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Review on πŸ“· Panasonic LUMIX Professional 8-18mm Camera Lens: G LEICA DG VARIO-ELMARIT Review & Specs by Andy Tunes

Revainrating 5 out of 5

According to an Olympus user, this is the best m43 ultra wide angle lens (better than the Olympus 7-14mm Pro)

1. Background: I know the Olympus m43 line and some Panasonic lenses pretty good . line (i.e. I have Olympus 12-40mm, 12-100mm, 40-150mm, Panasonic 12-35mm, 35-100mm etc and I have quite a few more but you get it). I also forgot to mention that I tested the Olympus 7-14mm and the Panasonic.2 version. On the other hand I was unimpressed by the latest Panasonic/Leica 12-60mm and their super telephoto lenses (100-400mm) and therefore had my doubts about the quality of this lens. I readily admit that I was wrong in my doubts about this lens; Again, I'm no expert on Panasonic lenses, but of the many lenses I've owned/tested, this is the most impressive lens.3. A few impressions: - Well built; I'd say the Olympus Pro lens seems more durable, but that doesn't mean it's poorly made. -- Optimal Sizing: This may be due to the aforementioned impression that it doesn't feel as solid as the Olympus Pro line, but for me, at least in this case, that's good or okay. Just because the size is quite compact, it's relatively light; very good for m4/3 camera. For example the Olympus 12-100mm is on the verge of being too big/heavy for an m43 camera and I am using the EM1 v2. --Feel/movement: very good and smooth --Quality: I didn't do any scientific experiments but I compared this lens with my other lens (preferably with the same focal length) and when shooting with a tripod etc. and etc. Yes, this lens is excellent. Obviously, most people will be wondering how sharp this lens is at 8mm; It is very good. I'll tick boxes, but from what I remember and looking at my previous test shots (because I don't have an Olympus 7-14mm at home) this Panasonic is definitely sharper. Sure, the Olympus is 1mm wider, but the Panasonic has a distinct advantage in size (ie lighter), image quality (yes, I think so) and the ability to use filters. Highly recommended.

Pros
  • Very good value for money
Cons
  • Vulgarity