Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4
Samyang SY12M-N 12mm
What Buyers Say
Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4
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
Samyang SY12M-N 12mm
The Samyang 12mm f/2.8 Fisheye Lens receives overwhelmingly positive feedback from verified users, who praise its sharpness, color, and contrast. It is widely recommended for 360° virtual tours, creative fisheye effects, and landscape photography on full-frame Nikon cameras. The lens works with most Nikon DSLR and mirrorless bodies, though users note the protruding front element requires care. Some Q&A clarifications confirm manual focus and aperture ring settings for Nikon AE compatibility.
Pros
- Sharp edge-to-edge optics
- Excellent color and contrast
- Great for 360° virtual tours
- Versatile for creative fisheye effects
- Good build quality
Cons
- Protruding front element needs careful handling
- Manual focus and aperture ring required on some Nikon bodies
Scores
Specifications
| Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 | Samyang SY12M-N 12mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | fisheye |
| Focal Length Min | 8 mm | 12 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 18 mm | 12 mm |
| Elements | 15 | 12 |
| Groups | 10 | 8 |
| Aspherical Elements | 4★ | 2 |
| ED Elements | 3 | 3 |
| Coating | Nano Surface Coating | Nano Coating System |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/22 |
| Min Aperture | 2.8-4 | f/2.8 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Nikon F |
| Format | micro-four-thirds | full-frame★ |
| Weather Sealed | ✓★ | — |
| Weight | 0.31 kg★ | 0.50 kg |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | — |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | 240-fps autofocus drive | manual focus only |
| Stabilization | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 230 mm | 200 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.12x★ | — |
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
Samyang SY12M-N 12mm
- Strong user sentiment (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Strong macro (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Strong optical (79th percentile)
- Below average bokeh (14th percentile)14th %ile
- Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
- Below average build (29th percentile)
Pricing
Samyang SY12M-N 12mm offers 1.3x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 89 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 21 specs.
