user
  • Focus ring could be more textured
👍 Image quality 6
👍 Bokeh 5
👍 Autofocus 5
👍 Build quality 5
🤔 Value for money 4
👎 Weight 3

Scores

Video Cinema
Panasonic
100
Zeiss
65
Professional
Panasonic
92
Zeiss
76
Landscape
Panasonic
91
Zeiss
62
Budget
Panasonic
89
Zeiss
62
Portrait
Panasonic
88
Zeiss
57
Travel
Panasonic
86
Zeiss
59
Street
Panasonic
82
Zeiss
66
Wildlife Sports
Panasonic
78
Zeiss
66
Macro
Panasonic
75
Zeiss
77

Specifications

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 35mmZeiss 000000-2136-691
Optics
Typezoomwide-angle
Focal Length Min12 mm18 mm
Focal Length Max35 mm18 mm
Elements1411
Groups910
Aspherical Elements44
ED Elements17★
CoatingNano Surface CoatingZEISS T* coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2.8f/22
Min Aperturef/2.8f/2.8
Constant✓✓
Diaphragm Blades716★
Build
MountMicro Four ThirdsSony E
Formatmicro-four-thirdsfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✓✓
Weight0.31 kg★0.33 kg
Filter Thread58 mm77 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeAutofocuslinear motors★
Stabilization✓★✗
Stabilization Stops5 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance150 mm★250 mm
Max Magnification0.21x★—

Pros & Cons

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 35mm

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

Zeiss 000000-2136-691

  • Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
  • Strong optical (96th percentile)96th %ile
  • Strong social proof (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Strong build (83rd percentile)83rd %ile
  • Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
  • Below average versatility (34th percentile)

Verdict

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

Scores 95 overall, wins 8 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 22 specs.

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

BudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports