Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4
Rokinon AS UMC IO35AF-E 35mm
What Buyers Say
Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4
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
Rokinon AS UMC IO35AF-E 35mm
The Rokinon 35mm lenses receive generally positive feedback for their sharpness, compact size, and value for money, especially for travel and street photography. However, some users report issues with autofocus noise and hunting, particularly in video mode, and a few note build quality concerns. The f/1.4 version is praised for astrophotography but criticized for weight and softness wide open. Overall, it's a solid budget-friendly option with trade-offs in performance.
Pros
- Sharp image quality
- Compact and lightweight
- Great value for money
- Good for travel and street photography
- Fast aperture (f/1.4) for low light
Cons
- Noisy autofocus motor
- Autofocus hunts in video mode
- Build quality feels cheap
- Heavy for f/1.4 version
- Soft wide open at f/1.4
Scores
Specifications
| Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 | Rokinon AS UMC IO35AF-E 35mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | wide-angle |
| Focal Length Min | 8 mm | 35 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 18 mm | 35 mm |
| Elements | 15 | 12 |
| Groups | 10 | 10 |
| Aspherical Elements | 4★ | 1 |
| ED Elements | 3★ | — |
| Coating | Nano Surface Coating | UMC Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/22 |
| Min Aperture | 2.8-4 | f/2.8 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7★ | 6 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Canon EF |
| Format | micro-four-thirds | full-frame★ |
| Weather Sealed | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Weight | 0.31 kg | 0.09 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | 77 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | 240-fps autofocus drive | manual focus only |
| Stabilization | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 230 mm★ | 300 mm |
| Max Magnification | 0.12x | 0.12x |
Pros & Cons
Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4
- Strong optical (94th percentile)94th %ile
- Strong aperture (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile
- Strong build (84th percentile)84th %ile
Rokinon AS UMC IO35AF-E 35mm
- Strong build (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong social proof (86th percentile)86th %ile
- Strong optical (65th percentile)
- Below average bokeh (6th percentile)6th %ile
- Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (17th percentile)17th %ile
- Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
Pricing
Verdict
Scores 89 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 6 of 21 specs.
