Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm F2.8 II ASPH Power OIS

design

92% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

Among Panasonic’s updated LUMIX G lenses, this fast 12-35mm offers silent operation via its inner focus drive system plus smooth brightness changes when zooming or panning due to a micro-step drive system in the aperture control. Another advantage is...

Very low distortion ; Well controlled CA ; High central sharpness ; Fast and accurate AF ; Compact and light ; Good flare resistance ; Weather resistance

Edges softer ; Slightly busy bokeh ; First sample lens supplied was below par

The Panasonic Lumix 12-60mm f/3.5-5.6 Asph Power OIS lens is not perfect, but it has some remarkable properties and is incredibly versatile. The low levels of distortion and CA are truly impressive and overall central sharpness is of a high standard,...

small, solid and compact casing ; excellent image quality in the frame centre ; very good image quality on the edge of the frame ; well corrected chromatic aberration ; moderate coma ; splendid, quick and silent autofocus ; efficient image stabilization

high vignetting ; huge distortion at the wide angle of view ; weak performance against bright light

Good build; Internal focus and zoom; Effective stabilisation; Nano surface coatings; Good optical quality

Lens resets itself to widest setting each time the camera is switched off

The range of compact cameras available in the sub £250 price bracket frequently changes. Therefore Which Digital Camera has invited manufacturers to maintain their own listings in this section only. This includes their own recommendations

Silent and fast AF system

Manual focusing

Excellent sharpness, especially in the centre; Low distortion; Weather sealed build; Fast focusing; Constant f/2.8 aperture; Image stabilisation; Compact size

Although the high price is typical of pro spec f/2.8 zooms, it may put this lens beyond the reach of many

With the advent of more professionally orientated Micro Four Thirds camera bodies, it makes sense that Panasonic would want to release a weather-sealed professional spec f/2.8 zoom. The price at around £999, is typical of these kinds of lenses.

Good build; Internal focus and zoom; Effective stabilisation; Nano surface coatings; Good optical quality

Novel zoom system make take a little getting used to; Lens resets itself to widest setting each time the camera is switched off

For a lens carrying a premium price tag, the performance is good but could be better in some areas. Excellent sharpness levels are maintained throughout the zoom range at maximum aperture, but sharpness towards the edges falls behind. Stopping down...

Sharp throughout zoom range. Very compact. Optically stabilized.

No manual focus ring. Distortion at wide angle. Modest zoom range. Pricey.

If you're in the market for a slim zoom for a Micro Four Thirds camera, the Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-32mm f/3.5-5.6 ASPH. is a solid choice. It doesn't have the reach of the 14-42mm power zooms that are offered by Panasonic and Olympus, but it's a...