Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

Panasonic
89 Overall Score
vs
OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R

OM System
59 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

88 out of 100 medium confidence 18 reviews

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
👍 Image quality 12
👍 Build quality 8
🤔 Value for money 6
👍 Portability 5
👍 Filter compatibility 4
👍 Autofocus performance 3

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R

85 out of 100 medium confidence 27 reviews

This M.Zuiko 40-150mm lens is widely praised for being lightweight and compact, delivering sharp images for its price point. Users are impressed with its value as a budget telephoto zoom for the Micro Four Thirds system, especially for outdoor daytime photography. A few note it struggles in low light and with fast-moving subjects, but most consider it a fantastic deal for hobbyists and travelers.

Pros
  • Lightweight and compact design
  • Sharp image quality for the price
  • Excellent value for money
  • Good for daytime outdoor photography
  • Quiet and fast autofocus
Cons
  • Struggles in low light
  • Not suitable for fast-moving subjects
  • Plastic build feels cheap
  • Not weather sealed
  • Tromboning zoom mechanism
👍 Price value 18
🤔 Build quality 7
👎 Low light performance 6
👍 Weight and portability 10
👍 Image sharpness 9
👎 Weather sealing 3

Scores

Portrait
Panasonic
89
OM System
37
Video Cinema
Panasonic
85
OM System
47
Street
Panasonic
84
OM System
55
Landscape
Panasonic
83
OM System
54
Budget
Panasonic
82
OM System
60
Professional
Panasonic
82
OM System
42
Travel
Panasonic
82
OM System
75
Wildlife Sports
Panasonic
75
OM System
49
Macro
Panasonic
69
OM System
44

Specifications

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R
Optics
Typezoomzoom
Focal Length Min8 mm40 mm
Focal Length Max18 mm150 mm
Elements1513
Groups1010
Aspherical Elements4★—
ED Elements3★1
CoatingNano Surface Coating—
Aperture
Max Aperturef/2.8f/22
Min Aperture2.8-44-5.6
Constant✗✗
Diaphragm Blades77
Build
MountMicro Four ThirdsMicro Four Thirds
Formatmicro-four-thirdsmicro-four-thirds
Weather Sealed✓★✗
Weight0.31 kg0.19 kg★
Filter Thread67 mm58 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF Type240-fps autofocus driveAutofocus
Stabilization✓★✗
Focus
Min Focus Distance230 mm★900 mm
Max Magnification0.12x1:6.25★

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

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R

  • Strong versatility (86th percentile)86th %ile
  • Strong build (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Strong social proof (77th percentile)
  • Strong user sentiment (66th percentile)
  • Below average bokeh (14th percentile)14th %ile
  • Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
  • Below average stabilization (34th percentile)

Pricing

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R is $928 cheaper (6.5x less).

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-40.081score per dollar
vs
OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R0.344score per dollar

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R offers 4.2x better value for money

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4-5.6 R

Verdict

★ Winner: Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4

Scores 89 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 21 specs.

Panasonic Lumix G Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 8-18mm f/2.8-4 Better at:

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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