Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
Viltrox Air 15mm F1.7 Z 15mm
What Buyers Say
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
Viltrox Air 15mm F1.7 Z 15mm
This Viltrox lens range receives overwhelmingly positive feedback for its exceptional value, sharpness, and fast apertures. Users consistently praise the image quality and build, noting it punches far above its price point. A minority report issues with chromatic aberration, noisy autofocus in video, firmware updates, and occasional defective units, but the general sentiment is that these are excellent budget primes.
Pros
- Excellent sharpness
- Fast aperture (f/1.2, f/1.7, f/1.8)
- Great value for money
- Solid build quality
- Fast and accurate autofocus
Cons
- Chromatic aberration in high contrast scenes
- Noisy autofocus in video
- Aperture ring moves too easily
- Firmware update process is cumbersome
- Occasional defective units
Scores
Specifications
| Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm | Viltrox Air 15mm F1.7 Z 15mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | wide-angle |
| Focal Length Min | 12 mm | 15 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 35 mm | 15 mm |
| Elements | 14 | 12 |
| Groups | 9 | 10 |
| Aspherical Elements | 4★ | 2 |
| ED Elements | 1 | 3★ |
| Coating | Nano Surface Coating | HD nano-coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/1.7 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | f/1.7 |
| Constant | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 9★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Nikon Z |
| Format | micro-four-thirds | APS-C★ |
| Weather Sealed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weight | 0.31 kg | 0.18 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 58 mm | 58 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | Autofocus | STM★ |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stabilization Stops | 5 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 150 mm | 15 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.21x | 1:10★ |
Pros & Cons
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
- Strong stabilization (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong user sentiment (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong aperture (87th percentile)87th %ile
- Strong optical (86th percentile)86th %ile
Viltrox Air 15mm F1.7 Z 15mm
- Strong macro (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong bokeh (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong aperture (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong build (94th percentile)94th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (30th percentile)
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
Verdict
Scores 95 overall, wins 3 of 9 usage categories and 3 of 22 specs.