Panasonic Leica DG 8-18mm f/2.8-4.0 Review

[@MarcHillM]

Just sold my Olympus 7-14 to get the Panasonic 8-18 and very happy with the decision. The Olympus is a great lens and at 7mm the shots are quite something. However, filters need the be thrru custom filter holders and at 100 or better 150 increasing the bulk and inconvenience significantly. The Panasonic 8-18 handles far better on my GH5 and is more versatile making it almost a stay on the camera lens which wasn't the case with the Olympus. Additionally, the Panasonic has far better flare control whereas the Olympus was getting distracting sun flares which were often hard to avoid. Both are great lenses and it will come down to one shooting style. Thank you for your review.

[@chirsd666]

Very nice review. You and Mathieu have become one of my favourite and trusted photo gear reviewers. I already have the Olympus 7-14mm Pro with a hefty investment aftermarket filter holder and filters, so I won't be changing to the 8-16mm any time soon. But it does look like a compelling option for those who have not bought in to one of the UWA zoom options yet.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Thanks. The 7-14mm pro is a great lens, no need to change ;-)

[@johnrenton3463]

Another thoughtful and well composed review which tells us what we want to know about this interesting addition to the m43 UWA family - well done!

[@LiquidNS]

thank you for the review! been waiting for a review of this lens as nobody reviewed it yet

[@birdingbilly]

I have just found your channel and find you reviews both helpful and extremely well produced - keep up the good work.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Thanks Billy!

[@johnjon1823]

For the money, or even for any amount of money, the Lumix F4 7-14 is a really excellent sharp lens that delivers great vibrant color, and contrast. I have difficulty in imagining a better lens performance at any price from any other lens. The main drawback is the occasional lens flare and F4 if one needs a faster lens. The flare, in my use, has been when shooting into bright lights of some kind, it has been quite rare, but once you know about it, you know what to look for, for me, it has never really presented an insurmountable problem. I would not let worry about flare stop anyone from buying the 7-14 it is truly an excellent lens for the money or any money. I've used it to shoot real estate interiors for years, best thing I ever bought.

[@holgerschmitt2392]

Thanks for this video so it is clear I buy the Pansonic 8-18 for my OLY OMD M1-III

[@koolkutz7]

A great thorough review thanks. It seems that the sweet spot for sharpness is around F5.6. The big advantage of this lens is the filter thread. Great for creative photography and helpful for video work (e.g. ND filters etc). Keep up the good work.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

thanks!

[@onthemove301]

Great review. I owned this lens, then sold it. But now I'm going to buy a new copy, and with current cash back the price has dropped to £600, which is really great.

[@fishingfieldtrips]

As always, you deliver the best reviews. Thank you so much!!! I'm going to order this for my birthday today. I'll be using this at Costa Rica, Utah, Colorado, and then Montana this summer.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

nice birthday present! ;-)

[@fishingfieldtrips]

Mathieu Gasquet , hahaha!!!

[@Filmmaker809]

Hi Mathieu, Love your channel and value your reviews: Trying to decide whether I should get the PANASONIC LEICA DG SUMMILUX 12MM F/1.4 or the Panasonic H-E08018 8-18 mm F2.8-4.0 for my GH5?

[@ozziemariel3905]

thank you for your review, i've been waiting so long for this. nice video as always

[@lesleytaylor8913]

I have pre-ordered the new OM1 and would like to upgrade my Olympus 9-18mm to either the Oly 7-14 or Pan Leica 8-18. Whilst I love the prospect of the 7-14, I am put off by the inability to use a filter on it and the lens flare, so am drawn to the 8-18mm. My main uses for the lens will be landscape, low light and Astro, especially considering the OM1’s Starry Sky feature. What would you advise?

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Personally, I really like the Panasonic 8-18mm. The only thing to consider for astrophotography is that the f/2.8 aperture is only available at 8mm.

