Canon EF-S17-55IS

Canon EF-S17-55IS

Canon
80 Overall Score
vs
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm

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

Panasonic
95 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Canon EF-S17-55IS

78 out of 100 medium confidence 18 reviews

The Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens is highly praised for its sharpness, fast focusing, and constant f/2.8 aperture, making it a versatile choice for low-light and everyday photography on crop-sensor cameras. Users appreciate its optical quality, often comparing it to Canon's L-series lenses, though some note the lack of weather sealing as a drawback, with a few reporting dust or sand issues. Overall, it is considered a reliable workhorse lens, especially for indoor and event photography.

Pros
  • Sharp image quality
  • Fast and accurate autofocus
  • Constant f/2.8 aperture
  • Excellent low-light performance
  • Versatile zoom range
Cons
  • No weather sealing
  • Dust and sand ingress issues
  • Not compatible with full-frame cameras
  • Large size compared to mirrorless lenses
👍 Image quality 6
👍 Autofocus performance 4
👍 Aperture and low light 5
🤔 Build quality and sealing 4
🤔 Compatibility 5
👍 Versatility 4

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

Scores

Video Cinema
Canon
91
Panasonic
100
Professional
Canon
81
Panasonic
92
Landscape
Canon
68
Panasonic
91
Portrait
Canon
91
Panasonic
89
Budget
Canon
85
Panasonic
86
Travel
Canon
62
Panasonic
83
Street
Canon
80
Panasonic
82
Wildlife Sports
Canon
72
Panasonic
78
Macro
Canon
68
Panasonic
75

Specifications

Canon EF-S17-55ISPanasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
Optics
Typezoomzoom
Focal Length Min17 mm12 mm
Focal Length Max55 mm35 mm
Elements1914
Groups129
Aspherical Elements34★
ED Elements2★1
CoatingSuper SpectraNano Surface Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2.8f/2.8
Min Aperturef/2.8f/2.8
Constant✓✓
Diaphragm Blades77
Build
MountCanon EF-SMicro Four Thirds
FormatAPS-C★micro-four-thirds
Weather Sealed✗✓★
Weight0.65 kg0.31 kg★
Filter Thread77 mm58 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeUSM★Autofocus
Stabilization✓✓
Stabilization Stops3 stops5 stops★
Focus
Min Focus Distance350 mm150 mm★
Max Magnification0.17x0.21x★

Pros & Cons

Canon EF-S17-55IS

  • Strong optical (95th percentile)95th %ile
  • Strong af (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
  • Strong aperture (86th percentile)86th %ile
  • Strong bokeh (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Below average user sentiment (30th percentile)

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

  • Strong stabilization (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong user sentiment (91st percentile)91st %ile
  • Strong aperture (86th percentile)86th %ile
  • Strong optical (86th percentile)86th %ile

Verdict

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

Scores 95 overall, wins 7 of 9 usage categories and 6 of 22 specs.

Canon EF-S17-55IS Better at:

Portrait

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

MacroStreetTravelLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports