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

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

Panasonic
96 Overall Score
vs
Zeiss Batis 000000-2136-695 135mm

Zeiss Batis 000000-2136-695 135mm

Zeiss
71 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

Zeiss Batis 000000-2136-695 135mm

85 out of 100 low confidence 8 reviews

The Zeiss Batis lenses receive overwhelmingly positive feedback for their exceptional image quality, beautiful bokeh, and solid build. Users praise the sharpness, color rendering, and fast autofocus, though one reviewer noted a defective unit with packaging issues. Overall, these lenses are highly recommended for portrait and outdoor photography, with minor caveats about weight and price.

Pros
  • Exceptional image sharpness
  • Beautiful bokeh rendering
  • Fast and quiet autofocus
  • Solid build quality
  • Excellent color reproduction
Cons
  • High price point
  • Heavy weight
  • Requires distance for portraits
  • Defective unit reported
  • Poor packaging in some cases
👍 Image quality 7
👍 Bokeh 5
👍 Autofocus 5
👍 Build quality 6
🤔 Price 4
👎 Weight 3

Scores

Video Cinema
Panasonic
98
Zeiss
76
Landscape
Panasonic
95
Zeiss
59
Professional
Panasonic
92
Zeiss
76
Portrait
Panasonic
89
Zeiss
82
Travel
Panasonic
86
Zeiss
53
Budget
Panasonic
86
Zeiss
66
Street
Panasonic
84
Zeiss
68
Wildlife Sports
Panasonic
78
Zeiss
62
Macro
Panasonic
76
Zeiss
48

Specifications

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mmZeiss Batis 000000-2136-695 135mm
Optics
Typezoomtelephoto
Focal Length Min12 mm135 mm
Focal Length Max35 mm135 mm
Elements1414
Groups911
Aspherical Elements4★—
ED Elements1★—
CoatingNano Surface CoatingZEISS T* coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2.8f/2.8
Min Aperturef/2.8f/2.8
Constant✓✓
Diaphragm Blades7★—
Build
MountMicro Four ThirdsSony E
Formatmicro-four-thirdsfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✓✓
Weight0.31 kg★0.61 kg
Filter Thread58 mm67 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeAutofocusAutofocus
Stabilization✓✓
Stabilization Stops5 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance150 mm★—
Max Magnification0.21x★—

Pros & Cons

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

  • Strong stabilization (96th percentile)96th %ile
  • Strong user sentiment (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
  • Strong aperture (88th percentile)88th %ile
  • Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile

Zeiss Batis 000000-2136-695 135mm

  • Strong aperture (88th percentile)88th %ile
  • Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile
  • Strong social proof (86th percentile)86th %ile
  • Strong stabilization (79th percentile)
  • Below average macro (12th percentile)12th %ile
  • Below average versatility (33rd percentile)

Pricing

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

No current pricing available

Zeiss Batis 000000-2136-695 135mm

Verdict

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

Scores 96 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 7 of 22 specs.

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

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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