[@FieldingSmith]

Thanks for the review! Is there much vignetting when using ND filters at 8mm? Would be fantastic if you could check w/ the Lee Seven5 filter kit.

[@BrianSellers]

Great video - informative, clear, and to the point. Thanks!

[@ozzyguy6792]

The "model" is also a very pleasant and professional presenter!

[@MrVara411]

Loved the review. Nice pan across all the wide angle lenses for micro 4/3.

[@chirag4]

fantastic review by the lovely lady. Tough ask to choose one of the 4 lenses shown in the end. Oly 9-18 is ideal size for M43, but don't know about its performance. The new 8-18 seems the best overall choice.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Thanks. The Leica 8-18mm is the sharpest according to our tests but the 8-18, 7-14 lumix and 7-14 olympus are all very close. The 9-18mm is less sharp but has other advantages like the small size and cheaper price. Personally we really like this new 8-18mm, it's our favourite of all four lenses.

[@chirag4]

thanks for the right reply, much appreciated

[@vincentoliver]

Excellent review thanks, would be interested to know how it compares to the 7-14mm Lumix lens

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Make sure to check our comparison website, that article is coming today ;-)

[@goodbokeh]

Heather, do you have a sense how the 8-18 performance measures up to the 12-60 2.8-4.0 at shared focal lengths?

[@pr.cyrilcohen2578]

Great review... again ! Thanks a lot. Still undecided if to go for the Lumix 7-14 or the panaLeica 8-18... Will have to make up my mind soon.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

This might help: ;-) mirrorlesscomparison.com/micro-four-thirds-lenses/panasonic-leica-8-18mm-f2-8-4-vs-lumix-7-14mm-f4/

[@ahmedkanfer3223]

Wow superb review and shots. Would you mind comparing it to the 15mm 1.7 in sharpness? One more question, have you tried the 14-140 3.5 for nightclub shooting? And how was it?

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Thanks. No I haven't tried the 14-140mm for nighclubs, but I would prefer to use a faster lens (either a 2.8 zoom or a fast prime).

[@perryhoward5064]

Wonderful job thank you for the details

[@Robin2win14]

Oh my god! Aberystwyth! My old uni! I cant believe I just saw sample pictures of Aberystwyth haha

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

I love Aberystwyth!

[@maheshg212]

Hi Heather... I suppose if I am interested in only 12mm-ish view, then I would be better off getting the Olympus 12mm. - looking at how the apertures gets narrower on the zoom.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Probably yes, if 12mm is the focal length you're interested in, then the M.Zuiko 12mm f2 is great and much smaller too.

[@danzbeard]

Excellent review, thank you!

[@КириллМатвеев-ш3и]

As always the great review. Thank you!

[@Alhazmi75]

i was waiting for such a review thank you

[@damianpasternak]

Great review! Would love to see some video samples as well, seems like a great lens to buy, 7-14mm Panasonic is too old now (released in 2009 I think which is pretty old for today standards)

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

5:20 for the video samples

[@zondavn]

How about the sunstar?

[@evenaicantfigurethisout]

How does it compare to the 9-18?? Is the extra 1mm noticeable on the wide end?

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

We compared the two lenses on our website, it might help you ;) mirrorlesscomparison.com/micro-four-thirds-lenses/leica-8-18mm-f2-8-4-vs-olympus-9-18mm-f4-5-6/

[@systemedmultimedia6526]

Hi. Any alternative to this lens with constant apperture ? Even thought it's mentioned otherwise, the apperture does seem to be constant somehow. Am I wrong ? Thanks to answer

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Olympus 7-14mm f2.8 Pro or Lumix 7-14mm f4.

[@systemedmultimedia6526]

Ok, Thanks. Aside Olympus and Lumix/Leica, are there any other brands producing m4/3 zoom lenses ?

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Tamron made an all purpose zoom but the aperture is not constant.

[@systemedmultimedia6526]

Ok. Is the Olympus 7-14mm a parfocal lens ?

