Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

Panasonic
96 Overall Score
vs
Rokinon 21mm f/1.4 21mm

Rokinon 21mm f/1.4 21mm

Rokinon
50 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

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

Rokinon 21mm f/1.4 21mm

60 out of 100 low confidence 5 reviews

The lens is praised as a great upgrade for the Sony a6000, especially for street photography. However, it is noted to be somewhat heavy and one user hasn't fully tested image quality yet. A Q&A confirms it is manual focus only and compatible with full-frame Sony A7II.

Pros
  • Great upgrade for a6000
  • Well-constructed build
  • Suitable for street photography
Cons
  • Heavier than desired
  • Untested image quality
  • Manual focus only
👍 Build quality 1
👎 Weight 1
🤔 Image quality 1
👍 Compatibility 1
👎 Focus type 1

Scores

Video Cinema
Panasonic
99
Rokinon
58
Landscape
Panasonic
95
Rokinon
44
Professional
Panasonic
92
Rokinon
58
Portrait
Panasonic
89
Rokinon
76
Travel
Panasonic
86
Rokinon
42
Budget
Panasonic
86
Rokinon
45
Street
Panasonic
84
Rokinon
67
Wildlife Sports
Panasonic
78
Rokinon
35
Macro
Panasonic
76
Rokinon
61

Specifications

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mmRokinon 21mm f/1.4 21mm
Optics
Typezoomwide-angle
Focal Length Min12 mm21 mm
Focal Length Max35 mm21 mm
Elements148
Groups97
Aspherical Elements4★3
ED Elements11
CoatingNano Surface CoatingUltra Multi Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2.8f/1.4
Min Aperturef/2.8f/1.4
Constant✓✓
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountMicro Four ThirdsSony E
Formatmicro-four-thirdsAPS-C★
Weather Sealed✓★—
Weight0.31 kg0.28 kg★
Filter Thread58 mm58 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeAutofocusmanual focus only
Stabilization✓★✗
Stabilization Stops5 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance150 mm★300 mm
Max Magnification0.21x★—

Pros & Cons

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

Rokinon 21mm f/1.4 21mm

  • Strong aperture (98th percentile)98th %ile
  • Strong bokeh (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong build (76th percentile)
  • Strong macro (69th percentile)
  • Below average user sentiment (5th percentile)5th %ile
  • Below average social proof (13th percentile)13th %ile
  • Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
  • Below average versatility (33rd percentile)

Verdict

★ Winner: Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

Scores 96 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 6 of 22 specs.

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm Better at:

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports