Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
Panasonic
96 Overall Score
vs
Tamron 18-400mm
Tamron
53 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
Tamron 18-400mm
No customer feedback yet
Scores
Video Cinema
Landscape
Professional
Portrait
Travel
Budget
Street
Wildlife Sports
Macro
Specifications
| Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm | Tamron 18-400mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | telephoto |
| Focal Length Min | 12 mm | 70 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 35 mm | 180 mm |
| Elements | 14 | 20 |
| Groups | 9 | 15 |
| Aspherical Elements | 4★ | 3 |
| ED Elements | 1 | 4★ |
| Coating | Nano Surface Coating | BBAR-G2 (Broad-Band Anti-Reflection Generation 2) Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/22 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | f/2.8 |
| Constant | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Sony E |
| Format | micro-four-thirds | APS-C★ |
| Weather Sealed | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Weight | 0.31 kg★ | 1.46 kg |
| Filter Thread | 58 mm | 67 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | Autofocus | VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor★ |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stabilization Stops | 5 stops | 6 stops★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 150 mm★ | 180 mm |
| Max Magnification | 0.21x | 1:3.2★ |
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
Tamron 18-400mm
- Strong stabilization (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong optical (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong macro (84th percentile)84th %ile
- Below average social proof (6th percentile)6th %ile
- Below average build (11th percentile)11th %ile
- Below average bokeh (14th percentile)14th %ile
- Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
Verdict
Winner: Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mm
Scores 96 overall, wins 8 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 22 specs.