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

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

Panasonic
90 Overall Score
vs
Canon L IS USM 100-500mm

Canon L IS USM 100-500mm

Canon
33 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

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

85 out of 100 medium confidence 21 reviews

This Panasonic Leica 12-35mm f/2.8 lens is widely praised for its exceptional sharpness, solid build, and constant aperture, making it a versatile workhorse for both photo and video on Micro Four Thirds cameras. Users highlight its impressive image quality that rivals larger formats, fast and reliable autofocus, and effective image stabilization, especially when paired with compatible bodies. A few note the lens is somewhat heavy and that depth of field at f/2.8 is limited on MFT, but overall it is considered a worthwhile investment for those seeking a high-quality standard zoom.

Pros
  • Exceptional sharpness
  • Constant f/2.8 aperture
  • Solid build quality
  • Fast and reliable autofocus
  • Effective image stabilization
Cons
  • Somewhat heavy
  • Limited depth of field at f/2.8 on MFT
  • Image stabilization barely noticeable at wide angles
  • Not as sharp as prime lenses
  • Plastic lens hood
👍 Image quality 12
👍 Build quality 8
👍 Autofocus performance 6
🤔 Image stabilization 7
👎 Weight 4
👍 Value for money 5

Canon L IS USM 100-500mm

No customer feedback yet

Scores

Video Cinema
Panasonic
100
Canon
32
Professional
Panasonic
92
Canon
29
Landscape
Panasonic
91
Canon
36
Budget
Panasonic
90
Canon
42
Street
Panasonic
84
Canon
24
Portrait
Panasonic
83
Canon
13
Travel
Panasonic
82
Canon
39
Wildlife Sports
Panasonic
78
Canon
48
Macro
Panasonic
76
Canon
33

Specifications

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 12-35mmCanon L IS USM 100-500mm
Optics
Typezoomtelephoto
Focal Length Min12 mm100 mm
Focal Length Max35 mm500 mm
Elements14—
Groups9—
Aspherical Elements4★—
ED Elements1★—
CoatingNano Surface Coating—
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2.8f/100
Min Aperturef/2.8—
Constant✓✓
Diaphragm Blades7★—
Build
MountMicro Four ThirdsCanon RF
Formatmicro-four-thirds—
Weather Sealed✓✓
Weight0.31 kg★2.27 kg
Filter Thread58 mm—
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeAutofocusNano USM★
Stabilization✓✓
Stabilization Stops5 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance150 mm★500 mm
Max Magnification0.21x★—

Pros & Cons

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

  • Strong stabilization (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong optical (87th percentile)87th %ile
  • Strong build (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Strong social proof (85th percentile)85th %ile

Canon L IS USM 100-500mm

  • Strong af (94th percentile)94th %ile
  • Strong versatility (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
  • Strong stabilization (82nd percentile)82nd %ile
  • Below average aperture (1st percentile)1st %ile
  • Below average bokeh (1st percentile)1st %ile
  • Below average build (3rd percentile)3rd %ile
  • Below average optical (20th percentile)20th %ile

Verdict

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

Scores 90 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