Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

Panasonic
89 Overall Score
vs
Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS

Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS

Sigma
80 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

88 out of 100 medium confidence 18 reviews

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
👍 Image quality 12
👍 Build quality 8
🤔 Value for money 6
👍 Portability 5
👍 Filter compatibility 4
👍 Autofocus performance 3

Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS

No customer feedback yet

Scores

Landscape
Panasonic
83
Sigma
99
Travel
Panasonic
82
Sigma
90
Portrait
Panasonic
89
Sigma
52
Macro
Panasonic
69
Sigma
86
Video Cinema
Panasonic
85
Sigma
68
Street
Panasonic
84
Sigma
59
Budget
Panasonic
82
Sigma
77
Professional
Panasonic
82
Sigma
67
Wildlife Sports
Panasonic
75
Sigma
75

Specifications

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS
Optics
Typezoomzoom
Focal Length Min8 mm16 mm
Focal Length Max18 mm300 mm
Elements1520
Groups1014
Aspherical Elements44
ED Elements35★
CoatingNano Surface Coatingwater- and oil-repellent coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2.822-45★
Min Aperture2.8-43.5-6.7
Constant✗✗
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountMicro Four ThirdsSony E
Formatmicro-four-thirdsAPS-C★
Weather Sealed✓✓
Weight0.31 kg★0.61 kg
Filter Thread67 mm67 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF Type240-fps autofocus driveHLA
Stabilization✓✓
Stabilization Stops—6 stops★
Focus
Min Focus Distance230 mm170 mm★
Max Magnification0.12x1:2★

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

Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS

  • Strong versatility (100th percentile)100th %ile
  • Strong stabilization (99th percentile)99th %ile
  • Strong optical (99th percentile)99th %ile
  • Strong macro (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
  • Below average bokeh (25th percentile)

Verdict

★ Winner: Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

Scores 89 overall, wins 5 of 9 usage categories and 1 of 22 specs.

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 Better at:

BudgetStreetPortraitProfessionalVideo Cinema

Sigma Contemporary 16-300mm f/3.5-6.7 DC OS Better at:

MacroTravelLandscape