Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 35mm
Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 Air 56mm
What Buyers Say
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 35mm
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
Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 Air 56mm
The Viltrox 56mm f/1.7 is widely praised for its exceptional sharpness, lightweight design, and outstanding value for money. Users consistently highlight its impressive image quality, with sharp details and pleasing bokeh, often comparing it favorably to much more expensive lenses. While the autofocus is generally reliable for portraits and stills, some users note it can be noisy and not as fast as native Fuji lenses. A few isolated concerns about dust ingress and the plastic build have been mentioned, but overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive.
Pros
- Exceptional sharpness
- Lightweight and compact design
- Excellent value for money
- Pleasing bokeh
- Good low-light performance
Cons
- Noisy autofocus (some users)
- Autofocus slower than native lenses
- Plastic build
- Dust ingress reported
- No physical aperture ring
Scores
Specifications
| Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 35mm | Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 Air 56mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 12 mm | 56 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 35 mm | 56 mm |
| Elements | 14 | 11 |
| Groups | 9 | 9 |
| Aspherical Elements | 4★ | — |
| ED Elements | 1 | 1 |
| Coating | Nano Surface Coating | multi-layer coatings |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/1.7 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | f/1.7 |
| Constant | ✓ | ✓ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 9★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Fujifilm X |
| Format | micro-four-thirds | APS-C★ |
| Weather Sealed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weight | 0.31 kg | 0.19 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 58 mm | 52 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | Autofocus | autofocus |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stabilization Stops | 5 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 150 mm | 56 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.21x★ | 0.11X |
Pros & Cons
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12035 35mm
- Strong stabilization (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong user sentiment (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong social proof (86th percentile)86th %ile
- Strong aperture (86th percentile)86th %ile
Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 Air 56mm
- Strong bokeh (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong aperture (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong build (94th percentile)94th %ile
- Strong stabilization (80th percentile)80th %ile
- Below average social proof (17th percentile)17th %ile
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
Pricing
Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 Air 56mm offers 4.9x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 95 overall, wins 8 of 9 usage categories and 3 of 22 specs.