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

+Ellef Thanks for letting me know!

[@daveninjaneuro7089]

Very useful video

[@bladerunner8832]

Would this lens be easy to use on a Pen F?

[@elcanaldepotrillo]

Wow, I always see you in camera reviews but you never talk hahaha what a beautiful voice you have :) We want to see her more, women point of view it's interesting

[@NaughtybutNiceCy]

what a stupid comment, what does it matter if its a women or a man... "womens point of view" ???? How does a woman's point of view make a lense review different?

[@MMills-cb9zs]

trying to decide between this and the 15mm f.17 for vlogging? Can someone help?

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

It depends on the kind of shot you want to do. It you're walking holding the camera in front of you, 15mm might not be wide enough.

[@jeremykemp3782]

which lens did you go for after for your vlogging?

[@wcf4831]

Nice review, thanks.

[@LevideoHD]

Hello i am marco di milano, maybe you are able to advise me the best, i do not trust the sellers of Italian photographic material. I own two mirrorless one and the old olympus om-d em-5 first release and the other is a lumix gx80 / ​​85. My favorite photographic genre is that related to architecture and landscape photography. I currently use the following goals: Zuiko 12-50 mm Lumix 12-60 mm I was thinking of purchasing a better lens for my photograph with a larger wider angle. Initially I was thinking about the zuiko 7-14mm but now my attentions have moved to the lighter and cheaper compact 8-18mm lumix found in an Italian shop at 950 euros, and moreover this lens is able to Mount filters. My fear is about using the mirrorless olympus if the car is able to correctly resume the lines in the architectural photos, i have said that the camera software compensates the curves, assuming that i work in raw format And I use almost exclusively the post production olympus viewer 3.0 I would have to compensate for the curved lines not optimized by the camera in post production, I would lose too much time. To this question no lumix and olympus seller has answered, I assume you can do it. let me know what you think ?? To evaluate the purchase of 8-18 mm Thanks a lot Marco

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

Ciao Marco, la distorsione a barilotto viene corretta in camera e questo è valido per tutti gli obiettivi micro quattro terzi che hanno contatti elettronici, per cui vai tranquillo con l'8-18. Per quanto riguarda le foto di architettura, ti riferisci alla distorsione di prospettiva (ovvero raddrizzare le linee come si fa con un obiettivo Tilt-Shift)?

[@tubbymint]

well done as always

[@frankyang5657]

Not quite aware of parafocal behavior, would you please explain more? Much obliged.

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

With a parafocal lens, you can zoom in, set the focus distance and then zoom in and out knowing that the focus point won't change. It's a characteristic you find mostly with broadcast and cinema zoom lenses. Most photography zoom lenses are varifocal so they don't keep the focus point precisely when zooming or out which becomes more annoying when recording video.

[@frankyang5657]

Thanks a lot, it's so nice to have you on youtube, give you a big thumb up !

[@kristov1110]

Un seul mot : bravo !

[@davidmthekidd]

Thanks!

[@philk9227]

Great review, thanks

[@josefsalon4449]

Thanx!

[@johnycash641]

What about real estate movies ?

[@pablorenteria7634]

No dual IS ?

[@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons]

No, there's no optical stabilisation on the lens.

[@pablorenteria7634]

Thanks 2 bad... Oh Well.

[@mrsyclone]

Nice Good job !!!

[@marvona3531]

👍✳️👍✳️👍✳️

[@macmakka8214]

"the time it takes to go from minimum to maximum focus depends on how quickly you turn the focus ring " such insight , what out standing reviewing !!! i have never seen a review of this quality before , 1 1/2 stars out of 10.

[@birdingbilly]

You completely misunderstand the point about the fly be wire focus. The faster you turn the focus ring the faster it changes focus but not in a linear manner in the way a mechanical focussed lens works i.e if you turn the ring quickly it changes focus really quickly.