Voigtländer Nokton 23mm f/1.2 Aspherical 23mm
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
What Buyers Say
Voigtländer Nokton 23mm f/1.2 Aspherical 23mm
The Voigtlander Nokton 23mm f/1.2 is a manual focus lens that delivers beautiful character, good sharpness, and excellent build quality. Users appreciate its compact size, fast aperture, and electronic coupling, though some note heavy vignetting and a lack of weather sealing. Overall, it is a solid choice for street photography and creative work, with a few trade-offs in clarity at wide apertures.
Pros
- Beautiful image character and bokeh
- Compact and lightweight design
- Excellent build quality
- Fast f/1.2 aperture
- Electronic coupling with camera
Cons
- Heavy vignetting at wide apertures
- No weather sealing
- Manual focus only (no autofocus)
- Softness/glow at f/1.2
- No image stabilization
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
| Voigtländer Nokton 23mm f/1.2 Aspherical 23mm | Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | prime | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 23 mm | 12 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 23 mm | 35 mm |
| Elements | 10 | 14 |
| Groups | 6 | 9 |
| Aspherical Elements | 1 | 4★ |
| ED Elements | 2★ | 1 |
| Coating | — | Nano Surface Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/16 | f/2.8 |
| Min Aperture | f/1.2 | f/2.8 |
| Constant | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 12★ | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Nikon Z | Micro Four Thirds |
| Format | APS-C★ | micro-four-thirds |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Weight | 0.22 kg★ | 0.31 kg |
| Filter Thread | 46 mm | 58 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | manual focus only | Autofocus |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Stabilization Stops | — | 5 stops★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 180 mm | 150 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 1:4.9★ | 0.21x |
Pros & Cons
Voigtländer Nokton 23mm f/1.2 Aspherical 23mm
- Strong macro (84th percentile)84th %ile
- Strong build (83rd percentile)83rd %ile
- Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average user sentiment (32nd percentile)
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
- Below average stabilization (34th 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 5 of 22 specs.