Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
Rokinon AS UMC IO35AF-E 35mm
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
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 Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm | Rokinon AS UMC IO35AF-E 35mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | wide-angle |
| Focal Length Min | 12 mm | 35 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 35 mm | 35 mm |
| Elements | 14 | 12 |
| Groups | 9 | 10 |
| Aspherical Elements | 4★ | 1 |
| ED Elements | 1★ | — |
| Coating | Nano Surface Coating | UMC Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/22 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | 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 | 58 mm | 77 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | Autofocus | manual focus only |
| Stabilization | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Stabilization Stops | 5 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 150 mm★ | 300 mm |
| Max Magnification | 0.21x★ | 0.12x |
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 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)
Verdict
Scores 96 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 9 of 22 specs.