Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4
Nikon NIKKOR 2196 18-300mm
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
Nikon NIKKOR 2196 18-300mm
The Nikon 18-300mm lens is widely praised for its versatility, replacing multiple lenses with a single 16.7x zoom. Users highlight excellent clarity, fast performance, and effective vibration reduction, though they note it is heavy and expensive. Build quality is solid, and close-focus capability is a bonus. The main drawbacks are weight and the need for a good camera body to balance it.
Pros
- Excellent clarity and sharpness
- Fast performance and speed
- Effective vibration reduction (VR II)
- Versatile 16.7x zoom range (18-300mm)
- Solid build quality
Cons
- Heavy weight (over 2 lbs)
- High price
- No tripod mount on lens
- Requires good camera body for balance
- Large filter size (77mm) increases cost
Scores
Specifications
| Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 | Nikon NIKKOR 2196 18-300mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 8 mm | 18 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 18 mm | 300 mm |
| Elements | 15 | 19 |
| Groups | 10 | 14 |
| Aspherical Elements | 4★ | — |
| ED Elements | 3★ | — |
| Coating | Nano Surface Coating | — |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/2.8 | f/3.5 |
| Min Aperture | 2.8-4 | 3.5-5.6 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7★ | — |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Micro Four Thirds | Nikon F |
| Format | micro-four-thirds | APS-C★ |
| Weather Sealed | ✓★ | — |
| Weight | 0.31 kg★ | 0.83 kg |
| Filter Thread | 67 mm | — |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | 240-fps autofocus drive | AF-S |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 230 mm★ | 300 mm |
| Max Magnification | 0.12x★ | — |
Pros & Cons
Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4
- Strong optical (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong aperture (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile
- Strong build (84th percentile)84th %ile
Nikon NIKKOR 2196 18-300mm
- Strong versatility (99th percentile)99th %ile
- Strong aperture (83rd percentile)83rd %ile
- Strong user sentiment (82nd percentile)82nd %ile
- Strong bokeh (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Below average build (8th percentile)8th %ile
Pricing
Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 offers 1.3x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 89 overall, wins 8 of 9 usage categories and 7 of 21 specs.
